Thinking about becoming a vegetarian...

[Anonymous]

I've been considering this for a long time now and may finally take the plunge (my only reservation is missing matzo ball soup at Passover!). I plan to cook meat for DH and the kids and I also plan to continue to eat dairy and eggs. But I do worry about a balanced diet and getting enough iron/protein, especially with the work-out routine I have vowed to initiate with the New Year. I also heard that too much soy isn't necessarily good for you. Any advice from seasoned vegetarians how to maintain a healthy diet and get all of the nutrients I need without meat? I eat tons of black beans, lentils, chick peas, etc. Thanks!!

[Anonymous]

I haven't eaten beef, pork, chicken or turkey in more than 20 years. I really don't find it difficult, and at this point in my life, it's become a way of life. My transition wasn't all at once, but over time. I could not, for the life of me, disassociate my cats and dog from the animals on my plate, and it became too overwhelming to eat meat. I love the boca burgers, crumbled veggie meat for sphagetti, Quorn chicken mcnuggets. I do eat eggs, cheese and fish. My family eats a lot of green vegetables and fruits.

I think you're already on a healthy path by eating beans, chick peas-loads of protein.

[Anonymous]

I've known a handful of vegetarians and I noticed that they're all fat or obese. Is it because they tend to snack more if they're not feeling full eating meat?

[Anonymous]

The vegetarians I've known all look sickly, I think it might be hard to balance things out and that is the reason.

Good luck with your choice...Maybe some supplements might help?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The vegetarians I've known all look sickly

Interesting, I would agree with this. One young female friend who is a vegetarian has very thin hair, you can see her scalp. Others just don't look.... robust.

One friend had a baby son she was also raising vegetarian. He (unrelated to his diet I am sure) was diagnosed with pediatric lukemia and the pediatrician made her start feeding him meat, pronto.

[Anonymous]

I've been a vegetarian since I was 14. I'm a size 2 (but not skinny and sickly) and very healthy. I jog. I've had two totally healthy pregnanices, etc. Sickly has nothing to do with vegetarians and more likely to do with unhealthly lifestyle. I was slightly anemic for one pregnancy, so iron is a bit tough to get. But that's not a way of life, just a by-product of pregnancy.

We don't eat a ton of soy, but do mix in fake meats once or twice a week. I also cook fish and meats for the kids and my husband (usually 1-2 times a week). I don't even think about balancing my diet anymore - I eat lots of beans, lentils, good whole grain breads, veggies and fruits, eggs, dairy (I love cheese!), etc. The hardest part is coming up with "main dishes" that aren't just pasta. Buy a few cookbooks for ideas and just wing it from there. I can often adapt meat recipes, so using veggie books is not required. However, the vegetarian books often have great recipes that don't use fake meats so you'll learn to be more creative with meal planning.

As for matzoh ball soup - that's the one time of year I buy a fake chicken bullion powder that you can get at kosher stores (for when you're having a dairy meal and can't use chicken). It's pretty good - especially if you add your own onion, carrot, celery, etc. I use that broth for making the matzoh balls and as my soup broth. Delicious!! YOu just can't get it at a deli.

And if you're hankering for wonton soup, there's a vegetarian Chinese restaurant in Rockville. I just had my first wonton soup in 20 years recently. Heavenly

[Anonymous]

I make a wicked matzoh ball soup!
I put the matzoh balls in vegetarian vegetable soup that I make with a miso-based broth. We have it on Passover annually.

I have been a vegetarian for 16 years, including druing pregnancy, am neither sickly nor obese, and my six year old has been raised a vegetarian thus far as well. We're fine. He's healthy, robust, doing well in school, and in the upper percentiles for height and weight. I exercise a lot. I commute by bike, run, and play roller derby. My bp is something like 110/68, and my resting pulse is 50.

Our iron's fine. One thing that helps is that I do a lot of cooking in cast iron cookwear.

There are unhealthy people everywhere, both omnivores and vegetarian. I mean, Fritos are vegan, you know?

