Can someone tell me truthfully if being a vegetarian can make you pale and if yes, why? Veggie/vegan haters please click the back button and dont bother answering my question unless you are going to be mature about it and not get into meat sweats trying to offend me...and what can be done to avoid paleness for veggies.
2007-07-22 13:32:38 · 28 answers · asked by Anonymous in Food & Drink ➔ Vegetarian & Vegan
I have never heard that vegan/vegetarians are pale because of their diet. I have always thought it was the opposite.
In fact, I am a vegan/vegetarian. Have been all my life. I am 27 years old and have never been pale. Part of it, I'm sure is genes. But when I met my husband, he had very fair skin.... also genetic. But he ate a LOT of fast food and meat. He has since gone almost all vegetarian, still eats meat from time to time, but not often. His skin has changed dramatically! He has much more color to him and is much more alert and energetic.
My husband's sister and her children are very pale. My children have more pink to their skin and darker undertones. I believe it's because of the healthy diet I feed my family. So this is all personal, not "scientific" but it's true, none-the-less.
To avoid paleness for veggies?? I would say make sure you eat a balanced diet. Make sure you don't sit in a room with the curtains shut! Get exercise. Drink plenty of water. Get some sun. Smile. enjoy life.
2007-07-22 16:17:58 · answer #1 · answered by agirl 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I dont' believe being a vegetarian makes you pale. I have 2 sister in laws, a brother and a best friend who are all vegetarians (one sis in law has been for almost 10 years). I have never noticed that they were pale and I've never heard them say that as a concern. Maybe the paleness comes from only eating veggies or something like that. Make sure that you have carbs, veggies and protein (beans, tofu, etc.). Hope that this helps.
2007-07-22 13:51:24 · answer #2 · answered by Rebecca M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have not heard of this. A person who is a healthy vegetarian/vegan looks no different than anyone else. Maybe more healthy. The one thing that you may be thinking of is it is easy to develop an iron deficiency or a B12 deficiency which can cause a person to become pale. Just make sure you are eating a balanced meal. see a dietitian if that would make you feel better.
2007-07-22 13:43:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. I'm vegetarian and pale, but I'm half Irish. My meat eating relatives are also pale.
My wife is from India, she's dark skinned and vegetarian too.
That's a silly argument made up by meat eaters. It has no basis in fact.
By the way, my wife also has a Master's Degree in Nutrition and works as a Licensed Dietitian. It's totally untrue that you have to eat meat to get all your nutrients. Lots of people seem to think they are authorities on nutrition, but my wife really is.
2007-07-22 16:16:37 · answer #4 · answered by majnun99 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A crappy diet will make you unhealthfully pale.
Paleness is usually related to a lack of iron, and since the traditional source of iron in a Western diet is meat, some say that this is why vegetarians are pale.
Vegetarians lacking iron may be pale. Meat eaters lacking iron may be pale. That's the end of the story.
http://www.veganhealth.org discusses iron and nutrition on a meatless diet.
2007-07-23 07:24:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it doesn't. I am quite tan and healthy. I eat more than enough protien everyday and have no health problems. My doctor says that if half his patience were as healthy as me he would be happy. He's even noticed that my cholesterol has dropped to a healthy level and my blood pressure is down. I don't need supplements and I don't need protien shakes. The pale vegetarian is a stereotype that people use to defend their eating habits. I don't know why they feel they have to defend them but they do. Don't listen to any stereotypes or cliches about vegetarians or vegans. You'd be surprised at how many people are vegetarians and you'd never know the difference unless someone told you.
2007-07-22 16:20:08 · answer #6 · answered by al l 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, in my expereince being vegetarian does not make you pale.
We run a vegetarian guest house and see about 5,000 vegetarians and vegans each year. So i doubt anyone on this site see's more V&V each day.
Paleness is caused by a bad diet, lack of energy, and lack of being exposed to vitamin E via sunlight. All of which can easily be avoided on a veggie diet.
2007-07-22 23:09:50 · answer #7 · answered by Michael H 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I can't think of any reason that vegetarians would be pale. My skin is the same shade as it was when I was still eating meat & I know vegetarians with darker complexions.
The person who claims that vegetarians age faster is inaccurate. Yes, Bardot looks different than she used to, but let's not ignore what successive deep suntans will do to one's skin. Also, according to Wikipedia she was born in 1934. In any case, she'll always be known for her beauty.
2007-07-22 16:41:44 · answer #8 · answered by Catkin 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Being a vegetarian doesn't make you pale, it's because you're inside too much. Of course, there is the possibility that you aren't getting certain vitamins, making you pale. Get into the sun and find a way to get those vitamins. :]
2007-07-22 13:37:03 · answer #9 · answered by coopyey 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you eat a well balanced diet you should not be anemic which is the major reason for pale skin. Eat lots of green leafy vegetables, drink juices with spiralina and wheat grass in it, eat spinache, eat protein like tofu and soya milk and you should be right. A vegetarian diet that is not well balanced can be nutritionally deficient.
2007-07-22 15:13:17 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