[Question] I am thinking about becoming a vegetarian and I have a few questions
- Thread starter Hylian
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SeraRelm
Well, these dead animals aren't going to eat themselves...
As a side note, I've been hunting before. I know I can kill an animal for food. I just disagree with recreational killing.
As a side note, I've been hunting before. I know I can kill an animal for food. I just disagree with recreational killing.
Granted it has only been a few days but it seems to be going fine so far. The only real issue I have had is finding out there is animal is some stuff I didn't think to look. Now it isn't that huge of a deal but it did lead me to being surprised when I found out my multivitamins had fish in it and it also lead me to eat a gummi bear only to find out later that the gelatin in them is derived from animals (I knew Jello was made from animals but for some reason I didn't correlate that with gummi bears).
I tried to explain that to this guy one time, he totally thought I was pulling his leg.
There are supplements which are derived from yeast instead of animal sources, and which are in non-gelatin capsules, but they are notoriously expensive compared to the usual stuff. Also, you can take yeast supplements.
Learn to love mushrooms. Lots of mushrooms. And ginger.
Be careful not to sub in too much hydrogenated oil (margarine, Crisco, Oreos, Jif, etc) to replace your fat requirements (frying, recipes).
Go easy on the tofu and protein powder. Eating too much soy-based product will screw up your hormone balance.
--Patrick
Learn to love mushrooms. Lots of mushrooms. And ginger.
Be careful not to sub in too much hydrogenated oil (margarine, Crisco, Oreos, Jif, etc) to replace your fat requirements (frying, recipes).
Go easy on the tofu and protein powder. Eating too much soy-based product will screw up your hormone balance.
--Patrick
I already ordered some vegetarian multivitamins and I already love mushrooms and ginger, I will do my best to go easy on the soy-based products although with my work schedule being as hectic as it has been lately I did go and my some quick (but still healthy) meat substitutes (mushroom burgers, soy bacon, etc) for some quick dinners. I also ordered myself a juicer so I can get fresh juice loaded full of vitamins whenever I want. I have been taking a protein drink once a day but it has the protein from multiple sources (whey,soy,etc) plus I have been working out at the gym still so I don't think that would be to much protein drink.
I am going with for the ovo-lacto vegetarian diet so I will still be eating dairy and eggs. I will keep in mind about the gelatin though because I have already been surprised once (damn gummi bears)
You can, in fact, make or buy vegan marshmallows.
I've always thought it weird that so much vegan food is replacement food. Meat substitute, for instance. If you're going to make a stand and change your diet, why not change your tastes to suit your diet? It seems like a lot of needless excess processing and chemical alteration just to get a food that looks, smells, and tastes like it's non vegan, but still "counts" as vegan.
I've always thought it weird that so much vegan food is replacement food. Meat substitute, for instance. If you're going to make a stand and change your diet, why not change your tastes to suit your diet? It seems like a lot of needless excess processing and chemical alteration just to get a food that looks, smells, and tastes like it's non vegan, but still "counts" as vegan.
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SeraRelm
It'd sound way less pretentious if you just say "I don't eat meat".
Vegan is a lot more than just not eating meat, it means not using any animal product.
--Patrick
Yup. We do. Kati makes 'em. They're delicious.
--Patrick
ElJuski
Staff member
I hate how people have to cover that shit up--it's not pretentious to say that you're vegetarian. It's like if being a "lesbian" is pretentious and awful, so you have to go around saying, "I don't fuck men."
I know there are vegetarian supremacists out there, but when was the last time anyone really met an arrogant one? Every time I bump into a vegetarian they have to go out of their way to apologize to me for their choice. Who cares?
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SeraRelm
The more half words you add to it, the more pretentious it sounds. I'm not busting on someone for not eating meat, but I'm also not going to ask you to break down each and every thing you do eat when you can just say "I don't eat meat."
~Neo femi lesbo omni cauc Sera
~Neo femi lesbo omni cauc Sera
It depends where you live. In New York, I run into them all the time.
Then again, in New York, you run into everyone all the time.
I once gave money to a street preacher who was loudly proclaiming that email spam was bringing the apocalypse and people should exercise discretion when sharing their personal info because Satan, that's why.
