Becoming a vegetarian?

Question

okay this has been a pretty tough year with my eating habbits-I have acid reflex and quite a few things upset my stomach, i also cut out red meat from my diet, and now i have cut out meat all together. I will not have milk either or eggs...so i am becoming a vegetarian:)

But i have a few questions-
1.should i take calcium supplements?
2.Is there icecream that uses soy milk?
3.and what about cake-is there any cake that doesn't have eggs?

any tips to make the transition are very appreciated:)

By the way-im becoming a vegetarian for animal rights, i dont really like meat anymore, and to change my life style of a more healthful diet

Answer 1

There is a special ice cream that uses soy but you'd have to look it up online it has tofu in the name, there are some eggless cakes but i think you need a mix of self riseing flour, and i think the calcium supplements do have dried milk in them but you should still take them since it could cause even more problems if you didn't. You can use tofu in a lot of dishes because if you have enough flavor in it it tastes really good, but i think you should start with veggie burgers first.

Answer 2

There are several ice creams that are made from soy. In fact, check out your local grocer and health food store because there are a lot of soy products that are very good. I think everyone needs calcium supplements but if you are careful you can get this from natural products. There are cakes that are made without eggs. You will get really good at reading labels and asking restaurants and fast food places what are in their dishes. With no milk, eggs or cheese you sound more like a vegan than a vegetarian.

Answer 3

First, I'd like to wish you a happy World Vegetarian month!!! http://iskconbangalore.org/contents/vegetarianism/vegetarianday.htm

Secondly, I want to commend you for recognizing that eggs are not a normal part of the vegetarian diet. That is why there is a special prefix denoting those who do, ovo-vegetarians. Unfortunately too many people erroneously believe that eggs are a normal part of the vegetarian diet. There are so many ways to substitute eggs that you won't miss them at all and you'll be doing a lot of good for the cause of cruelty to chickens! tryveg.com

Keep in mind that while you are giving up meat products that does not mean you are giving up nutrition. When you use non dairy milk, margarine and other like products they have added calcium and vitamins D & A the same as cow milk products do, plus vitamin B12, with the added benefit of less sodium, fat and cholesterol.

Sometimes orange juice comes with added calcium. It's up to you and your Dr if you feel the need for extra calcium in your diet.

Healthy foods to watch for are; Green, leafy vegetables, fruits, berries, spices, tofu, Legumes, rice (brown), whole wheat grains, wheatgerm and pasta.

You will want to watch for animal ingredients in the products you use (they pop up in the most surprising places, learn to read labels diligently!) and take care not to use products that are tested on animals. Go to caringconsumer.com for more info about that.

To find out more about ingredients go to:http://www.caringconsumer.com/resources_ingredients_list.asp

There are frozen goodies called Soy Dream Lil' Dreamers or Rice Dream Mint Carob Chip, to name just a couple.

For more recipes and info follow these links:
vrg.org
veganwolf.com
vegcooking.com
goveg.com
peta.org
peta2.org
wwf.org
webmd.com

Answer 4

What about becoming a vegetarian, instead of a vegan.
A vegetarian does drink milk, eats ice cream, eggs, etc .
I have been a vegetarian for many years, people enjoy having dinner at my house, lots of vegetable dishes, beans and rice, just no meats.

Answer 5

1) As long as you eat calcium-rich vegetarian foods, no. In fact, cows' milk causes you to lose calcium because of the high protein content.

2) YES! Turtle Island has Purely Decadent, So Delicious, and Soy Delicious. There's Soy Dream and Rice Dream (the latter made with rice milk). There's Temptation Soy Dairy. There's also Tofutti, which makes tons of dairy-free products (they're geared toward the lactose intolerant, so not all their products are vegan).

3) There are tons of recipes for cakes and baked goods that don't require eggs. You can also use egg replacers. Check out any vegan cookbook for ideas. My favorite is using Ener-G Egg Replacer; you use 1/2 tbsp egg replacer to 2 tbsp water per egg and mix well before adding to the batter.

Check out "Skinny *****," which as a list of vegan packaged foods at the back. It's a pro-vegan tome disguised as a diet book.

A couple of great vegan cookbook authors: Sarah Kramer, Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Dreena Burton, Robin Robertson (she's vegetarian, but most are vegan recipes and those that aren't can be veganized), and Debra Wasserman.

Check out www.vegweb.com for recipes and tips for vegan life. For restaurants in your area, check out www.happycow.net and www.vegdining.com.

Since you have acid reflux, make sure you sit upright for at least 45 minutes after eating. Don't eat less than 3 hours before going to bed. Drink plenty of fluids. Chewing gum has helped me--www.veganstore.com and www.veganessentials.com both sell B-Fresh vegan gum, as well as tons of vegan items. Stress can exacerbate it, so try yoga or meditation to destress.

Good luck!

Answer 6

1. You don't really need a calcium supplement if you eat plenty of leafy green vegetables and soy products.
2. Soy Delicious Purely Decadent - http://www.turtlemountain.com/products/purely_decadent.html
3. There's loads of things out there that you can use in cake as a binder. That's all the egg is, something that holds the cake together. http://www.theppk.com/veganbaking.html Has suggestions on many different things that you can use.

Answer 7

Hi Sweetie
I would advise you to take a multi-vitamin and mineral suppliment.
Look in your local supermarket for "Tofutti" ice cream (made with soy and very yummy. they even make "tofutti cuties" little tofu ice cream sandwiches!! My three boys love 'em)
There should be many recipes on line for eggless cakes. If you cannot find any on vegan or vegitarian websites or on www.foodnetwork.com, let me know. I have a few that are pretty good. Good Luck--MissDelanne

Answer 8

Hey dear... come on i am a veggie... I have so many non veg friends... I really dont feel anything about anyone eating non veg food.... I just get upset sometimes for them when i get a feeling that they are eating some animal or bird that lived walked and flew one day... I really dont get any hard feelings at any of my non veg friends. To be frank, my best friend is a non veg... In fact on the lighter side, they make fun of me saying i live on grass and leaves!! lol.... Being veggie or non veg is just a way of living darling... I dont feel people are to be discriminated anything based on that.... I think someone hurt you bad for being a non veg or discriminated something to you for eating non veg food... Why do you let someone else's words or thinking affect you this much... dont hate us Veggie so much :-(( It hurts....... Live the life your way... Eat what ever you want..... As i tell everyone - ' Rest of the world....out of the window!!!'

Answer 9

If there is one near you, try a Jewish supermarket for soy-based ice-cream. They can't eat dairy products on certain days, so eat that instead. That's where my vegan aunt gets her ice-cream from!