"Real Girls Eat Meat"

[cydewaze]

Sorry to butt in the forum, but I can't stand it when organizations like PETA post these kind of things when it's just not true...
Yea, ofcourse there's bat fats and cholesterol in meat, but that doesn't mean you get 'healthy' when you stop eating it! Eat it in decent dosages of around 100-200 g a day and you get all the healthy parts of it too! think of the proteins, iron and other mineralsm vitamins and provitamins!

Sorry to butt in as well but that's meat industry hype. Not only are none of the things you mentioned exclusive to meat, but animal proteins are far worse for you than protein from vegetable sources. With the exception of vitamin B12, meat contains NOTHING that you couldn't get healthier somewhere else.

I won't even get into how animal protein (including dairy) leeches calcium from your body, nor how most people get waaaay more protein than they need anyway, but there's probably a reason that vegetarians live an average of 13 years longer than non vegetarians.

The meat and dairy industries have spent billions of dollars trying to convince us that we need to give them our money. Ain't true, and never was.

I'm no fan of PETA, but you don't have to be to want to stay healthy.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Sorry to butt in as well but that's meat industry hype. Not only are none of the things you mentioned exclusive to meat, but animal proteins are far worse for you than protein from vegetable sources. With the exception of vitamin B12, meat contains NOTHING that you couldn't get healthier somewhere else.

I won't even get into how animal protein (including dairy) leeches calcium from your body, nor how most people get waaaay more protein than they need anyway, but there's probably a reason that vegetarians live an average of 13 years longer than non vegetarians.

The meat and dairy industries have spent billions of dollars trying to convince us that we need to give them our money. Ain't true, and never was.

I'm no fan of PETA, but you don't have to be to want to stay healthy.

Thank you for posting this, it's amazing the lengths people will go to justify eating meat.

oh and the term "humane slaughter" is an oxymoron of the highest level. The only time a term like "humane" should be used when killing another living creature is if they are in pain. I'm sorry but as stupid as cows and chickens may be, they are not lining up to die.

 

[Zoomerang96]

Thank you for posting this, it's amazing the lengths people will go to justify eating meat.

oh and the term "humane slaughter" is an oxymoron of the highest level. The only time a term like "humane" should be used when killing another living creature is if they are in pain. I'm sorry but as stupid as cows and chickens may be, they are not lining up to die.

and the justification for NOT eating meat isn't equally "amazing"?

i'm sorry, but i couldn't give a shit if someone had a problem with me eating meat. i've got vegan and vegetarian friends, and they're lovely... but just as i don't shove meat in their face, they don't shove their idealogy in mine.

 

[DrTeeth]

You can have a healthy diet whether you're vegetarian or not.

 

[Liesje]

Not only are none of the things you mentioned exclusive to meat, but animal proteins are far worse for you than protein from vegetable sources. With the exception of vitamin B12, meat contains NOTHING that you couldn't get healthier somewhere else.

True that but they are dang more expensive! My main issue with being a veggie is that the meat I eat is free (unless I'm eating out or at someone's house, it's all venison which is very lean, butchered by my dad, not some cow that was fed lord knows what and slaughtered), and it keeps for a loooong time in the freezer. One deer costs the price of the tag, and that's enough meat to feed a lot of dogs and people for a long time. Good produce is not free, and generally spoils before I can even eat half of it.

The meat vs. veggie and whole healthy eating thing has always been a "pick my battles" issue for me. I only have enough money and time in the day to focus on a certain number of things and at this point, making avoiding meat has not been one of them. I do not dispute that perhaps being a veggie is healthier than eating meat, but ya know, driving a really expensive car is safer than driving a '94 Chevy Blazer with bare tires but what can I do about it? Personally, I think I need to give up more carbs and diary if I really want to be healthier, I think the results of me giving up meat would really be marginal since I don't eat that much meat anyway. I need to eat less pasta/white bread kind of stuff and more beans/lentils stuff and just cut back on the cheese more altogether if I really want to put a lot of effort into it. I don't think even 10% of my diet is meat and even then, I think I could replace a few things with MORE lean meats and still be healthier if I was being nit-picky. I've got someone that looks over my diet, I go to the dr at least once a year, and I get blood drawn so I have my glucose, cholesterol, HDL, blood pressure, BMI etc. measured and all fall in the very low end of the healthiest range so for now that's good enough for me.

