Forum: Advice / Health & Nutrition
re: What to know about being vegetarian
By hylndlas



re: What to know about being vegetarian
By Peridot



re: What to know about being vegetarian
By emilytheprincess

re: What to know about being vegetarian
By JoyNoelle


re: What to know about being vegetarian
By onmybleedingfeet
re: What to know about being vegetarian
By KayElle


re: What to know about being vegetarian
By Gwyneth17


re: What to know about being vegetarian
By Ballet_Baibe


re: What to know about being vegetarian
By sweetyface17

re: What to know about being vegetarian
By DancingAngel925


re: What to know about being vegetarian
By PinUpGirl



re: What to know about being vegetarian
By alleycat



re: What to know about being vegetarian
By KayElle


re: What to know about being vegetarian
By Odessa



re: What to know about being vegetarian (karma: 2)
By JoyNoelle


re: What to know about being vegetarian
By alleycat



re: What to know about being vegetarian
By JoyNoelle


re: What to know about being vegetarian
By alleycat



re: What to know about being vegetarian
By JoyNoelle


re: What to know about being vegetarian
By Brazil

What to know about being a vegetarian
By paigec
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107 Replies to What to know about being vegetarian

By hylndlas




On Mon Feb 05, 2007 08:20 PM
Thanks for posting this.
I recently have started to wean meat out of my diet.
I normally eat Free range meat from my Amish butcher.....but lately due to health concerns I have decided to try to go back to being a veggie.....I may go all the way or I may just limit my meat intake to once a week....not sure yet.
If someone can post a link for more meals I would appreciate it.
I recently have started to wean meat out of my diet.
I normally eat Free range meat from my Amish butcher.....but lately due to health concerns I have decided to try to go back to being a veggie.....I may go all the way or I may just limit my meat intake to once a week....not sure yet.
If someone can post a link for more meals I would appreciate it.

By Peridot




On Mon Feb 05, 2007 08:21 PM
Edited by AdagioGirl (117408) on 2007-02-05 20:27:26
Edited by AdagioGirl (117408) on 2007-02-05 20:32:17
Edited by AdagioGirl (117408) on 2007-02-05 20:34:57
Edited by AdagioGirl (117408) on 2007-02-05 20:45:48
Edited by AdagioGirl (117408) on 2007-02-05 20:32:17
Edited by AdagioGirl (117408) on 2007-02-05 20:34:57
Edited by AdagioGirl (117408) on 2007-02-05 20:45:48
This should definitely be a sticky! I seriously love you, panic_. This will hopefully cut down on the repetitive vegetarian posts out there. The information was accurate and presented very nicely. As a vegetarian myself, I think you did a great job!
Here are some more recipes:
www.wholefoodsmarket.com . . .
allrecipes.com . . .
www.epicurious.com . . .
www.recipezaar.com . . .
And if you are worried about eating out, try these:
-Jason's Deli has purely vegetarian options available! My personal favorite is the Spinach Veggie Wrap. Plus, the whole place is trans fat free and they have a lot of organic items.
-Subway has veggie subs!
-Chili's has a black bean veggie burger.
-Almost anywhere you go, you can find a suitable option. Italian restaurants offer pastas that usually come without meat, OR you can just ask for no meat.
-If you go to a restaurant, ask them what is in their food... for example, most vegetable soups are made with beef broth- so ASK.
(For hylyndlas:) This site has a sample meal plan with sufficient protein: www.ivu.org . . .
I also want to add something about forming complete proteins. It's important to combine proteins in order to get all of the amino acids you need. So you can combine grains and legumes, legumes and nuts/seeds, or grains and nuts/seeds. So for example, peanut butter on whole wheat bread would be a complete protein (grains and legumes- yes, pb is a legume). Or rice and beans would be grain and legumes.
~Adagio
Here are some more recipes:
www.wholefoodsmarket.com . . .
allrecipes.com . . .
www.epicurious.com . . .
www.recipezaar.com . . .
And if you are worried about eating out, try these:
-Jason's Deli has purely vegetarian options available! My personal favorite is the Spinach Veggie Wrap. Plus, the whole place is trans fat free and they have a lot of organic items.
-Subway has veggie subs!
-Chili's has a black bean veggie burger.
-Almost anywhere you go, you can find a suitable option. Italian restaurants offer pastas that usually come without meat, OR you can just ask for no meat.
-If you go to a restaurant, ask them what is in their food... for example, most vegetable soups are made with beef broth- so ASK.
(For hylyndlas:) This site has a sample meal plan with sufficient protein: www.ivu.org . . .
I also want to add something about forming complete proteins. It's important to combine proteins in order to get all of the amino acids you need. So you can combine grains and legumes, legumes and nuts/seeds, or grains and nuts/seeds. So for example, peanut butter on whole wheat bread would be a complete protein (grains and legumes- yes, pb is a legume). Or rice and beans would be grain and legumes.
~Adagio

