A question for vegetarians....

F00LofaT00K

My younger sister has been a vegetarian for 2 years now and she told me that she's been having serious cravings for meat lately. I suggested she join MFP to track her protein and told her I would find out if anybody could suggest any tips for her. Has this ever happened to you? What supplements do you use to ensure you get proper nutrition?

alexandriax03

Vitamin B-12

_TastySnoBalls_

My younger sister has been a vegetarian for 2 years now and she told me that she's been having serious cravings for meat lately. I suggested she join MFP to track her protein and told her I would find out if anybody could suggest any tips for her. Has this ever happened to you? What supplements do you use to ensure you get proper nutrition?

the only supplement i've needed is vitamin d due to low blood levels. Also, even after almost 7 years of being a vegetarian, i still sometimes crave meat, it smells good. Other than the smell, i'm not sure why i crave it. Just sitting here typing, i don't.. What triggers her cravings?

pteryndactyl

Make sure she's getting plenty of protein.

Also, does she eat meat substitutes? Some aren't so great (veggie burgers) but I've bought sausage, ground beef, etc. and thrown them in recipes and my meat-eating friends can't even tell it's not real. That might help.

F00LofaT00K

My younger sister has been a vegetarian for 2 years now and she told me that she's been having serious cravings for meat lately. I suggested she join MFP to track her protein and told her I would find out if anybody could suggest any tips for her. Has this ever happened to you? What supplements do you use to ensure you get proper nutrition?

the only supplement I've needed is vitamin d due to low blood levels. Also, even after almost 7 years of being a vegetarian, i still sometimes crave meat, it smells good. Other than the smell, i'm not sure why i crave it. Just sitting here typing, i don't.. What triggers her cravings?

I asked her and she said she didn't know, she just REALLY wanted chicken for the past couple of weeks. She said even when she ate meat, she never really liked the taste of it. I was wondering... are there any amino acids or something else essential that you can only get from meat?

F00LofaT00K

Make sure she's getting plenty of protein.

Also, does she eat meat substitutes? Some aren't so great (veggie burgers) but I've bought sausage, ground beef, etc. and thrown them in recipes and my meat-eating friends can't even tell it's not real. That might help.

She definitely eats meat substitutes, but I don't live there so I'm not sure exactly what her diet is like. That's why I'm trying to get her to track on here... at least for a week or so to make sure she's getting enough protein. I know she can be a picky eater and isn't a fan of nuts and beans.

_Zardoz_

The only thing you can't get from non meat sources is B12. Most B12 supplements include iron. I take seven seas vegetarian and vegan one. I would get her to go to the doctor and get iron levels checked though. Protein wise you've got to try really hard not to get enough protein unless her diet is incredibly unbalance I very much doubt protein is the problem. I'm a vegan and I easily hit Protein targets without even trying. There's protein in most things a cup of spinach has around 6 grams. Even rice has protein in it.

F00LofaT00K

The only thing you can't get from meat is B12. I would get her to go to the doctor and get iron levels checked. Protein wise you've got to try really hard not to get enough protein unless her diet is incredibly unbalance I very much doubt protein is the problem. I'm a vegan and I easily hit Protein targets without even trying. There's protein in most things a cup of spinach has around 6 grams. Even rice has protein in it.

Thanks. I'll suggest an iron check and B12 to her.

snootmaster

Interesting, several years ago I was a vegetarian and at about the two year mark, I also started having intense cravings for meat (i dreamt about rare steaks-which is something that previously had not been particularly appealing)-I mucked through for about another year with intense cravings and then one day at a time of stress, I ate a can of tuna and the cravings went away immediately. I would like to work my way back into being a vegetarian but this time try to pay more attention to my protein intake. So this time I am trying to eat more tofu, beans, and nutritional yeast-pay more attention to it. I am not there yet. I am loving mfp for helping to keep track of my actual protein intake, and think your suggestion is a great idea.

besaro

quinoa is a good source of a complete protein. adding nuts and beans are a plus with the addition of fiber. google protein for vegetarians. lots of resources out there.

F00LofaT00K

You have all been very helpful! Thank you so much. Until somebody mentioned tuna, I forgot that she still eats fish. I'm less concerned about protein now that I remember that. I'm talking to her on facebook right now. She said she'll have our mom puck up some B12 for her.

