Vegetarians found more unhealthy. Interesting article.

Bernadette60614

I didn't read the actual scientific discussion, but I think it would be more accurate to say: 343 subjects in an Austrian study were unhealthy and reported feeling unhealthy.

I don't have a huge social circle, but I suspect that I could find at least 30 veggies friends who have great health both physically and emotionally.

You can probably also find 343 Paleo people who are healthy and feel great.

The point being: 343 people in one study is inconclusive, though I did love the pictures of Nigella!

Dragonwolf

But yeah...I posted this about 2 pages ago.

The article isn't well researched, but I found the data to be interesting.

Meat eaters can be unhealthy, vegetarians can be unhealthy.

I just hate when vegetarians/vegans try to push their beliefs on me telling me that it is a healthier lifestyle ... well not necessarily ...

But is it any worse than Atkins people trying to get everyone to stop eating carbs? Or people who are all about the protein telling vegetarians or vegans that there is no way they can survive on "so little protein"? Or missionaries or other devout religious folks who tell me I'm damned for whatever reasons they have? (Not trying to open a can of worms, just being devil's advocate here!)

Every time I said no to an offering of food with "No thanks, I'm a vegetarian"...people would IMMEDIATELY start to justify their choice to eat meat. They assumed there was judgement there and that I was trying to get them to come to the "better side." When I wasn't. It was a personal choice that worked for me at the time. People are hyper sensitive about this subject and can create things that aren't there, I've noticed.

Out of curiosity, why qualify your "No thanks"? If someone offers me a vegetable that I don't want to eat, I don't say "No thanks, I'm an Omnivore". I just leave it at "No thanks". Just like when someone offers me a slab of chocolate cake I don't say "No thanks, I'm on a diet". What does that accomplish other than imply that I'm "better" than they are based on my choice to forgo cake. I'm not saying that is your intent at all, but perhaps your need to qualify your statement is the reason people respond by getting defensive?

I don't understand this post at all, but I think it does demonstrate the hypersensitivity the previous poster mentioned.

Why owuld one infer "No thanks, I'm on a diet" as saying "I'm better than you". I would infer it as "I'm trying to stick to my calorie goal so please don't offer me any more cake."**

Likewise, saying "No thanks, I'm vegetarian" may simply be a means to let the offerer know that no meat is wanted, lest they offer an alternative thinking the person simply doesn't like whateve meat was offered.

While it's true that one is not obligated to justify their food choices, doing so certainly doesn't always mean they are saying "I'm better than you".

** for those hyper-sensitive to the word "diet", please do not infer my response to mean that everyone on a diet should not want cake. In this example, we already know the subject does not want cake and the reason is a diet.

Unfortunately, people's responses aren't always logical. If you look through the forums, you'll find dozens of threads about how coworkers or family members have responded horribly to "no thanks, I'm on a diet" or "I'm trying to watch what I eat," or whatever sort of qualification. Very often, it results in responses like "just one piece of cake won't hurt you!" or sometimes even worse vitriol, where the other person responds as though the dieter did say "I'm better than you."

No, it doesn't make sense. No, the dieter probably didn't intend it that way. A lot of communication is misunderstood, though, in part thanks to listeners applying their own interpretations or not actually processing the conversation, context, and other things that would put the situation into perspective. This is especially the case when someone is faced with having to actually consider the choice that they've made (such as being confronted with someone who doesn't want a given thing offered). There's a surprising number of people in this world who seriously have never put any thought into why they act or make any of the decisions that they do. Being presented with someone who does something differently forces them to confront that difference, even if only on a subconscious level.

