Becoming a full vegetarian?!?!
Answers: i have been a semi-vegetarian for almost two years already; which means i have not eaten red meat and i can eat fish (mostly) and chicken (sparingly), i wanted to become a full on vegetarian but my mom says i am a "growing girl" and need protein from meat, i know she's right on that point but i can still get it from other sources, but she will allow me to become a full vegetarian when i am at least 17 (not that sure) so do you think she's right?!
I became a partial vegetarian at age 15, becoming a full vegetarian at age 16. I have been a full vegetarian for over 9 years now. In that time, this is what I have learned:
While you do need to worry about protein, you don't need to worry about it as much as most people think. Most meat eaters get too much protein. You really only need about 60g of protein a day. Probably the best source of protein for vegetarians comes from soy. Besides tofu (the main soy product most people think of), you can also drink soy milk (in addition to regular milk), and eat "meat replacements" (think veggie burgers), although you should watch the sodium content on them. Dairy products (opt for low-fat), legumes (beans), and nuts (but watch the fat content) are some other great sources of protein.
The main thing vegetarians really have to worry about is iron. Iron is mainly found in meat, but there are some non-meat sources. Green leafy vegetables like spinach or broccoli, bread, and fortified cereals are the best sources of iron for a vegetarian. If you're still low on iron, you can always take an iron supplement, just make sure it comes from a non-animal source (many iron supplements are made from animals). Vitamins B6 and B12 are other nutrients that you need that can be found in supplement form, but again, just read your labels.
The main problem most vegetarains have is that they get too many carbs. Sure macaroni and cheese is vegetarian, but it also has a lot of carbs. Don't become a carb-aholic. It's the biggest mistake most vegetarians make, and the reason many vegetarians get sick or gain weight. Just watch what you're eating and you should be just fine.
All that being said, here is my advice to you regarding your mom. You can healthily become a vegetarian at any age (some people are raised vegetarian from birth), you just have to be smart about it. Make sure you're getting enough protein and iron, and make sure you're not getting too many carbs. You can still use the food pyramid as a guide, just replace the meat with a different source of protein. If she's really concerned, have her talk with your family doctor or a dietician who is experienced with vegetarianism. Also, feel free to message me any time with questions - I love spreading the word about vegetarianism.
Good luck, and congratulations on making the kind food choice. The animals thank you.
of course its a good idea to become a vegetarian . i don't know where you live but where if you are living somewhere in tundra region you should not leave it or become vegeterian is also very helpful to health.
you can see many famous leader were pure vegetarians.
adolf hitler
mahatma gandhi
mother teresa
You can get all the necessary vitamins and nutrients by eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and grains. Look at all of the people in India who are raised as vegetarians from birth; they have no problem growing normally.
Maybe you could print out some information on vegetarian nutrition and show it to your mom. For instance, the American Dietetic Association is one of the country's top nutrition experts and it supports vegetarian diets for teens:
"Well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence."
http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada...
There are many vegetarian foods that are high in protein. They include: almonds, black beans, cashews, chickpeas, fake meats, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, peanut butter, pinto beans, seitan, soybeans, soymilk, sunflower seeds, textured vegetable protein (TVP), and tofu.
See this site for good veg sources of protein and iron:
http://www.tryveg.com/cfi/toc/?v=08sourc...
The veg food groups:
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/f...
I would be a bit more firm with your mom... explain that eating meat goes against your convictions and it's really important to you that you be completely vegetarian. Remember that she can try to scare you or guilt trip you, but she can't physically force you to eat meat.
If your mom is really concerned, you could offer to see a nutritionist who will help you to plan a healthy vegetarian diet. There's really no need to keep eating meat unless that's something you want to do.
Hope this helps!
I became a vegetarian when I was your age and I've been fine..
There is nothing wrong with becoming a vegetarian at any age. You may look on line for recipes that contain protein from sources other than meat. There are many.
Try places like...All Recipes.com, and Vegweb.com, also try vegcooking.com. They show great recipes and they have good taste to them.
You can also go on-line for alternatives in protein. A site at www.ca.uky.edu/hes/fcs/factshts/FN-SSB.0... has good information. Also found some at www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy/healthy_liv... These are a start on factual information.
You can google just about anything else you may need. Good eating to you.
Your mom is speaking complete nonsense.
A vegan woman can carry and give birth to a perfectly healthy baby and balanced veg diets are just as healthy as balanced omni diets for infants, toddlers, adolescents and adults.
http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada...
http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/?page=b...
http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/prot...
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/p...
Mhmmm I have to disagree ... why shouldn′t you be a full vegetarian before you are at the age of 17...
I am 17 now.. and a Vegetarian(no meat.. no fish,no eggs and no chicken) Lacto-Vegetarier almost 6 years now... and its healthy........your mom is worried that's all... and she is right you need protein,.... but you also can get these things from vegetarian things... nuts...something like this.. look around and find information's ...about what kind of food you need to eat to get protein and all these....and if you did show it to your mom and maybe she will accept it
She is 100% incorrect. We need protien in order to make new cells and proteins for ourselves. For example we make a whole new layer of skin every four weeks or so. When we eat protein, it is broken down into amino acids. Then the cell which is building new stuff takes these amino acids and uses them to build a new protein. The new proteins are stuck together to replace whatever has gotten old and tired.
All the amino acids that humans cannot make for ouselves are found in vegetables. Tell your mum you are actually better off being a strict vegetarian at your age as eating red meat is linked to developing breast cancer in later life http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/nov/14...
Chicken is not linked to cancer, but depending on which country you live in it may be produced using hormones which is bad for a developing adolescent to be exposed to. And fish... **** knows what you are getting. It's a lottery of toxins. You could be consuming any number of cancer causing agents like PCB's http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/pcb...
absolutely...i dont think its a good idea to beome vegeterian till you r like 19, coz till den ur body needs a good amount of protein for growth and maturing. so wait till you r like 18 or 19.