I'm Becoming a Vegetarian

[I<3MyBabies]

So-

After lots of reseach, tons of tears...and a plate of uneaten chicken, I have made a serious desicion. I'm going to be a vegetarian starting now. No meat, no chicken or fish, no dairy, or eggs. I had a long conversation with my family, and my boyfriend (I'm 20 so it was my desicion but I wanted their support) and thankfull I have it.

So, now I'm looking for help. I want to do this right. What are no-no producuts? What are yummy ones? My mom and I are going shopping tomorrow to find some veggie approved foods. Just want some advice and support!

Thanks for opening my eyes,
Heidi

[ortal]

I went veg today too. Day is just about to end. I a still going to have dairy and eggs. I am NOT a big vegetable lover so basically all I would be left with is carbs. Maybe later when my pallet expands.

I havent told anyone yet, as I have found that with weight loss diets, Id get depressed if I made everyone aware then failed. This is for me.

[lovepigs]

Congrats. I am one too. Only 4 times a year i can eat meat. After watching this I never will eat meat more than 4 times a year. THis link is very disturbing. If you are sencitive don't watch this. Watch at your own risk. I will post later. well tell me if you want to se it and i'll pm you with it. I don't want anyone to be heart brocken completly. Its sad.

[TrekkiePiggies]

Best of luck with going vegan! I still eat eggs and milk personally.

You might want to think about what your stance will be on leather, down pillows/clothing/blankets, honey, and beeswax. It's very difficult to be animal-product free in this society, so give it a good think and be prepared to read lots of labels.

The big things you'll need to worry about as a vegan are complete protein, Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), Vitamin A, Iron, Calcium, and Vitamin D. Most folks get these from animal products.

Some really good animal-free protein sources include tofu, soymilk, seitan (fermented grain/bean stuff kinda like tofu), mycoprotein, nuts and nut butters (watch the fat), whole grains, lentils, beans, corn, chickpeas, hummus, tahini (sesame paste), quinoa (the only complete-protein grain), and oatmeal.

Remember that most plant foods (except for soy and quinoa) are incomplete in their protein profile--they do not contain all ten of your essential amino acids. Amino acids, of which there are 20, are the building blocks of proteins. Your body can synthesize 10 of them from other molecules you consume, but it cannot make 8 of them at all, and cannot make enough of 2 of them by itself, hence the 10 essential ones you need to consume for proper health. Your body will store amino acids, so it's not the end of the world if you don't get complete protein with every single meal. It's a good idea to combine two or more protein sources in each meal, though, to help balance things out and keep yourself from becoming deficient in any of the 10 essential amino acids. Corn and beans, beans and brown rice, lentils and brown rice, and other tasty combinations will provide you with a complete-protein meal.

Most Americans eat far too much protein, so don't think you need to eat tons of tofu every day. You need about 50 grams of protein daily (more or less depending on age and activity level).

Vitamin B12 only occurs in significant quantities in animal products. You need a very tiny amount of it daily (I believe it's 3 mg but don't quote me), but without it you can develop neurological problems. Go to a health-food or supplement store and find a vegan vitamin B12/Cyanocobalamin supplement right away and take it every day.

Milk is supplemented with Vitamins A&D. Make sure you get enough of both with supplements, or with a diet rich in dark-orange and dark-yellow fruits and veggies for beta carotene (Vit. A precursor), and make sure you get at least 15 mins of sun exposure on your skin daily for your vitamin D.

Calcium--you can get this with supplements (check to make sure they're vegan) and from leafy greens and fortified soy products.

Iron--take your vegan multivitamin.

That's all I can think of for now. Don't take what I say as gospel, though! It's a good idea to talk with a nutritionist and head to the library for your own research.

As a side note, if you are considering having children, it is quite possible to remain vegan while pregnant and raise children vegan with no problems according to health professionals.

Good luck!

[ortal]

I am going to start taking a multivitamin (which I should anyhow). I dont eat enough veggies.