Can anyone help me understand the Pros and Cons of being a vegeterian? I have always wondered why people go vegeterian and I'm trying to get some information of why people shouldn't vegeterian?
Vegetarianism seems to throw your body's systems off. Humans by nature are omnivorous, and should eat both meat and plants to stay at optimum health. IMO.
I know two vegetarians, they are both very skinny, very pale, and seem to be tired allot. Now this could have nothing to do with their diet, but it seems to be an uncanny coincidence. Both of them are girls btw.
Then again there are different degrees of vegetarianism. The two people I’m referring to will eat no meat what so ever, one doesn’t even like to eat fish.
Thanks, It seems like lots of people don't want to eat meat because it hurts too many little fluffy animals. But then again so does harvesting crops and they seem unaware of that.
Some religions forbid eating meat of any sort, such as vishnuism. Others avoid meat in protest to how animals are treated in large industrialized meat farms.
As for pros and cons? The big joke is that your precious bodily fluids taste better as a vegan. Low-fat diet, so helps shed the pounds.
Cons, you do need to eat some fat, and other nutrients found in dairy products. It's healthier to have a more rounded diet in the end.
My cousin in law is a vegetarian, one of the all out ones, refuses to even eat eggs and cheese. She's actually quite healthy because she eats many kinds of food that are "Friendly" or what have you, she even refuses to eat non-organic food (Avoids GM, avoids pesticides etc).
The only thing I can say is that her frame is smaller when you compare to both her sisters but that should be expected when cutting all kinds of food to do with animals.
Ultimately what you put in your mouth is your business, as long as you dont force anyone to "convert" to your way of eating. Exceptions abound in eating disorders however.
Personally I'm pretty much the opposite. I prefer meats and exclude vegetables as much as I can. It's not through any concious effort either, its simply because eating vegetables tend to make me wish to vomit, though there are circumstances in which I can tolerate them, in chicken soup for example, or as chips (any kind). Same goes for fruit =\
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One of my friends is a veggie and she claims that the only time she's ever eaten meat in her life, she threw up (i have serious doubts that she's only ever eaten meat once, but that's what she says). She's pretty healthy. She's not thin (not fat, but slightly on the overweight side of normal and dear god if she reads this i'm dead), but she's always tired. I bought this up once but she claims that it's something that runs in the family and her aunt has it to, despite not being vegetarian.
She's never really explained why. I think she just loves ickle animals and doesn't really like the idea of her meal previously frolicking in a field. I eat meat and i'm 6ft2, heavy built (and fat, but i am pretty heavily built before that), fairly strong, but i'm always tired too (even after sommat like 12 hours sleep which is common with me now). Then again i hardly eat a well balanced diet (i don't live on junk food but i really don't eat all the stuff i should).
I'm not sure why you guys always seemed to find pale vegetarians.
From where I came from, vegetarians are hold in high regard.
It's just common perception in my country that vegetarian diet is healthier than normal diet. We accepted it sorta as an accomplishment, not punishment.
May be it's the salad/tofu diet? I don't know. I got a teacher who said he tried vegetarians for a while and ended up quiting because he grew tired of salad day after day. That's 20 years ago before he discovered asian dishes. There's much more to vegetarian than salad and tofu, you know?
Lower rates of heart disease Certain cancers are reduced (due to higher amounts of phenolic compounds and anti-oxidants) Lower chance of getting certain bacteria, like VRE and <i>E. coli</i> O7 H157
On the other hand
Often suffer from B12 deficiency Anaemia due to not having enough protein and or iron in the diet Negative nitrogen balance (digesting their own muscle to scavenge protein) Usually suffer from iodine deficiency Tend to have a lower weight than is normal
Essentially if controlled very well it can work out, but it is hardly normal and there are many problems associated with it. It does have its benefits however.
I've met a few vegetarians and a vegan (sp?). They seemed fine... one was my friend and was always sick. Once he missed a entire year of high school because of mono i think. He gave up being a vegetarian and he started eating whatever he wanted. Now he is one of the most athletic people i know.
Yes the human body is designed to eat meat along with vegetables, but it is reslilient and obviously it can do without. Again, like many things in life... it is a choice any person can make. If they chose to do such a thing... More power to them, more meat for me =D~
It's worth noting that we can't even digest most of the plant material we eat (being unable to break down a molecule called cellulose->A common component of their cell wall) and this is what allows you to 'clear' your bowels.
I would recommend a balanced diet and not to focus on one food group. You are much more likely to be healthy in that case.
For every animal you don't eat, I'll eat three <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
...that aside, personally I'll eat anything. Why not meat? It tastes good, as long as you don't think about the fact that what you just ate had to be killed one way or another first. Once on vacation back to Taiwan we roasted a whole piglet and cut it up for lunch; I just couldn't eat any of that because, well, I got to see th whole process. Made me more or less sick. But then what you usually see is just the finished dressed meat---and you don't have to think about it. Then I'm fine.
