Hey all,
I made over my diet several months ago, and dropped almost all meat. I eat TONS of fruits, veggies, nuts, lowfat cheeses and whole grains. I feel GREAT and I'm quite simply lovin' it.

So I'm sitting here asking myself, why not go all the way? The only meat I am eating is tuna on whole wheat bread during two of my meals a day. I read it's a very beneficial food, is good for you, and it's very convenient for me. Now I'm seeing these reports about high mercury levels, health risks, etc etc.

I've read about "tuno" and some tricks to use at home with firm tofu. But, I can't really afford to sacrifice protein at this stage in the game. I have one pouch of Starkist Chunk Light in Water per day, which contains 90 calories, 1g fat, 380mg of Sodium, and 19g of protein. Any thoughts or ideas? The whole sandwhich concept works because I can make it the night before and throw it in a little baggie, eat it on the go if need be.

hello, I know what your talking about I have been a vegetarian and a vegan both. I had no probs with it execpt when I was a vegetarian I was hungry alot more. With being a vegan it was hard to find food unless I went to whole foods or a health store... I lost weight being a vegan but its hard work. My younger sister was a vegetarian for 5 years and now she eats fish only...She was a vegan for 9 months our of the 5 years and she also had a hard time finding food...She is a big animal lover and along with me she just has alot more choices now and is alot healtheir...I think everyone has their own right to eat what they like to. If you pick to give up tuna I hope you do great or if you stick with it I hope you do great as well... Good luck and always take care. Sonya

You can safely eat canned tuna, preferably packed in water, twice a week. Of all the talk about mercury levels in fish, it's mainly the larger fish that are causing concerns. I eat farm-raised salmon at least 3-4 times a week as I can't get fresh-water salmon locally (and who can afford $18 per lb?) and tuna once in awhile. I just had a lab test done for mercury levels and mine are normal.

On a personal note, I would be more concerned with the aluminum package that your tuna is in as there are reports about the dangers of cooking, wrapping, storing, freezing with aluminum, drinking colas from aluminum cans, etc. The aluminum leeches into the foods and it has been possibly linked with Alzheimers. Oh great, you're thinking, another thing to be worried about. :eek:

I guess since Sonflower bumped the thread to the top, I'll share what I've been up to.

This weekend I bought extra firm tofu, sweet and sour marinade, fresh brocolli, carrots, snap peas, water chesnuts and baby corn. I stir-fryed it all up and made some wild rice to go with it. It was really darn good. The leftovers were even better today, just threw everything, rice and all, into a pan on the stove and heated it up. Makes me hungry just thinking about it again. :) Still trying to give tuna the boot, if anybody has any good ideas.

I make my own type of humus as a substitute for tuna salad or egg salad in sandwiches. All I do is cook the garbonzo beans/chick peas until they are very tender. Drain and mash them. Let them cool a little. Then add chopped onions, mayo, and black pepper to taste. Put in a container and chill until you're ready to use it.

This is really bad, but I like to dry off the firm tofu, deep fry it, and add a little salt. It gets this light crispy coating on it and tastes like fried egg whites. :D


Cucumber sandwiches are good too. I spead a little light cream cheese on the bread and put cucumbers on it. Can't wait for harvest season!

I'm such a virgin to most healthy-type foods. I lived a fast food childhood, and paid for it, so I'm really enjoying learning some new things. I'm definitely going to try the humus recipe, Mag, I've never had it, but it sounds good! Only problem is the protein isn't there. Maybe I should give it up and drink a soy protein shake.

I wish I could try the cucumber sandiches, sounds yummy. But raw cucumbers give me prolonged hiccups. I'm not sure my co-workers would appreciate 3 days of hiccups. :)

Are you kidding about the protein? There's 12 g. of protein in 1 cup of garbonzo beans. I will admit that I do not like the store's hummus, which is why I make my own. There's 4.5 g. of protein in 2 Tbs of light cream cheese for the cucumber sandwich.

Eggs, nuts, legumes, have plenty of protein. Meat isn't the only source of it.

I've been a vegetarian for 15 years and I don't eat fish either (don't eat anything that is sentient, personal choice). I think I have mercury poisoning, but from my amalgam fillings. I've heard that fish can also be a source of it, so is definitely worth considering not eating it. Normal testing levels for mercury doesn't necessarily mean it's not causing a problem, from what I have read from those who care about this issue and not those who are worried about liability suits.

