I want go vegetarian..need help?!
Answers: I have been playing with the idea of going vegetarian for a while now and I figure what the hell why wait any longer.So I'm want go vegetarian.I need some websites and maybe some books to read.Any thing else u think I need to know.I'm a 17 year old girl about to be 18 in dec
I chose to become a vegetarian at the age of four, and have been ever since. I just wrote you a really long and personal answer, but now I lost it because my computer restarted! Anyway, I got this off of a wonderful website. Read this all over, it tells you basically everything you need to know. Don't hesitate to email me if you have any questions. Hope this helps!
Vegetarian and Semi-Vegetarian Diets
Different people follow different forms of vegetarianism. A true vegetarian eats no meat at all, including chicken and fish. A lacto-ovo vegetarian eats dairy products and eggs, but excludes meat, fish, and poultry. It follows, then, that a lacto vegetarian eats dairy products but not eggs, whereas an ovo vegetarian eats eggs but not dairy products.
A stricter form of vegetarianism is veganism (pronounced: vee-gun-izm). Not only are eggs and dairy products excluded from a vegan diet, so are animal products like honey and gelatin.Check the Label Sidebar
Some macrobiotic diets fall into the vegan category. Macrobiotic diets restrict not only animal products but also refined and processed foods, foods with preservatives, and foods that contain caffeine or other stimulants.
Following a macrobiotic or vegan diet could lead to nutritional deficiencies in some people. Teens need to be sure their diets include enough nutrients to fuel growth, particularly protein and calcium. If you're interested in following a vegan or macrobiotic diet it's a good idea to talk to a registered dietitian. He or she can help you design meal plans that include adequate vitamins and minerals.
Some people consider themselves semi-vegetarians and eat fish and maybe a small amount of poultry as part of a diet that's primarily made up of vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts. A pesci-vegetarian eats fish, but not poultry.
Are These Diets OK for Teens?
In the past, choosing not to eat meat or animal-based foods was considered unusual in the United States. Times and attitudes have changed dramatically, however. Vegetarians are still a minority in the United States, but a large and growing one. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) has officially endorsed vegetarianism, stating "appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, are nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases."
So what does this mean for you? If you're already a vegetarian, or are thinking of becoming one, it means that you're in good company. There are more choices in the supermarket than ever before, and an increasing number of restaurants and schools are providing vegetarian options — way beyond a basic peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
If you're choosing a vegetarian diet, the most important thing you can do is to educate yourself. That's why the ADA says that a vegetarian diet needs to be "appropriately planned." Simply dropping certain foods from your diet isn't the way to go if you're interested in maintaining good health, a high energy level, and strong muscles and bones.
Vegetarians have to be careful to include the following key nutrients that may be lacking in a vegetarian diet:
* iron
* calcium
* protein
* vitamin D
* vitamin B12
* zinc
If meat, fish, dairy products, and/or eggs are not going to be part of your diet, you'll need to know how to get enough of these nutrients, or you may need to take a daily multiple vitamin and mineral supplement.
Here are some suggestions:
Iron
Sea vegetables like nori, wakame, and dulse are very high in iron. Less exotic but still good options are iron-fortified breakfast cereals, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, and baked beans), soybeans and tofu, dried fruit (raisins and figs), pumpkin seeds, broccoli, and blackstrap molasses. Eating these foods along with a food high in vitamin C (citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes, and broccoli) will help you to absorb the iron better.
Girls need to be particularly concerned about getting adequate iron because some iron is lost during menstruation. Some girls who are vegetarians may not get adequate iron from vegetable sources and they may require a daily supplement. Check with your doctor about your own iron needs.
Calcium
Milk and yogurt are tops if you're eating dairy products — although vegetarians will want to look for yogurt that does not contain the meat by-product gelatin. Tofu, fortified soy milk, calcium-fortified orange juice, green leafy vegetables, and dried figs are also excellent ways for vegetarians (and vegans) to get calcium. Remember that as a teen you're building up your bones for the rest of your life.
Because women have a greater risk for getting osteoporosis (weak bones) as adults, it's particularly important for girls to make sure they get enough calcium. Again, taking a supplement may be necessary to ensure this.
Vitamin D
People need vitamin D to get calcium into our bones. Cow's milk and sunshine are tops on the list for this vitamin. Vegans can try fortified soy milk and fortified breakfast cereals, but they may need a supplement that includes vitamin D, especially during the winter months. Everyone should have some exposure to the sun to help the body produce vitamin D.
