Vegetarian vs Meat Eater

My wife is considering becoming a vegetarian. Not a vegan, but a vegetarian. A friend of hers went "veggie" about 3 years ago due solely to animal rights related beliefs. She lost a ton of weight and says that she has never felt so good since making the conversion. My wife, who is an animal lover, is doing it for health purposes not animal rights. Personally I will never give up a good steak every now and again.
Are there true health benefits in becoming a vegetarian?

Originally posted by superdude
My wife is considering becoming a vegetarian. Not a vegan, but a vegetarian. A friend of hers went "veggie" about 3 years ago due solely to animal rights related beliefs. She lost a ton of weight and says that she has never felt so good since making the conversion. My wife, who is an animal lover, is doing it for health purposes not animal rights. Personally I will never give up a good steak every now and again.
Are there true health benefits in becoming a vegetarian?

Certainly tons of information is out there promoting the health benefits of vegetarianism... lower cholesterol, lower heart disease, lower rates of many cancers. Here is a reasonably unbiased link. I personally have been a vegetarian for about 15 years. My reasons for getting into and my reasons for sticking with it are completely different. It certainly helps me to maintain MY weight, but if one wishes to eat cheese pizza all the time, it probably won't make too much of a difference. Personally, I'll probably never eat meat again. My wife is not a vegetarian though. As insane as it sounds, I've actually considered hunting for my wife's meat. I feel a lot better about hunting than I do about certain animal husbandry practices. But ultimately the point is there are health benefits associated with becoming a vegetarian, however, I don't believe one need become a vegetarian to gain said health benefits... sounds like a contradiction, but it's not.

By the same token however, a vegetarian, or vegan (two different things) also needs to be sure to get enough protein and other essentials that usually come from animal meat or products. Soy, tofu, etc. are possible solutions, as are supplements.

Personally, couldn't do it. We're designed as omnivores. Simple as that. If I wasn't supposed to eat a steak, my mouth wouldn't water at the prospect.

Just as a side note, for those who didn't know...

A vegetarian doesn't eat meat, though some still eat fish and eggs.

A vegan doesn't eat ANY animal meat or by-products (so no milk, cheese, eggs, butter, etc.)

If I wasn't supposed to eat a steak, my mouth wouldn't water at the prospect.

I agree with that! Like I told my wifes friend "If God din't want us to eat animals then he wouldn't have made them out of meat!"

[edit on 12/16/2004 by superdude]

My 16 year old daughter has been vegetarian for a couple of years.
As Gazrok stated, you have to make sure you get enough protein
into the diet.
If you don't get enough protein it will make you weak and pale
looking. The muscle tone will suffer too and they will tend to bruise
easily, so it is important to include the non-meat proteins everyday.
Also make sure she takes a daily multi-vitamin with iron.
I myself am what I call a "semi-vegetarian". I still eat fish, eggs, and
sometimes chicken and dairy products.
It does help with weight loss as long as you don't include a whole lot
of fat, sugar, or white flour stuff.


[edit on 16-12-2004 by elaine]

Try cooking for a vegan sometime, hehe....even most pasta is made with eggs! Doesn't leave much but salad or stir-fried veggies and tofu!!!

Pretty much went with some non-egg pasta from the health section, stir fry veggies, in a basil/garlic/olive oil sauce...with some sauteed shrimp for us meat eaters (the smell of most meat offends most vegans, but shrimp is pretty mild)

Gazrok, we seem to just be talking about food today!
Are we hungry?

I became vegetarian in Jr High... I became vegan around age 21. Its quite easy, but I have seen a lot of people not adapt their diets well.

I basically eat the exact same foods as meat and dairy/egg eaters do, but substitute every animal product with a vegan protein. Soy is the main one. If there's a health/specialty food store nearby, there is a wide variety of ready made veggie "meat" products. My top recommnedations are the "flame grill" Gardenburger "hamburger style" and "Chkn grill" in the frozen section.

