I really want to become a vegetarian...?!
i'm kind of picky about what i eat, there arent a lot of veggies that i like, so what would you recomend? and i'm worried about not getting enough proteins and/or other vitemins, what supplements would i need?
my best friend became a vegetarian last year, and he absolutely loves it. i think he inspired me. anyone have any advice that will help me?
Answers: I've been thinking about becoming a vegetarian for awhile now, and i've read a bunch of stuff, but I'm still not 100% sure if i can do it. I love meat a lot, but i'm tired of eating animals, its just not nice & really gross if you stop to think about the process.
i'm kind of picky about what i eat, there arent a lot of veggies that i like, so what would you recomend? and i'm worried about not getting enough proteins and/or other vitemins, what supplements would i need?
my best friend became a vegetarian last year, and he absolutely loves it. i think he inspired me. anyone have any advice that will help me?
well come to the world of vegetarian thanks because of you more and more animals will save their lives thanks:)
Proteins: Body's protein needs can be provided by either animal or plant sources. Mixed protein diet obtained from various plant sources is better than animal protein and is recommended in diabetes, renal diseases and liver diseases. Mixed protein diet from different plant sources has been the pattern of diet in India for all vegetarians.
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are mainly found in plant foods; like cereals, grains, fresh and dry fruits, legumes, vegetable, greens, nuts etc. plant carbohydrates include' large amounts of starches, sugar and fibers which are important for gut functions. The body is better suited to a high carbohydrate diet than a low carbohydrate diet. In fact 55% of the food intake should be carbohydrate. All animal products do not contain carbohydrate which is essential for body.
Fat: Plant fats differ from animal fats in two different ways 1) they are cholesterol free 2) they generally contain more polyunsaturated fat and less saturated fats. Plant fats usually have higher polyunsaturated fat value than animal fats.
A diet which is low in cholesterol and which contains fat of a high PIS value is associated with a lower incident of coronary health disease.
Vitamins and Minerals: plant foods are rich in many vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is obtained by exposure of skin to sun light and this is not a problem in India.
Calcium: The vegetarians can meet their needs for calcium from dairy products. Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Dark green vegetables are good sources of Riboflavin as are legumes and whole grain cereal.
Iron: The problem of iron deficiency is relatively common but vitamin C significantly enhances absorption of iron hence it is advisable for vegetarians to include with each meal a food high in vitamin C which as lime, citrus fruits or juices.
Zinc: Zinc is found in large number of plant foods.
Fiber: Fiber is found only in vegetarian food like whole grain cereals, legumes, greens, fruits, vegetable etc.
Thus in vegetarian foods all requirement of nutrition for body growth and maintenance is fulfilled. One can have a complete and balanced diet provided we take enough food which is as close to nature as possible in maintaining sturdy and disease free body. It is equally helpful in curing many diseases.
ADVANTAGES OF VEGETARIAN DIET:
More & more evidence is surfacing that directly links a prolonged non- vegetarian diet to diseases as cancers, heart diseases, diabetes, asthma just to name a few.
1. LOGEVITY: Vegetarian can expect to live 4-10 years longer then the non-vegetarians.
" Source: Seventh day Adventists study
2. LESS HEART DISEASE: Because of low fat, saturated fat and cholesterol content of the vegetarian diet the risk of heart disease is lowered. High blood cholesterol levels are associated with increased risk of heart disease.
3. LESS CANCER: Up to 40% of all cancers are diet related. Cancer death rates have been associated with obesity and high fat / low fiber diet. Vitamin A & C are thought to be protective against colon cancer. Low fat diets protect against prostrate and breast cancer. Indoles, lignans, isoflavones, protease inhibitors which are present in plant foods and shown to be potent anti carcinogens.
4. LESS BOWEL DISEASE: Diverticular disease and appendicitis occur more frequently with low fiber intake as in meat diet.
5. LEES OBESITY & LESS INCIDENCE OF DIABETES: It is easier to plan a low fat diet for a vegetarian then for a meat eater. The fiber in plant food dilutes the energy & provides a satisfying meal without all the calories. Diabetes over the age of 40 seems to be related to obesity.
just do it. whenever you wanna slip, watch a video. remind yourself of what you're NOT contributing to. watch what you eat. it's that simple.
veggie burgers ang veggie dogs help the transition alot. also, if you take a veggieburger, chop it up and cook it, you can make an AWESOME veggietaco!
also, here's a site that has alot of vegetarian and vegan recipies, some of them say soymilk and stuff for the ingredients, but if your just going vegetarian you can use regular milk.
http://www.vegan-food.net/
im in the same boat! I have been looking into it and i decided that i would try it and see how i do. if i dont like it then buh bye! lol but if i can do it then i will! im here if u need me!
Lauren<3
Picky eaters can still be healthy vegetarians. I suggest going to the grocery store one day and going through the produce section and avoid things you know you don't like, but try things you have never tried before. There are some crazy veggies out there and all you have to do is give them a chance. You can also go onto recipe websites and look up vegetarian dishes and modify them to fit your tastes. As far as protein goes. Soy products. If you enjoy the taste of meat still try bocca and morning star products. They are made of soy and soy not only has the same amount if not more protein then mean, but its got none of the bad fats in it. You can also learn to cook with tofu. Its pretty tasteless, so find some good ways to prepare it and it can be soo yummy! Beans are also a wonderful source of protein and vitamins. If you have any other questions feel free to ask. Good luck to you!
I just converted a month ago, and haven't slipped yet. I just went to the PETA website and watched all of their videos the first day, and ever since the sight of meat has disgusted me (I used to love chicken). I'm very picky to I don't like "weird stuff" as I call it.
I'd recommend eating spinach if you can tolerate it, it tastes better with some balsamic vinegar or cider vinegar on it.
Eat black bean soup (ex. GOYA) it's low cal, HIGH fiber, and HIGH protein, which makes up for some meat intake.
I eat whole wheat english muffins with peanut butter for more protein.
Really the rule of thumb is that the darker (green) the vegetable is the better it is for you. Green beans, Romaine lettuce, spinach..stuff like that. Any vegetable you can tolerate eat it, you'll be better off with every one you eat.
Just make sure you get enough protein and iron, and start taking a multivitamin. If you feel tired still, you still probably need MORE iron. Just feel how your body reacts to the change.
why not just ask your friend? start eating more with him?