K so I decided to go vegetarian. I still consume some dairy products, but it’s much less than I used to. I’ve been going for about 3 weeks with no meat :) (...Except for 2 pieces of shrimp, which gave me heartburn the rest of the day...)
My mom seems to think I’m not getting enough nutrients. Her biggest concern is that I’m not getting enough protein. If I had proceeded with this new diet on ‘walmart’ food, I’d probly be dead now, and probably really wouldn’t be getting enough protein. However, instead of just avoiding meat, I decided to go all the way. By all the way I mean buying real food, and not that ‘food flavored’ garbage marketed as edible at the grocery store.
With this new diet I’m consuming about 60-70 grams of protein daily. That’s around 25% more than what the USDA suggests as the daily intake for my age (22), and much more than what I used to get. Soy protein intake is kept to a minimum (Plant protein makes greatest majority, followed by whey). My protein comes from things like: peanuts, raw sunflower seeds, multigrain bread, and various fruits & veggies (no specific order).
So what you all think? Am I getting enough protein or no?
I must be doing something right... My acne is clearing, I’m able to think better, my memory used to be totally shot (now I can remember stuff w/o studying it for 2 hours), my senses are keener (can see in dark much better; sense of smell is better; reaction times seem faster) & to top it all off, I don’t have random pains anymore :)
Update:Thanks jonathan for the update.
Unfortunately Joseph Mercola is not a credible source in my book. His website has a disclaimer stating that the info on his site is based on opinion, and that you should do your own [actual] research before making any health-care decisions. With that in mind, anything on that site could be just made-up marketing schemes, or just crap with absolutely nothing to back-it up.
Mercola’s disclaimer: "The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions
Update 3:@ jonathan
I took investigative journalism courses in college. You wouldn’t believe how much BS is out there [in any subject]. The fact that 80% of your sources are just ‘opinions’, or simply irrelevant to the subject in question, is proof enough IMO. I just want to maintain the healthiest possible diet without corporate greed or 1950’s myths interfering.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t the abstract in your last source (http://www.ajcn.org/content/70/3/516S.full ) state that there’s no significant differences between vegetarians and nonvegetarians in mortality rates?
“...There were no significant differences between vegetarians and nonvegetarians in mortality from cerebrovascular disease, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, or all other causes combined.”
That doesn’t sound to me like I’m twice as likely to develop cancer...
Another portion of the article states: “...Some previous studies reported an increase in prostate cancer
Update 5:...Continuing...
cancer risk with increasing meat consumption, but this association has been more consistent in case-control studies than in prospective studies. For the other causes of death examined (lung cancer, stomach cancer, cerebrovascular disease, and other causes) no overall association with vegetarianism was expected and none was observed...”
Darn... I was looking forward to that lung cancer.
Ultimately it seems this article is mostly claiming vegetarians will have a different set of risks than non-vegetarians. Which seem obvious. You loose some, you get some.
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
In a way you've pretty much already answered your own question - The fact that you are feeling healthier and that you've actually researched protein requirements - that you are not only meeting them but exceeding them - should be enough! The problem is that people of your mother's generation (of which I am a member) have been hit over the head with false notions of how much protein we need or even where that protein comes from. Most of this wrong thinking comes from America and their beef and dairy industries spending literally billions in advertising and lobbying politicians to alter the perception of their "products" and unfortunately those perceptions have found their way into other countries as well.
A good place to look where you can find lots of information on health considerations et al is this: http://www.vegansociety.com/
It sounds like you've already figured out most of this for yourself though! : )
Yes you are getting enough protein. As you have said, there is plenty of protein to be had in plant-based foods. Just make sure you eat a variety of fruits, nuts and veggies every week to make sure you are getting everything you need.
Tell your mum that there are no essential vitamins or minerals that you will miss out on by excluding meat from your diet, that is, there are no vitamins or minerals in meat that are not found in plant based foods. There is also peer reviewed scientific research showing that eliminating animal based foods from your diet has both short and long term benefits for your health.
