Anonymous wrote:Any vegetarian I know is on supplements. If you eat a balanced diet, you wouldn't need supplements. Just eat a balanced diet, stay away from red meat.

To be fair, I know plenty of meat eaters who are either on prescribed supplements or medication that treats something that results from a poor diet. It’s not specific to a vegetarian diet.

Any vegetarian I know is on supplements. If you eat a balanced diet, you wouldn't need supplements. Just eat a balanced diet, stay away from red meat.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I take b12, all the academic research on the benefit of veg eating include b12 supplement. I get a lot of iron from greens and lentils daily.

That’s more for vegans.

I’ve been a vegetarian (not vegan) for 40 years and around year 25 my GP found symptomatic B12 deficiency and advised me to take a supplement.

I was mostly vegetarian for a long time (but except for a few periods never exclusively), and then I had kids who are allergic to nuts, lentils, beans, and eggs…so now we eat lots of meat. I miss my vegetarian food. And..I’m not cooking multiple meals.

Anonymous wrote:It’s a glorified eating disorder

You must have a less than glorious moment and/or brain disorder.

I’m a weekday vegetarian. I allow myself to eat meat on weekends if I want, but make a concerted effort to eat a vegetarian — or pescatarian, really — diet M-F. Many weekends I don’t eat meat, but I do occasionally crave bacon, or a ‘traditional’ roast chicken kind of meal. And I eat meat on major holidays — turkey on Thanksgiving and ham on Easter.

I used to love meat but after 1 year I didn’t crave anything. After a couple years, the smell of bacon or Thanksgiving turkey disgusted me. It’s been 13 years and I don’t miss anything.

Anonymous wrote:Agree with others that after a while you not only don't miss it but start to get an aversion. That said, you don't have to commit to any particular diet forever, so if you do miss something specific you can always eat it. The vegetarian police won't lock you up.

lol yes.

And my meat aversion has gotten worse over the years too. It was very bad during pregnancy in particular.

I have been a vegetarian for about 10 years, and pescatarian for the decade before that. I find that what I miss are the foods that are tied to experiences or nostalgia, like the holiday meals my grandmother made when I was little. I've found ways to approximate some of those things (like finally figuring out a vegetarian matzah ball soup that really tastes like her chicken broth) but my desire to revisit those flavors doesn't get in the way of my decision to remain a vegetarian.

I think the real secret it to choose foods that you find satisfying and enjoyable so that you aren't feeling the "loss" of meat. If your meals feel like side dishes or you are relying heavily on meat subtitutes, you are more focused on the missing ingredient.

Anonymous wrote:I take b12, all the academic research on the benefit of veg eating include b12 supplement. I get a lot of iron from greens and lentils daily.

That’s more for vegans.

I take b12, all the academic research on the benefit of veg eating include b12 supplement. I get a lot of iron from greens and lentils daily.

No they gross me out now. My first time veg after 1 or 2 years, I ate fish and got really sick.

I had a tough time with iron supplements until I found the ones by Blood Builder at Whole Foods and Amazon. Finally no iron burps and gentle enough to be taken on empty stomach. Raised my iron enough that I no longer have to take it.
Also, cooking in a cast iron pan has been proven to be good for iron levels.