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That being said, last week I had a pounding headache and was concerned that I wasn’t getting enough vitamins and nutrients as a temporary meatless eater. So, I decided to do some more research. I thought I would learn how great a vegetarian diet is (which I did from all of the pro-veg sites.) But when I read through some of the counter arguments on non-veg sites I was left feeling less than convinced that permanent vegetarianism was right for me.
GoVeg.com, a leading resource on vegetarianism, argues that one should be vegetarian (1) for the animals, (2) for the environment, and (3) for your health. I think this a good template for exploring the issue.
(1) The Animals: I believe that the treatment of animals in “factory farms” is disgusting, immoral, historically unprecedented and unhealthy for human consumption. If you’re not sure about this issue, consider watching the (albeit disturbing) “Meet Your Meat” video here. However, this does not keep me from consuming free range, organic meats, eggs and dairy products that, to my knowledge, respect the “soul” of the animal and are free of harmful chemicals and hormones.
(2) The Environment: While I agree that eating less meat is more environmentally friendly, I understand that certain geographical areas are better suited for raising animals as they are not arable for agriculture. Read more about this here.
(3) Your Health: This is where I have my most concerns. My biggest fears were that I wasn’t getting enough protein, iron or calcium. For the most part, these initial fears were actually quelled:
Protein: According to Vegetarian Times’s Vegetarian Beginner’s Guide, “all recent research indicates that if you’re eating enough calories in a day, which most of us are, you’re getting enough protein. That’s because every food, with the exception of fruit, fat and sugar, has protein in it.” (pages 20 – 21). For example, a one-half cup of soybeans has the same amount of protein as a 5 oz. steak, minus all the calories and fat. There are, apparently, actually more risks of protein overload.
Iron: While iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional problem in the world, it is arguably “not the absence of meat but the absence of ascorbic acid, or Vitamin C” that is responsible for this. I guess as long as you have enough Vitamin C in your diet, you’re good to go. That being said, some good vegetarian sources of iron include: fig, Belgian endive, cooked Spinach and quinoa. I was always told that blueberries and kale had high levels of iron, although neither was on the Vegetarian Beginner’s Guide chart. Anyone, like me with naturally low iron, might want to take additional supplements just in case – meat eater or not.
Calcium: Because my mom raises goats, I have access to plenty of fresh, raw goat milk and cheese and so would never think of going vegan. But for anyone considering veganism that is also concerned about calcium intake, “Healthful sources of calcium include broccoli, kale, collard greens, bok choy, beans, tofu prepared with calcium, tempeh, sea vegetables and fortified soy milk.” (Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook, page 12)
With my initial fears superficially answered by the pro-veg, I turned to one of my most trusted resources when it comes to health and nutrition: www.mercola.com. I found two interesting articles: “The Naiive Vegetarian” by Dr. Mercola and “Vegetarian Myths” by Stephen Byrnes. Both are pretty technical, but I think that scientific research must be the primary source of decision-making. I highly recommend reading through them in full, but for now here are two points that stood out to me:
Vitamin B-12: “It is true that vegans living in certain parts of India do not suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency. This has led some to conclude that plant foods do provide this vitamin. This conclusion, however, is erroneous as many small insects, their eggs, larvae and/or residue, are left on the plant foods these people consume, due to non-use of pesticides and inefficient cleaning methods. This is how these people obtain their vitamin B12. This contention is borne out by the fact that when Indian Hindus migrated to England, they came down with pernicious anemia within a few years. In England, the food supply is cleaner, and insect residues are completely removed from plant foods. The only reliable and absorbable sources of vitamin B12 are animal products, especially organ meats and eggs.” (Vegetarian Myths)
Correlation Fallacy: The Seventh Day Adventists are often referenced to prove the correlation between vegetarianism and lowered risk of modern diseases. Byrnes notes that, “while it is true that most members of this Christian denomination do not eat meat, they also do not smoke, drink alcohol, or drink coffee or tea, all of which may be factors in promoting cancer and heart disease.” Byrnes noted time after time how the studies and statistics are often misused to promote vegetarianism. (Vegetarian Myths)
At the end of the day, there is no clear answer. You could research forever and not get the scientific community to agree. So, I recommend just keep reading, keep experimenting, and try to be as conscious as possible of how what you eat effects YOU.
My final thoughts: The rise in processed foods, bleached flours and refined sugars seems to be the aspect that has changed the most in the last 100 years and therefore what might correlate most with the rise in obesity and disease. So my “take away” is to eat fresh, unprocessed foods – meatless or not. I think we would all benefit from incorporating more fresh vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and fruits into our diets. And YDT is here to help with resources that make these sorts of lifestyle tweaks (or overhauls) more easy.
“Secrets” that I’ve learned this month:
• Keep pre-made lentils from Trader Joe’s in fridge at all times. Of course non-packaged lentils are ideal, but this is for backup.
