Going vegetarian for dummies?!
I want to be vegetarian because I love animals and can't stand the thought of them being slaughtered in inhumane ways!. However, transitioning and sticking with it is very difficult for me!.
Do you have any tips or guidance in making a successful transition!? How did you prepare mentally and stay focused!? I have tried this before and "accidentally" eaten meat!. It is everywhere in my environment!
also, how do you supplement your protein needs and are there other supplements to which I should be concerned!?
I would appreciate anything you might share for a beginner!.
Peace and many thanks!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Do you have any tips or guidance in making a successful transition!? How did you prepare mentally and stay focused!? I have tried this before and "accidentally" eaten meat!. It is everywhere in my environment!
also, how do you supplement your protein needs and are there other supplements to which I should be concerned!?
I would appreciate anything you might share for a beginner!.
Peace and many thanks!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
Hi, congratulations on wanting to go vegetarian!
You may find it easier to slowly reduce your meat intake rather than trying to give it up overnight!. You can replace the meat in meat dishes with alternatives such as veggie burgers!.
There are several useful websites that will help you enormously!. The Vegetarian Society is probably best!. I'm a member:
http://www!.vegsoc!.org/
The Vegan Society is also worth a mention for it's great information on nutrition:
http://www!.vegansociety!.com/html/home!.ph!.!.!.
A balanced vegetarian or vegan diet is healthy and nutritionally adequate for people of all age ranges!. Variety is important!.
As a vegetarian, you can eat LOTS of different foods:
-Dairy
-Eggs
-Nuts & seeds (these make great high protein snacks)
-Beas, lentils, pulses
-Wholegrains, cereals
-Pasta
-Meat alternatives
-Chocolate
The list is endless! Check labels carefully- by products of slaughter such as gelatine are off limits for vegetarians!.
Protein is easy to find in a vegetarian diet!. Here is all you need to know about Protein:
http://www!.vegsoc!.org/info/protein!.html
All you need to know about Iron:
http://www!.vegsoc!.org/info/iron!.html
Quorn- Meat alternatives:
http://www!.quorn!.com/
I personally don't find veganism or vegetarianism to be restrictive!. Rather the opposite, I eat foods I never knew existed!
Good luck! If you want more help or support, feel free to email me, I'm happy to help! :)Www@FoodAQ@Com
You may find it easier to slowly reduce your meat intake rather than trying to give it up overnight!. You can replace the meat in meat dishes with alternatives such as veggie burgers!.
There are several useful websites that will help you enormously!. The Vegetarian Society is probably best!. I'm a member:
http://www!.vegsoc!.org/
The Vegan Society is also worth a mention for it's great information on nutrition:
http://www!.vegansociety!.com/html/home!.ph!.!.!.
A balanced vegetarian or vegan diet is healthy and nutritionally adequate for people of all age ranges!. Variety is important!.
As a vegetarian, you can eat LOTS of different foods:
-Dairy
-Eggs
-Nuts & seeds (these make great high protein snacks)
-Beas, lentils, pulses
-Wholegrains, cereals
-Pasta
-Meat alternatives
-Chocolate
The list is endless! Check labels carefully- by products of slaughter such as gelatine are off limits for vegetarians!.
Protein is easy to find in a vegetarian diet!. Here is all you need to know about Protein:
http://www!.vegsoc!.org/info/protein!.html
All you need to know about Iron:
http://www!.vegsoc!.org/info/iron!.html
Quorn- Meat alternatives:
http://www!.quorn!.com/
I personally don't find veganism or vegetarianism to be restrictive!. Rather the opposite, I eat foods I never knew existed!
Good luck! If you want more help or support, feel free to email me, I'm happy to help! :)Www@FoodAQ@Com
I've been a vegetarian my whole life, so I don't know what it's like to eat meat!. Lots of my friends to to go veggie also, but they said it's really difficult!
Even if you cut a little meat from your diet, it really helps the environment (not just the animals, but the environment- I'm too lazy to explain so look it up online!.)
Make sure you get your protein and iron!. (Protein= peanut butter, milk, cheese, nuts, tofu, beans, etc!.) (Iron= Flintstones vitamins =P) I think vitamin B12 is also something vegetarians sometimes lack!. Good luck!Www@FoodAQ@Com
Even if you cut a little meat from your diet, it really helps the environment (not just the animals, but the environment- I'm too lazy to explain so look it up online!.)
