I want to be a vegetarian. I feel bad for the cows I eat.

[Mizmoon]

But I hate beans. Hate em. And you have to eat the worst kind of beans to be a vegetarian.

I'm doomed.

[da_chimperor]

1. Instead of feeling bad, why not love the cows for how good they taste?

Turn their death into something of meaning, such as a steak or a prime-rib roast.

[Gothic Sponge]

2. Ha?

I'm a vegetarian and i eat the best kind of beans. :)

[Mizmoon]

9. Hi GS

:hi:

What kinds of beans do you eat? Really yucky ones? :9

[babylonsister]

3. You might be.

Have you considered rice or fish? or, better yet, tofu?

[Mizmoon]

5. I can eat all of those

but I thought you had to eat weird beans too, like mung beans n stuff.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

4. Nah, there are many protein alternatives

I LURVE Morning Star products, especially Chick E Patties. Deli-Smart is great too, 15 g protein per serving.

[amandae]

6. Trust me, the cow didn't see it coming

I'm sure there are no hard feelings on the part of the cow. Unfortunately it's an animal that we've just bred to be an ignorant meal. Too bad it tastes so good as a steak.

[Mizmoon]

7. but they still have feelings. n/t

[kostya]

11. No, you are the one being ignorant

If you think cows don't feel pain and terror, you are just plain wrong. Pigs are as smart as your dog and you wouldn't think about putting your dog into the back of an overcrowded semi in 100+ degree heat or literally thrown off a truck or boat onto the dock, regardless of whether it suffered a few broken bones on the way, would you? Would you?!

Chickens are fed so much growth hormone that their upper bodies grow faster than their legs can keep up often resulting in broken legs. They are so overcrowded that most suffer ammonia burns on their feet from all the chicken shit on the floor. I could go on and on, but today's "factory" farms have absolutely no concern for animals' suffering and the slaughterhouse is even worse. If you think these animals don't have feelings and don't suffer, then you are the one that was raised ignorant.

[soupkitchen]

8. And I bet the cows feel bad for all the grass I smoke

[Gothic Sponge]

10. Try this site

http://www.vegsource.com/

[kostya]

12. Get a vegetarian cookbook. You'll be amazed at the number

of veggie products and ways to combine them. After a few months you'll be disgusted with eating dead animal flesh and your body will thank you. Your energy will be more even, your skin will be clearer and your liver is going to be really thankful that you have stopped pouring into it antibiotics, growth hormone and all the other crap that they feed to livestock these days. Try tempeh, sauteed in teriyaki sauce, for instance. - K

[TrustingDog]

13. being vegan is tougher.

no animal products at all, reading labels/ingredients... you would be amazed how infiltrated animal products are in the most usual unsuspect foods.

my daughters a vegan and I'm mostly the cook hereabouts just learning on the fly. thankfully she likes beans.

[qnr]

14. Well, that's a real waste of time

You should be feeling sorry for the ones that are still happily grazing, yet to make a guest appearance on your dinner plate. Little late for this one, so may as well chow down {random thought}

[Utmost Certainty]

15. Vegetarianism is very unhealthy

Human beings are carnivorous creatures. You need to eat animals. You need the protein (which is hard to assimilate from non-meat sources) and certain other nutrients like vitamin B-12 and carnitine that only meat/dairy can provide.

[Mizmoon]

16. but what about the wonders of soy?

I hear it can save the world

[Utmost Certainty]

19. Well

Soy has phyto-estrogens which will convert to the female hormone estrogen in the body. This can be bad news for both men and women.

[Mizmoon]

21. Does that mean my soy chocolate milk

will make my boobs bigger? :silly:

[Gothic Sponge]

17. Oh please!

That's a myth! I've been a vegetarian for almost 18 years and my health is fine.

[Zorra]

22. Scientific studies on this subject overwhelmingly point to vegetarians as

being much healthier in general than meat eaters.

Vegetarian diet on solid ground, experts say
USATODAY.com

But how safe is this experiment? Without meat in their diet, do vegetarians miss out on important nutrients?

Probably not, diet experts say. As long as vegetarians take care to eat a variety of foods, they can be just as healthy — and usually more healthy — than meat eaters.
snip---
Studies have found that vegetarians actually get far better nutrition than non-vegetarians, Barnard says. And vegetarians get larger amounts of fiber, iron, many vitamins and other cancer-fighting compounds than meat eaters.
snip---
"Vegetarians have a 40% less risk of cancer and much less risk of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease and other problems that are common among meat eaters," Barnard says. "Vegetarians also live several years longer and enjoy better health."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/diet/2001-12-07-vegetarian.htm

[Zorra]

18. I hate beans, and I am a vegetarian.

I do like processed soybean products though, stuff like boca burgers.

[Eric J in MN]

20. Visit vegsource.com It has message-boards where

you can talk to people about being a beginning vegetarian.

www.vegsource.com