[Anonymous]

Don't do it!

[Anonymous]

I see plenty of meat eaters who also look sickly or obese. It doesn't have anything to do with whether your vegetarian or not. Excessive eating, fatty foods, sugary foods and drinks will do it whether you 're an herbivore or carnivore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see plenty of meat eaters who also look sickly or obese. It doesn't have anything to do with whether your vegetarian or not. Excessive eating, fatty foods, sugary foods and drinks will do it whether you 're an herbivore or carnivore.

Not to mention processed food. I don't know any fat vegetarians, actually, but I see lots of fat people eating at McDonald's.

Our family is vegetarian. I'm a size 4 and just today a barista complimented my rosy cheeks. Truly! My husband wears the same size he did in college 20 years ago, as do I, and rides his bike to and from work. Our child is slim, strong, and very healthy. The pediatrician always tests and then is impressed by his hemoglobin level. In fact, we all have great iron and cholesterol levels.

Several PPs gave you great advice. Focus on the foods you mentioned plus omega 3-enriched eggs and other good fats. Eggs are a great source of protein and good eggs, with high omega 3 levels, are great for you. Eat only good fats. Mix carbs and proteins and don't do a lot of dairy with your iron sources, as calcium can inhibit the absorption of iron. I think the main thing is to avoid processed food. As a PP said, Fritos are vegan. But they're not real food. The only processed stuff we eat is some of the fake meats. Many are nut-based and not necessarily soy. And we don't drink soda, which is just junk.

You who love matzoh-ball soup: Have you tried "no chicken" broth? I think Imagine or Pacific is the brand. I use it to make pho also.

We love food and wine in our house and take it very seriously, so believe me when I tell you a vegetarian diet can be delicious and healthy.

[Anonymous]

I've been a vegetarian for a long time and I must say the most difficult thing is not getting to eat many "interesting" meals out. Restaurants have gotten better, but if you're not a good cook, I think you'll miss "good food".

I did a lot of research when I was pregnant with my son and it confirmed what I had heard/read before. As long as you're eating a variety of healthy foods and eating enough calories, there's no reason to be concerned about protein/energy. I would supplement with extra b12 though, and a good daily vitamin. I also have to watch my iron, but it's not too difficult. Cooking in cast iron is a great suggestion.

Let us know what you decide.

[Anonymous]

I'm a little confuse by the post, OP. Are you considering vegetarian for X reason, but then would feel like a non-hardcore vegetarian if you ate matzo ball soup at Passover (like you stated in your post)?

I guess if you want to eliminate meat from you diet, go ahead, but if you feel the need to splurge or bend the "rules" than who cares, right (such as for matzo ball soup, Thanksgiving, or whatever else)?

[Anonymous]

Consider reducing your meat intake to very small quantities of lean meat like poultry, along with some fish. Very long-lived groups of people tend to eat very small quantities (like just a couple of ounces) of meat, relying more heavily than most of us on vegetables and whole grains for the bulk of their diets. Take a look at the Okinawans, for example. They have a very high percentage of healthy centenarians in their population. I think you can get enough of essential nutrients like vitamin B12, and choline, with very small portions of meat. Vegen diets in particular can result in deficiencies in calcium, zinc, and essential fatty acids. It seems to me that if you have to take supplements to avoid deficiencies in essential nutrients, then you're not eating a complete diet.

[Anonymous]

I also wanted to chime in and say that if you started out just really reducing your meat intake, but would still occasionally eat small amounts of meat and meat products, your life would be SO much easier. Eliminating all meat products is really a challenge, and I agree with the pp that eating very small amounts of healthy fish and meat is probably the healthiest. But it depends on why you want to be a vegetarian. Could you say more about that?

[Anonymous]

OP -- Someone recommended to me that, if I wanted to become vegtarian or especially vegan, I should increase my use of ancient whole grains, including quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, spelt, and millet. Many of these grains are high in protein, and they also high in many other nutrients.