Protein
Some people believe that vegetarians must combine incomplete plant proteins in one meal — like red beans and rice — to make the type of complete proteins found in meat. We now know that it's not that complicated. Current recommendations are that vegetarians eat a wide variety of foods during the course of a day. Eggs and dairy products are good sources of protein, but also try nuts, peanut butter, tofu, beans, seeds, soy milk, grains, cereals, and vegetables to get all the protein your body needs.
Vitamin B12
B12 is an essential vitamin found only in animal products, including eggs and dairy. Fortified soy milk and fortified breakfast cereals also have this important vitamin. It's hard to get enough vitamin B12 in your diet if you are vegan, so a supplement may be needed.
Zinc
If you're not eating dairy foods, make sure fortified cereals, dried beans, nuts, and soy products like tofu and tempeh are part of your diet so you can meet your daily requirement for this important mineral.
In addition to vitamins and minerals, vegetarians need to keep an eye on their total intake of calories and fat. Vegetarian diets tend to be high in fiber and low in fat and calories. That may be good for people who need to lose weight or lower their cholesterol but it can be a problem for kids and teens who are still growing and people who are already at a healthy weight.
Diets that are high in fiber tend to be more filling, and as a result strict vegetarians may feel full before they've eaten enough calories to keep their bodies healthy and strong. It's a good idea to let your doctor know that you're a vegetarian so that he or she can keep on eye on your growth and make sure you're still getting adequate amounts of calories and fat.
Getting Some Guidance
If you're thinking about becoming a vegetarian, consider making an appointment to talk with a registered dietitian who can go over lists of foods that would give you the nutrients you need. A dietitian can discuss ways to prevent conditions such as iron-deficiency anemia that you might be at an increased risk for if you stop eating meat.
Also, remember to take a daily standard multivitamin, just in case you miss getting enough vitamins or minerals that day.
Tips for Dining Out
Eating at restaurants can be difficult for vegetarians sometimes, but if you do eat fish, you can usually find something suitable on the menu. If not, opt for salad and an appetizer or two. Even fast-food places sometimes have vegetarian choices, such as bean tacos and burritos, veggie burgers, and soy cheese pizza.
Vegetarians can opt for pasta, along with plenty of vegetables, grains, and fruits. You may also find that the veggie burgers, hot dogs, and chicken substitutes available in your local grocery store taste very much like the real thing. Try the ground meat substitute as a stand-in for beef in foods like tacos and spaghetti sauce.
Regardless of whether you choose a vegetarian way of life, it's always a healthy idea to eat a wide variety of foods and try out new foods when you can.
What is a vegetarian starter kit?
A recipe book is key or your get bored fast..if you are interested try www.vegan.com or vegan action at www.vegan.org.
Do you realize how unhealthy that is, your body needs the nutrients from meat!
ok well p.e.t.a is a good resource to start with...hmm...that one guy above me gave u the wrong addy....vegan's do not eat any n i mean any animal by products.......not even eggs or milk lotion...going vegetarian is the best way to go...hmm any book should have going vegetarian...borders for instance good luck
Start off slow. The best way for me was to start phasing out meat for the first few weeks.
People often say that humans have always eaten animals, as if this is a justification for continuing the practise. According to this logic, we should not try to prevent people from murdering other people, since this has also been done since earliest of times..
Hi and welcome to the wonderful world of vegetarianism!
I actually just answered a question like this, please refer to:http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...
Do not eat chubby pickles!! 1000%!!
A vegan is one who does not eat meat or dairy
A vegetarian is one who does not eat meat but can eat dairy
I am a vegetarian since birth. but to get you started first clean out your whole kitchen. Exclude anything that is meat.
Now you can make tofu, and other recipes you can find online that are vegetarian. One of my favorite fast vegetarian foods that I make is a bean burrito. Buy a tortillas, refried beans(no lard or called fat)
,and cheese. warm up the tortilla in a microwave oven, then spread beans all over the totilla, then put cheese on it, and warm it up in the microwave again for 35 seconds.
Hope this helps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
The way I did it was probably the easiest for me. I took out my beef and pork first and then began taking poultry and fish out.
I didn't have much support from my family because they thought vegetarian's didn't get any vitamins and minerals, or protein for that matter.
Make sure that you know that there are plenty of alternatives out there that are healthy! And no matter what, do what you want! Do what you think is right and don't let anyone bring you down!!!
These websites definitely helped me out through rough times when I was tempted to go back to meat because of the people in my family:
-www.GoVeg.com
and the biggest...
-www.peta.com and www.peta2.com
Good luck!!! It's hard at first but in the long run it's worth it!!! Just think, you're saving thousands of animals by not demanding meat! =)