Keep it up!
(Note about the previous answerer, it is not true that you need small portions of meat, and even if it were, 500g is not a small portion, that is half a kg! I stopped eating animal based foods a few months ago entirely for the health benefits and I have not regretted it.)
Well soy has the effects of increasing weight... as well as adverse hormone effects for anyone other than old women.
The best protein comes from legumes of the lentil type. You might want to switch to that. Or even whey powder to lesser extent. Or why not even fungus.
Meat has been contaminated... what about organic meat? Nah that too has been vaccinated. Raw milk? Illegal.
Your mother should watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=derZbxZEMcI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks7E-x-jYzw
Meat? Well find some worms in your garden, eat those. Or some wild pigeons.
Why not build some chicken coops in your garden, ah wait... that's illegal in some states.
We don't always need to eat meat. Unless you want to grow tall. There's nothing wrong with males only being 5 foot tall.
Oh Ramadan was amazing without a certain member of the family, all that time we ate Daal and bread.
I halted red meat..but still useing chicken..once per month..
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Protein..
I use lentils..
I make bean soups from scratch..
I'm useing eggs..about 2-dozen per month..(Max)
I bake my own bread..and make my own pizza's..
The pizza's are used to hold things..like canned salmon..
I'll make cheeseless pizza..useing veggies/adding whole wheat to my pizza dough..
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Instead of mozzarella..I use sour cream..as a dipping sauce for pizza/
I've started useing pumpkin pie filling in a can..for bean soups..
..useing chipotle peppers and different spices(Curry Powder)..
Adding onions..and carrots/canned tomato's..
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I use bottled water from the supermarket--to control water weight..
I cook with bottled water..I don't trust TAP Water..
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Try whole flax seeds..I use my coffee grinder--to MILL them..
I sprinkle that around things..
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I've gone 12-months w/o red meat..
..try poached fish..get some fresh fish--and poach it in plain water..
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I jump between corn oil and olive oil..
I do use shortening on my bread pans and my pizza pans..
I stopped useing butter and bacon..
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You can just boil chicken parts.
No need for fancy recipes with all kinds of sauces..
Just boil in water..
I always brine in salt water over-nite/keep changing the water..
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Being a Vegatarian is a nice choice for recipes..
Get a WOK..and a saute' pan..
Get some bamboo utensils..
Get a silicone baking sheet for no fat baking..(in the oven)
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There's French toast..
Pasta with a white sauce..
I made a pizza useing thin sliced potato's..as a crust/
I layered the pizza pan..with potato slices(raw)..add spices and baked that--then added topping and baked again..
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Start collecting recipes.
If all the benefits you mentioned you are experiencing by looking and feeling better are not enough to convince your mom, nothing will. Have a blood test and show it to her.
You need to eat small portions of meat, at most 500 gr every weekend in order to be healthy
if you don't eat meat at all, you will have problems in later life
yes:
Mercola, Joseph. Mercola.com: Dangers of a Vegetarian Diet in Teens. (2005).
Mercola, Joseph. Mercola.com: Strict Vegetarians can Develop Blindness and Brain Damage. (2005).
Mercola, Joseph. Mercola.com: Vegetarian Diet Increases Alzheimer's Risk. (2005).
Wang, H. X. Neurology.org: Vitamin B12 and Folate in Relation to the elopment of Alzheimer's Disease. AAN Enterprises, Inc. (2001).
I've always eaten both vegetables, fruits and small portions of meat, and never had any problems in my life.
Most vegetarians rely on supplementary pills, which they immediately assume to be "healthy"
there is nothing healthier than combining both types of food.
yeah, anything that is against vegetarians is probably not a credible source in your book
how about this then?
http://www.ajcn.org/content/70/3/516S.full
studies have shown that you're twice as likely to develop stomach cancer and about three times to develop lung cancer than meat eaters
is this also out of your book? ignorant