I DO refuse any form of "processed" meat simply because I hate it and it makes me gag (hot dogs, sausage, pepperoni, ground beef, bolongne, etc).

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

and the justification for NOT eating meat isn't equally "amazing"?

i'm sorry, but i couldn't give a shit if someone had a problem with me eating meat. i've got vegan and vegetarian friends, and they're lovely... but just as i don't shove meat in their face, they don't shove their idealogy in mine.

not to "shove" my ideology down your throat but other than "I need protein", "it tastes good" and "we've always done it this way" standard responses, what exactly is the justification for it then?

 

[Liesje]

not to "shove" my ideology down your throat but other than "I need protein", "it tastes good" and "we've always done it this way" standard responses, what exactly is the justification for it then?

It's way cheaper? I eat a lot of stuff that could definitely be replaced with alternatives that offer the same nutrition or better but....I balance what I need with what I'm willing to spend. I'm probably a lot pickier about what my dogs eat than myself and if I have kids they are getting fresh baby food from the food processor, not the canned Gerber stuff.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

It's way cheaper? I eat a lot of stuff that could definitely be replaced with alternatives that offer the same nutrition or better but....I balance what I need with what I'm willing to spend. I'm probably a lot pickier about what my dogs eat than myself and if I have kids they are getting fresh baby food from the food processor, not the canned Gerber stuff.

Interesting, given the state of the economy you may have a point in some ways. Although canned and dried staples like legumes and lentils that offer just as much (if not more) protein are probably still cheaper, especially if you are not interested in cheap processed meats.

I understand my opinion is not a popular one so I'm not going to lecture or anything like that. I get the fact that most people love their meat and all, It saddens me that most don't look past the taste and convenience of it though...

 

[Liesje]

Interesting, given the state of the economy you may have a point in some ways. Although canned and dried staples like legumes and lentils that offer just as much (if not more) protein are probably still cheaper, especially if you are not interested in cheap processed meats.

I'm sure they are cheaper. The meat we eat is free though (and these are steaks, backstraps, roasts, and stew cuts, not processed meats), and nothing is cheaper than that! I'm not saying it's better, just offering my explanation. Also I hate cooking and can't stand to devote any time to preparing and storing food. I get my meat pre-packaged and toss it in the freezer. Most of it is kept in my grandpa's large freezer so when I want more I got there and take it. If I want to eat it, I heat it up in the microwave or on the stove. We only take out as much as we are going to eat for that meal or a little more if we plan to eat some later. I'm sure I could buy a giant bag of lentils for the same price as a few small meat cuts at the store, but I don't want to cook with lentils or have to store them. And like I said, I eat meat that I or Phil has prepared maybe once a week or once every two weeks anyway.

Really, we'd have to be millionaires to afford to do everything as safely and healthy as we possibly could. There are things about my house, my car, my bike, my job, my shoes, my computer screen....that are not safe or 100% healthy, but that's just life for most of us. I hate cooking and don't care enough about meat one way or the other for it to even matter to me.

 

[VintagePunk]

Interesting, given the state of the economy you may have a point in some ways. Although canned and dried staples like legumes and lentils that offer just as much (if not more) protein are probably still cheaper, especially if you are not interested in cheap processed meats.

Other than legumes and lentils, what plant-based foods can you eat for protein? I can't stand either. Well, other than peanuts.

I'm weird with meat. I find myself getting more and more turned off of it, but there are certain times that I crave it, too. I doubt I'd ever give it up entirely, but what would you suggest for protein other than lentils and legumes for someone who would like to cut back on meat?

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Other than legumes and lentils, what plant-based foods can you eat for protein? I can't stand either. Well, other than peanuts.

I'm weird with meat. I find myself getting more and more turned off of it, but there are certain times that I crave it, too. I doubt I'd ever give it up entirely, but what would you suggest for protein other than lentils and legumes for someone who would like to cut back on meat?

well there is the obvious Soy, not sure what you think about Tofu...

other sources are grains (wheat, oats, rice, barley, buckwheat, millet, pasta, bread), nuts (brazils, hazels, almonds, cashews) and seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame).

