Ok. Don't have much time to write today because I am very very busy. However, I found this well-written-better-than-I-could-say-so-myself article from WholeFoods.com. It explains why breakfast is important. For a long time I wouldnt eat breakfast because I didnt want to gain weight. This went on pretty much all through high school.
The only time I ate breakfast was before a major exam because - oh wait- I wanted to do better! How smart was it for me to skip all those breakfasts when I knew it helped me stay awake and feel sharper? Not very smart. I often traded breakfast for a morning cigarette my senior year. YUM how nutritious was that? Exactly. I cant say I was the smartest teen, but have defiantly wise-up since then. I still ate a lot as a teen but I just wouldnt eat breakfast because somewhere along the line I believed some crap that it was "OK" to not eat. I can tell you this, it didnt help me get skinnier. I am 23 now and I eat breakfast every day and have since my freshman year of college (if I wasnt sleeping in that is ;)
Now, I eat it every day and it truly helps me get my day going and fight the hunger. I did have to make some lifestyle adjustments once I graduated college and got a grown-up job. I was trading in my eggs and fruit cups for....doughnuts and croissants! Yay! That was a quick way for my ass to explode! So after realizing I maybe needed to SLEEP MORE and get up earlier...breakfast became easier. When I find myself in a rush I normally have some organic instant oatmeal. See what the article says. I hope you enjoy it. It doesnt speak to vegatarianism itself, but it talks about health and to me, making healthy choices for YOU is more important.
The link is posted below and I also copied and pasted the article in case the link doesnt work. Enjoy.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/nutrition/breaking-for-breakfast.php
Breaking for Breakfast
Skipping breakfast — how bad can it be, really?
Pretty bad ... for real. It turns out that skipping breakfast can make you gain weight because you end up snacking and eating larger meals later in the day. More than that, it can temporarily dumb you down. It’s true. A respected European study showed better performance and cognitive ability in people who ate carbohydrates with protein for breakfast. Other studies have shown that brain function in children who skip breakfast is drastically reduced by late morning.
And no, that muffin on the way out the door doesn’t count as breakfast. We’re talking a real breakfast here, with proteins and carbs, one that will stick to your ribs until lunch or later. So, like your mother said, breakfast really is important.
Think about it. When you get up in the morning, you’ve been fasting since the previous evening's meal — up to ten or twelve hours. Breaking that fast with a cup of coffee and a donut doesn’t give you the nutrition and energy you need to make it all the way to lunch.
Skipping breakfast (or eating a poor one) can also lower your metabolic rate — your body has to compensate somehow for the lack of fuel, which means you will burn fewer calories throughout the day. Plus, children who eat breakfast are more likely to get the vitamins and minerals they need and be more emotionally stable and mentally alert.
Okay, so breakfast is important, but what kind of breakfast is best? One that’s balanced with good carbohydrates, good fats and protein. The ideal breakfast should have lots of fiber and whole grains, some protein and good fat, and as little added sugar as possible. Here’s a breakdown:
Carbohydrates
As much as you can, stick with foods that are low on the Glycemic Index. These are usually complex or unrefined carbohydrates that your body digests slowly, releasing a steady supply of energy over a longer period of time. Refined carbohydrates, like those donuts, are quickly digested and the energy they contain is rapidly dispersed, leaving you with less energy than you had before you ate them. Low glycemic foods also keep your blood-sugar levels on an even keel so you avoid those energy peaks and valleys that disrupt your day.
Good carbs include whole grain cereals, breads and pancakes topped with berries, fruit or nuts. Accompany them with a variety of non-sweetened fruit juices, naturally flavored, unsweetened milks and yogurts.
Bad carbs are foods such as donuts, white bread, sugary cereals, and high-sugar jams, jellies and syrups. Avoid sugary products in general along with those that contain high fructose corn syrup. After ten or twelve hours of fasting, the body is particularly sensitive to sugars, which is why they should be avoided at breakfast.
Fats
Everyone needs them and they make food taste good. The key is in knowing which fats are good and which are bad. For detailed information on fats, see the separate articles called The Facts on Fats and Guide to Cooking Oils.
