Vegetarian Myth Busters

I want to preface this by saying I am not a vegetarian.

I tried to be once, for three weeks, after I read the book Fast Food Nation. Scared off meat! However, my crash course in not eating meat or fish did not go too well. Mostly my boredom came from a lack of creativity - I wasn’t incorporating tofu or soy into my diet or being inventive with my cooking. I pretty much just ate bagels and cream cheese and apples for like, three weeks. My dietary boredom did teach me one thing though, being a happy vegetarian requires a little strategy, a little finesse.

We know that eating a plant based diet is a critical part of eating like centenarians in the regions of the world identified as the Blue Zones. For that reason, I bring you Vegetarian Myth Busters. You don't have to be a full blown vegetarian, but you should start reaping the health benefits by incorporating more healthy greens, soy, tofu and legumes into your daily diet.

Myth: Vegetarian food is gross and boring.

Wrong!
Vegetarian food is not gross. Pick up a great vegetarian cookbook, I dare you! Don't know where to start? I highly recommend Mark Bittman’s How To Cook Everything Vegetarian. It’s full of super yummy recipes.

Myth: Vegetarians Don’t eat enough protein.

Wrong!
A healthy amount of protein is between 10 and 35 percent of your total daily calories (according to the Institute of Medicine). Vegetarians can easily meet these guidelines by eating protein rich plant foods like tofu and soy products. Beans, a great part of any diet, and nuts, are rich in vitamins, minerals, heart healthy nutrients and protein.

Myth: Vegetarians can’t eat out.

Wrong!
Unless you’re at Brooklyn’s acclaimed steakhouse Peter Luger’s you’re in the clear. Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Ethiopian and Spanish cuisine features a lot of vegetarian options. Plus, according to the National Restaurant Association about eight out of ten restaurants in the United States offer vegetarian options!

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Too much prejudice against vegetarians in North America
written by Manish Patwari, April 08, 2008

I live in Montreal,and there is too much prejudice against vegetarianism.Many people think vegetarian food is bland and boring.In fact,vegetarian food can taste better than meat.Veggie burgers of certain brands taste better than many meat burgers.Talking on radio and Tv shows to spread the benefits of vegetarianism is a great idea.

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Vegetarian and Veganism
written by Cyndi, April 02, 2008

I went from eating little meat to an almost vegan diet a year ago due to a relationship with a vegan. And I can tell you I've never eaten better! We eat a lot of interesting and varied meals. But I always thought meat and potatoes were boring, so maybe it's just me. Yes, it's tougher to do this if you eat prepackaged foods all the time, but we barely shop outside of the produce aisle.

Oh, and energy? I'm a marathoner and training for my first triathlon, and he's training for an ironman.

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Soy
written by dee Elle, April 02, 2008

I disagree about eating more soy. Read the book "The Whole Soy Story."

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