 

[Liesje]

Other than legumes and lentils, what plant-based foods can you eat for protein? I can't stand either. Well, other than peanuts.

I'm weird with meat. I find myself getting more and more turned off of it, but there are certain times that I crave it, too. I doubt I'd ever give it up entirely, but what would you suggest for protein other than lentils and legumes for someone who would like to cut back on meat?

I'm like you. I cannot stand ANY form of nut or anyting with the texture resembling a nut or seed, I literally gag and spit it out. Doesn't matter how healthy it is or how it's dressed up, I won't eat it. I'd rather eat a rare cooked lean steak and run an extra half our to make up for it!

When I did gymnastics every day there would be some days I'd get home at 11pm and have these insane cravings for red meat. I've never really liked meat that much, if that's what my parents made for dinner I would eat it, but I don't order steaks at restaurants and such. But I would have such strong cravings I'd come home and be eating plain venison stew meat at midnight. Granted, back then I was burning off so many calories I probably DID need good red meat to be healthy.

 

[VintagePunk]

I'm like you. I cannot stand ANY form of nut or anyting with the texture resembling a nut or seed, I literally gag and spit it out. Doesn't matter how healthy it is or how it's dressed up, I won't eat it. I'd rather eat a rare cooked lean steak and run an extra half our to make up for it!

When I did gymnastics every day there would be some days I'd get home at 11pm and have these insane cravings for red meat. I've never really liked meat that much, if that's what my parents made for dinner I would eat it, but I don't order steaks at restaurants and such. But I would have such strong cravings I'd come home and be eating plain venison stew meat at midnight. Granted, back then I was burning off so many calories I probably DID need good red meat to be healthy.

My problem is bean-type things. I can't stand the texture of them. Ew, grossest thing ever! Some nuts are okay, but I can't see myself eating them regularly. Plus, they're quite high in fat, aren't they? I know it's a healthier fat, but still. This being turned off of meat is a very recent thing for me, just over the past few years. But unlike you, I'm more turned off of unprocessed meat. I think for me, processed almost seems more removed from the animal, and as such, it's less unappealing, in a weird way. It could also be that in recent years, I've been trying to eat in a modified Atkins way - lean meat, vegetables, some fruit, fewer carbs, less fat - and I've just gotten sick of meat.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

VP, there are a lot of textured soy products in grocery stores these days which mimic meat to the point of being eerily too close for even me sometimes, If you are more into the processed meats to start with you might want to give some of these a try.

Yves and Tofurkey (yes, tofurkey) are two good companies to look for, for example...

 

[maycocksean]

I was raised a vegetarian and still eat that way at home. The only time I eat meat is when we go out to eat at restaurants or we are eating at someone else's home. I still am very uncomfortable cooking meat, since I don't really know how.

I think it is healthier to be vegetarian, but I think you can be healthy if you eat meat in moderation as well. I think Lies probably has the perfect way to eat meat. The meat she does eat is probably way healthier than most and the deer had a nice life in the wild until met it's untimely end and found itself in grandpa's freezer.

As for the cruelty to animals aspect, I do think that is something we should be concerned about to a degree, especially those animals being raised for mass slaughter and the conditions they are often raised under. I feel like if you eat meat, you need to be willing to face what it takes to put that meat on your plate. I kind of take that stereotypical Native American approach--"Thank you, cow, for giving your life so that I can eat. . ."

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

As for the cruelty to animals aspect, I do think that is something we should be concerned about to a degree, especially those animals being raised for mass slaughter and the conditions they are often raised under. I feel like if you eat meat, you need to be willing to face what it takes to put that meat on your plate. I kind of take that stereotypical Native American approach--"Thank you, cow, for giving your life so that I can eat. . ."

This I agree with completely, I have a lot more respect for someone who kills the animal themselves. I don't necessarily agree with it but I respect the fact that that person understands completely where their food is coming from is willing to do that.

