Are you’re worried about the environmental implications of eating meat ?Have a deep love of animals? Are you considering switching to a vegetarian lifestyle? Don’t listen to the myths about becoming a veggie! Or if you aren’t willing to cut out meat entirely, look at following a vegetarian diet most of the time, while allowing yourself the occasional indulgence.
Either way, google vegetarianism, you’ll be met with a lot of myths surrounding the diet – many of which are untrue! Here are some common myths associated with going vegetarianism, with the reality!
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Myth: A vegetarian diet is bland.
Reality: The reality is vegetarianism is that the vegetarian diet is incredibly boring, due to the absence of meat. This simply isn’t true. Your diet can remain incredibly varied when you are a vegetarian. You can continue to enjoy delicious food from around the world. Whip up a tasty vegetarian breakfast or indulge in a delicious broccoli and cheese casserole. There are thousands of recipes online that are full of flavour! There are tonnes of meat substitutes on the market. From Quorn to tofu – that means you really aren’t missing out on anything at all.
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Myth: By going Veggie, you are missing out on important nutrients.
Reality: When you cut out meat, you’re cutting down on your consumption of certain nutrients, such as Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, or Iron. These are available from other sources. For example:
Vitamin B12 is in dairy products – low-fat milk, cheese and yoghurt.
Vitamin D Get it from mushrooms, orange juice and oat milk.
Iron is in beans, chickpeas and dried fruit.
Worried about your vitamin intake? Try multivitamins tablets from your local pharmacy.
Myth: A Vegetarian Diet is too expensive.
Reality. Sometimes, people may choose not to follow a vegetarian diet because they feel as though they cannot afford it. After all, it can be a little expensive to bulk buy lots of fruit and veg. However, this myth started when fewer people were veggie, and vegetarian products such as meat substitutes were expensive. As the popularity of vegetarianism rises, more options are available – you can follow a veggie diet without breaking the bank.
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Myth: You can’t dine out as a veggie.
Reality: A few years ago, this statement may have appeared much more accurate, as vegetarian options at restaurants and eateries were very low. However, in recent years, many companies have made a continuous effort to provide customers with more vegetarian options – meaning you have plenty of choices to choose from aside from a sad salad or a cheesy pizza. You can now find plenty of plant-based vegan eateries around your local area, or at least menus that are more varied!
