Friday, 07 November 2008

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Comments (25)

  • Random_Goldfish@xanga

    As long as you can find a good replacement for protien and iron you should be fine in my opinion...I use to think being a vegetarian was unhealthy...and it is if you don't get the junk you'll miss getting from meat. Protien is in dairy, fruit, veggies, and nuts...not to mention those are better methods to obtain fiber as well, so that will all work out I think. Iron can be gotten in higher quanties from grapes and there's always a suppliment if you can't find enough.
  • lil_ziv_7@xanga

    If you eat the right kind of foods like veggies, and find ways to get protein its healthy. When being a vegetarian you want to stay away from the carbs and junk food. I am not a vegetarian but one of my really good friends is. He wanted me to become one, but I only survived for 3 weeks. lol
  • I_bend_spoons@xanga

    Well considering that people who are vegetarians for at least 20 years on average live seven years longer than omnivores, I'd say the pros outweigh the cons. Plus there's the personal fulfillment, being guilt free about eating animals. In my case I have a cholesterol level of 105, and no that is not a typo.

    The only con I've come across so far in my 2 years of being a vegetarian is the stupid questions that people always ask me.
  • Adie_Whatsername@xanga

    I totally and 100% agree with I_bend_spoons.. I get SUCH stupid questions like "So what do you eat then" and my response is "anything that isnt meat!" and "Do you eat fish?" and I say "It is a living breating animal? No I dont eat it!"


    I never try to change peoples minds becasue I know not everyone will stop eating meat so one thing i ask of meat eaters is STOP TRYING TO CHANGE MY MIND! it has been 9 years I will never eat mean again!
  • peacelove__CALLIE@xanga

    I dont think there are any cons, besides at the beginning when it may or may not be difficult to make the transition into being a vegetarian. Like two others have said, stupid questions always suck.

    I am not a vegetarian, but I will always argue a vegetarians point of view on certain matters.

    I guess it is just important for vegetarians to take extra vitamins with calcium, just in case. If you eat like a proper vegetarian, then nothing will be needed. Humans don't even need that much protein, and tofu and other things have TONS of it.

  • LaLaLici0us@xanga

    @I_bend_spoons@xanga - I agree lol. I hate being asked those stupid questions. "You're a vegetarian??" "WHY?!?!?!" "Don't you just want some chicken???" "Do you ever sneak it?"


    Some people... SMH


    I just am thankful of how supportive my boyfriend is of my vegetarianism. I've been one for 3 years now and feel great! :)
  • I_bend_spoons@xanga

    @peacelove__CALLIE@xanga - Yeah if a vegetarian makes sure they get a balanced diet and just leave out the meat, they'll be fine. In fact I don't take any vitamins or anything like that and my doctor says I'm literally the healthiest person he's ever seen.
  • niez_cho@xanga

    Yea, people automatically assume that it's for religious reasons if you're a vegeterian (especially for Asians).
  • peacelove__CALLIE@xanga

    @I_bend_spoons@xanga - I hate the misconceptions that revolve around being vegan or vegetarian. People are so uninformed these days. 
  • SeitekiChibiNeko@xanga

    I think there are more pros:
    1. Eating less or no meat=lessened risk of: bowel/colon cancer, heart attacks/heart disease, & high cholesterol.
    2. A vegetable based diet= lower risk of all cancers, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
    3. Raising animals is horrible for the environment because it uses up huge tracts of land for feed for the animals, as well as housing for the animals, and tons of water for them. As well as risks like mad cow disease & parasites from meats.
    4. Ethically, many animals are both raised and slaughtered under horrible conditions, sometimes being ripped apart while still alive in the slaughter house.

    Cons:
    1. Meat is everywhere.
    2. Meat tastes good. (So do vegetables though...)
    3. A vegetable based diet is less energy dense (but more nutrition dense.)

    Misconceptions:
    1. Many vegetables are iron rich.
    2. Most people overestimate their protein needs.
    3. Vegetarians are not more likely to be vitamin/mineral deficient.

    I'm not a vegetarian, but I do eat a reduced-meat diet that's mostly vegetable based. :)
  • teenageVOW@xanga

    pros - you save around 100 animals, you're more interesting, your arteries won't be clogged in the future


    cons - you have to really pay attention to the amount of protein you're eating, it's more difficult for you to eat out/at friend's


    i'm a vegetarian, and the pros definitely outweigh the cons :)
  • macphoto@xanga

    I eat a whole food, vegan diet. Its amazing how people have gotten so far away from real food that they can't even imagine there is stuff to eat as a vegetarian or vegan. Its a matter of eating the good foods and eliminating the crap they try to convince you is food. I know unhealthy vegetarians and vegans because believe it or not, it is possible to remain both veggie and vegan on junk food. Eat well balanced, whole foods meals...keeping sugars and processed foods to a minimum and you will be fine.
  • islandinthesun@xanga

    I'd say vegetarians are probably a little more health conscious than the average person, so it's no wonder they might live an average of 7 years longer. I guess it depends on what kind of non-vegetarians you study (there are some incredibly unhealthy eaters out there that could skew results). Anyway, whether the supposed 7 year difference the result of the actual diet, I don't know.

