[anna k]

I didn't think it was so bad. I can always do one yolk with two egg whites, to retain some healthy fat.

[spot-on]

egg white omlettes suck, try having the yolk aswell and just having a smaller portion. How anyone can eat an egg white omlette is beyond me! ewww

[anna k]

I think it would fit better with my body to eat chicken a few times a week because the protein feels better for me than tofu, and having egg-white omelets and Greek yogurt. I have had bloating problems before, so this is something I'd like to avoid, and I think the more tofu I ate combined with more fruits/veggies increased this side effect. I tried being a vegetarian as a teenager, and was one for four years, but actually felt healthier when I returned to eating chicken and fish. Go figure.

[koffeewitch]

Many people complain of gas when going veg. Most adapt okay after a given time. THere are also some tricks, like adding baking soda to the cooking water of beans to reduce gas. Usually an upside is less constipation with a veg diet (I, for one, hate being constipated)! Anyway, hopefully after a few months your body will do better.

[enfermera]

anna, i think that vegetables in general produce more gas than meat....just as a byproduct of digestion? certainly things like unfermented soy and legumes will. maybe that's contributing? if it's bloat related to water retention, then obviously disregard

[spot-on]

I think diet affects everyone different. I have never experienced bloating on a vegetarian diet, except in one circumstance. I cannot eat an apple before I work out, even leaving "digestion time" I always cramp and bloat if I do. I think I recommended this to you before, but I'd switch back to your chicken diet then keep a strict exclusion diet log and see if you can find a trigger for your bloating. Took me a while to connect the apple and exercise but that's just how my body works I guess, we're all different and have different issues.

[anna k]

Does anyone experience a bloating side effect with being a vegetarian? I've cut out a lot of meat/dairy from my diet over the past couple of weeks, and my stomach feels more bloated than before. I don't know if it came from eating more tofu and vegetables, or if this is a detoxing effect, but it didn't feel this bloated when I was on my prior diet that included grilled chicken and yogurt. I can always work out like I already do, but the bloated feeling makes it harder to wear my regular pants. Is it possible to eat small amounts of chicken and yogurt as I increase eating fruits and vegetables, as a way to get rid of the bloat?

I've had problems with digestion in the past, and take supplements which have helped before, but this veggie diet is making me feel more bloated.

[koffeewitch]

For the past two years, my son (age 6) has been extremely nosey about other people's eating. He literally walks up to strangers and asks "are you a vegetarian". He feels the need to tell every person we meet "Yes, we are vegetarians and we don't eat dead animals". But because he loves animals so much I feel like he has a personal interest in his diet aside from "mommy says it's good for me". I'm picking up a need from him to meet other veggie families (we homeschool so his method for socializing is different). Just this past couple weeks I did some google searches to find vegetarian kids clubs. I found a great club in our city, but I couldn't find much for kids on-line. Does anybody know of any veggie kids websites...or even sites for kids who love animals? I settled for signing him up for wild life kids club, but that's not exactly what I had in mind. I've posted this question on my homeschool forums and my local veggie kids group and nobody seems to know of anything.

[ketto]

Spot-on, I didn't actually take that away from JSF article. I thought he was saying that the important thing was the stories and the time he spent with his grandma. In regards to the part where he mentioned sushi, I felt he was saying he thought that the food was the important part but realized that he needed to find other ways to connect to those memories. I really liked when he said his grandma was preparing humans, not food. The last line pretty much summed up the article: “If nothing matters, there’s nothing to save” when his grandma wouldn't eat the pork because it wasn't kosher. I'm actually not vegetarian (anymore) but I completely see how JSF and his wife are putting their politics into practice. I could apply that line to so many of my own beliefs. I actually really enjoyed the whole article.

*Full disclosure, JSF is my favourite author so I'm a little biased, however I really didn't read it the way you did.

I also agree that kids are interested in how other kids live, but pretty much all kids live on extremely varied diets. From the ones who only eat home cookin' to the ones who only eat frozen pre-packaged food. Besides having to tell friends that they can't eat meat, I really doubt kids would be ridiculed for that. I don't remember food politics having any kind of place in my elementary school, in any way. I'm sure they were there from the parents point of view, but as a kid, no way.

[auralpoison]

Um, I was best friends with the lone veggie kid in grade school. She loved coming to my house because my mom cooked what she considered to be "normal" food & the girl would stuff herself. She loved hamburgers, beef stroganoff, pot roast, tacos & salsbury steak.

I'm glad that times have changed enough that there are more veggie options in my small community.