Thanks to mass production meat is just another commodity now, it's just this sterile food you buy in a grocery store neatly packed with a bar code, there is no attention or respect paid to the living, breathing, thinking animal that was killed to obtain it.

 

[Liesje]

I think it is healthier to be vegetarian, but I think you can be healthy if you eat meat in moderation as well. I think Lies probably has the perfect way to eat meat. The meat she does eat is probably way healthier than most and the deer had a nice life in the wild until met it's untimely end and found itself in grandpa's freezer.

As for the cruelty to animals aspect, I do think that is something we should be concerned about to a degree, especially those animals being raised for mass slaughter and the conditions they are often raised under. I feel like if you eat meat, you need to be willing to face what it takes to put that meat on your plate. I kind of take that stereotypical Native American approach--"Thank you, cow, for giving your life so that I can eat. . ."

I agree Sean. I'm not like picketing against farms or anything, but....I dunno it just seems kinda icky and I don't really want to eat that meat anyway. But I guess I'm lucky I get fresh meats for free.

I don't hunt myself, but I know the deer population here is out of control. They keep introducing more special/early seasons to try to control it but as much as hunters kill they can't keep up. They are also trying to encourage natural predators, but urbal sprawl conflicts with that. That's what has always been ironic to me about how many people I know that won't eat meat b/c they are against hunting, but are fine living in a huge house in the suburbs which used to be a nice forest or prairie where they animals lived and their food chain was balanced. Some of the diseases these animals can die from when overpopulated, trust me a bullet or an arrow is a better way to go.

We do not hunt more than we eat, and still the deer population goes up. My dad butchers it himself which is nice. My uncle and brother are all into these outdoorsy things and make stuff with hides, bones, and antlers. My bro even burried a head so the grubs could pick it dry and then he dug it up a year later. I'm not sure about other families, but where we hunt, the men impose their own limits. They don't shoot young bucks even though their DNR tags say they can.

I don't have a problem shooting the deer. I don't hunt myself because I don't have the patience, I hate the cold, and gutting a deer and dragging it several miles just isn't my idea of weekend fun, but I'm not morally opposed to hunting as long as it's properly regulated.

 

[VintagePunk]

VP, there are a lot of textured soy products in grocery stores these days which mimic meat to the point of being eerily too close for even me sometimes, If you are more into the processed meats to start with you might want to give some of these a try.

Yves and Tofurkey (yes, tofurkey) are two good companies to look for, for example...

I've seen Yves in one of my local stores. Thanks, I'll check it out.

 

[anitram]

I don't eat a lot of meat but I eat a ton of fish (and shellfish) and there is absolutely not a way I'd give that up, ever. I love seafood and it is very good for you, if you avoid mercury infused things.

I am not a big fan of chicken or turkey, so I never buy either although I'll eat it if I have to. Most of my meat is consumed by way of pasta sauces (beef/tomato), which I eat about twice a week. I also like to have a really good steak maybe 3-4 times per year. And I do enjoy a bacon cheeseburger every once in a while, although I don't eat those more than maybe once a month, tops. I don't eat cold cuts, processed meat, hot dogs or anything of the like because I find them really disgusting in terms of texture/flavour, not necessarily health reasons.

I eat a LOT of beans and legumes, they are probably the main staple in my diet. My favourite beans are azuki beans (had them today), and I love beans any which way, fried, refried, in a chili, etc. I also love lentils and eat a daal pretty often, as well as lentil soups.

Having said that, I like some meat, especially if it is grilled - that is my absolute favourite. I abhor the texture of tofu and there are very few ways I can eat it (I like ma po tofu, for example). Fake burgers, tofurkey, etc, is nasty tasting and would bring my life very little joy. So given that I eat maybe 10-15% of my diet in the form of meat and given that I do NOT eat dairy, I see no reason to give up the little I eat. I have a cousin who is a militant vegetarian and I mean MILITANT and every time she opens her mouth, I want to eat 3 steaks in retaliation. That's how irritating she is.

 

[cydewaze]

and the justification for NOT eating meat isn't equally "amazing"?

i'm sorry, but i couldn't give a shit if someone had a problem with me eating meat. i've got vegan and vegetarian friends, and they're lovely... but just as i don't shove meat in their face, they don't shove their idealogy in mine.