Protein
Except for egg dishes, typical breakfasts are usually low in protein. Adding protein to your breakfast (and other meals) is a good way to lower your meal's glycemic index and prevent spikes in blood sugar.
Suggestions for adding protein-rich foods:
Eggs, cooked any way you like them (hard-boiled eggs are easy to have around for a quick protein boost)
Unsweetened yogurt or cottage cheese with berries
Refried beans spread on whole grain toast or tortillas
Nut butters
Burritos with eggs or beans and cheese on whole grain tortillas
All types of natural meat, such as breakfast steaks, lean pork chops or turkey bacon
Bean soup
Hummus on whole grain or corn tortillas
Add nuts to oatmeal, yogurt and hot or cold cereal
Tempeh
Scrambled tofu
Unsweetened Kefir
Cheese sticks with fruit
Cream cheese on whole grain crackers
Making it happen
So, how do get yourself — not to mention your family — to actually eat a good breakfast? Time is the key here, because most people will eat well if offered nutritious food and the time to eat it, so start by making sure enough time is available. But what about those who don't like traditional breakfast foods or are addicted to highly sweetened empty calories? To lure them over from the "dark side," offer them foods they like that normally aren't eaten for breakfast, such as pizza, smoothies, milkshakes and even leftovers. Homemade pizzas work well because they can be modified by substituting eggs or other breakfast fare and adding vegetables. Make the pizza the evening before and, come morning, reheat slices — they'll think they're getting away with something. To wean your family off sugary cereals, try mixing in gradually increasing amounts of unsweetened cereals until their taste buds have adjusted. A gradual change in breakfast fare from sweet to savory will do wonders for your family's health and well-being.
Variety is always good but it may have a special appeal at breakfast. One interesting study showed that people of normal weight tended to eat more varied breakfasts than people who were obese. No one likes to eat the same thing day in and day out, so create a little excitement and a sense of adventure to breakfast by thinking outside the cereal box.
Breakfast, like all meals, should be about wholesome food, not empty calories. Give yourself and your family a daily gift that keeps on giving all morning long — a good, nutritious breakfast. It will definitely make them healthier and probably smarter too.
Sources:
Appetite. 2003 Dec; 41(3):329-31. Breakfast reduces declines in attention and memory over the morning in school children. (abstract)
Wesnes KA, Pincock C, Richardson D, Helm G, Hails S. Cognitive Drug Research Ltd, Reading RG30 1EA, UK.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thou Shalt Not Kill
Ok, for those of you who know me personally, know I am not the most religious person on the planet. I dont even really believe in the church itself. I pray to the big guy, and that's about it. Now, even though I dont go to church, I do think about religion and beliefs. One of the 10 commandements,"Thou Shalt Not Kill," really hit me. This one struck me when I was in my second month of getting meat out of my body. At that point I was down to only eating chicken and fish.
Well, around this time was my birthday. My birthday happens to fall around Easter where we fast from meat. Strange as it sounds they dont count fish as meat. I dont agree with that, but hey, to each their own. So I read in one of Paul McCartney's interviews of one of the reasons why he went veg. He said he went fishing and caught a fish. It was squirmming and looking up at him trying to breathe and he couldnt kill it. So he put it back in. So there you have it. Dont kill.
The commandment: "Thou Shalt Not Kill." Such a plain and simple law. It doesnt say "thou shalt not kill people" or "thou shalt not kill only to eat" it's just plain and simple "thou shalt not kill." That's it. And I know there are some smartasses reading this saying "WELL IM JUST EATING IT AND MY HANDS DIDNT ACTUALLY KILL IT SO THERE :P" Well let me ask you this....let's say you saw someone get killed. You knew who the murder was. And didnt say anything. Your hands are as dirty as theirs because you knew something and didnt do anything about it. So why keep having dirty hands and continue to financially support these people who are killing animals? Doesnt make sense to me.
Then there is the argument "oh well...we need to eat so we are going to eat animals in order to survive." Kaka! Why? Well, I havent eaten animal flesh in over a year and I am still kicking so we dont need to kill animals in order to preserve our life. We have other options. So why do we continue to eat? Well, since this blog has a bit of a religious tone to it, Im going to go with tempation. It's there? So you may as well do it right? RIGHT? No. Maybe at first it is a little hard because we are so used to this sinful lifestyle of paying people to do the killing for us. But in the end - we dont need it.