I agree that it shouldn't happen, and that qualifying a "no thanks" with "I'm vegetarian" should do nothing more than stop future offers for meat, but what should happen and what does happen are often two different things.

redraidergirl2009

Less healthly? Tell that to my gains brah

SpicesOfLife

you can eat unhealthy on any kind of diet. if i was a vegetarian living on fries, white bread and milkshakes i would be unhealthy. if i was a vegan living on chips and bananas drenched in agave syrup i would be unhealthy. etc etc..

with any kind of diet you need to balance your nutrients. vegetarian(especially that) and vegan =/= automatically healthy, it takes effort and im guessing a lot of people dont make it.

susannamarie

Unfortunately, people's responses aren't always logical. If you look through the forums, you'll find dozens of threads about how coworkers or family members have responded horribly to "no thanks, I'm on a diet" or "I'm trying to watch what I eat," or whatever sort of qualification. Very often, it results in responses like "just one piece of cake won't hurt you!" or sometimes even worse vitriol, where the other person responds as though the dieter did say "I'm better than you."

No, it doesn't make sense. No, the dieter probably didn't intend it that way. A lot of communication is misunderstood, though, in part thanks to listeners applying their own interpretations or not actually processing the conversation, context, and other things that would put the situation into perspective. This is especially the case when someone is faced with having to actually consider the choice that they've made (such as being confronted with someone who doesn't want a given thing offered). There's a surprising number of people in this world who seriously have never put any thought into why they act or make any of the decisions that they do. Being presented with someone who does something differently forces them to confront that difference, even if only on a subconscious level.

I agree that it shouldn't happen, and that qualifying a "no thanks" with "I'm vegetarian" should do nothing more than stop future offers for meat, but what should happen and what does happen are often two different things.

Boy, how things vary.

I would like to know if my friend is dieting so that I can avoid offering them cake/other goodies that they haven't planned into their day.

I would like to know if my friend is vegetarian so that I can stop offering them meat. As a matter of fact, when I'm bringing a dish to a potluck and I know that my vegetarian friends will be there, I make one of the dishes meat-free if it works with that dish. (e.g. mac and cheese + bacon is easy to make vegetarian if not vegan, I just didn't use the bacon fat for the base of the cheese sauce and left the bacon out for one dish, when I brought a shepherd's pie I also brought a dish of mashed potatoes). I don't do dairy-free because it doesn't work with my dishes, but if someone declines and says 'no thanks, I'm vegan/paleo/low-fat', I say 'oh, ok' and offer it to someone else/eat it myself.

I understand why people might be reluctant to share due to other people immediately trying to argue them out of their food choices, but I for one really like to know.

SpicesOfLife

I just hate when vegetarians/vegans try to push their beliefs on me telling me that it is a healthier lifestyle ... well not necessarily ...

But is it any worse than Atkins people trying to get everyone to stop eating carbs? Or people who are all about the protein telling vegetarians or vegans that there is no way they can survive on "so little protein"? Or missionaries or other devout religious folks who tell me I'm damned for whatever reasons they have? (Not trying to open a can of worms, just being devil's advocate here!)

^this

ModoVincere

Woo hoo confirmation bias article for the carnivores!

omnivores....and I get my veggies through vegetarians.

susannamarie

I just hate when vegetarians/vegans try to push their beliefs on me telling me that it is a healthier lifestyle ... well not necessarily ...

But is it any worse than Atkins people trying to get everyone to stop eating carbs? Or people who are all about the protein telling vegetarians or vegans that there is no way they can survive on "so little protein"? Or missionaries or other devout religious folks who tell me I'm damned for whatever reasons they have? (Not trying to open a can of worms, just being devil's advocate here!)

Frankly I hate all of the above. MYOB.

ironanimal

Woo hoo confirmation bias article for the carnivores!

omnivores....and I get my veggies through vegetarians.

I think that makes you a cannibal, not an omnivore.

Anyway, to whomever asked, no it's no worse than Atkins people etc. pushing their diet on others. It's all really annoying. Until science does a definitive U-turn, I will stick with the science that says all things can be enjoyed in moderation.

As for the protein point; the general population recommendations are probably fine.. for the general population. But, the general population is not especially fit or looking to change their body composition to any great deal and that's why you need to start looking into the recommendations for athletes etc. if you ARE trying to lose fat/build muscle.