Eat all the meat you want. The problem isn't with ideology, nor is it with personal choices. The problem is that children are growing up not knowing what foods are healthy and what foods are killing them. Later in life they're paying the price for it, as will we all in health care costs. This has nothing to do with your personal choice, and everything to do with how our culture exposes our children to our unhealthy eating choices.

IMO this is no different than running cigarette ads. At one time people thought cigarettes were OK for you. Over time we realized that this is wrong. Hopefully over time we'll accept that we'll be healthier without meat. But for now, we as a society just find meat too yummy to give up. Or something.

Maybe it's fine in moderation (like one meal per week, and only if it's free-range organic) but it should be eaten as a "treat" and not considered a vital part of our diet, which it isn't.

I look at my brother-in-law's kids, who were raised to eat healthfully. It all works quite well until you're a teenager, and all your friends are eating McFood. You complain about having an ideology forced on you when your ideology has been forced on the entire population for centuries.

Eat what you want. Smoke what you want. I'm not trying to preach, but given the topic of this thread, I think you'll find a few opinions here. But when it comes to the facts, the research is more than conclusive.

 

[Zoomerang96]

Eat all the meat you want. The problem isn't with ideology, nor is it with personal choices. The problem is that children are growing up not knowing what foods are healthy and what foods are killing them. Later in life they're paying the price for it, as will we all in health care costs. This has nothing to do with your personal choice, and everything to do with how our culture exposes our children to our unhealthy eating choices.

IMO this is no different than running cigarette ads. At one time people thought cigarettes were OK for you. Over time we realized that this is wrong. Hopefully over time we'll accept that we'll be healthier without meat. But for now, we as a society just find meat too yummy to give up. Or something.

Maybe it's fine in moderation (like one meal per week, and only if it's free-range organic) but it should be eaten as a "treat" and not considered a vital part of our diet, which it isn't.

I look at my brother-in-law's kids, who were raised to eat healthfully. It all works quite well until you're a teenager, and all your friends are eating McFood. You complain about having an ideology forced on you when your ideology has been forced on the entire population for centuries.

Eat what you want. Smoke what you want. I'm not trying to preach, but given the topic of this thread, I think you'll find a few opinions here. But when it comes to the facts, the research is more than conclusive.

very good, cydewaze. in fact, i agree with a lot of what you're saying here.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I thought this was going to be about oral sex

well i think it's safe to say that jessica simpson does, in fact, eat the meat...

 

[cydewaze]

It's way cheaper?

Sure it's cheaper... now. But later? Maybe not.

It's just like gasoline. Regular is cheaper than premium, but if your car requires premium, you're going to pay more for regular in the long run in the form of repairs.

Our bodies require high-quality nutrition, and when we force ourselves to exist on calorie-dense, low-nutrient food, we pay in the form of poor health. It may not be immediately evident, but over time, things like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and even cancer will rear their ugly heads.

Pay now, or pay later. Either way, we pay.

 

[Liesje]

Sure it's cheaper... now. But later? Maybe not.

It's just like gasoline. Regular is cheaper than premium, but if your car requires premium, you're going to pay more for regular in the long run in the form of repairs.

Our bodies require high-quality nutrition, and when we force ourselves to exist on calorie-dense, low-nutrient food, we pay in the form of poor health. It may not be immediately evident, but over time, things like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and even cancer will rear their ugly heads.

Pay now, or pay later. Either way, we pay.