• Keep a basket of dried fruits and nuts in the cupboard for snacking.
• Shop at the farmer’s market for fresh fruits and veggies (duh!)
• Do whatever you can to avoid “lazy vegetarian” options like quesadillas, mac n’ cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches. This will be the death of you (figuratively speaking).
Related YDT Articles
• “Resources for Meat Free Living”
• “YDT’s Favorite Veggie/Vegan Eateries in L.A.”
• “Meatless in May” (YDT partners with Chelsea Green for national campaign)
Vegetarian Recipes
• YDT’s “Healthy Green Living Tips and Recipes”
• Vegcooking.com (with helpful tips on dining out)
• Vegetariantimes.com (where you can search by season)
I invite you to continue the conversation by commenting below.
- 7 comments
- Your thoughts?
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Comments
Amy
Lauren – I’m totally with you on this one. I absolutely respect people who go veg, I was one myself for 5 years, but for some of us this lifestyle just doesn’t work right with our bodies and health. Though further exploration I am slowly becoming what I think of as a “conscious meat eater”. In fact, I feel the way about factory raised chickens that I once felt about all meat – repulsed. However, when it comes to free range, organic meats I feel healthier and happier about my choice. That said, I still don’t eat a ton of meat (as evidinced by my limited meat recipes) but I do believe that it has an important place in MY diet.
Tracy Hepler
As an anthropology major, I learned that being able to get high quality protein was a part of what helped us evolve into the species that we currently are.
I also believe that are bodies are designed for a reason so there is a reason that we have four canine teeth. So it seems that meat eating should be a part of our eating behavior. With that said, looking back at our ancestors lifestyles, they probably weren’t eating 3 meat meals a day either…meat was a luxury–not an over indulgence.
Nowadays you can have meat when you want and as often as you want. It seems that from an environmental and health perspective it seems best to limit your meat consumption and make sure that you’re eating comes from ethical sources. Not only are you doing good for the planet and the animals, you’ll be doing good for yourself as well. As the saying goes–you are what you eat, so if you’re eating animals full of chemicals and antibotics–chances are that you will be full of them too.
Go Meatless in May–and Conscious Meat eating afterwards!
Alexander Morentin
Most vegetarians eat eggs, cheese, and milk. All of these contain vitamin b12.
Also, vitamin b12 deficiency does not show in people for many years.
It is stored in humans for a long period of time.
Don’t worry, you will be alright for a month without meat.
I haven’t eaten meat for over 7 years and have never felt or looked better.
This is a choice. I am vegetarian, but I also eat extremely healthy.
And, that is the main point. You need to eat healthy to be healthy… whether you are vegetarian or not.
Good luck with Meatless in May! 
Steve Rush
Thanks so much for this thoughtful and well researched article! I was a vegetarian for 22 years but have eating meat for the last few years. I was toying with going back to being a vegetarian again, but after reading your article and some of the recommended references, I believe Amy is right – be a “conscious meat eater”.
Are there any reliable resources that “rate” specific animal products for their humane origins??? Just because the chicken that produced the organic eggs you eat only ate organic food does not mean that the chicken was raised humanely! “Free range” can be a misnomer. Any help is appreciated. Thanks again! Steve
Allie Cat
You forgot beans on the list of iron-rich foods. The American Red Cross lists prune juice as the #1 iron-rich food, and numbers 3-10 are all lentils or beans. Here’s the list, in order:
Black Beans
Mung Beans
Garbanzo Beans
Pinto Beans
Baked Beans
Navy Beans
Lima Beans
Soybeans
Lauren Johanson
Thanks for all of your comments! It’s such an interesting topic to go back and forth on especially with each body being different and each person having tried different things. Thanks ALLIE for your addition of beans to the iron list! And I had no idea about prune juice – I’ll have to stock up!!! Both STEVE & AMY mentioned “conscious meat eaters” and this made me think of “The Compassionate Carnivore” (http://yourdailythread.com/2009/05/04/resources-for-living-meat-free/). Has anyone else read it? Any critiques or recommendations?
I also thought ALEXANDER’s comment that Vitamin B-12 deficiency doesn’t show up until years later is important to keep in mind. While many find vegetarianism healthy for a month or even a couple years, it’s important to watch out for deficiencies over the long term! Be healthy and happy
PB
Lauren – I’m totally with you on this one. I absolutely respect people who go veg, I was one myself for 5 years, but for some of us this lifestyle just doesn’t work right with our bodies and health. Though further exploration I am slowly becoming what I think of as a “conscious meat eater”. In fact, I feel the way about factory raised chickens that I once felt about all meat – repulsed. However, when it comes to free range, organic meats I feel healthier and happier about my choice. That said, I still don’t eat a ton of meat (as evidinced by my limited meat recipes) but I do believe that it has an important place in MY diet.
