If I become a vegetarian how would I get all the nutrients that I lose from not eating meat? What are some of the pros and cons of being vegetarian? What kinds of foods do vegetarians eat.
2007-11-20 12:36:26 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Food & Drink ➔ Vegetarian & Vegan
You aren't actually losing many nutrients from not eating meat. As long as you eat a healthy, balanced diet which includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, and whole grains, you shouldn't have to worry about anything other than vitamin B12. Many vegetarian foods are fortified with vitamin B12, so most vegetarians don't need to take a supplement.
Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to consume a lot of, or even any, soy products if you do not want to.
Also, you did not mention which type of vegetarian you are considering becoming. Vegans avoid all animal products. Lacto vegetarians eat dairy products. Ovo vegetarians eat eggs. Lacto-Ovo vegetarians eat both dairy and eggs.
As for what kinds of foods do vegetarians eat: Well, I eat all different kinds of foods. I recommend getting a vegetarian cookbook such as Vegan with a Vengeance or the Moosewood cookbooks.
2007-11-20 12:56:16 · answer #1 · answered by kate 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I'll try to address each of your questions individually (it will keep me from rambling! lol)
1- Nutrients. It is a really popular misconception that meat contains all this wonderful protein and wonderful minerals that are not found anywhere else. That's a complete lie. Vitamin B12 is the only nutrient that is strictly found in meat. All other essential nutrients that enable our bodies to function can be found in fruit, vegetables, beans and legumes. Oh - and I won't get too worked up over losing B12. We only need trace amounts of it anyway and if you take a multivitamin, you're fine.
2- Pros: I can't say that the following is true for all vegetarians, but I have experienced these positive things and I've heard the same from others. Increased energy, more restful sleep, more regular bathroom trips (due to the higher amount of fibre in the diet), decreased risk for diabetes, cancer, atherosclerosis, and heart disease, and a healthier diet overall.
Cons: Eating out can be difficult, (at first) menu planning is hard, you have to constantly defend yourself and your lifestyle, and it takes your body a little time to get used to the change.
3- Personally, I eat a lot of different foods. I love veggie lo mien, veggie stir-fry, various pastas, different salads, veggie sandwiches, etc.
Good luck!
2007-11-21 02:26:45 · answer #2 · answered by YSIC 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You're getting ridiculous and uneducated responses from a lot of people. If you want to become vegetarian, it is absolutely possible to get all the nutrients you need. And you do NOT have to drink milk to be healthy! Protein is not an issue...you can get protein from practically anything you eat, for example, green leafy vegetables, grains, etc. Calcium is not hard to get...it is readily available in many vegetables, including kale and spinach. Furthermore, the calcium from plants is often more easily absorbed by the body than calcium from milk. The only nutrients I would recommend being aware of and paying attention to are:
-B12 (can be gotten from fortified foods--i.e. fortified cereals, soymilk, etc.)
-Iodine (can be gotten from sea vegetables or iodized salt)
-Omega-3's (easily gotten from flax seed)
It's really very easy to eat a very nutritious diet as a vegetarian...it just requires some effort in the beginning to learn about it. You can eat all kinds of foods, and it can be a lot of fun, because a lot of it will probably be new to you... for example, seitan is a protein-rich meat substitute that is made from wheat gluten. Most meat eaters will never take the time to try it, but it is absolutely delicious and can be prepared in a million different ways.
Keep researching vegetarianism. And as for the biased, uninformed people on this website that like to spread lies and myths about vegetarianism--don't let them tell you what to do. Once you've done some real research, you can make up your own mind about it.
2007-11-20 13:29:05 · answer #3 · answered by Veganista 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
eat lots of beans, nuts, soy nuts, tofu (if you like that stuff). eat a lot of dairy. or take protein vitamins. there are a lot of foods out there with plenty of protein.
cons: don't eat the right foods---some veg's don't know how to eat healthy and don't eat enough protein and get very sick
pros: healthier, boosts immune system, reduces risk of heart diseases, you're saving the animals!
yay vegetarians! we rock! lol!
2007-11-20 12:41:52 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am a vegetarian, and I have a lot of links for you to check out. I found a whole bunch of great resources for you. Good Luck in your quest and seek comfort in knowing youve made a wise choice. Lots of great recipes too.
Peace
GG
2007-11-23 16:55:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, meat is a not a supplier. Meat provides things that you can get perfectly well from anything else.
Pros: You will be healthier.
Cons: You might miss meat.
Vegetarians eat fake meat and everything else except real meat.
2007-11-20 13:56:07 · answer #6 · answered by Sucre Noir 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Vegetarians take foods that are not from any animal. If u r cautious about to get nutrients u should revert back to nonvegetarian foods, that's the only way I can suggest for u.
2007-11-20 12:44:23 · answer #7 · answered by nazbak 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
I'd like to know what nutrients you're losing from meat. Oh.. you mean you don't know?
People loooove to spout that ****, don't they? Kind of like the "Where do you get your protein from?" They can never answer my response of "How much should I be getting?"
Don't parrot everything you hear. Learn for yourself.
2007-11-20 21:30:02 · answer #8 · answered by Jessica 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
http://www.drmirkin.com/about/AboutDrMirkin.htm
I would recommend Dr. Gabe Mirkin's web site.... he reads and summarizes an enormous number of journals... and is a believer in HIGH FIBER, LOW FAT diets...
There are few things one cannot get in a vegetarian diet... but a little research and you should be fine... B12 is a vitamin that a vegetarian needs to make sure that he/she gets...
Find a good doctor who is sympathetic to being a vegetarian
2007-11-20 14:23:08 · answer #9 · answered by edzerne 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
"well chuck norris is not a vegitarian so i would say dont be a vegitarian...."
Sorry, but that's one of the funniest things I ever read.
93 year old exercise guru Jack LaLane is vegetarian.
You could try this website for some information:
http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/governance_5105_ENU_HTML.htm
2007-11-21 02:43:05 · answer #10 · answered by majnun99 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