Is Vegetarianism a healthier option?!
I've been vegetarian for 10 years and I would hate to think that it's killing me or destroying my body.
I'm getting really scared & anxious, can you put my mind at rest? I refuse to give up vegetarianism. I feel really healthy, are these people simply trying to scare me??
Thanks!! :-)
Answers: Help me guys, people keep telling me that without meat, I will destroy my body in some way (friends and family are always telling me to eat meat!) ''Meat is essential'' Yadda yadda
I've been vegetarian for 10 years and I would hate to think that it's killing me or destroying my body.
I'm getting really scared & anxious, can you put my mind at rest? I refuse to give up vegetarianism. I feel really healthy, are these people simply trying to scare me??
Thanks!! :-)
It is healthy, all kinds of diseases are started because you dont get enough fruits and vegetables, often many meat-eaters have problems with this. As long as you are getting enough of the protiens and vitamans that come in meat you are just fine--and you CAN find these things other places.
A long time ago, and still in some places, there are people who could afford to eat only meat and some who could only afford to eat the fruits and veggies they grew. The people who ate only meat got gout along with other diseases, and the peasant people stayed pretty healthy, food-wise.
You are doing fine!! Keep up the good work!!
Well, if you do it right, being a vegetarian will not harm your body in any way. You just have to eat the right combination of amino acids to make up for the lack of protien.
Myself, I couldn't imagine life where I couldn't just grab a juicy burger for lunch, but if vegetables make you happy go for it!
I don't think its unhealthy.
I actually think its healthier, they are just brainwashed since they all have had meat their entire lives and havent really been without it for an extended period of time they think its a necessity.
I think it is healthy though.
Good for you for caring about the world!
In itself being a vegetarian is neither healthy or unhealthy. what will effect your health are the nutrients that you take in. Some vegetarian foods do not contain the same nutrients (most plant food proteins have a low content of one or more of the essential amino acids needed by the body) so you need to make sure you eat foods that can provide these. Iron and selenium are others you will need to look for.
By eating a variety of plant proteins, you can optimise your protein intake. The body is very clever at balancing complementary amino acid levels from various vegetables, cereals, pulses, nuts and seeds.
eat a wide variety of foods and try to include tofu, hempseed and 'grains' such as quinoa.
check out
These sites indicate good sources of protein/iron/selenium etc
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/ve...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/vegetarian_and...
Meat is absolutly not essential. Keep up the good work. Never give up, Never surrender!
yeahhh, i think they're jus trying to scare you! not eating meat is definately healthier than eating meat. as long as you still get all your proteins and stuff :]]]
im 15, and i've only been vegetarian for 5 months... my family and some of my friends always tries to tell me the same thing! but i dont listen to them.. before i decided to go vegetarian, i did research on it, because i knew my family would say things like that. i jus had to prove them wrong :]]]
but ayee, im jus a 15 year old thats only been vegetarian for 5 months... so i dont know if my answer will matter. LoL. but if the info on websites are right, then vegetarianism is the healthier choice... and you really dont need meat to survive.
<3333333
It's fine! My cousins were brought up vegans from birth! And they are wonderfully healthy.
Food all breaks down into the same compounds in the end, it's doesn't matter where you get it from as long as your body can absorb it!
Couldn't say being a vegetarian is healthier because it depends on what the individual is eating, some veggies are healthier than carnivores, some less so. I'll bet we have cleaner colons and happier hearts (literally and emotionally o_<) though. (I jest, no one get antsy!!)
You get more protien from soy products and nuts than meat. If you do some research, you will see that the human body wasn't designed to digest meat. Our intestinal tract is very long like all other veggie-eaters, unlike meat-eating animals whose are very short. You never hear of Tigers getting bowel cancer -- that's because they don't have meat rotting in their colons. It's very quickly digested through their systems becuase they were designed for it. I'm sure there was a reason humans started eating meat -- most likely because our ancestors would have died if they hadn't found another food source. I definitely think people should stop now though! We have plenty of other options. There are tons of great meat-substitutes on the market now too, most of which are delicious and with 1/4 of the calories & fat of real meat. Many studies have shown that cutting out meat can lower cholesterol, prevent cancer & other diseases, and numerous other problems. I could go on & on... but I'll stop now. Check out my references for more info!
Being a vegetarian is totally healthy! I find that people's main concerns about me is that i don't get enough protein but i recentky found out that vegetables actually all the protein your body needs. So essentially there's no deitary excuse for eating meat.