People always ask me -"isnt it hard to be a vegetarian? Do you ever think you will eat meat again?" I will never eat meat again ever. I will admit, training yourself for this rebirth of a meatless life is not one for the weak, but it is doable. The smell of a hot dog, the enchanting smell of a steak, all goes to hell once you stop eating it and realize not only how bad it is, but you were smelling the putrid scent of a decaying corpse.
Ask anyone who lives with me at how grossed out I am by the smell of bacon. From other vegetarians/vegans who I know they all have a particular meat they cannot stand either. Once you know the smell makes you want to vomit, there is no going back.
I sometimes wonder why we even began to eat meat in the beginning. Was it because of hungry cavemen? Or really was it because of the dollar and some smartass farmer thought "ya know...I could make more money if I KILL the cow and sell it for food instead of just milking it...." Talk about milking something for whatever it's worth.
Moral of this gospel? "Thou shalt not kill...ANYTHING!"
Well, around this time was my birthday. My birthday happens to fall around Easter where we fast from meat. Strange as it sounds they dont count fish as meat. I dont agree with that, but hey, to each their own. So I read in one of Paul McCartney's interviews of one of the reasons why he went veg. He said he went fishing and caught a fish. It was squirmming and looking up at him trying to breathe and he couldnt kill it. So he put it back in. So there you have it. Dont kill.
The commandment: "Thou Shalt Not Kill." Such a plain and simple law. It doesnt say "thou shalt not kill people" or "thou shalt not kill only to eat" it's just plain and simple "thou shalt not kill." That's it. And I know there are some smartasses reading this saying "WELL IM JUST EATING IT AND MY HANDS DIDNT ACTUALLY KILL IT SO THERE :P" Well let me ask you this....let's say you saw someone get killed. You knew who the murder was. And didnt say anything. Your hands are as dirty as theirs because you knew something and didnt do anything about it. So why keep having dirty hands and continue to financially support these people who are killing animals? Doesnt make sense to me.
Then there is the argument "oh well...we need to eat so we are going to eat animals in order to survive." Kaka! Why? Well, I havent eaten animal flesh in over a year and I am still kicking so we dont need to kill animals in order to preserve our life. We have other options. So why do we continue to eat? Well, since this blog has a bit of a religious tone to it, Im going to go with tempation. It's there? So you may as well do it right? RIGHT? No. Maybe at first it is a little hard because we are so used to this sinful lifestyle of paying people to do the killing for us. But in the end - we dont need it.
People always ask me -"isnt it hard to be a vegetarian? Do you ever think you will eat meat again?" I will never eat meat again ever. I will admit, training yourself for this rebirth of a meatless life is not one for the weak, but it is doable. The smell of a hot dog, the enchanting smell of a steak, all goes to hell once you stop eating it and realize not only how bad it is, but you were smelling the putrid scent of a decaying corpse.
Ask anyone who lives with me at how grossed out I am by the smell of bacon. From other vegetarians/vegans who I know they all have a particular meat they cannot stand either. Once you know the smell makes you want to vomit, there is no going back.
I sometimes wonder why we even began to eat meat in the beginning. Was it because of hungry cavemen? Or really was it because of the dollar and some smartass farmer thought "ya know...I could make more money if I KILL the cow and sell it for food instead of just milking it...." Talk about milking something for whatever it's worth.
Moral of this gospel? "Thou shalt not kill...ANYTHING!"
Friday, November 6, 2009
Meal 11/06/09 - Veggie Fajitas!
Hello all,
So, one slightly annoying factor when starting out to be vegetarian is that it seems like there aren't very many vegetarian-friendly places to eat. While there ARE vegetarian-friendly restaurants and options, there aren't that many menu items or they are all very similar. I decided it was best for me to start cooking. So, I wasn't the greatest cook before I went veg. Still not the greatest cook now, but, my skills are defiantly getting up there. To be honest, I love cooking for myself. It is such a stress reliever for me and I know whatever I make will be healthy, tasty, and made in a clean environment. When I first went vegetarian, I actually got food poisoning from Chipotle. Ironically, I got their veggie fajita there and I spent all night and the next day visiting the white shrine in my bathroom frequently and the one at the hospital too. What they think happened was the same person was handling the raw meats and the veggies and didn't change gloves and contaminated my food with bacterias that were out of my body for about 4 months. Jerk.