[spot-on]

so true Koffeewitch!!! *applause*

[koffeewitch]

Thanks for sharinig that article, star...as a veggie mama I HAD to throw my 2 cents into the ring. It's true that kids are interested in other kids and how other kids live. But if you don't teach your kids to decide on their own values they are going to be the first to have sex in middle school and pick up smoking if they feel "all the other kids are doing it". WHAT a RIDICULOUS argument to bring up about vegetarian parenting. Gee. all the other families eat white Wonder bread and eat bologna and frankenfries...so we need to do it, too. You don't want your poor little child to feel left out of the childhood obesity and diabetes crisis, now do you?! American children are showing signs of heart disease as early as 8 years of age. I come from the school that if you raise your kids to love whole grains and natural foods they won't have to "learn to like them" later in life.

[spot-on]

I agree stargazer that article was a little pessamistic about kids and vegetarianism. I would hope that the parents that raised veggie kids also gave them information about WHY they weren't eating meat and therefore informing them as to the health and ethical reasons for avoiding meat. As for peer pressure, these days it's the reverse. Kids are joining in on the 'special diet' bandwagon! I'd rather my kids (not that I am having any) be ridiculed for being vegetarian than being anorexic or bullemic or other eating disorders that kids suffer from!

The article they linked to also was a little pathetic. Seriously? This guy thinks vegetarians are missing out because they don't eat turkey at thanksgiving or go on "Sushi dates with their mom". I have NEVER eaten sushi, sorry not missing out I just don't find the idea of raw fish very appetizing. Also I can enjoy holidays just fine without the meat thank you! Seriously? Some people!

[stargazer]

Pepper, good for you for kicking dairy! I think the issue of trans fat is just more reason to eat a plant-based diet.

Anna, congrats on making the decision to eat less meat! I made similar mistakes in the past by eating a high carb diet when going veg. I've learned to pay attention to how my body responds when I'm eating more fruits and vegetables. I seem to have more energy. Also, if you choose to be meat free, don't alter your choice to please others. You could also cook a meat free dish to introduce people into consuming less meat.

Ugh. Sometimes, I find the views on Jezebel to be kinda immature. I'm really getting annoyed (that's putting it mildly) with the intent on dissing vegetarians such as with their current article on Raising Vegetarian Kids. It is almost like they are encouraging folks to alter their beliefs so their kids won't have any "problems"...read:group think/pressure.

While I'm being kinda ranty....one of my pet peeves with people who choose to eat meat....apologizing to me for talking fondly about a meat based dish or liking meat in general. Dude, don't apologize for your choice. Just allow me the same opportunity to gloat about a veggie dish when I want to.

:sigh:

Ok. I feel better now!

Good to see this thread having some activity!

[pepper]

Now if only I could find a way to save money on that expensive dark chocolate.

Buy it in BULK! Mwah ha ha ha ha!

[koffeewitch]

Anna K : In my book, good dark chocolate is a health food and (almost daily neccessity).
I don't worry about soy either...but I don't like GMOs and I try to avoid highly processed foods. I really, really try to avoid highly processed foods...just because they may be vegetarian or fat-free or whatever does NOT make them nutritious. I DO buy veggie burgers/"chick" patties now and again, but it really is not too hard to make your own. As far as diets go, I think we North Americans need to think more like the French and Italians. These are people who love to eat and love good food...yet they are rarely fat (especially compared to us). I've tried their way of life. WHen I eat REAL food and whole grains, I rarely need to worry about my weight. (Yes, I HAVE had weight problems before...I am not a naturally skinny person). Every time I get lazy and start cooking out of boxes and cans, my weight goes up. It never fails. And processed foods are so expensive! We have the idea that fresh produce is expensive but research shows you can eat the recommended 5-6 servings of fruits and veggies for about 67 cents per day. (This study was done by taking the price of 50 of the most commonly available fruits and veggies). And when we buy produce in season it's more economical.
Now if only I could find a way to save money on that expensive dark chocolate.

[spot-on]

I've been vegetarian for almost 20 years so I guess I have something to input in this thread (never knew we had a veggie busties thread!). Anyway, I'm not vegan but I eat dairy very seldom. I occasionally eat eggs but buy the organic free range when we do have eggs ($3 doz from Trader Joes). Other than that I have cheese only when we eat pasta, and then it's just a sprinkle to 'taste', and like Anna I LOVE nonfat plain greek yogurt (again trader joes yum!). That's the only dairy I eat. On my cereal I have organic soy milk. I chose soy milk purely because it has more protein than almond or rice milk and the amount of exercise I do I need the protein.

I like some 'fake meat' products, but in general don't eat much processed foods. I do like the Tofurkey sun dried tomato sausages, great source of protein for my busy days. The trick is to look closely at the processed foods and figure out which is the lesser of the evils, lol.

