Validity of vegetarian diet

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jimjamsjet
jimjamsjet Posts: 57 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone. I am trying a variety of eating habits. I am not really into dieting as such but more changing my eating habits and lifestyle as a whole to logically healthy foods. That said, I am today trying to go vegetarian to see if it improves my wellbeing as per the claims of many vegetarians. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me the health benefits of eating a vegetarian diet as opposed to a healthy diet incorporating meat.
Thanks

Replies

  • jacquerd
    jacquerd Posts: 121 Member
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    OH BOY!!!!! I could go on and on about this one!!! It's TRUE!!!! So many health benefits and feel good stuff. I am at a sleep deficit today and it is late, but I will try to find this again tomorrow. If I can't find it, please send me a message and I will be happy to tell more. A great book check out, although it is BORING is The China Study. It directly links animal proteins to cancer.

    More soon!
  • stevo1078
    stevo1078 Posts: 26
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    a Healthy vegetarian diet lowers your overall cholesterol, it can also increase your High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (The good kind.)
  • merB89
    merB89 Posts: 122
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    I really enjoy not eating meat. One of the health benefits I've noticed is that you have to eat more fruits and vegetables and other nutritious things! I've come to enjoy and even crave so many more healthy things that I didn't eat when I ate meat. Like squash, spinach, beans, different grains like quinoa and couscous. Yummm. It makes you so much more creative and engaged in your cooking. I love it. It was hard at first but its been getting much easier lately, especially after having been on this site for a few months and seeing that my diet is working. Another reason I don't eat meat is for the environmental reasons, but that's a whoooole nother issue :) Good luck if you decide to try it! Lots of new and exciting foods waiting for you.
  • merB89
    merB89 Posts: 122
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    I suppose that isn't a really concrete answer, like your cholesterol will lower, or you're less likely to become diabetic or whatever. What I've mentioned are more like secondary benefits I suppose. They're still awesome though!
  • PirateJenny
    PirateJenny Posts: 233
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    I have been a vegetarian for over 25 years, but I would by no means suggest it as a diet choice for everyone.

    The advice I have is to do what is best for you. I know that sounds trite, but it is a little more complicated than it sounds.

    Being a vegetarian works well for me. I am careful about supplements and selecting proteins, it forces me to reject processed foods (although vegetarians are catching up in availability of junk food) and I eat a great deal of whole grains, vegetables and fruits, an occasional small amount of non-fat dairy products, and small amounts of raw seeds and nuts. I have some other, more personal reasons for my choice that have nothing to do with physical health, but again, that is part of what makes it a good fit for me.

    However, you can eat a perfectly healthy diet and still eat meat. In some ways, it is easier than being a vegetarian since lean meats offer nutrient value with little fat and relatively low calories. The other diet choices are just continuously being disputed, but whole grains, vegetables as close to "plain" as possible, fruits in moderation, some raw nuts and seeds (also in moderation) and non-fat dairy are all solid decisions to keep in a daily plan. Keeping your sodium as low as possible and getting proper hydration are also important.

    Not to mention that you can be a vegetarian and eat nothing but crap. I know a few and even a vegan or two who eat lots of processed vegetarian snack and junk food. It is not a guaranteed gateway to a healthy diet.

    Try it for a week or two and if it drives you crazy and you do nothing but think of how much you want a steak or a skewer full of shrimp, then it may not be the best choice.
  • snowwhitee
    snowwhitee Posts: 15
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    People assume that by becoming vegetarian, you are limiting the amount of foods you can eat. I've actually found this to be the opposite-I have extended the amount of healthy foods I incorporate into my diet. I firstly noticed my skin became a lot nicer, and my bowel movements were more frequent. Bloating decreased, my hair became stronger and I lost weight quicker. Among many other health benefits, I just noticed more much more energy I had. Hope this helps :)
  • PirateJenny
    PirateJenny Posts: 233
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    I forgot to mention that it does sometimes have the effect of expanding the creativity of your meal choices. Since I eat many of the same basic ingredients pretty often, I have found new and interesting ways of cooking them. Vegetarian cookbooks (well, non-vegetarians ones, too) can be boring as dirt, but there are also ones that cover foods and cooking techniques from all over the world. You get really good at switching out meat and plugging in other items.

    But, again, you can do the same thing and have meat in your diet.
  • tammyquinnlmt
    tammyquinnlmt Posts: 680 Member
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    I went pescetarian about 2 months ago, and I have to say I really don't miss meat all that much. I each fish a few times a week, and the rest of my meals are strictly vegetarian. I know that my blood pressure has dropped a great deal and that I feel lighter, and I feel like my body is actually using what I put in it much more effectively. Also, my diet is much more balanced. Vegetarian lifestyle requires commitment, and I find that while a lot of resturants offer vegetarian choices...not all them are all that good for you. So plan ahead and look up menus before you go. I like to have my choice made before I get there. Good luck with it!
  • cupcakecarnivore
    cupcakecarnivore Posts: 267
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    I have been a vegetarian for over 25 years, but I would by no means suggest it as a diet choice for everyone.

