So, I'm 18 years old and still live at home with my meat eating parents. I've attempted going veggie before but it never seemed to stick. Now, I've gone though a phase where red meat is horrible, pork is medium (I eat ham and bacon) and I'll eat all the fish and chicken that I desire. I frequent the whole foods market and love all their veggies. They look so tasty and they taste better than they look. I'll never be one to go Vegan because my doctor tells me I need lots of calcium. Plus, I love dairy more than anything. I could live off of milk and cheese and be super happy. Plus, you don't have to kill an animal just to get milk, eggs etc from them. At home I generally eat whatever I feel like eating during the day. But at night when dinner comes I eat very little meat. Absolutely NO redmeat. It is just disgusting. The taste is repulsive. And I stick to the viggies my mom cooks. I've also gotten to where I will cook more things myself and these include fish and poultry only. (I also enjoy turkey.) I like the idea of eating "semi-veggie" because I feel healthier. But, I'm scared I won't get all the nutrients I need from meat without switching to tofu (which I'm scared of still!) So, anyway, here are some questions I would like to ask. I figure real people can give better answers than a prewritten website made by someone who dosen't know my situation. 1. How do I get the nutrients I need 2. If I go vegan, can I still breastfeed? (always wondered this. I want children someday!) 3. Is "semi-veggie" even acceptable or will I be called a poser, for not being a true vegitarian. 4. Is fish still in the vegitarian diet? I love it more than anything and I do know some veggies still eat fish. 5. I want to wait until I move out before I move into a more hardcore veggie life because of my parents. I don't want to intrude upon them. (I'll be living on campus in another year!) But, what are some easy to make recipes I can fit into a southern lifestyle? Either for myself or to make for the family at dinner and still have them enjoy it! I don't want them to eat some strange veggies if they don't want them! 6. What is the best vegetable to eat? The one with the most nutrients that you can eat a lot of? 7. Do vegitarians take vitamin suppliments? Are they "veggie" approved? 8. What vitamins do you lack by not eating meat? 9. Is frying vegetables considered bad? Do many vegitarians eat friend food? Do they spice them up at all? 10. What exactly is PETA? I"ve only heared bad things about them like they destroy labs and stuff. (Just because you don't agree dosen't mean you should violently interfeer!) Are they all veggies or what? Any answers to any of these questions would be wonderful. I know some of them sounds childish but I really am concerned about some of these things. Thanks much. Hope to get lots of answers to my lots of questions! I know there are a lot but I figured it would be easier to make one post than a whole bunch. Also, if any of these questions are already answered and you don't feel like retyping, just post me a link! Thanks a whole bunch guys!
(check the memories for many of your answers) 1. http://www.vegansociety.com/html/food/nutrition/ 2. yes 3. I don't know what type of company you hang out with...but most people would agree that you are an omnivore. 4. No. No one who is a vegetarian eats fish. Fish is an animal. Vegetarians don't eat animals. 5. pasta salads, dips, mexican food...tons of recipes here - http://www.vegcooking.com/searchrecipes.asp 6. not sure. I'm partial to peppers though. 7. I do if I've been lazy and eating a lot of junk food. It depends on the brand. 8. None 9. Stir fry? besides that I dont really eat a whole lot of fried foods. Yes, spices are yummy 10. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. They are hard-core pretty far left-wing 'veggies'. Check out their website, there are tons of animal rights links - http://www.peta.com You don't need animals to get calcium. Plants contain it, as does calcium fortified vegan foods.
vegn is a lifestyle more so than a diet. it's based on the concept that it is not human's place to enslave animals. I'm a lacto veg who lives the rest of consumption as avegan (what animals product I have is second hand. I avooid rennet from animal enzyme. vegans breastfeed all the time and the babes are fine. mama needs to be up on her suppliments because the nutrients stored/available will go to teh babe first. off to work, more later... welcome (be nice everyone, she was invited here. Make her welcome)
There are many ways to get nutrients you need without eating meat, look at websites! There are some in a sticky thread in this forum. You can find some yummy recipies too maybe to cook for your family. Anything you eat is acceptable, because you're you! If you want to be "semi-veggie" then there's nothing wrong with that. If someone calls you a poser then thats lame. You should be able to eat what you want, and not eat what you don't want. I think it depends on your reasons for being a vegetarian if they eat fish or not. Fish is really good for you, but its still an animal. You are free to eat it, because well you're an individual. =P I take multi-vitamins, I took them when I wasn't a vegetarian also. Its always good to take your vitamins! I don't see anything wrong with frying stuff in a vegetarian sense. The only thing is that its more fattening. And I don't know much about PETA, I've also heard bad things about them, and good things. Sorry I couldn't answer all your questions but I hope that helped a bit!
1. Eat a varied diet; fruits and veggies of different colors (different nutrients/antioxidants), legumes, nuts, seeds, etc. 2. Not sure about breastfeeding. 3. Acceptable to who? This should be a personal decision. If you feel healthiest as a "semi-vegetarian," then do that. 4. Fish are animals, no matter what some people will tell you. 5. At places like Costco, they have big bags of frozen veggies than you can stir-fry with some sort of protein source (tofu, veggie chik'n, etc.) and put over rice. Very good and very healthy. Lentil soup, pastas, bean burritos... there are more options than one would think. A good book to check out is The Garden of Vegan. 6. Hmm. I'm a fan of spinach (good for iron!!), asparagus, eggplant, and mesculun greens. Anything that's naturally a dark or vibrant color is gonna be the best for you. 7. Some do. I personally take an iron/b-complex vitamin. I used to take a full multi, but then I started eating better (for fruits and veggies), and realized I was getting enough of the basic vitamins without the supplements. 8. Iron and B vitamins, mostly. 9. Frying in what sense? Deep-frying anything isn't very healthy, but stir-frying in olive oil isn't that bad (olive oil has fats that are good for your heart). 10. PETA stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Although there are members that are well-balanced, there are also extremists. They do lots of great things (offering advice for students who do not want to dissect, lists of animal-free cosmetics, etc.), but not all of their actions reflect their good intent (destroying labs, letting race horses free on highways, etc.). Oh, and calcium isn't that difficult to come by. Lots of green leafy veggies (spinach and broccoli off the top of my head) are fairly rich in it. Soy milks and breakfast cereals are usually calcium (and other nutrient) fortified.
The best general rescource I've found is http://www.tryveg.com/cfi/toc/ 1. Eat a balanced diet There are plenty of books/websites about vegetarian nutrition (only needs a google search). 2. Yes http://www.vegansociety.com/html/people/lifestyle/families/parenting/vegan_children/breastfeeding.php 3. Well it's better than being a full blown omnivore, but do have a go at being full blown vegetarian. Never know it might work out this time http://www.tryveg.com/cfi/toc/?v=06tips 4. NO! http://www.tryveg.com/cfi/toc/?v=05fish If you continue to eat fish that's fine, but please don't pass it of as vegetarianism, that just makes things harder for the rest of us. 5. http://vegweb.com/ The best place to find great easy recipes with perfectly 'normal' ingredients, there's such a huge selection something will suit. 6. No one in particular, the key thing is variety 7. Depends what suits them/you, I don't bother and am doing just fine. A few have animal derived ingredients which would be a no go, just a case of reading the ingredients (then look up anything suspect). 8. Ultimatly there's nothing you can't get from plants and/or fortified foods 9. Well it's probably the 'best' way to prepare them, but as an occasional thing it wouldn't be too terrible. probably sure, there are loads of neat ideas on vegweb 10. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_for_the_Ethical_Treatment_of_Animals