By emilytheprincess


On Tue Feb 06, 2007 08:52 PM
Oh thank you! Thank you! THANK YOU!
I tried being a vegeterian once, and it only lasted a week. The more I think about it the better it sounds and I definatly want to try it again.
My only problem was that the fake meat products were expensive and having my parents buy all the food, well, it just didn't work.
Thanks so much for this information.
Emily
I tried being a vegeterian once, and it only lasted a week. The more I think about it the better it sounds and I definatly want to try it again.
My only problem was that the fake meat products were expensive and having my parents buy all the food, well, it just didn't work.
Thanks so much for this information.
Emily

By JoyNoelle



On Wed Feb 07, 2007 04:47 PM
Good job! This should definitely be a sticky.
I'd like to see people add to it to make it an ongoing source of information on veg*nism.


By onmybleedingfeet

On Wed Feb 07, 2007 06:33 PM
Thanks a lot for this. I've been veg for about a month now.. and I'm trying to be only lacto-ovo veg, but I really really don't want to drink or eat anything with milk in it. I've learned the truth, and it's absolutely disgusting. I just chug down about five cups of soy milk a day, and a protein shake or two, and I'm fine.
. Again, thanks for this. I should try that menu sometime.


By KayElle



On Wed Feb 07, 2007 07:47 PM
^^ That's what I was hoping for. I definitely don't know everything about the subject, I don't even know a significant amount about it, I just hoped to get some discussion going and maybe answer some really simple questions.
So if anybody has any more information they find super interesting or useful or whatever... let's see it!
So if anybody has any more information they find super interesting or useful or whatever... let's see it!

By Gwyneth17



On Fri Feb 09, 2007 07:30 PM
thank you so much! This post was really informative (I think especially for people like me who have been considering becoming vegetarian).

By Ballet_Baibe



On Mon Feb 12, 2007 04:46 AM
Great post, if any new veggies or vegans would like any more advice or recepies feel free to pm me, I have been veggie for about 13 years, and I'm allergic to dairy, so any questions just ask, I'm allways willing to help.
Ballet_Baibe
Ballet_Baibe

By sweetyface17


On Tue Feb 13, 2007 09:20 AM
Wow, you are my hero. Thank you so much for posting this. I'm a lacto-ovo veg. I try not to intake much dairy, though. I actually like soymilk better. The chocolate is freaking amazing. 


By DancingAngel925



On Sat Feb 17, 2007 12:52 PM
Thanks! This is really helpful. I just became vegetarian about a month ago.

By PinUpGirl




On Tue Feb 20, 2007 04:17 PM
I've thought about becoming a vegetarian. A friend of mine was a lacto-ovo for 10 years and just recently went to non-strict (eats chicken and fish, for those who don't know) due to anemia. I don't eat a lot of red meat, pork, or fish to begin with, so I call myself a pseudo-vegitarian
.