North_Ranger
Staff member
Didn't they do that in Friends? You know, Phoebe getting pregnant and craving meat while she is a vegan - and Joey offering to abstain from meat-eating for the duration of her pregnancy. Which of course lead to 'hilarity' when he started getting cravings, particularly when Phoebe was making a huge pastrami sandwich...
JOEY: So, what if a cow dies of natural causes... Can I eat that?
PHOEBE: Not if I get to it first. *bites into sandwich*
I think it's primarily for people like us, who became vegetarian later in life. Think about what you eat every day for lunch or dinner. Now take out all of the meat and dairy. What's left? The fact is, a lot of comfort food is recipes that involve that stuff, so you use that stuff to make a dish once in a while.
A few years ago, I found out when visiting my sister and brother in law who are vegetarian that my digestive tract was not really ready for veggie fake meats. I had the absolute WORST smelling farts imaginable for the two monts I lived with them.
So what I did this year when becoming vegetarian is train myself to get used to that stuff, as well as the increase in fruits and veggies in my diet, by working up to it. For a month I cut myself back to meat just on weekends, then it became meat ONLY for one meal each day of the weekend, then just one meal a week before going all out.
Also, don't rely on the meat substitute tofu dogs and stuff, they are actually higher in fat than real meat. Make sure you are eating lots of vegetables and fruits. I have to admit that I still have a bit of a problem with getting enough fruits, especially. Veggies I get lots of, but fruits, not so much.
*edit: Also, early in the year when I was still craving meat a lot more, I found that with enough cheese, eggplant or jalepenos, I didn't even notice there was meat missing.
So what I did this year when becoming vegetarian is train myself to get used to that stuff, as well as the increase in fruits and veggies in my diet, by working up to it. For a month I cut myself back to meat just on weekends, then it became meat ONLY for one meal each day of the weekend, then just one meal a week before going all out.
Also, don't rely on the meat substitute tofu dogs and stuff, they are actually higher in fat than real meat. Make sure you are eating lots of vegetables and fruits. I have to admit that I still have a bit of a problem with getting enough fruits, especially. Veggies I get lots of, but fruits, not so much.
*edit: Also, early in the year when I was still craving meat a lot more, I found that with enough cheese, eggplant or jalepenos, I didn't even notice there was meat missing.
My tip: Tofurkey, cheese, pickle, mayo and sriracha sandwiches are simple, yet delicious. Tofu salami is pretty nasty though.
Added at: 19:06
This. Indian food rocks.
I found a Punjabi place RIGHT NEXT to my laundromat that serves two big veggie samosas and a bowl of Channa for $2.99, and now I actually look forward to doing my laundry.
While we're on this sort of subject, either:
Jalepeno, pineapple and feta
or
Tomato, spinach and onion
have become my pizza toppings of choice.
GasBandit
Staff member
Veggie bacon is vile. That's about all I have to add here. I went meatless for a few years. I'd do it again if I didn't have two other people in the house who are definitely carnivores. Also I have gone hunting and know I'd starve since my aim is horrible.
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SeraRelm
You know who else was called the Morning Star?
SATAN?!
SATAN?!
I have never even SEEN Veggie bacon in stores, but I looked it up yesterday, and now I'm afraid to try any. It seems to be something that is either done so well as to be superior to the original, or so poorly as to be nigh inedible. I need to do some deeper digging to find one of the good ones that is actually available here.
Basically, my experience is that there is one good brand of anything.
Morningstar Farms: Chicken Nuggets, black bean burgers, Buffalo wings, corn dogs, bacon, breakfast sausage
Field Roast: Other sausages (frankfurters, italian, apple sage or spicy Mexican chipotle - sweet zombie Jesus those things are good)
Tofurkey: Roast and sliced turkey
Trust me - I've been through a lot of really lousy substitutes to get to these.
Morningstar Farms: Chicken Nuggets, black bean burgers, Buffalo wings, corn dogs, bacon, breakfast sausage
Field Roast: Other sausages (frankfurters, italian, apple sage or spicy Mexican chipotle - sweet zombie Jesus those things are good)
Tofurkey: Roast and sliced turkey
Trust me - I've been through a lot of really lousy substitutes to get to these.
Supposedly, Danone Naturalia is gelatin free. Though looking into it more, I think they may have discontinued it.
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