New to Veg.

Heretic VIC • Posts: 7

1 17 Jul 2012

So...
I have recently decided to become vegetarian, after reading some articles online, about the health risks of being a meat eater, and likewise with the benefits of giving up meat.

Up until this point, I have been quite a heavy meat eater, usually eating meat 6 nights a week, as well as the occasional lunch with meat, I already don't eat dairy, because of lactose intolerance, and couldn't even consider a return to cow milk if I were to be able to consume it, because I find the flavor unsatisfying in comparison to soy/rice milk.

I have read quite a bit of stuff lately, but am having a bit of a hard time relating some of it to my situation, and based on my personality, I need to be able to 1. find something that works quickly and 2. find answers quickly or I will loose interest and be doomed to a life of meat eating.

So, now to the point of this post, I am having a hard time working out what to eat because, I live with my brother, sister-in-law and niece, who buy about 90% of my food, because I am an unemployed University Student, and while giving up the meat is not a problem, I am scared that just eating the Veg of their meals, (which is usually just steamed veg and mash), won't be either satisfying enough, or nutritious enough.

I am hoping to find some help in finding substitutions to the meat of the meals that they are eating, without it costing me an arm and a leg, because if I were to be having the substitutes, I will have to pay for them myself, and as mentioned before, being an unemployed student, I cant really afford to be paying out that much.

Thanks in advance.
Robin.
(sorry about the long winded post)

0

Miss. Jones VIC • Posts: 242

2 17 Jul 2012

Hello Robin,

Starting with the biggest myth: - IRON Most veggies contain iron and i know meat eaters with anaemia so not true. As with any lifestyle or type of eating most people try to get their nourishment.

So loosing meat:
iron - Most Veggies, mushrooms, potatoes, soy
VIT B12 - Nutrtional Yeast, sanitarium meat products (mostly soy/nut protein)
Proteins- Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, potato with skin, asparagus & the cheapest source of all ... Lentils .. buy them from an Indian store, usually under $5.00 for a kilo of red.... you can make dahl and freeze it fro when you are hungry. Find lots of recipes on the internet for lentils.

These are the main things you need to worry about and you mostly gain them from veggies anyway as you can see so ..... please stick to your wonderful choice for you and our beautiful planet cool

Most importantly, stay connected to UNLEASHED ... & check out all the lives you are saving.
laugh

+ 1

KirstyGirl TAS • Posts: 754

3 17 Jul 2012

As far as health things go when you're not willing to pay an arm and a leg for fortified foods then the only real thing you will need is b12. You should get blackmores b12 supplements about $9 for 75 tablets, they're high dosage so you don't need to take them all the time and for you I think it would be much cheaper than buying veg meats, nutritional yeast etc. That way you've got all your bases covered. Iron won't be a problem since you're a guy basically and so long as you eat veg and fruit you should be right getting all the essentials.

I have a list here of all animal derived ingredients:
http://www.vegantasmania.com/p/food.html
That way it's easy to check packet foods.

Other cheap student basics can be cereals, weetbix you know what I'm saying, tins of baked beans, lentils, chickpeas etc. Toss them in with your veg meals and then you'll be getting very high protein meals still (probably higher than what you were getting with meat) so you'll stay full for longer, which I assume is important when you're a starving student!

ecstatic

hope that helps!

+ 1

KirstyGirl TAS • Posts: 754

4 17 Jul 2012

Oh by the way congratulations! ecstatic

+ 1

4_da_animals1 SA • Posts: 3293

5 17 Jul 2012

Miss. Jones said:

Hello Robin,

Starting with the biggest myth: - IRON Most veggies contain iron and i know meat eaters with anaemia so not true. As with any lifestyle or type of eating most people try to get their nourishment.

So loosing meat:
iron - Most Veggies, mushrooms, potatoes, soy
VIT B12 - Nutrtional Yeast, sanitarium meat products (mostly soy/nut protein)
Proteins- Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, potato with skin, asparagus & the cheapest source of all ... Lentils .. buy them from an Indian store, usually under $5.00 for a kilo of red.... you can make dahl and freeze it fro when you are hungry. Find lots of recipes on the internet for lentils.