So now I make my own and BETTER fajitas. :)
Ingredients:
2 sweet peppers (color of your choice) I like the yellow and green ones.
1 yellow onion
1 package of sliced mushrooms (I use Green Giant)
1 can of organic black beans
white/brown rice (even taste good with no rice if you want to be carb conscious).
Wrap of your choice (White, Wheat, Spinach)
vegetable oil
sea salt (or regular table salt is fine - I just think sea salt has a stronger taste.
black pepper
garlic powder
cilantro
Paul Newman Salsa (optional)
sour cream (reg or vegan) (optional)
Boil rice in a hot pot drain and let it sit. Make the rice first because the veggies don't take nearly as long (30 minutes).
In a frying pan, pour vegetable oil but not a lot. Only enough to lightly cover the bottom. We don't want our food swimming in grease and getting soggy because of it. That is too fattening and gross. I start with a small amount and add as I see fit. I then let the oil heat up and dump the sliced peppers, onion, mushrooms into the hot oil and let them start to sizzle. I then sprinkle on top some sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. You don't need to use a certain amount, just be smart about it. Not too much salt though. We don't want to boost our sodium intake and drown out the natural flavor of the veggies. I let the veggies soften but Dont let them get too soft because then they will sog and be too flabby. This should take no longer than 10 minutes because you still want them to have some of their original texture. About a minute before I take them out, I add some fresh cilantro. I LOVE cilantro so I do go crazy with it. Chipotle adds it in the rice but I don't eat a lot of rice or sometimes I don't even add the rice because I want to be carb conscious. So to keep the flavor, I add it with the veggies Tangent below....
*******When you're vegetarian, you're pretty much limited to a carb diet. Veggies and fruits are complex carbs. The good carbs. Eat these carbs all day long. Simple carbs are like bread, wraps, muffins, rice (pretty much things that you are baking). Those carbs make the other carbs look bad. Brown rice has more fiber so it is better than white rice for sure. So if you want to be healthier with this, make brown rice instead of white. Or be super duper healthy and no rice at all and just the wrap. For lunch today, I actually ate my left overs minus the wrap because I ate it yesterday. Got to moderate your carbs because it can make you gain weight if you are just munching on bread all day****
Get a wrap ( I used a spinach wrap). I feel like my body digests those easier. Whole wheat is a better option. White ones really aren't that good for you and lack nutritional value, but the option is there. Lay the wrap flat and fill it with the veggies. Feel free to add salsa or sour cream. Wrap it up and get chompin'!
Alternatives:
No wrap and just eat some sauteed veggies with rice.
Wrap and no rice
No wrap or rice just the veggies (be careful with this - you cant escape all simple carbs and you do need to have something in your body. If you're going to skip any of the above, skip the wrap and go for the rice. The rice is in its original form. That's how I judge it. The wrap had to be molded and folded.
Skip sour cream or go with vegan or light cream.
Last night for dinner I ate the rice and the wrap. Today for lunch, I ate the rice, no wrap and no sour cream. Healthier and lighter.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
So Why'd Ya Do It?
So why'd I do it? I get the "why" and "how" all the time. I always get asked how did this traditional Greek girl who came from a lamb crunching family manage to do something completely unorthodox and stop eating meat? Well, let me answer the first question: Why?
I always have been a huge animal lover. I've always had pets who loved me back just as much as I loved them. I always felt conflicted to have such a great love for animals and then eat them at the same time. It just didn't seem right to me. It was a conflict of interest. I felt like such a hypocrite saying "I LOVE animals" and then eat some with practically every meal. Did I really love them? Or just love eating them? It was unsettling and was an internal conflict I had with myself.
Not only was it my love for animals that gave the desire to change, but I am always looking for a long life and to be consistently healthy. I didn't have the greatest of role models as a kid. My mom made a lot of homemade meals, but none of which seemed to be healthy once you break down the ingredients. And like many Greek households, she has a pantry filled with sweets.
