I'm Thinking about becoming a Lacto Vegetarian?!
I'm Thinking about becoming a Lacto Vegetarian?
What do I have to watch out for, certin foods that you wouldn't think have meat but do, also how should I get the protien and other things that i'll need, Ps. a Lacto still eats dairy products
Answers:
I'm a lacto ovo veg and have been for many years. The anwers above me were good. Food like jello, marshmellows, gummy candy etc often have gelatin in them which is an animal product. Gelatin is in a lot of stuff and some people dont realize its made from animals so look at the ingredients list to make sure what you are eating does not have gelatin. Also the chicken flavored top ramen does have actual chicken in the seasoning. I made that mistake. most fast food fries are made with animal fat.
Vitamins are serious business. take a multi every day. I would also suggest that after you have been veg for a while you go the the dr and get a blood test (just a tiny poke in the finger) and they can make sure you are getting enough iron. For protein I often eat those nutrition bars like Balance, or Clif, or Luna. they have 10-15g of protein and really help. Also i love the soy product from Boca and Morningstar. Some stores have a very small section of vegetarian foods so I hope yours is not this way. You can always go to a store like Wild Oats or Whole Foods. Anyway, I love the chicken tenders, corn dogs, lasagna, and breaded chivken patties made by morning star and boca. I swear, they taste like the real stuff! They are so good! and since they are made from soy they are healthy and also have some protein, too.
I hope this helps. Email me if you have any other questions.
There are lots of things that contain animal byproducts that you wouldn't expect. I.e. Skittles, jello, Starbursts, etc. Generally if you buy vegetarian foods (I recommend Morningstar) they contain good amounts of protein, so you should be fine, as well as all dairy products. Since becoming a vegetarian, I have never been healthier! Good luck!
Protein is easy to get even if your a vegan. Quinoa, seitan, legumes (all kinds of beans, peas, lentils and nuts) soy products, fake meat. And even some kinds of veggies have protein too. For stuff like omega fatty acids, they can be obtained from walnuts and ground flax seed (you could buy them at a health store and mix them up in smoothies or anything). For iron (without iron you can get anemia, which is very dangerous) you can eat kale, spinach, blackstrap molasses, and many other things. Also take a vitamin supplement, watch out, some contain stuff from fish or something, but there still quite a few veg brands.
I'm a Lacto-veg too. Certain breads are known to contain eggs, namely the deli-style rolls at subway.
Here is one of my favorite sites for this kind of information in fast food: http://www.vegetarian-restaurants.net/ot...
Many yogurts and cheese are not vegetarian friendly. Yogurts have gelatin and cheeses have animal rennet. You need to look for the brands that dont use these things.
As far as protein, it's in everything. Whole grains, soya products, legumes, nuts are all high in protein.
you need to watch out for "natural" colors and flavors-often derived from animals. Gelatine (jello), found in pop tarts, pastries, pudding, yogurt, ice cream, etc is made from boiled animal skins, bones, ligaments, and tendons. Many vitamins and medications are from animal sources. Armour thyroid, for example is made by the same company that makes armour hot dogs. "Enriched" products, such as cereal, pasta, rice, flour, etc. are from animals sources. Its hidden everywhere-from chips and snacks, to asprin, cosmetics, toothpaste, etc. Rennet, found in cheese, is from the stomach of a baby veal calf. Try to find cheeses marked "vegetarian rennet" which is from a weed. Good luck in your journey!