    The advice I have is to do what is best for you. I know that sounds trite, but it is a little more complicated than it sounds.

    Being a vegetarian works well for me. I am careful about supplements and selecting proteins, it forces me to reject processed foods (although vegetarians are catching up in availability of junk food) and I eat a great deal of whole grains, vegetables and fruits, an occasional small amount of non-fat dairy products, and small amounts of raw seeds and nuts. I have some other, more personal reasons for my choice that have nothing to do with physical health, but again, that is part of what makes it a good fit for me.

    However, you can eat a perfectly healthy diet and still eat meat. In some ways, it is easier than being a vegetarian since lean meats offer nutrient value with little fat and relatively low calories. The other diet choices are just continuously being disputed, but whole grains, vegetables as close to "plain" as possible, fruits in moderation, some raw nuts and seeds (also in moderation) and non-fat dairy are all solid decisions to keep in a daily plan. Keeping your sodium as low as possible and getting proper hydration are also important.

    Not to mention that you can be a vegetarian and eat nothing but crap. I know a few and even a vegan or two who eat lots of processed vegetarian snack and junk food. It is not a guaranteed gateway to a healthy diet.

    Try it for a week or two and if it drives you crazy and you do nothing but think of how much you want a steak or a skewer full of shrimp, then it may not be the best choice.

    This is such great advice:) I agree 100%

    I've been a vegetarian for about five years and definitely noticed improvement in my health. A few benefits I can think of are increased energy, nicer skin and hair, weight loss, less cravings, more frequent bowel movements, and just a general more awake feeling.

    I love the benefits of eating as a veggie, but I agree that you can be just as healthy eating lean sources of meat and probably get the same benefits:) It definitely isn't for everyone though, some people just feel better eating meat.
  • JunkFoodJane
    JunkFoodJane Posts: 150 Member
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    I just want to chime in on my experience real quick- 16 months ago I stopped eating meat, gave up most sugar, returned to exercise (post surgery). Two nights ago I started laughing and told my boyfriend this- People are constantly! talking about how they went veg, stopped eating fast food and refined sugar, weight fell off, they can run 40 miles before they take a breath. I have seen no such changes. Ever. My only change (and it's awesome, I know) is higher mental clarity. After a year I gave up the veg part and eat 90% veg now, some weeks 100%, but on average 90%. I eat tons of fresh produce and still don't eat fast food (gag). I still consider my diet vegetarian, the meat I eat is because I cook for my family and some nights am too exhausted to do more than grab a spoon. Even then it means 1/4 cup of meat sauce on my salad (don't care for pasta or salad dressing).


    While mental clarity is great, I thought I'd share my experience. I don't miss the meat. I like the veggie tacos and such I eat now much better, they're very flavorful. Vegetarianism didn't cure me of anything, though (and the mental clarity could be attributed to the fact that post-op I lived on cookies and super-sweet green tea for two and a half months).
  • zeeeb
    zeeeb Posts: 805 Member
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    i guess it depends on what you eat as a vego... i guess you can be vego and eat chocolate bars all day long, that's not good.

    i went semi vego some years ago when i went to live in the uk and it was around the time of mad cow, so i didn't eat red meat for a couple of years. i felt healthier, and made an effort to eat alot of vegies and beans and lentils etc. to make up for the lack of red meat.

    Depends on the person. I'm back on the meat now, and i couldn't give it up now, i love it. i think meat is great, as long as you eat reasonable portions (like under 200g).
  • jimjamsjet
    jimjamsjet Posts: 57 Member
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    Well after one day, I am not sure that this is for me. While I enjoyed the dinner I had, I think I have been almost indoctrinated into needing meat. Personally, I think limiting meat is a better idea than cutting it out all together
  • pjgjnfl
    pjgjnfl Posts: 45 Member
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    There is some GREAT information in this thread. I've been vegan for two years... Was vegetarian for a few years prior to that... Ad haven't eaten cow or pig since 1996. Someone said it's not for everyone... May be true. But it is amazing... Healthy... And something you can feel good about while doing good.

    One of the most impactful books for me - other than the china study (-amazing, but academic) was skinny ***** (the is a man version called - of course - skinny *kitten*). FUN to read... And incredible, real research (much of china study is referenced). I highly recommend. Read it... See what you think.

    Vegan... And love it.

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