My dad has been overweight/obese since as long as I could remember. McDonald's, Burger King, Portillo's Hot Dogs, Lou Malnati's Pizza, Dunkin Doughnuts made weekly visits to my house. Not to mention the fast food would be mingling with the Greek cooking which involved tons of meat and my food swimming in olive oil. While olive oil is the healthiest of oils, it is still a fat. It's like saying "well I'm eating the low-fat cookie." At the end of the day, you still eat a cookie. It's better than the regular cookie, but still not great for you.
I didnt want to end up like my parents and other relatives in my family who have diabetes, died of heart attacks, and be overweight. I always stuck to lean meats like chicken, fish, and turkey...but I always felt sluggish. I would sleep between 8-10 hours a night, work out, and after I ate, want to pass out. I did some research and thought 'ok, I need to go organic' which was the next step.
I was always suspicious about our meat. There is a reason I think why in the 5th grade when we bought our lunches from the school cafeteria we would call it mystery meat. You really dont know what you are being fed. You dont know if you really are eating beef, chicken, etc. and more realistically, you dont know the quality of the meat you are eating. Think about it. They always say "fresh" when you buy the meat. Ok. Fine. It is blood red and looks like it was killed yesterday. Fair enough. Now....what was the quality of the meat when the animal was alive? How do we know that cow didnt die of natural causes? How do we know that cow didnt have cancer or moreso, mad cow disease? How do we know for sure, we are eating a healthy animal? Most of the time, you're not. A lot of the animals are sick, dying, or already dead before they are brought on your plate. It's gross. Take a look at some of the peta videos on their website. Like this one here: http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming_cows.asp
I dont really want to feed on something that is wearing it's own feces. This happens all the time due to the tight spaces in the, I like to call, kennels. If you were sitting in your own poop all day, I highly doubt you would be all that healthy. So it's like really....how good of a condition is your meat in? Are a lot of these extreme cases? Yes. But they're true. And to be honest, this goes for organic meats too. Sure, they are stripped of the hormones and are fed organic products as well, but, how do we know that the animal itself is healthy? Again, we dont. When it comes to my life, Im not going to gamble.
We have so much crap in our meat we dont realize it because we dont see it. The animals are fed so many antibiotics and steriods, that stuff goes into our system and messes us up (mentally AND physically). Feeling depressed but nothing is causing it? It could very well be all the meat you're eating.
Along with not knowing what the condition of the food you're eating, I didn't like knowing something died for me to eat it. I didnt like thinking that veal, or baby cow, couldnt live it's life because I got hungry. Just seemed wrong.
I also didnt like that I was eating a dead body. Just seemed sickening once I thought of it that way. We call it "food" and have been told that's what it was for a while. It's not food. It's a dead body. I started to question eating a dead body. In "Skinny Bitch" they ask you "Do you get hungry when you see roadkill?" No, I don't. You see the tounge hanging out, guts everywhere, appendages scattered about. That's not appetizing. So what do why do we eat meat? We dont see the whole package. We dont see the brains smashed and the tounge hanging out. We just see a square chunck of meat nicely furnished on a plate. So I pretty much did a lot of my own research, checked out more of those peta videos, and decided I didnt want to eat decomposing, rotting, ill, diseased, cancer-filled, fece covered flesh.
Another reason ( I know, I had a lot of reasons), I loved my pets. I have a pet bird, named Cloud, who chirps, sings, whistles, and flies to me. I'd sit there, play with him and see the love in his eyes, but then whip out some bird out of the oven. Notice how I use the term, bird. Cloud is a parakeet, a type of bird. But so is chicken. They are all bird. How could I be playing with this bird and telling it I love it, when Im about to eat bird? It didnt make sense.
I had so many internal conflicts, I felt the only way to resolve it would be to stop eating it. So, that's exactly what I did. Whatever the reason may be for you: personal, religious, love for animals, health, etc., people go vegetarian/vegan.
