Can a dedicated carnivor becom a vegan?!
Can a dedicated carnivor becom a vegan?
I am married to a man whos nickname is "The Meat Man"
His cholesterol is high, and his waist line is just as high.
is it possiable to sneak tofu of other substitutes into his diet with out the uproar....
Answers:
No, you won't completely convert him without a lot of time and resentment. Try just curbing his meat eating to things more healthy like pork, white meat chicken and fish. Start by just eliminating red meat and move slowly from there.
It sounds like a challenge, but I'm sure you could do it! Some of the substitues taste disturbingly similar to meat....
Talk to him about your concerns about his cholesterol and about your feelings towards veganism. He loves you. He'll listen, and I'm sure he'll make an effort to change.
Good luck!
No, if he wants to eat meat, then let him eat meat, God gave us teeth for a reason, to chew meat, MEAT RULES!!!! Don't you want a big juicy rare steak about right now????
start slow...you can't jump from steak and potatoes to tofu...not gonna happen... believe me, you should have listened to my dad when my mom tried to go healthy!!!
If you usually use a ground chuck, try a leaner ground beef mixed with ground turkey. The turkey really cuts the fat and you can't taste the difference when mixed in. Try making salads with meals and cut the portion of the meat down gradually. =)
Hope this helps, worked for me!
I wouldn't sneak it. That's dishonest whether you are doing it for his health or not. Try to compromise instead. Unless he wants to make the changes, he won't.
You just have to make things feel just as meaty. Instead of using all beef when making steaks, sneak in big juicy portobello mushrooms too. I wouldn't put tofu in his diet just yet, it can really turn him off to that diet.
You can also make chicken and fish (which are better to eat than beef) the same ways you make beef.
First to answer your main question: You could change a carnivor into a vegan but it might be equivalent, with some people, to changing a cat into a dog. Dear God, woman. If you care about this man at all, DON'T give him tofu. Have you tasted that crap? It tastes like something somebody lost! GAG!
No he is the meat man and that's it. Try to talk to him about eating all that meat and to incorporate more fruits and veggies in his diet.
tofu is a tough one. most "hardcore" carnivores are simply not satisfied by it, and are turned off by the bland texture and taste, at least until it is skillfully flavored and cooked.
tempeh and beans/legumes are my favorite meat alternatives
I am not a vegetarian anymore, but was an ova lac-to vegan years ago and was ecstatic at the results of so much energy. Like every one else says or mean to say take your time and show him the benefits. Since reading your question I have missed the euphoria I felt being a vegan and certainly remember the time I ate a a different kind of meal. Being a vegan does not necessarily mean to exclude some products. I suggest you check out sites that do not exclude protein, (some types of meat) and ween him off what could be unhealthy for his well being. Good Luck Happy Hearts.
He might notice tofu, but a sneakier way would be to add TVP into some chili or spaghetti sauce instead of meat. It has the same texture as ground meat, and since it's pretty bland, he shouldn't taste anything "funny" except that there will be a lack of meat flavor. Try crumbling some soy burgers, there are some that come in Southwestern flavors, and they're really good.
As a general rule, substitute some of the meat/tvp in sauces for diced veggies. It's not tofu, so he can't make an uproar about that. It won't look like you're trying to make a vegan out of him, it will just look like a tasty and healthier version of the original.
If you wanna make some mac & cheese, use the dairy cheese as he would but use the lower fat version of it, and sneak in soy milk instead of regular milk. He'll never know the difference.
For soup base, try miso instead of stock. It's very tasty, and healthier for everyone. You can even put some diced tofu and seaweed in it for more authenticity. He'll see the tofu, but it naturally goes with miso soup, so it's not so much a vegan thing as it is a Japanese thing. If he's not that adventurous, just switch the stock for miso and add veggies & rice/pasta/potatoes without tofu.
If he hasn't died from all the meat he's eaten yet, then yeah.
Absolutely, one can literally change overnight -- if they want to.
As for sneaking vegetarian items into his diet, try these.....
1) substitute "veggie ground round" into either chili or sloppy joes --- chances are he won't even realize (and it only takes 2-3 minutes to cook it)
2) or try veggie pepperoni slices on a homemade pizza
3) or veggie "deli meat" in sandwiches
4) make the macaroni & cheese package but don't use the cheese packet -- add a can of peas or mixed veggies and let him eat right out of the pot
5) get soy ice cream instead of regular
6) ask your bakery to make you a chocolate cake without any dairy (no eggs or milk). it's absolutely delicious and non-vegetarians cannot lie when confronted about how good the cake was !!!!!!!!!!!
once, you have substituted the cake and sloppy joes etc etc let him know WEEKS later what he has eaten and for how long. it'll show him that he can either cut out red meat or at least eat a little healthier. whatever your goal is.
As an ex-carnivore, I'd have to say no... and yes. In many cases, there might be a meat substitute that is indistinguishable. For instance, Morningstar Farms' Chikn' Nuggets are, IMO, better than real chicken nuggets. Their sausage links are great as well. If you make a lot of meal with hamburger, use their Meal Starters Crumblers instead (add at the end of cooking time, just long enough to heat up or it'll get kind of soggy). However in most cases, he WILL be able to tell the differences. While the meat subs taste great, they do differ at least slightly in both taste and texture. And there is no substitute for plain ol' steak.
I would try incorporating the meat subs into as many meals as you can (don't say anything and see if he even notices). Perhaps once he realizes that vegetarian food doesn't have to taste bland and/or nasty, perhaps he'll be more willing to give it a shot. Good luck... you've got your work cut out for you!!
