Should you and if you go vegetarian
Vegetarianism – is it for me or not?
Having been vegetarian all my life, I can say it’s not too hard, but then again most people are not like me (I am not the cringing types when others eat meat with me).
Food is passion, love and habit for many and I respect that. People have been eating meat and fish all their life. It’s a part of their culture, and it’s something they love. It’s not easy to give up something you love. I am a vegetarian and I don’t propagate it. If you want to try it out, go ahead. There are various reasons to give up meat. Many people are clueless about their diet when they veggie. I think it’s important to know what you can eat, and what your body needs when you give up certain kind of food. Some myths about going vegetarian I’d like to bust:
- Veggie food is beyond boiled vegetables and soup
- Being veggie does not involve being vegan
You can try out by slowly going down on your meat consumption, no need to go cold turkey, it may back fire and put you off the process.
Things you could consider:
- Find your reason – It’s important to know your reason. Just like any other task you undertake in life, the results are better if you have an objective. Your reason could be from health issues, animal rights, challenging yourself or even just trying something different. It does not matter what is it, as long as YOU know it. It helps to gain some perspective.
- Experimenting with different cuisines: Sometimes, you are so comfortable in your zone, that you don’t feel the need to experiment, which I completely understand. But it’s worth a try if you’re trying out something different. For example, you may get accustomed to the flavours in Thai food, and can discover some easy Tofu based recipes to supplement your diet. Indian food is a good option for vegetarians, lots of dishes involving lentils, pulses and vegetables.
- Cooking at home – If you’re even 10% the cook-at-home-types, it’s much easier to try vegetarianism. If you like a certain cuisine, you may want to replicate it at home. The best part is even though you follow a recipe, you have absolute liberties to alter the methods to your own taste. So if you’re not fond of hot chilles or ginger in Indian cuisine, you can make it mild and you’d probably like the end product more than the restaurant version
- Know your limits – If you can’t do it, don’t force it. It’s only worth your time if you like it. At any point you think it’s not for you, drop it, rather than hating it. If you miss your pork ribs beyond limits, eat it! I have tried eating meat, but couldn’t get it past my throat, hence I stopped.
- Take the advise but don’t follow it blindly - This is VERY important. You will meet similar people who have converted and will advise you, give tips and get you on the veggie board. Well that’s great, but do not follow others blindly, everyone has a different perspective, and adaptation times. Some things could work for you, others wouldn’t. I have met people with a militant vegetarian ideology, which I find concerning, come on it’s a free world, do what you like!
If you think it’s for you, then I’d love to hear your experiences or efforts! And I’ll post some recipes that are easy and quick for veggies soon.
Enjoy your greens.