By alleycat




On Tue Feb 27, 2007 06:58 AM
Please keep in mind that vegetarians do not eat fish. Fish is an animal. Vegans also may not consume honey (a by-product of bees). Most vegetarians don’t eat gelatin or dairy products made with rennet, either
I beg to differ. I've followed a vegetarian diet+fish the past ten years. And while i agree that fish is not a vegetarian choise, i will not have rennet and gelatine-consumers think of me as less vegetarian than them. (not saying that you are one) Atleast i am not supporting the slaugher-industry or consuming any mammals or birds. There are plenty of good, ethical and echological reasons to why the fishing industry isn't as bad as the meatindustry, espessially when wild-caught, and when it comes to health and nutrition it's superb. When i stopped eating meat i would i would fit the category "pesci-vegetarian", now most vegetarian societies prefere the term "pescitarians" when they want to label us. However, try using that word in a restaurant and see what kind of food you're given.
When it comes to rennet and gelatin, i'm a strict say-no-er. Why do you think of me as less vegetarian than someone who will consume these by-products from mamals? I don't like these labels at all.
I beg to differ. I've followed a vegetarian diet+fish the past ten years. And while i agree that fish is not a vegetarian choise, i will not have rennet and gelatine-consumers think of me as less vegetarian than them. (not saying that you are one) Atleast i am not supporting the slaugher-industry or consuming any mammals or birds. There are plenty of good, ethical and echological reasons to why the fishing industry isn't as bad as the meatindustry, espessially when wild-caught, and when it comes to health and nutrition it's superb. When i stopped eating meat i would i would fit the category "pesci-vegetarian", now most vegetarian societies prefere the term "pescitarians" when they want to label us. However, try using that word in a restaurant and see what kind of food you're given.
When it comes to rennet and gelatin, i'm a strict say-no-er. Why do you think of me as less vegetarian than someone who will consume these by-products from mamals? I don't like these labels at all.

By KayElle



On Tue Feb 27, 2007 01:53 PM
Edited by panic_ (136120) on 2007-02-27 13:55:46
I strongly believe that it's not possible for someone to be more or less vegetarian than anyone else. That's why I followed up that comment with "However, vegetarianism is a personal decision and what restrictions you place are up to you."
As for the gelatin and rennet debacle... well, quite a few vegetarians I know do consume gelatin simply because it's in a whole lot of foods, and alternatives are often difficult to find and/or afford. Especially in my situation, I'm living in residence and eating out of the dining hall, where my choices are severely limited. As for rennet, the food industry is moving in the right direction at least, as "only about 35% of worldwide cheese production uses animal rennet." (en.wikipedia.org . . .) Although, it's frequently difficult to tell if the cheese I'm eating contains animal or vegetable rennet. But again, whether or not you choose to consume it is up to you.
I probably should have specified that pescitarians (pesci-vegetarians, whatever) do consume fish, and semi-vegetarians might consume poultry and fish. In my personal opinion though, vegetarianism means no animal flesh, but again, I would like to re-emphasize:
As for the gelatin and rennet debacle... well, quite a few vegetarians I know do consume gelatin simply because it's in a whole lot of foods, and alternatives are often difficult to find and/or afford. Especially in my situation, I'm living in residence and eating out of the dining hall, where my choices are severely limited. As for rennet, the food industry is moving in the right direction at least, as "only about 35% of worldwide cheese production uses animal rennet." (en.wikipedia.org . . .) Although, it's frequently difficult to tell if the cheese I'm eating contains animal or vegetable rennet. But again, whether or not you choose to consume it is up to you.
I probably should have specified that pescitarians (pesci-vegetarians, whatever) do consume fish, and semi-vegetarians might consume poultry and fish. In my personal opinion though, vegetarianism means no animal flesh, but again, I would like to re-emphasize:
However, vegetarianism is a personal decision and what restrictions you place are up to you.
re: What to know about being vegetarian
By pirouettes77
By pirouettes77

On Mon Mar 05, 2007 06:58 PM
yea-yuh! I am like the only vegetarian in my town, and it is so hard to get veggie food! (We have to drive into the city to the giant whole foods)
This is awesome! I could totally show this to people and then they would understand..
love ya lots,
Pira
This is awesome! I could totally show this to people and then they would understand..
love ya lots,
Pira

By Odessa




On Mon Mar 05, 2007 07:13 PM
BEANS!!
Beans are the vegetarian wonder-food. Feel like tacos? Beans. Feel like spag bol? Beans. Need a meat stand-in in your veggie stir fry? Beans.
Seriously. And they're a great source of protein, which you'll be missing from not eating meat.
Last night I made bean enchiladas. Two cans of four-bean mix, and one can of refried beans to hold it together, as well as the enchilada sauce, tortillas and vegetables and there's dinner.
YUM!!
Erin.
::righteous babe::
Beans are the vegetarian wonder-food. Feel like tacos? Beans. Feel like spag bol? Beans. Need a meat stand-in in your veggie stir fry? Beans.
Seriously. And they're a great source of protein, which you'll be missing from not eating meat.
Last night I made bean enchiladas. Two cans of four-bean mix, and one can of refried beans to hold it together, as well as the enchilada sauce, tortillas and vegetables and there's dinner.
YUM!!
Erin.
::righteous babe::

