Vegan vs Vegetarian

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Bostongirl'sChin75

Bostongirl'sChin75

Stephanie: Zoo Poo Gal!
Joined
Dec 4, 2009
Messages
1,021
Location
Kingsland, Georgia
Can someone tell me the difference, if there is any? It has got me intrigued!

And what was the factor in deciding to go the way of vegetarian? :hmm:

And how would you suggest to someone to try it before they dismiss it?
 
A vegetarian eats no animal flesh, but will eat animal products- eggs, dairy, honey, etc.- hard core vegans eat no animal products, do not wear animals, use beeswax candles, etc. Both are really lifestyle choices...

I became a vegetarian around 8 or so years ago for health reasons, now it's all about the animals.

To become a vegetarian and stay one, start slowly. Maybe stop eating red meat first, then cut out another meat....and don't beat yourself up if you slip up...just keep moving forward...
 
Thanks!

I am thinking about making a lifestyle change, not so much for medical health reasons, but to become healthier if that makes sense. I also think my son who suffers from ADHD would benefit from a diet that is void of the stuff they pump into cattle, poultry, etc and even some, if not most, of the preservatives and dyes they put into food.
Which leads me to another question: If I wanted to cut out regular milk but keep the benefits of it, what should I replace it with?

Thanks again!
 
I take calcium. Then again I never liked milk. Try looking at soy milk. If I remember correctly it does have a higher level of calcium in it. Personally I drink rice milk. It is not as creamy.

I agree with Nikki. Start out slow. If you slip up don't beat yourself up. Just start on the right path again. You will have cravings for about a month. It's normal.

Good luck. Keep us posted.
 
Thanks! I will definitely keep you posted and may drive you nuts with my questions! ;) If I get too questiony, just tell me to go away! LOL!

I will be doing this in a house full of hunters and gatherers, as my hubby and his entire family hunt and are meat eaters and my family are the meat and potatoes type also. But I am up to the challenge and I know it will definitely do me some good and my son some good!
 
Good luck! I love animals, but could never be a vegetarian.... Even my salads need meat on them lol
 
I like soy milk (vanilla) on my cereal. I also like rice milk and almond milk, kind of up to your individual taste.

Have you ever watched the movie "Food, Inc."? Good documentary about food/meat production and how gross it all is...I've also read "Food Matters" and "The Omnivore's Dilemma", both good books about the food industry...

My husband is a meat eater and luckily he is very supportive. He cooks his own meat and I will make a veggie/pasta recipe as a side dish. Oh, a good veggie cookbook helps out alot as well...

There are also meatless nuggets and meat substitutes that can help out especially in the beginning. Feel free to ask questions. I am by no means an expert but am more than willing to share my experiences- feel free to PM me... :)
 
I am not vegan or vegetarian but I have many friends who claim they are. My advise is do do your research and make sure you make balanced meals. Vegetarian is only healthy if you use things that will replace the protein and nutrients you were getting from meat. By posting and asking it sounds like you are off to a good start though. :)
 
Yeah, I think it's a lot easier to be a vegetarian now than it was 10 or 15 years ago. I don't know if you have a Trader Joes nearby, but that it is a great place to buy meat substitutes like the chicken nuggets or even veggie bacon cheaper than the trendy health markets like Whole Foods. Of course, Whole Foods has a giant selection of vegetarian items. It's better to make things fresh anyway...Fresh fruits and veggies are the way to go. We drink soy milk here, the Trader Joes brand (the stuff that is not in the refrigerator case) seems to be what my husband likes the best.
 
You don't need milk, I haven't drank milk in probably almost 20 years. I hate the taste of it. You just need to get your calcium elsewhere.

I've read that some soy products are not that good for you actually, but I can't remember the source, but it's worth looking into if you're trying to switch to vegetarian.
 
Can you recommend a good cook book? I have quite a few that say you can make their recipes vegan or vegetarian but I think it would be easier to start out with a totally vegetarian cook book so I can get my bearings and such. And I love almond milk! I did a dairy detox a few months ago and this is one of the substitutes I used!

Everyone's advice is greatly appreciated!
 
I'm on my way to becoming an unintentional vegetarian, methinks. I've been growing more and more aware of the crap they put in foods, and the massive amounts of hormones and fillers in meats..and so have been weaning myself off of eating meat at every dinner. So far I've cut back my red meat intake by a huge amount, and have been more conscientious of the meat ingredients in foods. I don't know how far it will go, and if I will end up just writing off meat entirely, because I still love a good roasted organic free-range chicken just as much as the next guy...and I can't imagine wanting to quit eating fish entirely (just the unsustainable kind).

Maybe, just maybe, if it's livestock that was cared for and fed properly as it lived, eating it isn't so bad? Or maybe becoming aware of all the problems with the meat industry is the first step to ending up entirely vegetarian...guess I'll find out huh?
 
HamNCheese said:
I

Maybe, just maybe, if it's livestock that was cared for and fed properly as it lived, eating it isn't so bad? Or maybe becoming aware of all the problems with the meat industry is the first step to ending up entirely vegetarian...guess I'll find out huh?
Click to expand...