Make sure you get your protein and iron!. (Protein= peanut butter, milk, cheese, nuts, tofu, beans, etc!.) (Iron= Flintstones vitamins =P) I think vitamin B12 is also something vegetarians sometimes lack!. Good luck!Www@FoodAQ@Com
1!. Barley - high energy, nutrition!.!.!.use barley in soups and porridges for instant energy!. also, you can combine barley with mushrooms, rice and salads!.
2!. Millets - Millets are abundant in nature and used for farm animals but make excellent human nutrition foods!. Use millets in the forms of porridges and soups!. Being starchy substances, they give instant energy!.
3!. Pulses - Pulses are important food crops due to their high protein and essential amino acid content!. Like many leguminous crops, pulses play a key role in crop rotation due to their ability to fix nitrogen!. So, basically when you have pulses -you're helping the farmer and also Planet Earth!
Some common important pulses are:
kidney beans, black gram, chick-pea, cow-pea, rice bean, lentils, yams,
Pulses are 20 to 25% protein by weight, which is double the protein content of wheat and three times that of rice!. For this reason, pulses are sometimes called "poor man’s meat"!. Hope this swells your appetite :)
4!. Other food substances: You can have potatoes, sweet potatoes etc!. Boiled sweet potato are an excellent source for carbohydrates and essential minerals!. Mashed potatoes, french fries and potato salad dressings are an excellent way to enjoy your meals!. Very tasty and nutritious!. In fact, potatoes are called the "Gift of God"!.
There are other food susbtances like groundnuts, peanuts, rutabaga and celery which give excellent salad ideas!!
In fact, half of the time you can subsist by having a combination of grains + protein-rich substances + salads!.!.!.you will never need anything!
--
I'm a new vegetarian!. Like me, if you start EXPLORING the rich treasures in the plant kingdom, believe me you will never have to look at meat again!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
2!. Millets - Millets are abundant in nature and used for farm animals but make excellent human nutrition foods!. Use millets in the forms of porridges and soups!. Being starchy substances, they give instant energy!.
3!. Pulses - Pulses are important food crops due to their high protein and essential amino acid content!. Like many leguminous crops, pulses play a key role in crop rotation due to their ability to fix nitrogen!. So, basically when you have pulses -you're helping the farmer and also Planet Earth!
Some common important pulses are:
kidney beans, black gram, chick-pea, cow-pea, rice bean, lentils, yams,
Pulses are 20 to 25% protein by weight, which is double the protein content of wheat and three times that of rice!. For this reason, pulses are sometimes called "poor man’s meat"!. Hope this swells your appetite :)
4!. Other food substances: You can have potatoes, sweet potatoes etc!. Boiled sweet potato are an excellent source for carbohydrates and essential minerals!. Mashed potatoes, french fries and potato salad dressings are an excellent way to enjoy your meals!. Very tasty and nutritious!. In fact, potatoes are called the "Gift of God"!.
There are other food susbtances like groundnuts, peanuts, rutabaga and celery which give excellent salad ideas!!
In fact, half of the time you can subsist by having a combination of grains + protein-rich substances + salads!.!.!.you will never need anything!
--
I'm a new vegetarian!. Like me, if you start EXPLORING the rich treasures in the plant kingdom, believe me you will never have to look at meat again!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
You know, there actually IS one of those "for dummies" (or maybe it's the "complete idiot's guide" series) for new vegetarians!. As silly as it sounds, they have a lot of good info!.
Anyway, I don't really have any advice for staying focused and not eating meat without thinking!. That happened to me the first day, but never after that!. What I read about meat production had perhaps so thoroughly grossed me out that I looked at meat differently after that!. Faux meats help a lot of people make the transition because they make avoiding meat simple!. Everyone else is having a burger!? Have a Boca burger!.
But as far as protein and other nutrients go, just eat a balanced, varied diet with all of the vegetarian food groups - fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds!. Protein is really not an issue as long as you are eating enough calories to meet your energy needs and not trying to survive on junk food!. There are no nutrients in meat that can't be gotten elsewhere!. If you're still eating dairy and eggs, protein is even less an issue!.
"The New Becoming Vegetarian" by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina is great for nutritional information!. Both are registered dietitians and it's pretty much the bible of vegetarian nutrition!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Anyway, I don't really have any advice for staying focused and not eating meat without thinking!. That happened to me the first day, but never after that!. What I read about meat production had perhaps so thoroughly grossed me out that I looked at meat differently after that!. Faux meats help a lot of people make the transition because they make avoiding meat simple!. Everyone else is having a burger!? Have a Boca burger!.