They're either purposely trying to scare you or are uninformed about nutrition. Think of all the people in India who are raised as vegetarians from childhood and are perfectly healthy. The American Dietetic Association -- one of the nation's leading nutrition experts -- would not endorse vegetarian diets if meat were actually essential for humans.
Here's what the American Dietetic Association says:
"...vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases....Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than nonvegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer."
Eating enough calories composed of a normal variety of plant foods provides us with all of the vitamins and nutrients we need. Hope this helps.
Scottie, you post this type of message ten times a day. Either you do or you don't want to be a vegetarian. If you have really been a vegatarian for ten years, then I think you should be used to a little meat "ribbing" from friends and family. I thought you wer going vegan anyways? Look, man I feel for you maybe you should take a chill pill and not worry about your diet so much. You are starting to look like an emo.
If you're following a vegetarian way of life, you just need to make sure that you're getting enough protein (from corn, beans, nuts, etc.). Also, make sure that you're taking supplements to take care of any nutrients that you may be falling short on. Fatty acids, vitamin B-12, and calcium are all things that we get from animals products that are crucial to our health. If you are making sure that you're meeting your nutritional requirements, then good for you! You have nothing to worry about!
hi H.H, this is from the American Heart Association, so hopefully this will help you! :)
Are vegetarian diets healthful?
Most vegetarian diets are low in or devoid of animal products. They’re also usually lower than nonvegetarian diets in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Many studies have shown that vegetarians seem to have a lower risk of obesity, coronary heart disease (which causes heart attack), high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and some forms of cancer.
Vegetarian diets can be healthful and nutritionally sound if they’re carefully planned to include essential nutrients. However, a vegetarian diet can be unhealthy if it contains too many calories and/or saturated fat and not enough important nutrients.
What are the nutrients to consider in a vegetarian diet?
Protein: You don't need to eat foods from animals to have enough protein in your diet. Plant proteins alone can provide enough of the essential and non-essential amino acids, as long as sources of dietary protein are varied and caloric intake is high enough to meet energy needs.
Whole grains, legumes, vegetables, seeds and nuts all contain both essential and non-essential amino acids. You don't need to consciously combine these foods ("complementary proteins") within a given meal.
Soy protein has been shown to be equal to proteins of animal origin. It can be your sole protein source if you choose.
Iron: Vegetarians may have a greater risk of iron deficiency than nonvegetarians. The richest sources of iron are red meat, liver and egg yolk -- all high in cholesterol. However, dried beans, spinach, enriched products, brewer's yeast and dried fruits are all good plant sources of iron.
Vitamin B-12: This comes naturally only from animal sources. Vegans need a reliable source of vitamin B-12. It can be found in some fortified (not enriched) breakfast cereals, fortified soy beverages, some brands of nutritional (brewer's) yeast and other foods (check the labels), as well as vitamin supplements.
Vitamin D: Vegans should have a reliable source of vitamin D. Vegans who don’t get much sunlight may need a supplement.
Calcium: Studies show that vegetarians absorb and retain more calcium from foods than nonvegetarians do. Vegetable greens such as spinach, kale and broccoli, and some legumes and soybean products, are good sources of calcium from plants.
Zinc: Zinc is needed for growth and development. Good plant sources include grains, nuts and legumes. Shellfish are an excellent source of zinc. Take care to select supplements containing no more than 15-18 mg zinc. Supplements containing 50 mg or more may lower HDL ("good") cholesterol in some people.
What meal plans are recommended?
Any type of vegetarian diet should include a wide variety of foods and enough calories to meet your energy needs.
Keep your intake of sweets and fatty foods to a minimum. These foods are low in nutrients and high in calories.
Choose whole or unrefined grain products when possible, or use fortified or enriched cereal products.
Use a variety of fruits and vegetables, including foods that are good sources of vitamins A and C.
If you use milk or dairy products, choose fat-free/nonfat and low-fat varieties.
Eggs are high in cholesterol (213 mg per yolk), so monitor your use of them. Limit your cholesterol intake to no more than 300 mg per day.
You do realize that you MUST use vitamins to make up for the loss of nutrients essential to the body to continue to function properly. That is because the human body is designed to be omnivorous. You can CHOOSE not to eat meat. But a supplement has to be added for good health. This tells me that it is unnatural. It is your choice, but these are undeniable FACTS.