Calling all vegetarians.

i've seen in the newspapers before and in plenty of articles that being "vegetarian" I.E not frequently eating meat... can decrease risks of some cancers and heart disease.. but I think your genetics speak louder. Being a vegetarian is "healthier" in that that most meat is not as clean as we think it is.. either from the animal itself or the way it was slaughtered.. but the down side is that vegetarians tend to have problems with reaching all their vitamin/mineral requirements that are only really found in meat, and vegetarians will then overcompensate and eat a lot of processed foods because they aren't eating meat and don't know what to eat.

I know I'm being wordy, but I'm giving you the truth from both sides..

I became a vegetarian about 4 years ago; I can't tell you what the right decision for you is but I will tell you about my experience. I cut out 1meat at a time. First red meat, then pork, poultry, and finally fish. after I cut out poultry and fish I immediately lost 15 pounds! It wasn't the meat that was keeping the weight on, it was all of the chemicals and hormones in the meat. Even though there are some good things in fish and chicken, there are also harmful things in them. I personally believe that the less meat you eat, the healthier you eat.

ps.. I am a firm believer that all teh hormnes they pump into our food are the reason why weight doesnt come off that easily. Just go back to the very basic and I think u will see a diff...

vegetarians tend to have problems with reaching all their vitamin/mineral requirements that are only really found in meat

Why is this still common thought?

vegetarians will then overcompensate and eat a lot of processed foods because they aren't eating meat and don't know what to eat.

Wow, don't make assumptions and state them as facts please. That may be the case for you or a couple people you know, but it is certainly not a fact. In fact, it's kind of offensive. I love to cook and have no trouble finding things that aren't meat. The meat counter at my grocery store is only about 1/20th (probably less) of the entire store, so I think my odds are just fine.

There is not a health issue with chicken and fish.

Actually, chicken is commonly referred to as the "dirtiest" of all meats. Not all are entirely reputable, but still, here's a few links:

http://channels.isp.netscape.com/homerealestate/package.jsp?name=fte/dirtiestfoods/dirtiestfoods
http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/top-10-reasons-not-to-eat-chickens.aspx

"A USDA study found that more than 99 percent of broiler chicken carcasses sold in stores had detectable levels of E. coli, indicating fecal contamination."

"Men's Health magazine recently ranked supermarket chicken number one in their list of the "10 Dirtiest Foods" because of the high rate of bacterial contamination."

"Chicken flesh and eggs are packed with cholesterol—a 3-ounce piece of skinless chicken breast meat has as much cholesterol as beef, and just one egg has nearly three times as much! This cholesterol, along with a high intake of animal fats, blocks arteries and causes heart disease. Vegan foods, on the other hand, are all cholesterol-free and much lower in fat!"

I'd eat a steak before I hate a Tyson chicken.

If you want to go veggie, it should be for a moral reason.

Why? There are plenty of health benefits as well. Not to mention environmental, socio-political, etc...

I get so frustrated when people make assumptions or tell other people what to do or why they should do it, especially when it isn't labeled as an opinion.