But as far as protein and other nutrients go, just eat a balanced, varied diet with all of the vegetarian food groups - fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds!. Protein is really not an issue as long as you are eating enough calories to meet your energy needs and not trying to survive on junk food!. There are no nutrients in meat that can't be gotten elsewhere!. If you're still eating dairy and eggs, protein is even less an issue!.
"The New Becoming Vegetarian" by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina is great for nutritional information!. Both are registered dietitians and it's pretty much the bible of vegetarian nutrition!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
That's great! I recently became veg and I absolutely love it!. For me, the transition was a bit slower!. First I stopped eating red meat (beef, pork, etc!.) and then stopped eating poultry!. I was pesco-vegetarian for a while (I only ate fish and seafood) but after doing my research decided that it's healthy to give up meet altogether!. I've also given up little things like gum, jelly and gelatin products, honey, etc!. because these things all have animal ingredients!. I still eat eggs and dairy, but I only eat eggs if they're already in cakes or other foods, not just plain!.
For me to stick to this diet, it wasn't that hard!. Once I stopped eating meat, I suddenly wanted it less!. In fact, I get sick if I smell chicken or beef or anything!. But it's also been important for me to widen my diet and replace all of these things I've lost!. BocaBurgers, Morningstar products and tofu have all become things I have in my house!. They're tasty, healthy and full of protein! I also eat more of the things I used to eat, like peanut butter, and LOTS of veggies :) It's important to know what you're eating of course!. If I order something new, I always ask to make sure it's vegetarian!. For example, order a spring roll instead of an egg roll if you happen to go to a Chinese restaurant!.
I'm sure if you love animals it'll be easy to make the transition!. Just don't forget to provide your body with what you need, and have fun checking out vegetarian products in your local supermarket! There's a lot of variety out there for you to choose from :)Www@FoodAQ@Com
For me to stick to this diet, it wasn't that hard!. Once I stopped eating meat, I suddenly wanted it less!. In fact, I get sick if I smell chicken or beef or anything!. But it's also been important for me to widen my diet and replace all of these things I've lost!. BocaBurgers, Morningstar products and tofu have all become things I have in my house!. They're tasty, healthy and full of protein! I also eat more of the things I used to eat, like peanut butter, and LOTS of veggies :) It's important to know what you're eating of course!. If I order something new, I always ask to make sure it's vegetarian!. For example, order a spring roll instead of an egg roll if you happen to go to a Chinese restaurant!.
I'm sure if you love animals it'll be easy to make the transition!. Just don't forget to provide your body with what you need, and have fun checking out vegetarian products in your local supermarket! There's a lot of variety out there for you to choose from :)Www@FoodAQ@Com
Don't laugh, but "Vegetarianism for Dummies" actually is a pretty good guide!.
also check out The Vegetarian Resource Group (www!.vrg!.org) and Google vegetarian starter guide!. Many pro-veg groups offer them, and you should find one that suits you!.
To find vegetarian restaurants in your area www!.happycow!.net and www!.vegdining!.com!. For recipes and more tips: www!.vegweb!.com!.
I got so disgusted by eating meat that one day I decided I didn't want it anymore!. I went vegan a few months later!. It is a discipline, yes, but the longer you do it, the easier it is to resist!.
There are lots of analogues out there, so find the ones that you like the best!. They'll help you transition!. I still eat them because, hey, I like the taste!.
And as for protein, as long as you eat enough calories, and they're not all junk food, you shouldn't have to worry about kwasiorkor!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
also check out The Vegetarian Resource Group (www!.vrg!.org) and Google vegetarian starter guide!. Many pro-veg groups offer them, and you should find one that suits you!.
To find vegetarian restaurants in your area www!.happycow!.net and www!.vegdining!.com!. For recipes and more tips: www!.vegweb!.com!.
I got so disgusted by eating meat that one day I decided I didn't want it anymore!. I went vegan a few months later!. It is a discipline, yes, but the longer you do it, the easier it is to resist!.
There are lots of analogues out there, so find the ones that you like the best!. They'll help you transition!. I still eat them because, hey, I like the taste!.
And as for protein, as long as you eat enough calories, and they're not all junk food, you shouldn't have to worry about kwasiorkor!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
It sure is!Www@FoodAQ@Com