By JoyNoelle



On Mon Mar 05, 2007 11:08 PM
I really don't want to start a war, but here goes. Sorry, but if you eat fish, you're not vegetarian. You can CALL yourself a vegetarian, or a pescetarian, or...whatever, but you're still not! And this comes from someone who did just that--I continued eating fish for a long time after giving up meat, gelatin, leather, and everything else derived from mammalian animals. But I justified continuing to eat fish pretty much the same way alleycat does...and then I realized I was kidding myself.
If you're eating something that used to be a living animal, you're not vegetarian, plain and simple. Call yourself a "semi-vegetarian" or an "almost vegetarian" or something, but don't change science by pretending that animals are part of the plant world.
(I do agree, however, that the fishing industry isn't NEARLY as heinous as factory farms.)
If you're eating something that used to be a living animal, you're not vegetarian, plain and simple. Call yourself a "semi-vegetarian" or an "almost vegetarian" or something, but don't change science by pretending that animals are part of the plant world.

(I do agree, however, that the fishing industry isn't NEARLY as heinous as factory farms.)
re: What to know about being vegetarian
By DutchDancer
By DutchDancer
On Wed Mar 07, 2007 11:43 AM
^Totally agree! My mom keeps telling me "all vegetarians eat fish!"
I think she expects this from me because fish don't have big puppy eyes that say "don't eat me" like for example cows do. No, I don't think Nemo was real and was insecure and sad because he missed his dad, but fish do have a nervous system, thus they have feelings!
So no, real vegetarians don't eat fish.
I think she expects this from me because fish don't have big puppy eyes that say "don't eat me" like for example cows do. No, I don't think Nemo was real and was insecure and sad because he missed his dad, but fish do have a nervous system, thus they have feelings!
So no, real vegetarians don't eat fish.

By alleycat




On Wed Mar 07, 2007 01:00 PM
I'm not getting into that war here, this isn't the debateforum. I don't mind not calling myself a vegetarian, i rarely do, and if people ask if i am, i will always answer "no i eat fish". Even in restaurants i ask for "a vegetarian dish" i don't say that i'm a vegetarian, because frankly, it's none of their buisness.
I just think it's a very conteminated debate and i find it rather careless of you express yourself so directly with your opinion if this is supposed to be a fac. post. Because i is after all, a matter of opinion, and if you look at the posts above mine you'll probably see why i'm fed up with "real" vegetarians feeling holier than me thinking that i just haven't seen the light. Newsflash; We're on the same side here!
And it pisses me of even more when people who won't avoid animal byproducts are not concidered "to be kidding themselves" more than i am. "Real" vegetarians won't support the industry, if you ask me, and people eating gelatin and rennet definately do, so in my book it makes them just as little of vegetarians as i am. Which is absolutely fine, as long as they don't go around calling themselves vegetarian and denying me the same.
If i had a choise i would never call myself a vegetarian, but sometimes people will push you up the wall about it and it's easier to say you are one to make sure you don't get any animal ingredients. It just seems like an easier thing to respect for people, which i guess is a sign that we're moving in the right direction.
I face the same problems you do; people rolling their eyes when you ask about rennet, enchansers, gelatine or other things, having to defend my views to people who need to worry about their own buisness, trying to find suited meals at restaurants, eating rice and vegetables when my friends are throwing dinners. I may not be a vegetarian, and frankly i could care less what i'm named, but if others are to make that decition for me, i think they should clean up in their own lines first.
Psst; "vegeta" means life/lively/lifeful.
I just think it's a very conteminated debate and i find it rather careless of you express yourself so directly with your opinion if this is supposed to be a fac. post. Because i is after all, a matter of opinion, and if you look at the posts above mine you'll probably see why i'm fed up with "real" vegetarians feeling holier than me thinking that i just haven't seen the light. Newsflash; We're on the same side here!
And it pisses me of even more when people who won't avoid animal byproducts are not concidered "to be kidding themselves" more than i am. "Real" vegetarians won't support the industry, if you ask me, and people eating gelatin and rennet definately do, so in my book it makes them just as little of vegetarians as i am. Which is absolutely fine, as long as they don't go around calling themselves vegetarian and denying me the same.
If i had a choise i would never call myself a vegetarian, but sometimes people will push you up the wall about it and it's easier to say you are one to make sure you don't get any animal ingredients. It just seems like an easier thing to respect for people, which i guess is a sign that we're moving in the right direction.
I face the same problems you do; people rolling their eyes when you ask about rennet, enchansers, gelatine or other things, having to defend my views to people who need to worry about their own buisness, trying to find suited meals at restaurants, eating rice and vegetables when my friends are throwing dinners. I may not be a vegetarian, and frankly i could care less what i'm named, but if others are to make that decition for me, i think they should clean up in their own lines first.
Psst; "vegeta" means life/lively/lifeful.

