Turning Vegetarian...should i or not...?

Question

Ive just cooked a ready meal (beef stew and dumplings) and the meat in it tasted rank and chewy, so much so ive binned it and made myself a stir fry with just veg and tomatoes.
This is the 4th time ive really been put off eating meat lately.

Tell me why you think I should stay a meat eater or tell me why I should give it up.

Answer 1

Looking back on my meat eating days I can't believe how misinformed I was. It was just common sense to me that meat was good for you and a vegetarian diet would be lacking in lots of nutrients. Thankfully since then I've done a lot more research and found that a veg diet is much healthier than a meat eating one. The only good things that can come of meat are protein, iron and B12. There's actually too much protein in meat... most things have protein in and it's extremely difficult to be deficient of it even on a veg diet. Iron, B12 and omega 3 can be found in other sources such as spinach, flaxeed and hazlenuts.

I haven't eaten meat in over a year and have had my blood tested recently... I'm not lacking in anything, I am not anaemic and I'm not obese from cheese like another answerer assumes. Nearly the whole population of india has been vegetarian for thousands of years and their average life expectancy is 84... doesn't look like it's done them any harm either.

There are loads of sites on the internet that will help you decide whether a veg diet is right for you. My personal experience is that I feel a lot healthier now. My diet is so much more varied because I can think of more to cook than just a slab of meat and a handful of brocolli or carrots. Going on a veg diet has actually been really fun and I've learned so many more recipes now and have eaten a wider range of vegetables in the past week than I did in a whole year in my meat eating days. I'm not sure whether this is the case for anyone else but I'm a lot calmer now too... I don't get angry like I used to and I just generally feel a lot happier. Eating meat may taste nice to a lot of people but that's all it is... a taste. Millions of animals suffer, go through pain and die just to please people's tastebuds for a few moments... that pleasure soon goes and it doesn't affect your life any further... should animals really have to suffer just for those few seconds of pleasure?

Ultimately do what you feel's best but for me, giving up meat was the best decision I've ever made. Good luck!

Answer 2

I have now been a veggie for the last 3 weeks and am really enjoying it. I gave up after reading a book called Skinny B*tch, it gives you the truths about foods. It totally put me off by telling me what the animals have to go through before ending up on my plate! Becoming a veggie is making me try foods I wouldnt normally eat, espcially when eating out - I've also lost 2Ib every week since! There are some great meat subs you can get (check out Asda) they even do a fake bacon which is really good and really low in fat! I feel so much better, awake and generally more happy since giving it up and I dont miss it at all. It of course down to you what you choose so good luck

Answer 3

I would also recommend trying it out for awhile, mostly because it's not as hard as many people think. There is a good amount of fake meat that you can try out.
There are a lot of reasons for becoming vegetarian, even if you don't consider yourself an animal lover. It is much healthier than a meat filled diet, and has been shown to reverse heart disease. It can help many people lose weight (if you want to), because even fake meat is much lower in calories and fat (especially saturated fat).

I would recommend checking out the website www.goveg.com - may be a bit biased, but there is a lot of good info on there.

I have been a vegetarian for 9 months, I have lost about 10 pounds, and I would definitely recommend it. Good luck!

P.S. Veggies are a lot cheaper than meat too, so you save a bit of money as you get healthier.

Answer 4

I see all the vegetarians have been giving you the guff about being healthier than meat eaters. Such nonsense.
Most vegetarians have high cholesterol due to all the cheese they eat. I wonder what is more unhealthy, a fine steak from a reputable source or some cheese full of phosphates and other binding crap?.
A lot of female vegetarians are anaemic due to lack of iron in their diet. Yes, there is plenty of iron in watercress, spinach etc, but unless you eat something with high vitamin c, it will pass straight through you.
I would continue to eat meat, just make it's more of a treat and buy the best cuts you can afford. Buy from a reputable butcher so you know you are getting the very best.
I used to own a vegetarian restaurant and out of all the staff of 12, only 2 were veggy. Now they all eat meat.
To test this theory, fry a bacon sandwich near them and watch them as they get all twitchy.
They don't get twitchy around Quorn or pulses or alfalfa shoots.

Answer 5

I think it's the ready meals fault, not the meat. I can't eat those things at all. I think that if you want to stop eating meat, go for it, or you can be like me and eat some vegetarian meals and some vegan meals and some meat meals and enjoy your food without all the worries of particular restrictions of any diet. I enjoy eating quality food of all sorts, and I love new cuisines. Somedays I don't feel like eating meat, and somedays I do. Eat what you love in moderation and enjoy your food!

Answer 6

Being vegetarian is healthy if you still eat plenty protein, which is hard to replace. Eating eggs and dairy produce will help you do this, rather than being a vegan.

Vegetarianism helps keep the digestive system running smoothly, and I have no problems to report there since I made the change.

I heard an odd claim on the radio today from Rabbi Julia Neuberger. She claims new research suggests women are more attracted to vegetarian men, though the research cannot find a reason for this.

Answer 7

Eating vegetarian helps lower bad cholesterol, bad fat, and if done right, leads to a healthy diet that you can stick with for life, rather than the fad diets that people tire of easily.
But there are a myriad of other reasons to go veg., factory farmed animal agriculture is killing our planet not just because it pollutes beyond our ability to manage it, but it also wastes valuable resources like water, petroleum, and forest land, particularly rain forests. Check the link below for the details.

Answer 8

Becoming a veg is a lifestyle choice. The only person who can decide for you is you. I think you should eat meat to your hearts content until you are ready to do something different with your life.

Answer 9

Turn On's Classy,Funny,Shy Turn Off's Lazy,Bornig, Talks too much Looks dont mean anything to me never have never will. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I rather would be with a ugly funny girl that a cute bornig girl..

Answer 10

I have been veggy for most of my life. My kids have never eaten meat and I suspect never will.
Flesh is flesh - I cannot differentiate between eating my dog or my auntie or a cow.
I basically feel that if you can rear an animal and slaughter it yourself and eat it then go ahead - be a carnivore. If you can't - then don't be a hypocrite by getting others to do your dirty work for you.
Don't be swayed by nonsense about veggies being limp and pasty and unwell - we live much longer and healthier lives than meat eaters actually.
Nothing dies in order for me to live. That makes me sleep better at night.
C'mon - you know it makes sense ..... :)