Right but this is exactly my point. Who here has enough time and money and resources to live a perfectly healthy life? I do not disagree that if done right a no-meat diet is healthier than meat. But we all pick our battles. There are probably things I do in other aspects of my life that might be healthier than what you choose to do. Everyone is exposed to risks every day. Our cars, jobs, houses, computer, sports, pets....you name it. I eat meat I dunno, once a week or once every two weeks. I don't believe that I'm honestly cutting years off my life for that. I can think of ten other things I do that are far more unhealthy (soda, cheese, sitting in front of a computer screen at work all day when I already have terrible eye sight and suffer from migraines, driving a car with some problems I can't afford to fix...). So we all have plenty of room for improvement but that doesn't mean giving up meat is really going to make all that much of a difference. Maybe for my husband who probably eats 3-4 times as much meat as me. I'm already selective about my meat. I like fish, chicken, and lean venison. If I get a sandwich from the cafe I pick off the salami and add on vegetables from the salad bar. Beyond that meat is just not something I care to get obsessed about. My health issues revolve around sleep and light. I make a point of getting 8 hours of sleep a day and sleeping on a regular schedule. I also need to be outside or I get S.A.D. Yesterday I spent an hour shoveling dog shit in a muddy backyard but just being outdoors, doing some form of physical activity in daylight makes me feel 100 times better. I also started running again so I'm running 45 minutes a day. Personally I think the benefits of getting the right amount of restful sleep, doing chores outdoors in the sun, and getting a good cardio workout 5-6 times a week far outweigh the benefits of simply giving up what little meat I eat. I understand the point about it being better in the long run, but I don't have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and my BMI is 19. I feel like if I maintain how I already live, giving up a few ounces of meet once a week will have a marginal effect, if anything.

 

[joyfulgirl]

I was a vegetarian for about 16 years. I did my best to eat a balanced vegetarian diet but I did not get enough protein or amino acids, and I was a beans/rice/vegetables/exercising kind of vegetarian. When I hit 40, I had a lot of health problems and worked with a nutritionist to get back on track. I've said this many times here but I'll repeat it for what it's worth. The nutritionist told me he had never seen a truly healthy long-term vegetarian over the age of 40, and that I was a classic case. It does not mean that it's not possible - it's just that most people don't have the time, money, knowledge, etc. about how to do it right (this could be said of a lot of meat eaters, too, of course - but in his experience he had seen more extreme cases amongst vegetarians). I realized that for the entire time that I was a vegetarian, I had a low-grade depression, anemia, and was a severe insomniac. While always thin, I had far less muscle tone than my meat-eating sisters, even though I was the one who worked out. I started eating meat again slowly and supplementing with amino acids and a full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, etc., and started sleeping again. The depression lifted, and I am today healthier and stronger than I've ever been.

I will never forget the first day I saw the nutritionist. After looking at my bloodwork (which my medical doctor had said was all good), he said, "Oh my God, no wonder you're depressed! No wonder you don't sleep!" He gave me some amino acids and asked me to take some before bed, as an experiment. He said if you sleep tonight, then we can assume you are severely amino-acid deficient. I slept almost 10 hours that night. I usually averaged around 4.

That is just my little story and is by no means representative of every 40 year old vegetarian who stopped eating meat in their mid-20s. I still prefer a vegetarian diet and I eat only organic meat in moderation. My diet is about 90% organic not counting eating out. I am considered a health freak by my friends and am fortunate that I can afford to eat organic and to buy high quality supplements.

I am neither for nor against eating meat. I think everyone should do what's best for them, and I think all things in moderation is a good plan. I would recommend to vegetarians (and meat-eaters as well) to have bloodwork looked at by a clinical nutritionist who is trained at reading it differently than a regular MD and who sees relationships between the values that an MD may not see, and to make sure you're getting all the nutrients you need.

Liesje, you make some very good points. Others have as well. Everyone is different with different needs.

 

[DaveC]

I have only one word to justify why I am a meat eater:

Bacon.

 

[cydewaze]

I eat meat I dunno, once a week or once every two weeks. I don't believe that I'm honestly cutting years off my life for that.

That amount of meat isn't harmful, as long as you're getting the proper nutrients from the rest of your diet. It's the people who eat meat daily, and/or with every meal who are exposing themselves to an increased risk of disease.

I was a vegetarian for about 16 years. I did my best to eat a balanced vegetarian diet but I did not get enough protein or amino acids, and I was a beans/rice/vegetables/exercising kind of vegetarian.

That's utterly amazing, especially since countless Olympic/professional athletes excel on vegan diets. Since the average individual gets many times the daily protein required by their bodies (and excess protein can be harmful), the fact that you require more protein than, say, Olympic Track & Field athlete Carl Lewis (or even me, after weight lifting and 3000+ miles of cycling a year) makes you quite an anomaly. In all seriousness, you should probably see a doctor to make sure you don't have a medical condition that's masked by excess protein consumption.