By JoyNoelle



On Wed Mar 07, 2007 06:53 PM
Hey, alleycat, I'm sorry my post seemed defensive or something, because I know we're on the same side and I really didn't mean to make you mad. I merely pointed out that eating fish disqualifies one from calling themselves vegetarian--if they're honest with themselves! Again, I'm sorry it came out sounding nasty because that wasn't my intent.

By alleycat




On Wed Mar 07, 2007 07:13 PM
No, i'm sorry, i'm the one who should step down here, it's just a supersensitive topic for me, and i tend to overeact, i'm sorry. It's just like, we get all the vegetarian-haters at us, and then we get all the hating vegetarians at us too, and i just end up being pissed and defensive about it and post things like; "I won't debate this", and then try and debate it. It's something that's really important to me and it just gets to m when i fel like what i am doing isn't valid. It's like bumping into those McDcustomers who will call you a hypocrite for having a leather-patch on your jeans or something.
I guess i just find it unfair that the vegetarian societies embrace people who aren't picky about by-products but not me-me-me. But i don't dissagree with the term vegetarian not fitting me, I just dislike labels on a general basis, espessially when i have to turn to dumbandstupid-labels like "pescitarian". They could atleast have given us pecsi-vegetarians!
Ok, rant over. Hugs and kisses for all tree-huggers and other sexy people. I'm sorry!
I guess i just find it unfair that the vegetarian societies embrace people who aren't picky about by-products but not me-me-me. But i don't dissagree with the term vegetarian not fitting me, I just dislike labels on a general basis, espessially when i have to turn to dumbandstupid-labels like "pescitarian". They could atleast have given us pecsi-vegetarians!
Ok, rant over. Hugs and kisses for all tree-huggers and other sexy people. I'm sorry!

By JoyNoelle



On Wed Mar 07, 2007 08:25 PM
You're such a sweetheart, alleycat.
It's all cool!


By Brazil


On Tue Mar 13, 2007 07:54 AM
Nice thread.
I know that panic specifically avoided this in her explanations to avoid strife, but for me religion plays an enormous role.
Me being Orthodox (Christian, not Jewish) I'm Vegetarian for up to 2/3 of the year (it changes every year) So, for the rest of the time, I love meat, eggs, cheese, milk anything!!!
Just to add to the fish dispute, would like to bring up the topic of Xeophagy
The quote from xcthesavior.org . . .
Anyway, whatever you decide about your diet, it's up to you, so don't let anyone tell you that you're wrong...
~Brazil
I know that panic specifically avoided this in her explanations to avoid strife, but for me religion plays an enormous role.
Me being Orthodox (Christian, not Jewish) I'm Vegetarian for up to 2/3 of the year (it changes every year) So, for the rest of the time, I love meat, eggs, cheese, milk anything!!!
Just to add to the fish dispute, would like to bring up the topic of Xeophagy
"Literally this means dry eating. Strictly interpreted, it signifies that we may eat only vegetables cooked with water and salt, and also such things as fruit, nuts, bread and honey. In practice, octopus and shellfish are also allowed on days of xerophagy: likewise vegetable margarine and corn or other vegetable oil, not made from olives. But the following categories of food are definitely excluded:
# (i) meat;
# (ii) animal products (cheese. milk, butter, eggs. lard,
dripping)
# (iii) fish (i.e. fish with backbones):
# (iv) oil (i.e. olive oil) and wine (i.e. all alcoholic
drinks)."
The quote from xcthesavior.org . . .
Anyway, whatever you decide about your diet, it's up to you, so don't let anyone tell you that you're wrong...
~Brazil

By paigec

On Fri Mar 23, 2007 09:27 AM
My daughter is a vegetarian she is 13 and has been now for 10 years, this post has made me realise the good points about being a vegetarian and has made me think about becoming one myself. thank you
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