Smartlife/Lite Life make something called Smart Menu Recipe Strips, a very realistic mock steak or chicken, that makes great fajitas, sautees, and stir-fries. Whenever I use those people can't believe its not meat.

Best soymilk- vitasoy or silk.

soups amys makes a not-chicken noodle. Health Valley Lentil Carrot is quite good.

Grilled or smoked extra firm marinated tofu

Seitan

There are recipes and veg resources online Too

www.vegan-food.net...

vegweb.com...

for ordering thingswww.petamall.com...

There are a lot more if you google vegetarian or vegan.

To answer the question about health benefits. Yes, I can speak from experience. I get a lot of nutrients/vitamins because my diet tends to only include healthy food. I think being veg makes it easier to avoid junk. My doctor always raves about my blood pressure/cholesterol and claims "it must be the vegan diet."

Meat is terrible for your colon too. Its pretty disgusting to read about.

Also, Unless you get your meat free range/organic, its injected with steroids, antibiotics, and growth hormones. As are most dairy products. My skin cleared up and I got much better looking and more peaceful when I cut dairy out of my diet about 5 years ago. I didn't realize how mcuh we are affected by nutrients before then.

I won't go into the animal cruelty angle, because it does not seem to be your curiosity, but I know a lot of people who found "Diet for a New America" to be the best argument for the change.



[edit on 013131p://444 by duh squared]

Also remember that Multi-grain breads/cereals are good. Nuts, Seeds, Beans/Legumes, offer a lot of protein and nutrients. I am addicted to "health nut mix" its pepitas(pumpkin seeds), almonds, cashews, soy-nuts, raisins and cranberries (dried and juice sweetened). It makes me feel like a birdie

Oh and for holidays, I always get Now n Zen's Unturkey dinner. Tofurkey sucks

When I bake, I use Ener-G egg replacer, soy margerine, and soy milk. If chocolate, vegan chocolate chips...Non-processed sugar. The foods I bake are identical to the dairy versions.


If you need any tips or have any questions, feel free to ask.

duh squared - Thanks for all of the info. I truly appreciate it. I have to ask what was the motivation for your turning vegan?
Do you have a low energy level?

Originally posted by mattison0922

Originally posted by superdude
My wife is considering becoming a vegetarian. Not a vegan, but a vegetarian. A friend of hers went "veggie" about 3 years ago due solely to animal rights related beliefs. She lost a ton of weight and says that she has never felt so good since making the conversion. My wife, who is an animal lover, is doing it for health purposes not animal rights. Personally I will never give up a good steak every now and again.
Are there true health benefits in becoming a vegetarian?

Certainly tons of information is out there promoting the health benefits of vegetarianism... lower cholesterol, lower heart disease, lower rates of many cancers. Here is a reasonably unbiased link. I personally have been a vegetarian for about 15 years. My reasons for getting into and my reasons for sticking with it are completely different. It certainly helps me to maintain MY weight, but if one wishes to eat cheese pizza all the time, it probably won't make too much of a difference. Personally, I'll probably never eat meat again. My wife is not a vegetarian though. As insane as it sounds, I've actually considered hunting for my wife's meat. I feel a lot better about hunting than I do about certain animal husbandry practices. But ultimately the point is there are health benefits associated with becoming a vegetarian, however, I don't believe one need become a vegetarian to gain said health benefits... sounds like a contradiction, but it's not.

~~
WELL, There-You-Go
thoughtful consideration of what your going to ingest !
the vegetarian model is already uplifting, benefiting youse few responders.

If one wants to go extreme, thats their choice, but you'll never find
a chunk of red meat on my plate...even as we might dine together

nor will i demand 'free range' or 'organic' or 'kosher',
as those labels are more for emotional solice than for my GI tract.

nor will i refuse a beer made from 'engineered' grains
P-R-O-S-T !!

Vegetarian vs Meat Eater... Whoever wins... We lose!



Seriously, all things are good in moderation. I think a mostly vegetarian diet with some occasional lean meat/poultry is the most reasonable.

Originally posted by superdude
duh squared - Thanks for all of the info. I truly appreciate it. I have to ask what was the motivation for your turning vegan?
Do you have a low energy level?