<a href='http://maddox.xmission.com/grill.html' target='_blank'>I don't care if I'm old I don't mind if I don't have a mind Get away get away from your home I'm afraid I'm afraid of a ghost Even if you have Even if you need I don't mean to stare We don't have to breed We can plant a house We can build a tree I don't even care We could have all three She said://I don't care if I'm old I d... three She said</a>
First of I am a omnivore. I love chicken and could never give it up. I'm not too versed in the subject, I only know what i picked up from my vegeterian and vegan friends.
That said there is nothing wrong with a vegeterian diet. Much like any other diet, if you balance it right you should be fine. Bear in mind you will have to take vitamin suppliments and develope a taste for tofu. The one big draw back is that you will be going to the grocery store more often, as to keep fresh produce.
If you are looking to eat healthy, just stop eating fast and microwavable foods.
Vegitarians usally don't have a lot of nutrienants for the body. If they take vitamins/supplements to fuel the body, I see no reason not to. Personally, I love meat..
well, there's a few pluses to being a vegan/vegetarian (i am not):
-lower ecological footprint. the processing and raising of meat animals is a huge stress on our environment. -cheaper (as long as you aren't buying all those special veggie burgies and whatnot), beans and fresh veggies and tofu are quite inexepensive. -healthier, vegetarian food is usually very whole food (not processed) and not deep fried and fatty. -more in keeping with our relatives, the chimps. they eat mostly fruits, nuts and a little bit of meat. and more in keeping with how our ancestors ate. eating closer to what you were evolved to eat is usually much more efficient, and better for you. for instance, the poor panda has to eat 14Kg of bamboo every day, because it evolved as a omnivore/carnivore, so can't really use bamboo that well.
er, that's all i can think of at the moment. imho, someone who was mostly vegetarian with a bit of meat every day would be ubarly healthy. and really regular too ;o)
i think you can see where im going with this one... <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Actually, no I don't.
PS: Is there a reason that picture of Colonel Sander came from Thailand? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Could be where kida lives
There is one reason not to eat meat:
- You don't like it.
Other than that, who really cares? It's your life and body, and choosing not to eat meat isn't that bad or lifebreaking of a desciion.
On the other hand, meats do have complex protiens already processed and made by animals that your body is ready to take in, as opposed to making your own proteins wiht nutrients just from plants.
Edit: Also my grandmother is a vegan, and she grows her own food. Now that's hardcore !
one of the things that my uncle went through was forced vegetarianism for 3 monthes. He did this because it is believed that if you stripped yourself of part of what you need to live, someone you love can use that energy force so that they might live longer. This was for my grandfather btw. He said it was the worst time ever. We are chinese, and have many many vegetarian dishes but after eating meat for so long, it is tough to give up.
I've been a vegetarian for some years now. Not a strict one, in all fairness i am really just a fussy eater, i can't stand the taste of any meat, so i just don't eat it.
On the whole, i'm not a wafer thin, skinny shadow of a person, i've got some muscle, i've got a little meat on my bones, and i've felt little negative effects on my health due to my diet. I've remained energetic and healthy.
As to the animal rights side of things, i can see where they're coming from. I have some friends who are hardcore vegans, entirely opposed to the slaughter of animals. I must say though, after seeing the pictures of livestock living conditions and slaughter procedures, it's quite disgusting. These days, if i had the choice of eating tasty meat or staying veggie, i'd stay a veggie.
My only exception to meat is that if i've drunk enough alcohol to make my tastebuds non-functional, i'll eat whatever's put in front of me, but then again, that only happens like once a year at the most.
What is it about meat that does not taste good? The dry feeling of having to chew over and over again?
Not to derail this topic, but I hold a somewhat cynical view towards the "hardcore" vegitarians. They don't like to eat something that was alive, and slaughtered under cruel conditions, which I can understand; but why fuss over something so irrelevant to the reality of this world instead of devoting that time into helping people who live in similiar conditions, or what we would be comparible on a different dimension e.g. living on piles of garbage.
No offence, we humans are on top of the food chain, and since animals are not capable of thinking logically, I don't think we have to fester into catering certain aspects of their lives. It also makes my stomach churl when I see people walking with their toy dogs, and leaving crap on the lawn without picking it up via plastic bag. Moreover, dog hotels that feed one hundred percent beef jerky to pets proves how much more animals are getting attention these days than humans. Of course these are all hypothetical and arbitrary arguements, but you do see where I am getting at, eh?
Btw, I am not from Thailand; ripped the pic off google image search.
