Answers to Everyday Questions : What kinds of food can I eat if I want to become a vegetarian?

What kinds of food can I eat if I want to become a vegetarian?

11 Responses to “What kinds of food can I eat if I want to become a vegetarian?”

1. Doom Tints said :
   July 1st, 2010 at 1:44 am

   You’ll have to look at the label to see if any prepackaged food is vegetarian. Most of it isn’t, so you are better off making your own salad dressing, etc., if you decide to become a vegetarian.

   If you are thinking of becoming a vegetarian to lose weight, I would say that this is probably a bad idea. There are certainly overweight vegetarians out there. Instead, I would try to eat MORE vegetables and LESS meat, but not cut out meat altogether.

   Eat a balanced diet, get plenty of exercise, and talk to your doctor who can refer you to a nutritionist.
2. Happy Guy said :
   July 1st, 2010 at 2:11 am

   You can eat carrots, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, apples, grapes, and cous cous.

   Good luck!
3. al_sparagus said :
   July 1st, 2010 at 2:47 am

   Don’t do it. IF you eat and exercise properly you will lose weight, becoming a vegetarian will really mess up the balance in your body and you will most likely gain weight at first, plus you will lose a LOT of energy.
4. kdthompsonmail said :
   July 1st, 2010 at 3:03 am

   There are different kinds of vegetarians. You may be thinking vegan, which is not eating anything with animal by-products. This means no dairy, no honey, etc. Unless it explicitly says vegan on it, you may be eating animal by product and not know it.
   If you want to be a vegetarian just don’t eat meat. Eat fruits, vegetables, pastas, and grains. If you want to be a vegan, that’s a whole different story I think. I’m not a vegetarian, but I rarely eat meat. The key is getting enough protein, so you feel full, and having it taste good so you feel satisfied. I suggest buying a vegetarian cookbook.
5. Jamie H said :
   July 1st, 2010 at 3:17 am

   Like other people said, becoming a vegitarian won’t necessarily make you thinner. Afterall, ice-cream, white bread, and cheese are all meat free. Vegitarians have to make sure that they aren’t filling up on empty carbs. I also wouldn’t suggest becoming a vegitarian just because you want to lose weight; perhaps if you wanted to become healthier.
   That aside, there are tones of things you can eat as a vegitarian. There’s salads, cereals, hummus, falafel, pad tai (no meat of course), spaghetti without meat in it, fried tofu and chips at a fish restaurant, black bean borritos, pb&j, veggie dogs, veggie burgers….The list goes on. You’d be surprised how easy it is to go veg. However, you do have to check your salad dressings and cheeses b/c some of them have rennant in them, which is a meat derivative.
   Hope this helps.
6. corazondiablo said :
   July 1st, 2010 at 3:42 am

   A vegetarian diet is a wonderful healthy way to lose weight and maintain weight loss… if you are smart about it. Too many vegetarians eat way too much cheese and dairy, which are full of fat. Have a smart eating plan formulated, and discuss this with your doctor. If you are not making this change based on animal rights or environmental concerns, you may have an easier transition if you begin limiting meat but keeping eggs and dairy. Maybe eggs are fine for you, but you don’t want to eat seafood. Maybe no animal products at all will work better. See what feels right to you, your body, and your conscious. You can always try out different levels of vegetarianism, it can vary depending on your needs at the time.

   It is a myth that a vegetarian diet is limiting or unhealthy, and just as it is rude for vegetarians to criticize meat eaters diets, it is just as rude for them to criticize your food choices. You will need to be able to feel confidant in your food choices, because some people feel they have the right to butt in, both meat eaters and veggies who feel they are more “pure” than you because you eat something they won’t. Don’t listen to them.

   Buy some vegetarian cookbooks, or go to the library and get some good examples and ideas for healthy meals and shopping strategies. Learn to read labels, you’d be shocked to actually see what is in your food. This is a great strategy even if you aren’t vegetarian. Whole grains, legumes, leafy greens, and soy products are some of the things you should be looking at. Salads are great, but there is a whole world of wonderful, healthy, and non-animal based foods to explore. If you eat out, try Indian, Thai, Italian, Middle Eastern, Mexican and Greek cuisine, as there are great traditional dishes that are naturally meatless. Just watch the cheese, butter, and oil.

   And most important, you must also get moving if you want to lose weight. Take walks, go swimming, ride your bike.
7. Michael N said :
   July 1st, 2010 at 4:37 am

   Vegetarian diet: A starter’s guide to a plant-based diet
   A well-planned vegetarian diet is a healthy way to meet your nutritional needs. Find out what you need to know about a plant-based diet.

