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[Hip Hop]

would a vegan or vegetarian diet be better than a healthy diet that incorporates all food groups?


I would want to go vegan for myself. If it makes me much more healthier if I cut off milk and meats, I would try it.

It's just every Google search I doesn't give me a consice definitive answer wether it is better for you or not.

If anyone had more knowledge about this topic, that would be great.
I just want facts.

Thanks!

 

[Pegasus Actual]

Facts? In the nutrition wars? Good luck!

Personally I'm on team carnivore, but rule #1 with whatever you go with is to not eat fake foods that come in boxes. Eat whole foods. No added sugars. Exercise.

 

[MidGenRefresh]

Every vegan/vegetarian I ever knew had some kind of health problems related to not having enough X or Y.

My advice is: don’t look for advice on the internet when it comes to anything your health related. Consult a specialist.

 

[Kiwicha]

I don´t know for a fact is being vegan is healthier, but I'm the only one in my family that doesn´t suffer from digestive problems.
I stop eating meat when I was 14 and started the vegan thing at 17, now I'm 32 and my girlfriend thinks I'm 25. Mostly because I told her so, but I guess I kinda look young.
I'm bragging instead of helping. Sorry.

 

[funkygunther]

Looks like our bodies are pretty well adapted to handle an omnivore diet so go with that.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

It's just every Google search I doesn't give me a consice definitive answer wether it is better for you or not.

Probably because in general if you cut down on calories, stop eating junk food and do some exercising that will probably be healthier than any diet you see. Humans evolved eating meat and we got teeth designed for chewing meat for a reason. If humans were designed to be plant eaters we'd be on all fours with our noses to the ground grazing grass with flat teeth.

Also, every person is different so no one diet is better than another. Just like some people get liver cancer from booze and die at 50, yet some people have 90 year old grandparents still alive despite smoking and drinking since they were teenagers.

 

[Mr Reasonable]

I don't imagine you'll get a selection of answers that don't contradict one another as Pegasus Actual says, but the right answer is that it's possible to eat a healthy or unhealthy diet almost independently of which ingredients you include or exclude.

Go vegan but eat Pringles as your only food? That's obviously going to be worse for you than if you eat a salad with chicken or fish.

Eat a diet that is high in processed meat? Probably worse for you than anything on the vegan menu, even the Pringles.

The diets that are consistently rated as the healthiest are the Mediterranean and Japanese diets.

The foods consistently regarded as very bad for you are ultra processed foods, essentially factory produced foods that are designed to deliver a sensation to your system rather than nutrition. Processed anything but meat particularly is not good for you, red meat in general.

Beans are amongst the healthiest and most versatile things you can eat.

Seasoning will often affect your perception of how tasty something is to eat more than what the base ingredient is. You don't need to sacrifice on taste if you skip meat.

I would recommend looking at what (former UK food Tzar) Henry Dimbleby has said on the subject of healthy eating and particularly the way unhealthy foods are constructed in his book Ravenous, or even just in interviews promoting the book.

 

[GeekyDad]

Setting aside all the "you can't get [insert whatever] from a vegan/vegi diet," I prefer to listen to my body. I was vegan for quite a number of years before I was diagnosed with cancer (and before someone interjects with, "that's why you got cancer," the neuro oncologist was insistent that only radiation can cause brain cancer), and it worked for me. I initially did it for dietary reasons. I was overweight, but then my work changed drastically, from sitting all day writing to physical labor. I enjoyed the work, never thought it would agree with me, but I knew I needed to lose weight in order to sustain that type of work lifestyle.

All that being said, later into treatment, the doctors were insistent I started to eat more protein and added steroids to the mix. I started to hunger for eggs, milk, chicken, fish. It's now been a part of my diet for the past year or so. Before that, it was salads, fruits, nuts and cereal with almond milk. But during those years before treatment, I felt better than I ever had in my life, both physically and mentally. I quickly moved into management, things were going great.

But that doesn't mean it's necessarily gonna make everyone feel better. My direct supervisor has always eaten meat, drinks a Coke and Sprite (one of each) each day, and he's the nicest, most reasonable and physically healthy people I know.

