I throw a soy hotdog into the microwave uncovered and nuke it for 30 seconds too long. Unlike regular meat, my burnt, plant-based hotdog is bubbled and stretched. But I still put it into a bun and drench it with ketchup. It tastes the same as always, and after my meal I am left with two things: a guilt free conscious and eight grams of protein.
I have been eating plant based off and on for roughly five years. My relationship with vegetarianism is as complicated as the ingredients in beef hotdogs.
In high school, I started to experiment with being a vegetarian. I cut all meat out of my diet, and it was relatively easy to stick to.
Throughout my life, I haven’t been much of a meat fan. Cutting out meat only changed where I choose to eat out and what substitutions my friends’ parents made when I came over for dinner. It was when I came to college that I got a lot of unexpected backlash from my peers.
People asked me why I would want to be a vegetarian. My answer would be a combination of using my picky appetite as an excuse, concern for my health and because I wanted to. Their response is usually a list of nags and excessive taunts with food I don’t crave anymore.
There is a lot of stigma around vegetarian and vegan diets. It raises questions of: is it sustainable, is it cost effective and does it provide enough protein?
Harvard Health states in their article, “Becoming a Vegetarian,” that a plant based diet is “not only nutritionally sufficient but also as a way to reduce the risk for many chronic illnesses.”
Practicing portion control, eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and replacing trans fats with good fats is a great way to achieve good health. They also point out that “a diet of soda, cheese pizza, and candy, after all, is technically “vegetarian.’” Even though vegetarianism is considered to be “healthier”, it is still important to be conscious about what food we are consuming.
Being vegetarian can also be cost effective – meat is expensive. Cutting it out of recipes or replacing it with certain vegetables can make meals less expensive.
As a college student I’m able to make most of my meals with the little budget I have. I’m also relatively healthy.
People often ask me, “is it exhausting moderating your diet?”
My answer – we should all be aware of what we put into our bodies – plant-based or not.
Being vegetarian has changed how I view my health and what I put into my body.
It is important to be aware of what we are consuming and to be content with our health.