Advice from more experienced vegetarians please.?!
What I want to know is if I need to take any vitamins or supplements?
Answers: Six months ago I gave up red meat. I still ate fish and chicken. Two days ago I decided to become a vegetarian, for health reasons. I will still continue to eat dairy and eggs.
What I want to know is if I need to take any vitamins or supplements?
No, not at all.
If you eat a decent balance fo fruit, veggies, nuts and dairy you will be fine.
I've been veggie fro 28 years and never taken any supplements, I'm never ill and I have a full and active life.
Some examples of my health:
I donate blood every 16 weeks ( no iron deficiency )
I own a farm ( no energy or strength issues )
I've donated bone marrow this year and checked myself out the next day - my recover rate is excellent
I own 4 companies and am busy dawn 'til dusk.
I've build houses and a narrow boat
Ask those in the line-up at MCDs have thier lives are going.
There is no issue. I don't understand the desire to take multi-vitamins. Previous generations didn't take them and thier diets were shocking.
You asked for answers from experienced veggies. So, please remember that Skully and "...me" are trolls. They have no personal expereince of living on a vegetarian diet.
Take a look at a doctors practice, they are swamped with people with diet related health issues. I bet they are all meat-eaters in that line-up.
Short answer - no. Dairy and eggs have omega 3's as well as vitamin B-12 and iron. Make sure you get your wholegrains, green and orange veggies, pulses, and fruit and eat a little tofu every few days, and you'll be absolutely fine.
A simple multivitamin is all you'll really need, seeing as how you're not giving up dairy and eggs.. just make sure you eat more of those, and include beans and legumes to round out your diet.
Had you been going vegan, you would have to consider a more in depth supplement plan, as you'd be lacking greatly in protein and calcium.
Vitamins are a good idea for anyone, anyways.. its hard enough get everything you need every day through food, as it is.
If you feel fine, there may be no reason to be feeding the vitamin industry. If you feel like you are lacking something in a couple of days, feel free to take some b or b12, it doesn't have to be permanent, maybe just a boost until your body gets used to your new diet.
No. Vary your diet. Don't live on soda and french fries. The more produce the better. You'll be fine.
I think everyone should take a multivitamin as an insurance plan.
Take a supplement. This way you're covered when you can't eat completely healthy. Not everyone has the chance to eat as healthy as they'd like to every single time.
Please be aware that it's always best to take multi-vitamins with a meal. Your digestive system will absorb more than if you take it between meals.
No, you don't. Unless a doctor specifically tells you that you are lacking in some nutrient, don't take any supplements.
The American Canadian Dietetic Association says to take plenty of supplements to make up for the loss of nutrients critical to your long term health.
Not as long as you eat a varied diet. There are literally NO nutrients in meat that you can't get from other foods, and current studies show that supplements may actually do you harm.
Supplements are very beneficial - for the manufacturers and sellers of supplements. If you are eating a varied, properly planned and well-balanced diet, you don't need supplements. You can either put them straight into the toilet and flush them away, or you can process them through your digestive system first. The end result is the same. Save your money and buy a few extra pieces of fruit.
On the other hand, if you eat junk food and don't get enough 'proper' food in your diet, you'll need those supplements
As long as you eat a balanced diet you don't need any supplements. The protein scare is the biggest misconception about vegetarian diets. There are quite a bit of misconceptions so here are some web sites I think will help. The first is a list of vegetables with protein and how much the second are calcium sources in raw veggies. The third is an article about B12. It is actually a microbe found in soil and is abundant in seaweed, tempeh, miso, and root veggies. The last one is a list of foods with iron and how much.
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm
http://health.rutgers.edu/factsheets/iro...
http://www.carrotcafe.com/f/calevel.html
http://www.pamrotella.com/health/b12.htm...
If you are eating a varied, balanced diet and consuming enough calories, there are no nutrients that you cannot get on a vegetarian diet. I take a mulitvitamin daily because it just seems like good insurance - but I grew up as an omnivore and took a multi daily even then.
Some say you do, some say you don't. It's up to you, you know your diet best. One I can say. I've never taken a vitimin...ever. I never get sick, i'm not overwieght (I excersise for at least 30 min/day), have a heart rate and blood pressure like I'm still 20 and eat a balanced healthy diet of all 4 food groups.