No, I definitely am healthier/more energetic these days. I turned vegan so slowly... I think once I realized, that I could find things to eat, I started cutting out the cheese, then the dairy-content baked products, and felt much more physically balanced. Or I should say, that once I realized that I could make good cheeseless pizza! (crumbled miso marinated soft tofu is a lot like cheese, as most soy cheese isn't vegan)
So then I made it a conscious effort and whenever I wound up eating more dairy, I felt gross. I just decided if I am alreay sort-of vegan, may as well not use any animal products at all.

I personally don't agree with factory farming and the way animals are treated, as well as the drugs they are given.
However, this knowledge was not my original motive. I believe that my body had been vegetarian for so long, that it began to feel un-natural to consume any animal products.

I have also heard that the calcium in dairy is not the same as one will find in their Greens. I don't know for sure if that's true, but I definitely feel stronger and healthier without dairy.

An important thing for your wife, or any female vegetarian to remember is to take a multi vitamin or eat cereal and greens with a lot of iron. Women lose more iron than men do. Anemia will make energy levels low, but it is not true that meat is the only way to receive iron. My cheeks are always a healthy pink

I've been vegetarian for a few years now and have always been aware of my current state of health. I never get sick, the cardio is great and I guess after looking for more things to balance a vegetarian lifestyle I have become quite the cook . I don't drink milk or eat cheese (except feta on occasion), and replace them with soy milk, soy cheeses.

A pizza comparison:

Before: Pepperoni, bacon, mushroom....pizza Hut or whatever place

After: Feta cheese, Spinach, sundried tomato...home made on wheat pita bread

Just an idea of how you come up with different things to keep it tasty.

ANyways, I don't think I'll ever eat meat again...unless its hunted and for survival once all this pollution starts heating things up and bacteria spread causing a worldwide epidemic.

Well I have been a vegetarian most of my life. You could turn out to be just like ME. Sweet, shy, non-combative...............No joke though I am a vegetarian. Done wonders for my health. No more possum burgers though.......

No more possum burgers though.......

Not even after you got that big ole 30 pounder the other night?

I never realized how diverse the selection of veggie foods were available.

Originally posted by superdude

No more possum burgers though.......

Not even after you got that big ole 30 pounder the other night?

I never realized how diverse the selection of veggie foods were available.

Made sauage and sent it to DC. NSA crew loves the stuff.....Told them it was Venison.

yea
Id say you are better off vegetarian these days. Most meat is raised on feed grown with pesdicides or GM feed and killed under extream stress with its body flooded with adrenalin.
I was discussing it with a mate the other night and we came to the conclusion that the only decent meat would have to come from a wild dear shot trough the head at 300 yards.

Not everyone can be vegan, I'm intolerant to nuts, particularly peanuts, my throat swells up and I get asthma, sometimes Hives as well, which is a hassle because they're so delicious and good for you...

I don't eat much red meat at all, but I do enjoy a little chicken and fish with lots of veggies and fruit...

It's an entirely valid piont about meat quality but is should also be remembered that fruit and veg is becoming progressively less nutritious and contaminated also...

Back to organic farming, I say...

[edit on 16-12-2004 by Flange Gasket]

you must be city people out here in the country we still do things the old fashion way most of our meat is bought through the local meat store and they get it straght from our farms in the area and I dont know one farmer here who uses enhencers to grow his beef or pork or chicken .Around here what you see is what you get except for hot dogs and blonie most other lunch meats are freash as well and a few guys even make a kabasa typ sausge about the size of hot dog and wile I will buy a few packs of dixe dogs usaly I buy these when avalable as they tast much better.
Most people around here live into there late 80des and higher .Its the cemicals and sitting behind a desk on your behind that gets you.
try being a vege around here you would starve tofood I have heard the name but have never seen it . Live here and want a all vegy diat better be a rabbit you got lettece tomatoes and freash beens carrets a few typs of fruits .I may have seen soy burgers in the dixe store once as well not realy sure though.