    I'm pretty sure there are some meat eaters that eat healthier than some vegetarians, so I don't think you can automatically deem it the better option.

    Also, who cares about misconceptions for why you're a vegetarian? If you are because YOU want to, you shouldn't have any problem explaining to people why you are.

    Pros- reading/hearing gross things about the fast food industry and thinking, "thank God I don't eat that junk."

    Cons- going to small restaurants where they mostly have food with meat, and the people you're with say, "Well, you can get a salad."
  • s_tennis@xanga

    Anyone know about peskitarians? (allowing fish in diet)
    Just curious...
    --I've tried being vegan (I'm dairy intolerant anyways...) but I couldn't seem to get enough...stuff. I'm gluten-free as well (can't eat wheat,rye,oat,and barley...so that limits the bread supply).
  • devil_undercover@xanga

    Ok, tried beign vegetarian.

    Some days, it works without me even realising.

    Some days, I'd get a bad craving for grilled fish.

    Very odd.

    I was vegetarian for a month and thought about converting permenanly, till I was told to get more protein my diet.

    So, I started eating more tofu & fish. I guess I just need to figure out how to get more protein in a vege diet and it'll work for me.

    Oh and iron. The only red meat I used to eat was lamb. And mutton. But that was it.

    Heart disease runs in my family, so I'm only too glad to go vegetarian.

    It is fairly easy being a vegetarian here in Asia, the variety of vegetables is just endless, as are the ways to cook them

  • RachelMSW@xanga

    Read the book, "The China Study."  If you are wondering how people eat a whole food diet, you'll understand after this book!
  • The_White_Belt@xanga

    @devil_undercover@xanga - a whole wheat PB&J sandwhich actually combines all of the essential proteins a person needs.


    I'm not a vegetarian, though, I personally still believe there are benefits to eating meat, but I have some friends who are devot vegetarians and they seem to be living healthy lives.
  • utopiadeuncuerpoperfecto@xanga

    A big con (for me) would be that the iron in vegetables doesnt have the same quality as the iron from meat. Your body dont absorb them the same.  vegetables also have phytates that prevents even more the iron absorption
  • lovewithstars@xanga

    my mom is a vegetarian and I'm not, which means I eat meat but feel guilty about it, lol. I eat meat because it tastes good and I get anemic easily. However, being a vegetarian (for those who have the willpower that I lack and the physical capability) is more energy efficient than eating meat, because if you think about it, eating the grains and greens that cows eat eliminates the middleman. (No, I'm not saying eat GRASS, I'm just saying that they eat grains and greens...different ones from us...and we do too.) It requires far fewer units of energy to eat a meal of things that grow in the ground than things that breathe oxygen and pump blood and eat the things that grow on the ground.


    Fish, however, should be required for every diet. The omega 3s are invaluable for your heart and your brain. Asians usually eat lots of fish and they are the longest-living race.
  • flying_mia@xanga

    pro - have you ever seen a fat vegetarian??
  • flying_mia@xanga

    @The_White_Belt@xanga -  heheh whole wheat pb&j sandwich.. thats what i had for lunch =]
  • devil_undercover@xanga

    @The_White_Belt@xanga - hehe, yea PB&J sounds good, but I reckon it's an American thing, so, to get a really yummy one, I'd probably have to do some research first.

    But I do love peanut butter! God bless whoever who crated that stuff!

  • Telooboy23

    i don't think i can be a vegetarian because my culture consists of too much meat but i think it's pretty cool that some people are vegetarians...
  • mamalove@momaroo

    i've been a vegetarian for 10 years. the only con that i can think of is that it could be hard to eat out if you are a picky eater. this is usually not so bad unless you have to go with people who do eat meat and go to a steakhouse or something similar. i'm not picky as long as it is meat free so i can always find something. actually being a vegetarian has made me less of a picky eater.

    i have never had a problem getting enough protein and there are plenty of vegetarian sources of iron. there are things (like vitamin c) that cab help you to absorb the iron that you do get. 
    here is a great vegetarian list of foods with iron:http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/nutrition/iron.html
  • LadyLibellule@xanga

    There are pros and cons to every diet.

    Personally, I think just not having to eat a chunk of dead animal is a pretty big pro.

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