I believe the effects of mercury poisoning are real as I have been so ill since I started having the fillings. I just never realised it could be them until recently. It's a highly toxic substance and crazy to deliberately put in the body.

Thanks for your input Demererra. I went vegetarian about a month ago and haven't looked back since. I am honestly loving every second of it. Had I known way back when how good I could feel with a clean, healthy diet I would have done this years ago!

That's wonderful to hear! :)

There is nothing to be got from meat that can't be got from other foods and vegetarians on average live longer than meat-eaters and have better sexual function ;)

i was a vegatarian for almost 2 years, and the hardest part about it is getting enough iron. you need to be eating lots of green veggies to avoid becomeing anemic. I have been eating meat for a little over a year now and i still have a slightly low iron count. SO just be careful, and you could even check with your doctor to make sure you are getting enough iron in your diet.

There are lots of vegetarian iron supplements to buy if someone is concerned about their iron levels.

Iron can be got from a lot of foods, and some are iron-fortified these days. For example:

green vegetables
dried fruit (raisins, dates, apricots)
pumpkin and sunflower seeds
basil, parsley (e.g. : basil pesto)
lentils
beans (baked, soybeans, black, pinto and kidney)
split peas
bean sprouts
wheatgerm
licorice
molasses
cashew nuts
marmite (fortified)
Cereals
tofu
potato

People who eat fish are NOT vegetarians and this is a well-known and proven fact. Vegetarians are people who don't eat animals are meat of any kind and that includes fish. Many people don't consider fish an animal, but anything with a nervous system, a heart and internal organs is a living being. So stop saying you're veg when you eat fish. That annoys me so much! Just voicing my opinion, so no flames! :nono:

killik, i completely agree with you. Yet, from a health standpoint, fish has a different effect on the body then other meats, especially red meat. Therefore, in terms of that, fish has sort of been allowed back into a vegetarian diet. If you are a vegetarian for moral reasons (so as not to harm the animals)... then yes... eating fish would mean you are not a vegetarian

killik, I agree with you too, I have always thought that. If you eat something that was once breathing, then you aren't a vegetation. I am a vegetarian and I love fruit and vegetables so I've been having no problem with it at all. The only thing that has changed is my iron. I was anemic before I decided to give up meat but now it has gotten a lot worse, I just need to take vitamins. But I am very proud of the fact that I am vegetarian.

So do you need to combine foods in some special way to be sure of getting the right amount of protein? I want to stop eating meat from a health standpoint. Like beans should be eaten with rice, correct?

People who eat fish are NOT vegetarians and this is a well-known and proven fact. Vegetarians are people who don't eat animals are meat of any kind and that includes fish. Many people don't consider fish an animal, but anything with a nervous system, a heart and internal organs is a living being. So stop saying you're veg when you eat fish. That annoys me so much! Just voicing my opinion, so no flames! :nono:
i agree with that. there should be no grey area but people like to create different classes of vegetarians..maybe they like calling themselves veg'.. :D

killik, I agree with you too, I have always thought that. If you eat something that was once breathing, then you aren't a vegetation.
i wouldn't say that..that would mean no one is a veg. then. plants do breathe and are living organisms. that's the biology of it, i won't get into the ethical/philosophical aspects. i really don't like seeing worms coming out of cans. :D

I'm sorry, but it is really not a proven fact that people who eat fish and call themselves vegetarians are not vegetarians.
They are called Pesco vegetarians. Some people do need the protein from fish- and it may not be legit to other vegetarians or vegans- but it is still a form of vegetarianism.

You can get complete protein by adding legumes and whole grains together. I make a barley/forbidden red and black rice salad with garbonzo beans and I get plenty of protein. I also believe that if you eat anything that was alive than you are not a true vegetarian. I do eat fish and also lean cut of white meat but I never eat red meat or any dairy. I consider myself an "almost vegetarian" since I do not eat any meat or fish on certain days during the week. LOL :D :D Or maybe I am a "pollo pesco vegetarian". Then you have your vegans who do not wear anything that was once an animal or eat anything with animal in it. I have a freind who used to say she is a vegetarian because she did not eat red meat. I said to her than you are not a vegetarian. She since has changed it to she does not eat red meat..Lisa

All you guys have me intrigued. How about some sample menus for breakfast and snacks etc.. Lastly a great interview last nite on The ''CBS Evening News'' where they interviewed an 48 yr old vegetarian who looked 28 and she gave the diet credit !!

pescos are NOT vegetarians!!!


