So I've been Vegetarian for about 6 weeks

[DicDictionary]

...and it's going pretty well. I didn't eat much meat anyway before, and now I'm just not eating any, though I'm still eating eggs and dairy. The reasons are partially moral and partially health. Furthermore, I simply don't trust the meat in this country, or anywhere else for that matter.

In the short term, I feel fine. I'm putting less grease and bad cholesterol into my body. No more fried chicken, no more greasy bacon. I love the taste of both and will miss them dearly, and people have said to me, "Why not just eat less meat and not do it all?" Well, that is a good point, but I find it to be a slippery slope. I've also significantly cut high-fructose corn syrup out of my diet, at least the kind from soft drinks.

In terms of the long term benefits of it, Wikipedia has this to say:

The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada have stated: "Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals." American vegetarians tend to have lower body mass index, lower levels of cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and less incidence of heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, renal disease, osteoporosis, dementias such as Alzheimer’s Disease and other disorders.

Are there any other vegetarians on here? Has anyone considered this as a way of keeping healthy? Any cooking suggestions?

 

[B1FF]

Originally Posted by DicDictionary

The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada have stated: "Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of ... animal protein...

Can anyone explain why this is a 'nutritional benefit'?

Are there any other vegetarians on here? Has anyone considered this as a way of keeping healthy? Any cooking suggestions?

No, I have never considered it. There seem to be easier and more enjoyable diets that are healthier but still include delicious meat.

 

[Pilot]

i see no point in being a vegitarian. because we all know how terrible protein and nutrients from meat are...

 

[Fat-Elvis]

I imagine when the health as a whole of vegetarians and the health of non-vegetarians are compared, you end up really comparing the health of health-conscious people with the health of not-so-health-conscious people. The idea that meat and animal protein are bad for you is bullshit. All the hormones and whatnot that they pump into the animals is another matter, but that's not an issue with meat itself. There have been a lot of theories about why meat is bad for you that have been disproven as bs.

 

[Envy]

I agree with Fat-Elvis. Meat itself isn't bad for you. Mostly what makes people think it's bad is preparation methods such as deep frying. I have no moral problems with it either because it is the way of life for one organism to consume another organism. Humans just came up with a more efficient way of doing it.

 

[A Canuker]

A while ago I watched a show on the old TV that said that meat eaters in general(humans, tigers and such) have brains that have evolved to take in the benifits of digested meat. I'm not sure if its the protein or who knows what but it would seem to have some logic that over the years meat eaters might "need" something in the food.

Now it is also resonable that modern times can supplement this need to some degree but like the saying goes: if god didn't want us to eat animals why did he/she(lets not get of topic) make them so damn tasty?

 

[Ludeykrus]

Moral? Do you think it's any better slaughtering plants by the millions JUST so you can eat?

They are screaming when the blade decapitates them, you just can't hear it...

 

[oDD_LotS]

I'm a vegetarian, have been for almost eight years, but I did it for ethical reasons as opposed to health. I don't usually eat that well, but that's not a function of my vegetarian choices, just a taste for bad foods that I've always had.

That being said, when I've put my mind to eating well (i.e. health-conscious) I've had much more luck while a vegetarian than before. I've always struggled with my weight and had little success in watching what I eat, going on diets, etc. However, the times that I've tried to eat well since becoming vegetarian have been much more successful. The one long-term attempt allowed me to drop nearly 90 pounds, and keep it off for a while. Unfortunatley I went back to my poor habits of eating lots of cheese and fried vegetables and have gained back a good bit of it. In the past few weeks I've started watching my intake again and have lost 2-3 pounds already.

So, basically, a vegetarian diet isn't necessarily any more healthy if you still eat cheese sticks and deep-fried mushrooms. However, a healthy vegetarian diet works better for me than a comparably healthy omniverous diet.

Good luck on sticking with it. I find that it's much easier to be a vegetarian in today's world with the great availability of vegetarian-friendly products at the supermarket and increasing availability of vegetarian options at common restaurants. When I first went vegetarian I had a tough time even finding veggie burgers at the local super market (I lived in rural WV, though).

As for cooking, I've found ethnic (Indian, African, and some Mexican) dishes are often meatless or can easily be made that way. The spices and flavors were often chosen to complement a vegetarian diet, so you won't end up with a lot of the bland meatless dishes that are all-too-common. Learn to use fresh ingredients and some of the more unusual meat substitutes such as seitan (a gluten-based protein that is amazingly delicious) or Quorn.

Variety certainly helps to strengthen your will power. It will be less tempting to start eating meat again if you havea variety of fresh, well-prepared dishes as opposed to soggy soy burgers or plain pasta every day.