As for soy I really don't think it's as bad as all the scaremongering that's going on. What I DO think is the problem is the regular soy as almost all regular soy (as with corn/maize) found in foods is the gentically modified stuff. I do beleive that the GM soy is the problem for many of the problems associated with soy. If Soy is such a high source of estrogen and is causing men to grow breasts (as per some of the claims) then why the hell am I still a 34A? LOL! I have 2-3 portions of soy a day (soymilk on breakfast, soy tofurkey sausage are in my regular daily meals). By all accounts for the soy I am consuming I should have bigger boobs!

Books: in defense of food as someone mentioned really anything by Michael Pollan, Animal Vegetable Miracle, and the china study are also good books

[anna k]

I'm glad I came across this forum, you all have given such great insight into living a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle, and I can take some of your advice.

Lately, I've been reducing my meat/dairy intake. It's hard, to know what to eat that is healthy and how long animal products can stay in the body. I like eating nonfat plain Greek yogurt, eggs with almond milk and butter (though I tried olive oil instead of butter today and thought it tasted very good), and grilled chicken cutlets with olive oil. I also eat chocolate, like good dark chocolate. It's hard to give these things up or eat them sparingly. I don't like beef or pork, hardly eat turkey or fish or ham, prefer almond milk as a flavoring rather than just drinking straight milk, and try to get calcium from eating spinach, kale, and yogurt.

I don't think I'll be a true vegetarian, probably still eating chicken or fish when with family just to be polite, but in my everyday life, I'd like to reduce eating animal products not only for ethical reasons, but to help my stomach, which can have trouble digesting things and feel bloated or irritated. I already don't eat much wheat/gluten and like eating brown rice for fiber, but I don't want to feel like I have excess dairy/meat sticking around in my stomach (these thoughts came from reading The Idiot's Guide to being a Vegetarian, for some basic 101). I was a vegetarian for four years as a teenager, but ate a lot of heavy carbs and soy frankenfood, and when I changed my diet and ate meat again, I lost weight.

I like eating tofu, though I avoid soy products like soy burgers/hotdogs/yogurt, and get split whether something dairy/gluten-free with soy is good, or bad because it has soy. I feel lucky to be able to do some shopping at local health food stores. I want my body to feel healthier, clearer (and yes, a little thinner). It's hard because I read fitness magazines that offer diets that include lean meats and nonfat plain yogurt as good, healthy things to eat, but I want to reduce eating animal products, even if I'm not going to be a strict vegetarian.

[koffeewitch]

I agree cow milk SUCKS as a source of calcium. You're better off with greens and calcium-fortified orange juice. I was so happy when Physicians for Responsible Medicine went after the dairy industry for their scurrilous Got Milk ads. Of course, people think I'm CRAZY when I bring this up. SO many people believe they will die if half their diet is not made of animal products.
As far as supplements, I sometimes supplement with B12, too... and now especially since I'm breastfeeding I focus on my iron. I really have to be impressed with the sneakiness of the food industry. In one generation they got people thinking that highly processed degenerated foods were normal. In the 1950s, people wouldn't touch this crap. Now it's practically all people eat. McFood and phood (to borrow from another of your posts). Phood, heehee, I love that!

[pepper]

I'm so ridiculously blessed in that department, the librarian has happy free chickens and she gives me eggs now and then. There are several menonite homesteads around that sell free and happy chicken eggs too so if I ever want them, there they are. Those bokkers eat BUGS man, a totally natural diet. Still, we consume them sparingly.
I've been using a B12 supplement for myself and the kids just because I want to be sure we're getting enough and I'm thinking about Vit D too lately. Seems like a good idea for us since it's starting to get really grey out. I never thought dairy was a great source of calcium before anyhow but it's hard to get enough greens and seeds into kiddies so adequate D would help them absorb whatever calcium they are getting via diet plus the bit that's in their multivits.
We use rice milk when we need a subsitute (baking, tea, cereal) but not very much of it. I've nearly eliminated our intake of soy, too controversial for me and especially for the boy in the family. I don't eat any of that fake meat stuff anyhow, the kids think it tastes like meat and they don't like meat. Of course, ha ha. It's funny how the more you learn about what's healthy, the less you feel like you can eat. I mean, it's nearly all just whole foods now, I am suspicious of anything that comes in a package. You'd think that would be a drag but I'm kinda getting used to it. Kinda. it's hard with school lunches and quick meals, sometimes there are way more boxes and containers in the cupboard than I like to see. Oh well, we do our best.

I read a terrific book (well, part of it anyhow) called In Defense Of Food which talks about how we've reduced foods down to the elements that we know are in them and we use that as a measure of each one's dietary value instead of looking at the whole. It's far more complicated than that, of course, but it had an enormous impact on the way I regard food and nutrients. It's a terrific read, really worth picking up.