The nutritionist told me he had never seen a truly healthy long-term vegetarian over the age of 40, and that I was a classic case.

Since it's been documented for some time that vegetarians live an average of 13 years longer than non-vegetarians, and since there are countless pro athletes in the world that perform quite well on a vegetarian/vegan diet, and since by using basic math it's quite easy to get enough protein from non-meat sources, it seems quite odd that your nutritionist has somehow never seen a healthy vegetarian.

What's more likely is that your nutritionist has seen people who claim to be vegetarian, but eat nothing but pasta, rice, bread, and starches. Anyone eating a proper vegetarian diet (raw and cooked leafy green vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and fruit) will easily meet their daily needs. The only thing that meat contains that the above diet does not is vitamin B12. But so many things (breakfast cereals, etc) are B12 fortified, that it's not really an issue. Plus, it's available for cheap as a supplement (you don't need much of it).

That said, if your current diet is working for you, stick with it. I'm no nutritionist and certainly no doctor. But people are people and they need certain nutrients to survive and be healthy. It's better for you to eat a proper diet and have meat two or three times a week than it is to eat a "vegetarian" diet of starches and processed foods that's nutrient deficient. But what your nutritionist told you is contrary to pretty much everything I've ever read (that wasn't sponsored by the beef industry). It's a bit worrisome.

 

[No spoken words]

That amount of meat isn't harmful, as long as you're getting the proper nutrients from the rest of your diet. It's the people who eat meat daily, and/or with every meal who are exposing themselves to an increased risk of disease.




That's utterly amazing, especially since countless Olympic/professional athletes excel on vegan diets. Since the average individual gets many times the daily protein required by their bodies (and excess protein can be harmful), the fact that you require more protein than, say, Olympic Track & Field athlete Carl Lewis (or even me, after weight lifting and 3000+ miles of cycling a year) makes you quite an anomaly. In all seriousness, you should probably see a doctor to make sure you don't have a medical condition that's masked by excess protein consumption.




Since it's been documented for some time that vegetarians live an average of 13 years longer than non-vegetarians, and since there are countless pro athletes in the world that perform quite well on a vegetarian/vegan diet, and since by using basic math it's quite easy to get enough protein from non-meat sources, it seems quite odd that your nutritionist has somehow never seen a healthy vegetarian.

What's more likely is that your nutritionist has seen people who claim to be vegetarian, but eat nothing but pasta, rice, bread, and starches. Anyone eating a proper vegetarian diet (raw and cooked leafy green vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and fruit) will easily meet their daily needs. The only thing that meat contains that the above diet does not is vitamin B12. But so many things (breakfast cereals, etc) are B12 fortified, that it's not really an issue. Plus, it's available for cheap as a supplement (you don't need much of it).

That said, if your current diet is working for you, stick with it. I'm no nutritionist and certainly no doctor. But people are people and they need certain nutrients to survive and be healthy. It's better for you to eat a proper diet and have meat two or three times a week than it is to eat a "vegetarian" diet of starches and processed foods that's nutrient deficient. But what your nutritionist told you is contrary to pretty much everything I've ever read (that wasn't sponsored by the beef industry). It's a bit worrisome.

Can you name some of the athletes you are referring to? The biggest name that recently turned to a vegetarian diet that I can think of is Prince Fielder. What other athletes of note are out there no eating meat? I'm genuinely curious.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Since it's been documented for some time that vegetarians live an average of 13 years longer than non-vegetarians

How much of that difference is comorbidity, for instance the rates of smoking, heavy drinking, lack of exercise and intelligence of the meat versus vegetarian populations.

Abstaining from meat may not make you live any longer.

 

[anitram]

How much of that difference is comorbidity, for instance the rates of smoking, heavy drinking, lack of exercise and intelligence of the meat versus vegetarian populations.

Abstaining from meat may not make you live any longer.

This is very true.

The studies you are talking about are usually carried out in developed Western nations where vegetarianism is synonymous with people who make more money, and have more disposable income and live generally more healthy in other ways (exercise more, don't smoke, etc as A_W suggested).