On a purely welfare basis--red meat is actually treated the best. I don't know what species are fed more or less hormones or antibiotics (which are illegal in meat in the US at least). As far as living conditions & quality of life beef cattle are treated best. Then dairy, then ovine (goats/sheep), then swine and lastly poultry. Poultry are treated horribly. I considered cutting out poultry from my diet on purely moral reasons but it is probably the hardest meat to cut out since it is usually cheaper and healthier for you. I often buy ground turkey instead of ground beef for tacos and such because of it but I often struggle with the moral implications of my choice.

Maybe I'll be asking you for advice or recipes in a while haha
 
Bostongirl'sChin75 said:
Can you recommend a good cook book? I have quite a few that say you can make their recipes vegan or vegetarian but I think it would be easier to start out with a totally vegetarian cook book so I can get my bearings and such. And I love almond milk! I did a dairy detox a few months ago and this is one of the substitutes I used!

Everyone's advice is greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...


The Veganomicon is a great one! And you don't have to buy "meat substitutes" in order to be a healthy vegetarian. Think of them more as transitional foods, use them to curb your cravings with the intent of finding healthier replacements and broadening your palate. The meat subs have a lot of preservatives and processing agents in them... not necessarily all that healthy. But, they are good for easing your way in and helping you to feel a little less like a freak at family dinners and such (my family is all down-home cookin' meat and potatoes eaters too... it can be a little unsettling for both sides at times). Just stick with it and take it one day at a time!

You will have cravings, you may even feel ill for a while. Just remember that you are detoxing and clearing out all that leftover junk from the animal products that your body doesn't process well. Try to eat balanced and as much whole foods as possible.
 
If you didn't want to go 100% vegetarian, but still stay compassionate to animals and avoid those yucky hormones, there is an alternative that, I believe, is gaining a lot of popularity. This is something I plan to do starting soonish...

Buy your meat and vegetables local. It's good for the environment, because the meat isn't being shipped far away, and you support local farmers. Plus, when you go visit the farm, you can see how the animals are raised. Are they stuffed into a barn? Are they free-grazing? You can ask what hormones, if any, the farmers use. You're not just buying some mystery meat from the freezer section of your grocery store.

A lot of people are also beginning to buy their fruits and vegetables local, from either farmers markets, or they have memberships at local farms. You won't necessarily be eating strawberries in December anymore, but it is more environmentally friendly. Plus, you could even choose a farm that doesn't use pesticides, which is a lot healthier. This is called being sustainable.

This blog gives a lot of great ideas for having a sustainable pantry, and how to cook with foods in season. Most of their recipe ideas are vegetarian:
http://sustainablepantry.com/

Also, if you go to the about section, they give you resources for learning more about being sustainable.

I know that I could never go vegetarian, and I don't have much of a desire to give up meat. But I would rather support farms that treat their animals humanely, rather than ones that cut the beaks of their chickens! How awful!
 
Thanks Jessla! There is nothing better than home grown veggies and fruits and living in the rural part of Ga like I do it is common to find farmers markets and such. I can't grow my own because the deer and rabbits and other animals eat them ( my yard is not fenced) so this is a perfect alternative!

Thanks for all the wonderful advice and links everyone! You all have been so helpful! keep em coming!
 
congrats on wanting to go vegetarian!

mostly everything has already been said, but i also want to emphasize doing things slowly.
ive had friends who wanted to go vegetarian, and they quit cold turkey, eat mostly salads and any other food that doesnt have meat in it...then they go back to eating meat cuz they feel sick or unsatisfied.

when i first began vegetarian, i did it by giving up meat for lent. during that time, i would eat veggie nuggets and soy meat products. since im hispanic, i eat beans A LOT so i got a lot of protein from there. plus, having a vegetarian friend helped me learn about different things to eat.

now i make my sandwiches with "Smart Deli" meat, i drink Silk soymilk, i make lasagna and tacos using Morning Star "Crumbles", and life has been pretty good. i make salads that have beans and nuts in them, i eat tofu on occassion (though ive never cooked with it), and ive definitely had to be more receptive to veggies i used to hate. and omg...mushroom filled pasta! never thought i'd like that.

when i first became vegetarian, it was for animal rights/compassion. i never watched any of PETA's documentaries until after i became veg. and every now and then, i still have nightmares of slaughterhouses. but now, my reasons have changed a bit. while the "animal side" of it still remains, im staying veg cuz of health reasons. both my parents have high bp and cholesterol and my family has a history of heart problems. plus, i wouldve easily gained the Freshmen 15 had i come into college as a meat eater lol.

as for cookbooks, i have:
The Starving Students Vegetarian Cookbook by Dede Hall
Student's Vegetarian Cookbook by Carole Raymond
The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet by Nava Atlas

obviously since im a college kid, i had the students cookbooks but i like them a lot because the ingredients are pretty cheap (since...im cheap lol). a lot of cookbooks ive found have ingredients that i couldnt afford, mostly because some vegetarian food can be expensive. check out one of those, the food is just as good and the ingredients are cheaper.

good luck!
 
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