How many times do I have to say it? Anyone who claims to be vegetarian and still eats chicken or fish are omnivores. Vegetarians don't eat anything that used to breathe, and that includes fish and chicken


Pesco-vegetarianism isn't legit. You don't neet protein from fish. Tofu, beans, and seitan are examples of great protein sources

Stop saying you're a true veg. :nono:

Just voicing my opinion.

I think one of the best case studies I have read is about the organic chef Christina Pirello (Christina Cooks Show). She was diagnosed at the age of 26 with Terminal Luekemia. She decided she would go back to Italy to die. A friend of hers said to her, "you are not giving up that easy I want you to meet someone." He introduced her to her now husband who introduced her to macrobiotics. As it stands she has not eaten any meat and is a complete vegetarian for over 20 years and has not had any more bouts of luekemia. The doctors are amazed. Go figure..Lisa

Going vegetarian isnt a bad thing because god bless those little animals and you want to save them right? Well see, I tried it. But you need meat. And your body needs the protein. But of course there's tofu but the taste (so i heard) isnt that great. The way I look at it is people are going to kill animals even if you refuse to eat the meat. Your not killing them. And in the wild animals kill other animals for survival. It's the same with us. Although I dissagree with the inhumane ways animals are slaughtered in the peta videos, I must say. Those are rare cases and in other countries where killing dogs and cats is allowed too and so on. Going vegetarian is ok but meat does supply you with a lot of daily needs.

Hi. I just wanted to say what I know about vegetarian vs. omnivourian. Well, we have different body makeup. We have different ancestery which evolved to eat what they live near. Some people actually can be vegetarians, while others get sick and hav eto go back to eating meat. Ive heard more than once that vitamin b12 cannot be absorbed from plants, but it is from meat. Also, some people claim to be total vegetarians, but cheat here and there, thus getting those sorely lacking nutrients and saying "look at me how healthy i am being a vegetarian!" THere are lots of stories of people feeling great at first with the new vegetarian diet, and then eventually getting exhausted from defiencies. I know for myself i cannot stay away from meat, it has to be a staple in my diet to feel calm and my appetite satisfied. Keeps the hypoglycemia at bay.

Going vegetarian isnt a bad thing because god bless those little animals and you want to save them right? Well see, I tried it. But you need meat. And your body needs the protein. But of course there's tofu but the taste (so i heard) isnt that great. The way I look at it is people are going to kill animals even if you refuse to eat the meat. Your not killing them. And in the wild animals kill other animals for survival. It's the same with us. Although I dissagree with the inhumane ways animals are slaughtered in the peta videos, I must say. Those are rare cases and in other countries where killing dogs and cats is allowed too and so on. Going vegetarian is ok but meat does supply you with a lot of daily needs.

Your post kinda ticks me off. Now, I am not considered a vegetarian by most views as I eat chicken and fish. I stopped eating red meat/pork when I saw a slaughterhouse on tv over 10 years ago. I cannot by any means justify what I saw and could not get it out of my mind. And yes by not eating it I am doing what I can personally. If you disagree with what happens you can't eat it and no those videos are not isolated cases - wake up to the real world. I do not wear leather, feathers, or fur or fake fur as I don't believe it is always fake. I will soon give up my chicken and fish for a true veg lifestyle as I don't drink milk or eat eggs now either.
Can you eat your meat raw? If you can then you are a true carnivore like a lion etc. If you have to cook it then by all biological standpoints your body can't NEED IT. We are not born with bbqs and stoves. As far as milk goes we are the only species in the world that has to drink another species milk - another joke. I believe we are conned by these multi-billion dollar businesses to make us believe we need this stuff. I have 2 brothers that are vegetarian/vegan - they are healthier than most and are never sick.

Please agree to disagree and speak only for yourself. Getting angry at other posters because of their choice of labels or their choice of diet is not being polite. We want to include all points of views here.

Please limit your discussions to:

"this is what has worked (or not worked) for me"

"these are the results of my research and this is why I have made the decision I have"