 

[Fat-Elvis]

Originally Posted by oDD_LotS

I'm a vegetarian, have been for almost eight years, but I did it for ethical reasons as opposed to health. I don't usually eat that well, but that's not a function of my vegetarian choices, just a taste for bad foods that I've always had.

That being said, when I've put my mind to eating well (i.e. health-conscious) I've had much more luck while a vegetarian than before. I've always struggled with my weight and had little success in watching what I eat, going on diets, etc. However, the times that I've tried to eat well since becoming vegetarian have been much more successful. The one long-term attempt allowed me to drop nearly 90 pounds, and keep it off for a while. Unfortunatley I went back to my poor habits of eating lots of cheese and fried vegetables and have gained back a good bit of it. In the past few weeks I've started watching my intake again and have lost 2-3 pounds already.

So, basically, a vegetarian diet isn't necessarily any more healthy if you still eat cheese sticks and deep-fried mushrooms. However, a healthy vegetarian diet works better for me than a comparably healthy omniverous diet.
But you're comparing a vegetarian diet with no fried foods to a omnivorous diet with fried foods, cheese etc. I have serious doubts that if you dropped the bad stuff like fried foods etc from your diet, throwing in some chicken, fish and a little red meat would have had ANY effect on your weight loss. I don't see where meat comes into play when you say you gained weight by eating "lots of cheese and fried vegetables".

btw, I've been at my lowest bodyfat level when eating tons of eggs and chicken and ground chuck. basically a low-carb diet.

 

[east hastings]

Originally Posted by oDD_LotS

As for cooking, I've found ethnic (Indian, African, and some Mexican) dishes are often meatless or can easily be made that way. The spices and flavors were often chosen to complement a vegetarian diet, so you won't end up with a lot of the bland meatless dishes that are all-too-common. Learn to use fresh ingredients and some of the more unusual meat substitutes such as seitan (a gluten-based protein that is amazingly delicious) or Quorn.


very very true, i've found that ethiopian food includes some of the tastiest vegetarian dishes i've had.

 

[JohnnyLaw]

I've been a vegetarian for 6 or 7 years now and I'm doing fine. I was skinny before and I still am now.

I don't think eating meat is inherently unhealthy, but your average North American eats far too much of it.

If you cook most of your own meals, it's probably as easy to have a healthy diet whether you are a vegetarian or not. The only real health advantage I can see is that being a vegetarian forces you to think about your food choices. I guess there is also less greasy fast food to tempt you, although if you overcompensate with the french fries and melted cheese, you're negating any possible benefits.

I've always enjoyed cooking and being a vegetarian has made me search different ethnic cuisines for tasty dishes. As previously stated, Indian and Asian cuisines have a lot of good options for you.

I like the Moosewood cookboks myself and get a lot of ideas from them. They're definitely not health nuts though and tend to use butter and cheese liberally, which is fine by me.

 

[Fat-Elvis]

The only real health advantage I can see is that being a vegetarian forces you to think about your food choices.

That was sort of my point. Vegetarians are probably inherently more concerned with health and healthy eating in general than non-vegetarians.

 

[JoeWoah]

Not eating meat is not any more nutritious, but it can be less. Your diet isn't going to be as balanced. You can avoid bad saturated fats, hormones, heavy metals and antibiotics by choosing the right meats/cuts of meat. My girlfriend is a "vegetarian" about 90% of the time (going out to eat doesn't really count I guess) because she just prefers to eat veggies, soy and dairy. I guess, for a woman, it's easier to maintain weight and eat fewer calories that way. Plus, women don't have the same protein requirements.

 

[Nil]

I eat roughly a pound and a half or more of meat per day and I'm in great physical shape. I recently had my bloodwork done and my cholesterol is low (with a good HDL/LDL ratio), blood pressure is low and all essential vitamins and minerals are in good shape also.

 

[cookieoflife]

Everyone and their mother seems to be quoting Pollan's latest book, but it is chock full of good advice. I believe fully in eating "mostly plants", but I sure as hell am not about to turn my back on two millennia of omnivorous behavior. I try to make my meals plant based, but I have no qualms about eating a fat, organic, grass fed steak.

This makes ethical sense to me. We've managed to manipulate the evolution of a whole group of animals such that they are dependent upon us for survival; the modern dairy/livestock cow and broiler chicken, and to a lesser extent the modern pig, rely on their relationship with humans for a multitude of essential vital services. We have made this system; not eating them means that they die out. If animals have a right to exist, then we have a duty to eat them.