Just browsed through the forums and saw this one, thinking.. hey as a vegetarian you have to reply to this <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> Well I'm a vegetarian for about 9 or 10 years now and I must say, I'm living fine with that. I don't know the exact reason anymore, why I started with it back then. I simply turned out, that I didn't eat that much meat anyway, and then one day I simply left it away. now during that years I only tried meat once again, which was about 3 or 4 years ago. And I didn't really like it. I felt it tasted horrible which is probably because of not being used to the taste anymore. Being a vegetarian isn't really that strage anymore like it was some years ago. I can clearly recall being questioned about being a vegetarian years ago. But when I tell someone today that I'm one, i don't have to explain anything anymore. The acceptance for it is way larger and more.. let's say 'toleratet'. I know that there are people out there which don't understand it being a vegetarian. And I surely must say, that it's not easy to explain the difference. Because there isn't really a difference expect for the meat you don't eat. And for the thing about suffering from anything because of being a vegetarian.. well.. in my opinion it is more a question about if you can balance you food. Because if you don't manage that as a vegetatian you won't manage that as a non vegetatian aswell. Simply adding meat to your daily food doesn't make you healthier.
Theres the type who just refuses to eat meat, thats the most common I think. The other type, like my friend, won't eat meat, dairy or anything made from animals. THats the extreme. He wont eat gelatin b/c it comes from animal bones or something.
Comments
Vegetarianism seems to throw your body's systems off.
Humans by nature are omnivorous, and should eat both meat and plants to stay at optimum health. IMO.
I know two vegetarians, they are both very skinny, very pale, and seem to be tired allot. Now this could have nothing to do with their diet, but it seems to be an uncanny coincidence. Both of them are girls btw.
Then again there are different degrees of vegetarianism. The two people I’m referring to will eat no meat what so ever, one doesn’t even like to eat fish.
As for pros and cons? The big joke is that your precious bodily fluids taste better as a vegan. Low-fat diet, so helps shed the pounds.
Cons, you do need to eat some fat, and other nutrients found in dairy products. It's healthier to have a more rounded diet in the end.
The only thing I can say is that her frame is smaller when you compare to both her sisters but that should be expected when cutting all kinds of food to do with animals.
Ultimately what you put in your mouth is your business, as long as you dont force anyone to "convert" to your way of eating. Exceptions abound in eating disorders however.
Personally I'm pretty much the opposite. I prefer meats and exclude vegetables as much as I can. It's not through any concious effort either, its simply because eating vegetables tend to make me wish to vomit, though there are circumstances in which I can tolerate them, in chicken soup for example, or as chips (any kind). Same goes for fruit =\
Final random parting thought - Food Is Good
She's never really explained why. I think she just loves ickle animals and doesn't really like the idea of her meal previously frolicking in a field. I eat meat and i'm 6ft2, heavy built (and fat, but i am pretty heavily built before that), fairly strong, but i'm always tired too (even after sommat like 12 hours sleep which is common with me now). Then again i hardly eat a well balanced diet (i don't live on junk food but i really don't eat all the stuff i should).
From where I came from, vegetarians are hold in high regard.
It's just common perception in my country that vegetarian diet is healthier than normal diet.
We accepted it sorta as an accomplishment, not punishment.
May be it's the salad/tofu diet? I don't know. I got a teacher who said he tried vegetarians for a while and ended up quiting because he grew tired of salad day after day. That's 20 years ago before he discovered asian dishes. There's much more to vegetarian than salad and tofu, you know?
Lower rates of heart disease
Certain cancers are reduced (due to higher amounts of phenolic compounds and anti-oxidants)
Lower chance of getting certain bacteria, like VRE and <i>E. coli</i> O7 H157
On the other hand
Often suffer from B12 deficiency
Anaemia due to not having enough protein and or iron in the diet
Negative nitrogen balance (digesting their own muscle to scavenge protein)
Usually suffer from iodine deficiency
Tend to have a lower weight than is normal
Essentially if controlled very well it can work out, but it is hardly normal and there are many problems associated with it. It does have its benefits however.
Yes the human body is designed to eat meat along with vegetables, but it is reslilient and obviously it can do without. Again, like many things in life... it is a choice any person can make. If they chose to do such a thing... More power to them, more meat for me =D~
I would recommend a balanced diet and not to focus on one food group. You are much more likely to be healthy in that case.
...that aside, personally I'll eat anything. Why not meat? It tastes good, as long as you don't think about the fact that what you just ate had to be killed one way or another first. Once on vacation back to Taiwan we roasted a whole piglet and cut it up for lunch; I just couldn't eat any of that because, well, I got to see th whole process. Made me more or less sick. But then what you usually see is just the finished dressed meat---and you don't have to think about it. Then I'm fine.
That said there is nothing wrong with a vegeterian diet. Much like any other diet, if you balance it right you should be fine. Bear in mind you will have to take vitamin suppliments and develope a taste for tofu. The one big draw back is that you will be going to the grocery store more often, as to keep fresh produce.
