six

Quite recently, I decided to convert to vegetarianism. Many people I know have criticized and bashed it when I told them about the change. They told me it was "unhealthy" because I would not be able to get a sufficient amount of protein or vitamin B12. They told me that I would constantly feel dizzy and light headed, and possibly go through more fainting spells than I already experience (I naturally get dizzy and feel faint if I don't eat enough due to my fairly quick metabolism). Contrary to everything that they believed would happen to me, I feel great. I haven't experienced any negative effects on my body whatsoever. No dizziness or faint spells as a result of the diet change. As a matter of fact I am feeling better than I did pre-vegetarianism. I never feel weighed down or heavy. The best way to describe it is that my insides actually feel cleaner, and my body feels overall healthier. I've also lost a small amount of weight since the conversion.

The biggest complaint about vegetarianism and veganism is that there is no way to attain the proper amount of daily protein. This belief and statement is false. Protein can be found in all types of foods including nuts, soy, beans, split peas, whole grains, collard greens, seeds, and most dairy products like cheese and yogurt (for those who are just vegetarians and not vegans). There are also meat substitutes with sufficient protein amounts and can be used to make all the same recipes in non-vegetarian diets. The most commonly known meat replacement is tofu. Tofu can be eaten by itself after being soaked in marinades, dashed with spices, and cooked, or it can be used to top a salad or a bed of rice. Another substitute is tempeh, an Indonesian food made from soy beans and grains. It can be dredged in flour or cornmeal and then be pan fried. A third meat substitute is seitan (also known as wheat gluten). Seitan makes a great replacement for chicken recipes.

One other complaint I've heard is that the vegetarian diet does not contain foods with vitamin B12. This statement is partially true. For vegetarians who eat dairy products, B12 is found there. For vegans who don't consume dairy, they do not find B12 in their foods. However, despite the fact that vegan food itself does not supply B12, any multivitamin will. And there are also vitamin tablets that are the B12 vitamin only. So just because it may not be already be present in the foods of a vegan diet, it is still easily attainable to receive B12.

For those who still believe that vegetarianism/veganism is unhealthy, perhaps these simple facts will open your mind. People who consume a vegetarian diet have several major health benefits. Certain diseases and health issues such as heart disease, high blood-pressure, adult on-set diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, and even certain cancers are present less often and are less likely to develop in vegetarians. The vegetarian diet is high in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, all of which provide incredible ammunition to fight against disease and illness.

Obviously vegetarianism and veganism have their fair share of cons (two of which discussed here), but when managed properly, those cons are easily resolved. All vitamins and nutrients are necessary, and should be Incorporated into every diet. Though some people believe that non-meat diets mean giving up certain vitamins and nutrients, doesn't make it true. It is still very possible for a vegetarian or vegan to receive the same amounts of nutrients and vitamins as for someone who is not.