_TastySnoBalls_

The only thing you can't get from non meat sources is B12. Most B12 supplements include iron. I take seven seas vegetarian and vegan one. I would get her to go to the doctor and get iron levels checked though. Protein wise you've got to try really hard not to get enough protein unless her diet is incredibly unbalance I very much doubt protein is the problem. I'm a vegan and I easily hit Protein targets without even trying. There's protein in most things a cup of spinach has around 6 grams. Even rice has protein in it.

eggs and dairy have b12, if she eats those, b12 shouldn't be a problem.

thorough blood work is advisable though OP

F00LofaT00K

The only thing you can't get from non meat sources is B12. Most B12 supplements include iron. I take seven seas vegetarian and vegan one. I would get her to go to the doctor and get iron levels checked though. Protein wise you've got to try really hard not to get enough protein unless her diet is incredibly unbalance I very much doubt protein is the problem. I'm a vegan and I easily hit Protein targets without even trying. There's protein in most things a cup of spinach has around 6 grams. Even rice has protein in it.

eggs and dairy have b12, if she eats those, b12 shouldn't be a problem.

thorough blood work is advisable though OP

She eats eggs, but not daily and she limits her dairy since she's lactose intolerant.

tatiianag13

I'm not a vegetarian. But I will say that cravings are different from wanting. If she is craving something that she otherwise wouldn't want, its a good chance she's missing something--and veggie sausage isn't going to cut it. But its hard to know what--bodily cravings are not all that articulate or logical. The only time I *crave* meat is when I'm anemic. Makes sense. But I also craved salt--I was licking it from my finger like a kid with a sugar bowl. Doesn't make so much sense! And I've never heard of vegetarians craving anything because of of b-12 deficiency.

But given that she is female, I'm going to say--check out the iron. A good proportion of menstruating women are anemic--even us meat eaters.

And I don't' know how young your younger sister is, but I will say generally that young vegetarians--just like young carnivores--don't always pay much attention to nutrition. But being a young vegetarian can make it worse because young people are less likely to cook--at the same time that they won't eat anything that the meat eaters in their lives have cooked. I was once a young vegetarian, and my diet was abysmal. But i was young! Who cared! I just wanted to be kind to animals, not eat properly. She may just be generally suboptimally-nourished without any particular "deficiencies." It may be a good time to remind her to review her dietary choices.

toad493lbs

Making your own vegetarian meat is also an option and is very easy to do. I make chops and sausage and burgers. Other stuff also. Just do a web search and then adapt the recipe to your taste. That and checking out vitamin deficiency should help.

FlaxMilk

Tell her to check out Morningstar Farms meal starters in the chicken variety if she wants chicken. They are really good.

salembambi

quinoa, nuts, beans , Gardein meat alternatives are amazing , so are yves, field roast & tofurkey

wild_wild_life

I second/third the recommendation for checking her iron.

That said, cravings don't necessarily mean she has a deficiency (unless I am deficient in chocolate cake).

jaz050465

I might have missed something but WHY is she vegetarian and would it be a big deal to her if she ate some meat. I do it because I don't want to eat animals for moral reason so I have never wanted to relapse but it all depends on why.

Also her cravings are probably nothing to do with a lack of nutrition- maybe it's just taste- or more likely texture, it's difficult to find a non- animal food which has that chewy texture. I find best is portobello mushrooms and grilled halloumi cheese.

coccodrillo72

I might have missed something but WHY is she vegetarian and would it be a big deal to her if she ate some meat. I do it because I don't want to eat animals for moral reason so I have never wanted to relapse but it all depends on why.

I agree. Besides, If my understanding is correct she is not a vegetarian, as she eats fish.

Anyway, even if cravings don't necessarily mean she has a deficiency, a blood test once in a while it is probably a good idea. I suggest her not to take an iron supplement unless she had a proven deficiency, as unneeded iron supplements can cause a number of health problems: http://nutritionfacts.org/video/risk-associated-with-iron-supplements/

jaz050465

I might have missed something but WHY is she vegetarian and would it be a big deal to her if she ate some meat. I do it because I don't want to eat animals for moral reason so I have never wanted to relapse but it all depends on why.