These are the main things you need to worry about and you mostly gain them from veggies anyway as you can see so ..... please stick to your wonderful choice for you and our beautiful planet cool

Most importantly, stay connected to UNLEASHED ... & check out all the lives you are saving.
laugh

Just a note on that - you need to be rich in vitamin c in order to be able to better absorb the iron from veggies. Spinach is an example of a high in iron veggie - but difficult to absorb that unless you are high in vit c. peace

+ 1

4_da_animals1 SA • Posts: 3293

6 17 Jul 2012

KirstyGirl said:

As far as health things go when you're not willing to pay an arm and a leg for fortified foods then the only real thing you will need is b12. You should get blackmores b12 supplements about $9 for 75 tablets, they're high dosage so you don't need to take them all the time and for you I think it would be much cheaper than buying veg meats, nutritional yeast etc. That way you've got all your bases covered. Iron won't be a problem since you're a guy basically and so long as you eat veg and fruit you should be right getting all the essentials.

I have a list here of all animal derived ingredients:
http://www.vegantasmania.com/p/food.html
That way it's easy to check packet foods.

Other cheap student basics can be cereals, weetbix you know what I'm saying, tins of baked beans, lentils, chickpeas etc. Toss them in with your veg meals and then you'll be getting very high protein meals still (probably higher than what you were getting with meat) so you'll stay full for longer, which I assume is important when you're a starving student!

ecstatic

hope that helps!

B12 isn't a concern of course if you are only planning to go vegetarian first up. Things like eggs are rich in vitamin b12, and for a transition are a great source for a quick nutritional plus to a meal. However there are many reasons for not eating eggs which is mainly tyed to veganism. So it just depends on whether you are planning on making a gradual transition or a leap, and whether you are planning on sticking with vegetarian or are open to veganism also. peace

Unless of course you have trouble consuming eggs as part of lactose intolerance? But as far as I know that's just dairy?

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vegiepete SA • Posts: 147

7 17 Jul 2012

well done u have made a great decision ull be fine like missjones has said just keep in touch with unleashed and ull find plenty of food ideas to keep u interested ..ull never go back

+ 1

KirstyGirl TAS • Posts: 754

8 17 Jul 2012

4_da_animals1 said:

Miss. Jones said:

Hello Robin,

Starting with the biggest myth: - IRON Most veggies contain iron and i know meat eaters with anaemia so not true. As with any lifestyle or type of eating most people try to get their nourishment.

So loosing meat:
iron - Most Veggies, mushrooms, potatoes, soy
VIT B12 - Nutrtional Yeast, sanitarium meat products (mostly soy/nut protein)
Proteins- Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, potato with skin, asparagus & the cheapest source of all ... Lentils .. buy them from an Indian store, usually under $5.00 for a kilo of red.... you can make dahl and freeze it fro when you are hungry. Find lots of recipes on the internet for lentils.

These are the main things you need to worry about and you mostly gain them from veggies anyway as you can see so ..... please stick to your wonderful choice for you and our beautiful planet cool

Most importantly, stay connected to UNLEASHED ... & check out all the lives you are saving.
laugh

Just a note on that - you need to be rich in vitamin c in order to be able to better absorb the iron from veggies. Spinach is an example of a high in iron veggie - but difficult to absorb that unless you are high in vit c. peace

While spinach is high in iron it's not easily absorbed even with vitamin c and if specifically trying to incorporate iron in a meal then it's best to avoid spinach for a couple of hours before hand due to the tannins in spinach. Just like tea it makes it harder for the body to absorb iron.

+ 1

Miss. Jones VIC • Posts: 242

9 18 Jul 2012

KirstyGirl said:

As far as health things go when you're not willing to pay an arm and a leg for fortified foods then the only real thing you will need is b12. You should get blackmores b12 supplements about $9 for 75 tablets, they're high dosage so you don't need to take them all the time and for you I think it would be much cheaper than buying veg meats, nutritional yeast etc. That way you've got all your bases covered. Iron won't be a problem since you're a guy basically and so long as you eat veg and fruit you should be right getting all the essentials.

I have a list here of all animal derived ingredients:
http://www.vegantasmania.com/p/food.html
That way it's easy to check packet foods.

Other cheap student basics can be cereals, weetbix you know what I'm saying, tins of baked beans, lentils, chickpeas etc. Toss them in with your veg meals and then you'll be getting very high protein meals still (probably higher than what you were getting with meat) so you'll stay full for longer, which I assume is important when you're a starving student!

ecstatic

hope that helps!

Hi Darling,
My naturopath warned me off Blackmores years ago. They tend to have low quantities in them. So check the back of the bottle before purchasing. xxx

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KirstyGirl TAS • Posts: 754

10 18 Jul 2012

Well the B12 one by Blackmores definitely doesn't have low quantities, maybe some of their other vitamins do but not the b12. I also suggested blackmores because they're listed as the most ethical or rather pretty much only ethical vitamin company in Aus by the ethical shopping guide.

+ 1

need some help