   Details here / http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vegetarian-diet/HQ01596
8. Mari said :
   July 1st, 2010 at 5:34 am

   You can eat anything but meat. If you’re not going vegan, just be sure not to consume too many dairy products. Cheese, cream, anything like that can make you gain weight pretty easily. Just eat them minimally and you should be fine.

   But be sure to eat things that include a lot of protein such as soy meat and beans. Otherwise, you obviously wouldn’t be a healthy vegetarian.

   And if you eat a lot of bread, switch from white bread to wheat bread. There’s wheat pasta as well. It doesn’t taste much different from regular pasta.
9. Prodigy556 said :
   July 1st, 2010 at 5:36 am

   A vegetarian does not nessesarity mean you will lose weight. Weight loss is a matter of physics, burn more calories than you take in. If you switch to a vegetarian diet and replace your meat with carbs(pastas, rice, etc) and little vegetables you are taking in the same calories(you are taking in less colesterol, etc, but calories will be about the same)

   Meat is unhealthy and has a lot of fat and calories in it, but so can processed vegetarian food(veg. food is simply lowler in saturated fats, and cholesterol). You need to replace your meat intake with vegetables, beans, tpfu, etc.

   Off the vegetarian topic of a second and onto weight loss:
   The best way to lose weight is slowly over the course of several month(1-2lbs per week max). Eat several smaller meals over the entire day and stop eating a few hours before bed. Cut out the junk food, and replace them with fruits and vegetables. Stop drinking sweetened drinks(you wouldn’t beleive how many calories these have). Switch from soda to diet soda, juices to diet juices(crystal light has powder drinks with no sugar). Cut down on sugary food, salty snacks, etc.

   No diet is complete without excersize, 30 min a day is minimum(6 days a week) Best would be to do 3 days cardio, 3 strength training) Excersize increases matabolism and burns fat and calories.

   If you cut down to to low a number of calories you will go into a starvation mode,and stop losing. It is best to vary calories eaten per day, 1200 calories for a few days, 1500, for another few, and day where you take a break from dieting and eat what you want(in moderation)
10. Ms. Jo said :
    July 1st, 2010 at 6:13 am

    First, not all vegetarians are thin or lose weight (if that is why you are making the switch).
    You need to decide to what extent you want to be a vegetarian. Some people don’t eat any animal products, such as eggs and milk. Other people do eat animal products or even fish. I eat fish, but I try to avoid any milk or eggs produced at factory farms. This is because the animals are abused. Keep in mind that cheese is not just an animal product. They use an enzyme that is found in the stomaches of cows, therefore they have to kill the cow in order to make cheese. Also remember that anything made from lard is not vegetarian. This means no Oreos.
11. britt6231990 said :
    July 1st, 2010 at 6:45 am

    First of all, Proteins are found in TONS of foods other then meat. So is Iron. Therefore if you eat enough veggies and fruits you will have just as much protein and iron as any meat eater would except, you wont have heart problems, clogged arteries or cancers caused by eating meat.

    HUGE LIST OF VEGAN FOODS WITH LOTS OF IRONS
    Soybeans, cooked
    Blackstrap molasses
    Lentils, cooked
    Spinach, cooked
    Quinoa, cooked
    Tofu
    Bagel, enriched
    Tempeh
    Lima beans, cooked
    Swiss chard, cooked
    Black beans, cooked
    Pinto beans, cooked
    Turnip greens, cooked
    Chickpeas, cooked
    Potato
    Kidney beans, cooked
    Prune juice
    Beet greens, cooked
    Tahini
    Veggie hot dog
    Peas, cooked
    Black-eyed peas, cooked
    Cashews
    Brussels sprouts, cooked
    Bok choy, cooked
    Bulgur, cooked
    Raisins
    Almonds
    Apricots, dried
    Veggie burger, commercial
    Watermelon
    Soy yogurt
    Tomato juice
    Green beans, cooked
    Kale, cooked
    Sunflower seeds
    Broccoli, cooked
    Millet, cooked
    Sesame seeds

    PROTEIN FOODS!!
    Soybeans
    lentils
    black beans
    Kidney beans
    Veggie Burgers
    Chic peas
    Baked beans
    pinto beans
    black eyed peas
    tofu
    lima beans
    bagel
    peanut butter
    veggie dog
    spaghetti
    almonds
    soy milk
    soy yogurt
    sunflower seeds
    whole white bread
    cashews
    brown rice
    broccoli
    spinach
    potatoes