Is it ok to be a vegetarian?

Question

What are the advantages and disadvantages of being vegetarian? If i were a vegetarian could i see the aura better? :D

i'm not a vegetarian..

so i guess...that you will loose weight too right?

Answer 1

It's sad when people come in here and say things because they feel they are right instead of having done extensive reading on the subject and trying it for themselves. A book store is highly beneficial, especially on this subject. If you don't want to spend time searching for titles, go to amazon or google and type in "vegan books" or "vegetarian books," get a list of titles and then go to your book store and read through them. You'd be amazed with the information and how many myths are out there.

I can't believe the things say on here. First of all, protein is called "the building blocks of life" and so everything has some protein in it. Take this into consideration - 100 calories of cow has around 5 grams of protein, while 100 calories of broccoli has around 11. Quinoa is a complete protein. As well asnuts and legumes. So is hemp, as well as being the most digestible and easily absorbed by the body. Furthermore, the whol protein thing is a myth. High protein diets, especially animal protein, is very detrimental on the body and its organs and is responsible for a lot of diseases (try China Study by T. Colin Campbell, for one suggestion).
Second, Omega-3 does not only come from fish. It's in flax seeds, walnuts, hemp milk and often fortified cereals and soymilks as well as oat milks, rice milks, etc.
Unlike what was said above, vegans do have gravy, ice cream, cookies, pastries, cake. . .and all that. Vegans, to put it very simply, have everything - just without the animal products.
B12 is a vitamin formed by bacteria. It used to be found naturally in top soil but with modern farming methods with pesticides and such and topsoil erosion, it is no longer present in soil. B12 can actually be stored in the body for years, which is why it takes so long for a deficiency to occur. Furthermore, very little is needed. We’re talking micrograms. A vegan diet may not be a reliable source of B12, but a flesh-eating diet isn’t necessarily, either. Meat has not been found to be a reliable source of B-12, at least according to extensive studies done by the USDA. The B-12 is too tightly bound within the protein to be adequately absorbed by our intestinal tracts. Even if meat were a good source, it is no longer a natural source of B-12. Unfortunately because of modern feeding practices of cattle, they no longer receive adequate B-12 in their diet and so they have to receive B-12 supplements (in other words, you are getting a supplement of B-12 second hand by eating meat). Dairy contains B12, but, unfortunately, dairy is the single most polluted food in our diets. It often has levels of dioxin and other petrochemicals that are far in excess of limits set by the EPA. It is also a food that promotes anemia by not only have low levels of iron, but also has elements which prevent proper absorption of iron. It is a very low nutrient dense food, and is very high in preformed Vitamin A which is not a healthful nutrient according to studies. On top of that, high consumption of dairy leads to excessive levels of Insulin-like Growth Hormone 1 in humans, and high levels of this hormone have been linked with various cancers, including but not limited to breast, prostate and colon cancers. I could go on, but I guess you get the idea here. Again, too, the B-12 from the cow's is not native to their diets any more, so they are getting it supplemented in. Yet, despite the high levels of consumption of foods high in B-12 in this country, it has been estimated by Harvard School of Public Health that B-12 is the most common nutrient deficiency in the US. So, it really comes down to the fact that we are not getting sufficient B-12 from any of our diets, and even if we could, the food sources that would give us sufficient B-12 our too polluted and unhealthful to eat in the required quantities to be considered ideal. In other words, in today's industrialized world where we wash fruits and veggies excessively (we used to get B-12 from the soil remnants on our produce), we are really best off taking a supplement for B-12. B-12 has found to be non-toxic in extremely high doses, so there is really no downside here (it is also relatively cheap). Seaweed and nutritional yeast both have some B12. Fermented items have some. Some cereals are fortified with it along with some vegan soymilks. For a direct source of vitamin B12 along with other B vitamins and a slew of other nutrients, I highly suggest Kombucha.
I've been vegan for two years and I've never felt better in my life. It's the best decision I've ever made for myself and (not only for the health reasons but after seeing Meet Your Meat (meat.org) and Earthlings (look it up in Google video)) I wish I was raised that way. The benefits are endless. I no longer have asthma, I have way more energy and can just keep going whereas I used to get winded really fast. . .while I used to get sick at least twice a year, I do not get sick anymore. I'm no longer tired constantly. . .the list just goes on and on. Not only for yourself, but for others, the environment, and animals.
The only real disadvantages are hearing the myths and misconceptions and silly stereotypes. And the fact that veggie restaurants aren't so huge, but even they can be found at happycow.net