I always have been a huge animal lover. I've always had pets who loved me back just as much as I loved them. I always felt conflicted to have such a great love for animals and then eat them at the same time. It just didn't seem right to me. It was a conflict of interest. I felt like such a hypocrite saying "I LOVE animals" and then eat some with practically every meal. Did I really love them? Or just love eating them? It was unsettling and was an internal conflict I had with myself.
Not only was it my love for animals that gave the desire to change, but I am always looking for a long life and to be consistently healthy. I didn't have the greatest of role models as a kid. My mom made a lot of homemade meals, but none of which seemed to be healthy once you break down the ingredients. And like many Greek households, she has a pantry filled with sweets.
My dad has been overweight/obese since as long as I could remember. McDonald's, Burger King, Portillo's Hot Dogs, Lou Malnati's Pizza, Dunkin Doughnuts made weekly visits to my house. Not to mention the fast food would be mingling with the Greek cooking which involved tons of meat and my food swimming in olive oil. While olive oil is the healthiest of oils, it is still a fat. It's like saying "well I'm eating the low-fat cookie." At the end of the day, you still eat a cookie. It's better than the regular cookie, but still not great for you.
I didnt want to end up like my parents and other relatives in my family who have diabetes, died of heart attacks, and be overweight. I always stuck to lean meats like chicken, fish, and turkey...but I always felt sluggish. I would sleep between 8-10 hours a night, work out, and after I ate, want to pass out. I did some research and thought 'ok, I need to go organic' which was the next step.
I was always suspicious about our meat. There is a reason I think why in the 5th grade when we bought our lunches from the school cafeteria we would call it mystery meat. You really dont know what you are being fed. You dont know if you really are eating beef, chicken, etc. and more realistically, you dont know the quality of the meat you are eating. Think about it. They always say "fresh" when you buy the meat. Ok. Fine. It is blood red and looks like it was killed yesterday. Fair enough. Now....what was the quality of the meat when the animal was alive? How do we know that cow didnt die of natural causes? How do we know that cow didnt have cancer or moreso, mad cow disease? How do we know for sure, we are eating a healthy animal? Most of the time, you're not. A lot of the animals are sick, dying, or already dead before they are brought on your plate. It's gross. Take a look at some of the peta videos on their website. Like this one here: http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming_cows.asp
I dont really want to feed on something that is wearing it's own feces. This happens all the time due to the tight spaces in the, I like to call, kennels. If you were sitting in your own poop all day, I highly doubt you would be all that healthy. So it's like really....how good of a condition is your meat in? Are a lot of these extreme cases? Yes. But they're true. And to be honest, this goes for organic meats too. Sure, they are stripped of the hormones and are fed organic products as well, but, how do we know that the animal itself is healthy? Again, we dont. When it comes to my life, Im not going to gamble.
We have so much crap in our meat we dont realize it because we dont see it. The animals are fed so many antibiotics and steriods, that stuff goes into our system and messes us up (mentally AND physically). Feeling depressed but nothing is causing it? It could very well be all the meat you're eating.
Along with not knowing what the condition of the food you're eating, I didn't like knowing something died for me to eat it. I didnt like thinking that veal, or baby cow, couldnt live it's life because I got hungry. Just seemed wrong.
I also didnt like that I was eating a dead body. Just seemed sickening once I thought of it that way. We call it "food" and have been told that's what it was for a while. It's not food. It's a dead body. I started to question eating a dead body. In "Skinny Bitch" they ask you "Do you get hungry when you see roadkill?" No, I don't. You see the tounge hanging out, guts everywhere, appendages scattered about. That's not appetizing. So what do why do we eat meat? We dont see the whole package. We dont see the brains smashed and the tounge hanging out. We just see a square chunck of meat nicely furnished on a plate. So I pretty much did a lot of my own research, checked out more of those peta videos, and decided I didnt want to eat decomposing, rotting, ill, diseased, cancer-filled, fece covered flesh.
Another reason ( I know, I had a lot of reasons), I loved my pets. I have a pet bird, named Cloud, who chirps, sings, whistles, and flies to me. I'd sit there, play with him and see the love in his eyes, but then whip out some bird out of the oven. Notice how I use the term, bird. Cloud is a parakeet, a type of bird. But so is chicken. They are all bird. How could I be playing with this bird and telling it I love it, when Im about to eat bird? It didnt make sense.
