To avoid causing terror to living beings, let the disciple refrain from eating meat.
- the Buddha ( 563-483 B.C.)
Animal rights and questionable meat processing are some of the most common reasons to be a vegetarian. Animals also have souls and personalities, so what gives us the right to kill them? The pig is even smarter than a 3 year old human! Many cases of animal abuse are swept under the carpet and generally ignored by the public. It is not pleasant to think about the chickens living conditions and way of death when eating your chicken nuggets.
Many people also turn to vegetarianism because of health concerns. Scientiffic studies have proven that meat increase the risk of obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, strokes, and other life threatening illnesses. While on the other hand many vegetarian foods are cancer-fighting food and protect against diseases. Relegious reasons are the oldest historical motives for being vegetarian. Hinduism is a big supporter vegetarianism, and as much as 70 % of the worlds vegetarians are hindus.
Vegetarian comes from the latin word “vegetare” which means “to grow”. The term was invented in 1847 by the Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom—the oldest organized vegetarian group in the world.
What is a vegetarian diet?
A vegetarian diet consists of plant-based foods and absolutely no meat. Plant-based foods are vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, and grains, Meat is meant by all fowl, fish, pork, beef, and any kind of animal meat. This is the original vegetarian diet.
There are also many many subgroups of vegetarianism. Veganism is the most famous one. Vegans also exclude dairy products and honey, and they refuse to use materials as wool, silk, fur, or leather, or feathers. Vegans are also called strickt vegatarians. Then there are also lactovegetarians who eat dairy products but not eggs. Semivegetarians/pollo vegetarians are people who include fish or chicken in the diet but try to minimize their consumption of animal protein. See a description of all subgroups here.
Nutritional risk
Nutritional deficiencies is the number one disadvantage or concern for vegetarians. A vegetarian diet can easily lack important nutrients like protein, minerals like iron, calcium, and zinc.
Also a deficiency of vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B, vitamin A, iodine, and Omega-3 fatty acids are highly likely. All these vitamins and protiens are very important for our health.
It is recommended for all vegetarians to focus on eatigng the foods that do contain all the above mentioned vitamins ect., and also to add nutritional suppliments and vitamins to their diet. Especially vegetarians over the age of 50 should take supplements of vitamin B and vitamin D.
Nothing will benefit health or increase chances of survival of life on Earth as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.
- Albert Einstein (1879-1955), Nobel Prize recipient
So this week I will try out the original vegetarian diet. I have great understanding for the many reasons why people swear to vegetarianism. They have just never convinced me and held me away from meat. But I am sure I will stay true to the diet, and I look forward to exploreing this lifestyle. If it really is that healthy to be vegetarian, then it is definitely worth tjecking out.
If anyone have some great vegetarian recipies for me to try out, then please do write me.
Janni Thomsen
How far are you in the “progress”?
I think you should try out the “plate-diet” it is very easy and not hard to follow (which I think is the most important). You eat a lot of vegetables, not so many potatoes/rice, and very little meat. Try it out, it is very easy
Hi, thank you for you comment and your suggetion!
I am doing great as a vegetarian so far. It Is quite easy, but I miss eating whatever I feel like. Yesterday I so wanted to eat schrimps – but well I couldn’t.
The plate-diet sounds very interesting, I will definitely look into it, thank you
hey chica,
being sometimes vegetarian myself i so see the plus and minus sides of it. It is harder to get full and to gain the necessary protein and energy sources that one needs but as long as you find a couple foods such as tuna (okay so im not completely vegetarian), beans, tofu, or white cheeses, its really not hard.
I have a good quiche recipe that I definitely have to give you (you basically throw in whatever vegetables you have left). BUt anyways, I am happy that you have given this lifestyle a chance. Plus there is a book that came out a couple weeks ago about a guy and how he converted to vegetarianism, and why and he lists all these facts and has interviews too.
Hi Jen
thank you for your comment
Yes it is hard to change your eating habits, and I also think it is good to list some vegetarian foods that you really like before starting out as vegetarian. Then you kind of have a base.
Hehe, yeah, maybe tuna is more semivegetarianism
Oh I would love it if you would send me that recipe, that would be awsome!
And thank you for the book reference!