Answer 2

Do some research on the net such a Viva website etc! ive been a vegetarian for 9 years now and its the BEST thing i ever done! as Linda mc Cartney once said "if all slaughterhouses had glass walls we'd ALL be vegetarians"! Just think.........if its got a face dont eat it!The advantages of going veggie is your saving thousands of innocent animals lifes every year! Lol can soooo tell im a Peta/Viva member cant you! xx

Answer 3

Advantages:

1. By following a vegetarian diet, you are most likely to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetbles. These are essential to good health.


2. By avoiding all sources of red meat, you will not have to worry about eating too much red meat and raising your bad cholesterol levels.


3. Protein, which is found in red meat, and which is also necessary for the healthy maintenance of the human body can alos be found in nuts, seeds, tofu, veggie burgers, and grains. You can get all of the nutrients and vitamins you need on a vegetarian diet.


Disadvantages:

1. By follwing the idea that animals have rights and therefore we should not use any animal products or by-products, then vegetarians should not drink alcoholic beverages as some of them are clarified by using animals ingredients. Biscuits and pie crusts are likely to be made using animal fat, so they should also be avoided. Vegetarians should not eat off of bone china dinnerware or use utensils that have bone handles. They should avoid vitamin or medicine capsules as most are made with gelatin. They should not use paint brushes as well as other brushes unless they arer made with synthetic fibers as most brushes are camel hair or other. They must watch for whey and emulsifiers in chocolate. They cannot wear cashmere clothing, nor wool, nor mohair, nor can they use felt. Vegetarians cannot use down-filled pillows or bedding. They cannot eat anything that contains gelatin. They cannot chew certain types of gum becuase the gum contains animal glycerin. They cannot eat any type of gravy. They should not use any type of hand or body lotion which contains lanolin, (sheep). Vegetarians should not wear any type of leather shoes, belts, coats or jackets, nor carry leather billfolds, purses, luggage, or cases. They may not be able to eat noodles, pasta, pastries, cakes, pies, and the like. And they cannot use cameras because the film is made from gelatin. They must buy their pets special dog and cat food and not use most of the store brands becuase they contain meat and meat by products. Vegetarians cannot use soap and body cleansers becuase they are likely to contain animal fats. Toothpaste has to be bought specially as many toothpastes contain glycerin. This is just a partial listing of what vegetarians cannot eat or use. There are hundred of other restrictions to add to this list.

Answer 4

The advantages of being a vegitarian is that you're not eating meat as funny as that sounds. You're not supporting the slaughter houses where hundreds of cows are lines up and killed. You have to make sure you get protein in other areas though as well. The disadvantages are that protein is a big source of iron so for people who have problems with low iron it's not the best idea to be a vegetarian but then again there's other ways to get iron. I guess it's how you look at it.

Answer 5

Ignore all the rubbish about needing suppliments and being deficient in this and that - these comments are normally from meat-eaters who are just looking for an excuse to knock us. There is no medical, health or scientific need to eat dead stuff.

Advantages:
Not supporting the death, cruelty, torture and pain administered and paid for by eating meat.
Great diet and health benefits
Wide range of great tasting food
Less long term risk of illness ( heart disease, colon cancer etc )

Disadvantages:
Occasionally having to put up with ignorant meaty comments.


don't know why Ryans mom mentioned fish, vegetarians do not eat fish.

Answer 6

its good to be a vegetarian
the advantage of being vegetarian is they will not have a weight on there body

Answer 7

Well i like being a vegetarian. I feel much better than when i ate meat. But just remember to get lots of protein and iron.

Answer 8

history tells us vegetarianism makes ppl think wiser. moreover there is a better way of thinking yourself, because atleast one animal will be saved from being butchered. if we cant give animals, life, ethically we don't have the right to kill them. everything that you can get in meat can be found in pulses and vegetables and they are safe in vegetables than they are in meat. so being vegetarian is always better.

Answer 9

Fruits have seeds; "vegetable" is a non-scientific word for cultivated edibles

Answer 10

As farms have become more industrialized, animals have become more of a commodity. They are considered units of production, rather than living, breathing beings, and as a result these animals are treated inhumanely.