I had so many internal conflicts, I felt the only way to resolve it would be to stop eating it. So, that's exactly what I did. Whatever the reason may be for you: personal, religious, love for animals, health, etc., people go vegetarian/vegan.
Vegetarian? What DOES IT ALL MEAN?!?!
Vegetarian, what does it truly mean? Is there one kind? Are there exceptions? Well, for those who are unsure what vegetarianism is, here are a few definitions on the different types:
Let's start with the basic. Vegetarian.
Vegetarian- 1 : one who believes in or practices vegetarianism
2 : Herbivore
Whaaaaaaaat? That's it? Ugh. Thanks Merriam Webster for the most basic of basic definitions. OK, well yes, someone who is a herbivore. But we can do better than that...Here are the four types of vegetarian:
1. Lacto-Vegetarian
2. Ovo-Vegetarian
3. Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian
4. Vegan
They are defined as follows:
lacto-vegetarian - "a vegetarian whose diet includes dairy products, vegetables, fruits, grains, and nuts." http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vegetarian
ovo-vegetarian - "diet includes eggs but not dairy." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarianism
lacto ovo vegetarian - "diet includes both eggs and dairy products."
vegan - "A vegan diet is a form of vegetarian diet which excludes all animal products, including dairy products, eggs, and honey." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarianism.
Bet ya didn't know it was that complicated did you? And if you did, congrats. So anyways, those are the four types of a vegetarian diet. Now that you know what they are, if you are looking to become a vegetarian you can chose what you'd like to be. And if you're curious to learn more on the different types, prepare to be given lots of info.
Now. I'm going to talk about probably one of my biggest pet peeves about being vegetarian. I am not sure who came up with this crazy thought that eating fish is vegetarian. It's not. Get that thought out of your head. Fish is not vegetarian it is not, it is not, it is not. Fish have bones, eyes, and bleed. Yes, they bleed. Want proof? Here is a photo from my recent trip to Japan....
What do we see in this image? A head, blood, guts and bone. Whoever thought this is vegetarian was either lied to, or delusional. But it's ok. You now know the truth.
What kind of vegetarian am I? I am a lacto-ovo. I do eat dairy and eggs. While I eat both sparingly, I cant say I am "half a vegan." I believe you are either something or you're not. You are either happy or sad. Not both. I tried going vegan, but it wasn't for me. I do like to have my Ben & Jerry's icecream here and there. While I do mostly substitute dairy for coconut or soy milk, sometimes when I am out with the group, I will want to have my pizza. I'm from Chicago, we have good pizza.
Another common question I get about being vegetarian is "are eggs vegetarian?" While there is constant debate, here is my argument: It is protein. There isn't a head. There aren't any bones. No blood is being shed. The hen doesn't get killed (with fish eggs people have to kill the fish to remove the egg sac). I don't eat egg often, but again, you either are something or you aren't. So yes, I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian.
So what have we learned?
Dairy = lacto -Vegetarian
Eggs = ovo - Vegetarian
Dairy + Eggs = Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian
Vegan = No eggs or Milk (infact, most vegans don't even wear animal products that involve the animal being killed).
Now that I have given you some basic info, I can tell you more about what I eat or how to substitute things in later blogs if you choose to be vegan, lacto, or ovo.
Best,
Kat
The Intro
Here I am inspired by my friend Gerald to blog about me turning vegetarian. He is someone who is thinking about it and walking into it blindly. Similar to what I did about a year and a half ago. You dont know what to expect. Or how hard it can be. So Gerald, this is for you and anyone else like you. Someone looking for nutritional guidance and needing a big sister to talk about one of the most amazing changes in a life. I will be here to answer questions, tell my stories, and share my experiences about what it is to go vegetarian and what it means. For those stopping by, thank you. For those who think I am "full of it" that's ok. Everyone is entitled to feel the way they want to feel and think the way they want to think. Im not here to convert, but to educate and share a big part of my life. What you do with the knowledge I provide is your choice. Thanks again for stopping by and take care of your body.
Best,
Kat
Best,
Kat
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