If you are looking to eat healthy, just stop eating fast and microwavable foods.
<img src='http://selenasol.com/selena/graphics/photos/thailand/kfc.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
RIP dude
Keep your mind outta the gutter
-lower ecological footprint. the processing and raising of meat animals is a huge stress on our environment.
-cheaper (as long as you aren't buying all those special veggie burgies and whatnot), beans and fresh veggies and tofu are quite inexepensive.
-healthier, vegetarian food is usually very whole food (not processed) and not deep fried and fatty.
-more in keeping with our relatives, the chimps. they eat mostly fruits, nuts and a little bit of meat. and more in keeping with how our ancestors ate. eating closer to what you were evolved to eat is usually much more efficient, and better for you. for instance, the poor panda has to eat 14Kg of bamboo every day, because it evolved as a omnivore/carnivore, so can't really use bamboo that well.
er, that's all i can think of at the moment. imho, someone who was mostly vegetarian with a bit of meat every day would be ubarly healthy. and really regular too ;o)
Cannibal<b>ism</b>...
<u>Veg</u>eterian<b>ism</b>....
<u>Can</u>nibal<b>ism</b>...
i think you can see where im going with this one...
Cannibal<b>ism</b>...
<u>Veg</u>eterian<b>ism</b>....
<u>Can</u>nibal<b>ism</b>...
i think you can see where im going with this one... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Actually, no I don't.
PS: Is there a reason that picture of Colonel Sander came from Thailand?
Cannibal<b>ism</b>...
<u>Veg</u>eterian<b>ism</b>....
<u>Can</u>nibal<b>ism</b>...
i think you can see where im going with this one... <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Actually, no I don't.
PS: Is there a reason that picture of Colonel Sander came from Thailand? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Could be where kida lives
There is one reason not to eat meat:
- You don't like it.
Other than that, who really cares? It's your life and body, and choosing not to eat meat isn't that bad or lifebreaking of a desciion.
On the other hand, meats do have complex protiens already processed and made by animals that your body is ready to take in, as opposed to making your own proteins wiht nutrients just from plants.
Edit: Also my grandmother is a vegan, and she grows her own food. Now that's hardcore !
On the whole, i'm not a wafer thin, skinny shadow of a person, i've got some muscle, i've got a little meat on my bones, and i've felt little negative effects on my health due to my diet. I've remained energetic and healthy.
As to the animal rights side of things, i can see where they're coming from. I have some friends who are hardcore vegans, entirely opposed to the slaughter of animals. I must say though, after seeing the pictures of livestock living conditions and slaughter procedures, it's quite disgusting. These days, if i had the choice of eating tasty meat or staying veggie, i'd stay a veggie.
My only exception to meat is that if i've drunk enough alcohol to make my tastebuds non-functional, i'll eat whatever's put in front of me, but then again, that only happens like once a year at the most.
Not to derail this topic, but I hold a somewhat cynical view towards the "hardcore" vegitarians. They don't like to eat something that was alive, and slaughtered under cruel conditions, which I can understand; but why fuss over something so irrelevant to the reality of this world instead of devoting that time into helping people who live in similiar conditions, or what we would be comparible on a different dimension e.g. living on piles of garbage.
No offence, we humans are on top of the food chain, and since animals are not capable of thinking logically, I don't think we have to fester into catering certain aspects of their lives. It also makes my stomach churl when I see people walking with their toy dogs, and leaving crap on the lawn without picking it up via plastic bag. Moreover, dog hotels that feed one hundred percent beef jerky to pets proves how much more animals are getting attention these days than humans.
Of course these are all hypothetical and arbitrary arguements, but you do see where I am getting at, eh?
Btw, I am not from Thailand; ripped the pic off google image search.
~peace:kida~
Well I'm a vegetarian for about 9 or 10 years now and I must say, I'm living fine with that. I don't know the exact reason anymore, why I started with it back then. I simply turned out, that I didn't eat that much meat anyway, and then one day I simply left it away. now during that years I only tried meat once again, which was about 3 or 4 years ago. And I didn't really like it. I felt it tasted horrible which is probably because of not being used to the taste anymore.
Being a vegetarian isn't really that strage anymore like it was some years ago. I can clearly recall being questioned about being a vegetarian years ago. But when I tell someone today that I'm one, i don't have to explain anything anymore. The acceptance for it is way larger and more.. let's say 'toleratet'. I know that there are people out there which don't understand it being a vegetarian. And I surely must say, that it's not easy to explain the difference. Because there isn't really a difference expect for the meat you don't eat.
And for the thing about suffering from anything because of being a vegetarian.. well.. in my opinion it is more a question about if you can balance you food. Because if you don't manage that as a vegetatian you won't manage that as a non vegetatian aswell. Simply adding meat to your daily food doesn't make you healthier.