Just like I have a weak will with sushi and pizza, vegetarians in Britain are definitely sneaking meat into their diets. In the work space, there are many rules; don't sexually harass someone, be on time, do your work, don't screw around. As a vegetarian, there's only one rule. NO MEAT.
While we all sit around complaining about our coworkers and how Janice broke the printer again, one-third of the vegetarians are secretly enjoying meat... While they judge us for eating it.
So, according to the results of a new survey of a well-known source on vegetarian eating habits, 37% of vegetarians eat meat every time they get drunk on a night out.
Another study from the Humane Research Council shows that 5 out of 6 Americans who claim vegetarian will eventually revert back to omnivorous eating.
That means they are going to eat meat... Like we're NOT supposed to.
So what gives?
Vegetarianism and veganism both make it hard to get enough nutrients and protein in your diet. It's no wonder people switch back to the diet that Homo Sapiens were supposed to eat.
If you are all for saving animals and standing up for animal rights, here are a few types of vegetarianism that help you get more protein without eating that tasty, juicy steak.
Different Types of Vegetarianism
While the die-hard vegetarian is vegetables only, there are some that consume dairy or eggs.
Lacto-Vegetarian does not consume meat or eggs but will consume dairy products.
Ovo-Vegetarian does not consume meat or dairy but will consume eggs.
Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian does not consume meat but eats dairy and eggs.
Other forms of vegetarians include macrobiotics, raw food diets, and several others.
Best Meat Alternatives for Vegetarians
Speaking of meat, there are many different alternative sources for vegetarians. Below is a short list of meat alternatives to those who are adamant about not eating meat.
Avocado
Baked Red Potato
Barley
Black Beans
Whole Grain Bread
Broccoli
Rice
Bulgur
Cashews
Chia Seeds
Edamame
Flax Seeds
Lentils
Peanut Butter
Peas
Quinoa
Seitan
Semolina Pasta
Spinach
Sunflower Seeds
Tempeh
Tofu
Are you a lacto-vegetarian? Here are some protein choices for you:
Cottage Cheese
Greek Yogurt
Milk
Mozzarella Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
String Cheese
While this doesn't include every food available to the vegetarian diet, the foods above are found almost anywhere and are easy to prepare. Buying prepackaged "vegetarian" foods carry the same health risks as any highly processed foods. It's just not worth eating.
Recommended Supplements for Vegetarians
I touched base on this earlier, but I wanted to expand on this further. Skipping out on meat causes many deficiencies, especially in B vitamins, iron, zinc, and calcium.
Don't worry, if you aren't ready to start eating meat, there are a few things you can take to boost any deficiencies.
Eating your greens and black strap molasses will help with any iron deficiencies. Great sources of zinc include:
Legumes
Grains
Nuts
Great sources of calcium include:
Kale
Tahini
Orange Juice
Calcium Fortified Soy Milk
Happy with your diet for now? Try out a good multivitamin and BCAA supplement. Look, choosing vegetarianism is a choice that you should be able to eat a variety of foods. Since you have decided not to eat animal products, you will need to combine many types of foods to ensure your body gets enough nutrients.
Conclusion
Next time you are out and someone gives you a dirty look because you added extra bacon on your meat lovers, know that they are secretly wishing they were eating it too.