I agree. Besides, If my understanding is correct she is not a vegetarian, as she eats fish.

Anyway, even if cravings don't necessarily mean she has a deficiency, a blood test once in a while it is probably a good idea. I suggest her not to take an iron supplement unless she had a proven deficiency, as unneeded iron supplements can cause a number of health problems: http://nutritionfacts.org/video/risk-associated-with-iron-supplements/

Good point about the fish- I missed that.

Nutritionut2013

I've only been a vegetarian for about 3 months now, but occasionally I will look at meat and have to remind myself that I no longer eat meat. Not so much as craving as it is a lifetime habit of eating meat that had to be broken. I take a women's multivitamin. As far as the iron and B-12 previously mentioned by others, a no or low sugar fortified cereal would do good. I tend to eat Enriched Bran Flakes or even Whole Wheat Cream of Wheat is good for the iron as well. Just have to eat like an orange or something with Vit C. to get good iron absorption from the plant-based foods she eats.

MorgueBabe

She may be low in B12, Iron, or D like others have said.
For B12 I really like Nutritional Yeast, I put it on eggs, soups, salads, and pastas.
As far as meat subs go I would have Morningstar Farms since they have really bad Soy in them. I like Quorn but they aren't vegan (they have egg whites in them).

AprilMae1975

I only crave bacon and I don't think it has anything to do with anything I'm lacking....except bacon

MorgueBabe

I only crave bacon and I don't think it has anything to do with anything I'm lacking....except bacon

I was going to say this too. I've been some form of meat free for almost 20 years now. (holy crap!)... and everynow I just want me a piece of fried chicken or a whopper. I don't think it has anything to do with my diet lacking.

alisonlynn1976

I never have cravings for meat, since one of the reasons I'm vegetarian is that I never liked meat anyway. I take a multivitamin for vegetarians just in case I'm missing anything in my diet.

coccodrillo72

For B12 I really like Nutritional Yeast, I put it on eggs, soups, salads, and pastas.

Nutritional yeast is great and I use it all the time but it's NOT a reliable source of vitamin B12, unless is fortified: commercially produced nutritional yeast is made under controlled conditions that prevent B12 producing bacteria to grow.

There are no reliable B12 sources in a plant based diet, really. It's the only supplement vegans HAVE to take (as a side note: B12 deficiency is not uncommon in omnivores too),

From the Position of the American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets. "Lacto-ovo-vegetarians can obtain adequate vitamin B-12 from dairy foods, eggs, or other reliable vitamin B-12 sources (fortified foods and supplements), if regularly consumed. For vegans, vitamin B-12 must be obtained from regular use of vitaminB-12 fortified foods, such as fortified soy and rice beverages, some breakfast cereals and meat analogs, or RedStar Vegetarian Support Formula nutritional yeast; otherwise a daily vitamin B-12 supplement is needed. No unfortified plant food contains any significant amount of active vitamin B-12. Fermented soy products cannot be considered a reliable source of active B-12 (12,46).Vegetarian diets are typically rich in folacin, which may mask the hematological symptoms of vitamin B-12 deficiency, so that vitamin B-12 deficiency may go undetected until after neurological signs and symptoms may be manifest (47)"

You can find the paper and the references here:
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/2009_ADA_position_paper.pdf

kgeyser

I'm not a vegetarian, but my first thought was a nutritional deficiency. My second thought was pregnancy. :embarassed:

Love4fitnesslove4food2

if she craves meat then why doesn't she eat it? Sorry if this has been asked but that's the most obvious solution. I've never ever ever craved meat so I couldn't make any recommendations.

pineapple_jojo

I'm a pescetarian and if I've not eaten enough protein I crave chicken - which is weird because I don't even like the smell of chicken!! Once I've had some eggs or fish then I'm fine I find mfp really handy to track my protein intake.

MorgueBabe

For B12 I really like Nutritional Yeast, I put it on eggs, soups, salads, and pastas.

There are no reliable B12 sources in a plant based diet, really. It's the only supplement vegans HAVE to take (as a side note: B12 deficiency is not uncommon in omnivores too),

http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/2009_ADA_position_paper.pdf

THANK YOU