Why would you want to impose your food "morality" on your husband? You knew he was an omnivore (correct term) when you married him. How would you like it if he snuck meat into your tofu?
try cutting meat out of his meals if you cook for him. give him soy products and tofu ect instead. if he finds out and freaks then tell him this is how you are cooking for him since he is so unhealthy. if he doesnt like it he can cook for himself and in turn posibly kill himself. chances are in less than a week he will come crawling back to you and your cooking.
Lmfao aw well you could try a recipe from this website it's called Taco Salad(my parents are still meat eaters while me and my sis are vegetarians) and they thought it was real. It's not vegan though it's vegetarian... there is other recipes on there as well that are vegan.
www.morningstarfarms.com
ENJOY!
Yes, that's right, try to trick someone into changing their diet; I'm sure that'll go down a TREAT!
Nice to know not all vegans are the kind who try to shove veganism down people's throats.
one does not need to cut all of the meat out of their diet in order to conserve their health. Why don't you just check out meats that are more healthy_ fish, lean poultry, etc
My husand was a "meat and potato" farm boy before we were married. Now he is vegan like me. I still can't believe it some times. No, it didn't happen overnight, but it is possible. Talk about it with him. Discuss reasons why going vegan is beneficial. Tell him you are concerned about his health and want the best for him. Don't jump into all the substitutes. Instead, make a lot of beans, potatoes, whole grain pastas, etc. These are filling. Especially a big pot of chili or something.
Eating a low-fat vegan diet may be better at managing type 2 diabetes than traditional diets, according to a new study.
Researchers found 43 percent of people with type 2 diabetes who followed a low-fat vegan diet for 22 weeks reduced their need to take medications to manage their disease compared with 26 percent of those who followed the diet recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
In addition, participants who followed the vegan diet experienced greater reductions in cholesterol levels and weight loss than those on the other diet.
A vegan diet is plant-based and consists of vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes and avoids animal products, such as meat and dairy. People who are on a vegan diet are at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency, and so B12 vitamins were given to the participants on that diet.
"The diet appears remarkably effective, and all the side effects are good ones -- especially weight loss and lower cholesterol," says researcher Neal D. Barnard, MD, adjunct associate professor of medicine at the George Washington University, in a news release. "I hope this study will rekindle interest in using diet changes first, rather than prescription drugs."
Barnard is also president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit health organization that opposes animal research and advocates a vegan diet.
Vegan Vs. ADA Diet For Diabetes
In the study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, researchers compared the effects of following a low-fat vegan diet and the ADA diet on reducing the need for drugs to manage diabetes, kidney function, cholesterol levels, and weight loss in 99 adults with type 2 diabetes. Meals were not provided, but participants met a dietitian to come up with a diet plan and then met regularly each week for nutrition and cooking instruction.
Forty-nine of the participants followed a low-fat vegan diet consisting of about 10 percent of daily calories from fat, 15 percent protein, and 75 percent carbohydrates. They were asked to avoid animal products and added fats and instead favor foods like beans and green vegetables, but portion sizes and total daily calories or food intake were unrestricted.
The other 50 participants followed the dietary guidelines recommended by the ADA, including 15-20 percent protein, 60-70 percent carbohydrates and monosaturated fats (such as olive oil), and less than 7 percent saturated fats (such as animal fats and butter). Total cholesterol was also limited to 200 milligrams or less per day.
Overweight participants in the ADA diet group were also advised to reduce daily calorie intake by 500-1,000 calories per day.
The results showed that both diets improved diabetes management and reduced unhealthy cholesterol levels, but some improvements were greater with the low-fat vegan diet.
For example:
43 percent of those on the vegan diet reduced their need to take drugs to manage their diabetes compared with 26 percent of the ADA diet group.
Weight loss averaged more than 14 pounds in the vegan diet group vs. less than 7 pounds in the other group.
LDL "bad" cholesterol dropped by an average of 21 percent in the vegan group compared with 11 percent in the ADA diet group who did not change their cholesterol drug use.
Measures of blood sugar control also improved more significantly among those who followed the low-fat vegan diet than among those who followed the ADA diet and who did not change their diabetes drug use.
Researchers say the vegan diet represents a major change from current diabetes diets because there are no limits on calories, carbohydrates, and portions, which may make it easier for some people to follow. Talk to your doctor about what diet changes you might consider to help with diabetes or other medical conditions.
SOURCES:Barnard, N. Diabetes Care, August 2006; vol 29: pp 1777-1783. News release, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
f*ck NO!
Yes it is! I've had the vegetarian burgers and meatballs they taste just like the real thing but better. Just tell him You're worried about him and that you want him to start better eatting habits
the others are saying tofu tastes bad and it's dishonest, but if you never said you were going to give him all meat meals, it's not. just make it reall good, and if he asks after dinner tell him what it was. it's really easy with the burgers actually. just don't get the kind with peas and carrots. add lettuce and tomatoes too
maybe.
but just make him eat healtier and make soy meals which taste like meat but don't hurt innocent animals.
you can definitely sneak the tofu in certain foods, however, being vegan takes a bit of discipline and you really have to want to be vegan to stick with it. meaning that your hubby would have to willingly become vegan (no animal products at all)
i guess you could try. it would be hard. and if he found out he would probably get mad, but it may be possible. try adding meat flavour to the tofu. and when he does eat meat, try to eliminate red meats. try to eat mostly poultry and fish! =] good luck!
Where there is a will there is a way. There might be some resistance in the beginning but then gradually that can be overcomed. Try cooking some delicious tofu + veg dinner for him .... but do not know he might like it too.