Facts? Those are my facts. And they're pretty subjective. I can't imagine you're going to find any other type of facts in this area, regardless of the data folks might offer.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Setting aside all the "you can't get [insert whatever] from a vegan/vegi diet," I prefer to listen to my body. I was vegan for quite a number of years before I was diagnosed with cancer (and before someone interjects with, "that's why you got cancer," the neuro oncologist was insistent that only radiation can cause brain cancer), and it worked for me. I initially did it for dietary reasons. I was overweight, but then my work changed drastically, from sitting all day writing to physical labor. I enjoyed the work, never thought it would agree with me, but I knew I needed to lose weight in order to sustain that type of work lifestyle.

All that being said, later into treatment, the doctors were insistent I started to eat more protein and added steroids to the mix. I started to hunger for eggs, milk, chicken, fish. It's now been a part of my diet for the past year or so. Before that, it was salads, fruits, nuts and cereal with almond milk. But during those years before treatment, I felt better than I ever had in my life, both physically and mentally. I quickly moved into management, things were going great.

But that doesn't mean it's necessarily gonna make everyone feel better. My direct supervisor has always eaten meat, drinks a Coke and Sprite (one of each) each day, and he's the nicest, most reasonable and physically healthy people I know.

Facts? Those are my facts. And they're pretty subjective. I can't imagine you're going to find any other type of facts in this area, regardless of the data folks might offer.

I hope you're all better from your bout with cancer.

As for diet, everyone is built different. I love pop and carbonated drinks. Since my dad was junk food king growing up (his specialty was buying KFC, donuts and cases of pop as his contribution to grocery shopping while mom bought the real food), I wonder sometimes how many cans or cups of pop I've drank in my life. It's got to be staggering. Sometimes I actually think to myself.... if I average two per day for the past 40 years I'm at xxxxx. lol.

I'm overweight and not super old yet (late 40s). But so far I'm healthy (no issues when seeing a doc), and I've never had a cavity filling. I've had a few small surface issues my dentist would show me on an xray "see that little thing, lets fix it now before it becomes a real cavity". But that's it for my health issues. I'm amazed myself I've never had a true cavity filling. Oh, I also eat tons of snacks, chips, love sour keys and gummies and drink my share of beer and juice too. On paper, I should have zero teeth left by now. I can literally down 5 red bulls (and have) in an evening watching sports and feel zero effect.

But then other people have rotten teeth and they claim they feel amped up after one energy drink. Go figure.

 

[T4keD0wN]

would a vegan or vegetarian diet be better than a healthy diet that incorporates all food groups?

No, while it would be better than a diet that incorporates all food groups including low quality junk food, but i would definitely not be better than a healthy and well balanced diet that incorporates many various food groups. It does makes sense to do it if you have food restrictions or because of various ideological reasons, but definitely not for health ones.
Try to look up a TDEE calculator (itll take a long time to fully grasp everything and create perfect habits, do not focus too much on 1 day, its ok if one day isnt perfect, instead focus on weeks or month even). If there is one thing that you will take away from this: Focus on getting enough healthy fats and protein, after that you can fill the rest with carbs or whatever you want, try to avoid bad food like artificial sugars, heavily processed food. Eat lots of vegetables/fruit, protein like lean meats, eggs or fish (there is a good reason for why the hyper rich who have personal chefs to maximize the amount of time they live and athletes do it) and do not make unnecessary restrictions.

Only a doctor can provide a perfect answer since they might be aware of possible medical issues and allergies but in general this would apply.

 

[kurisu_1974]

I really want to do vegan just for the ethics of it but man cheese and eggs....

 

[NeoGuff]

 

[chromhound]

Pretty much. Can't go vegan all your life, you will have problem long term

 

[HL3.exe]

Vegan hmmm, you'll need a lot of supplements to replace. But you do you.

Vegetarian though, sure. Red meat in particular has been known to be pretty bad for you for a while now. It's just that... It's just so good haha

I'll take a burger once in a while, but where I live vegetarian meat replacements are regularly available and societally completely accepted.

 

[The Skull]

It's all relative. Vegan or vegetarian can promote more vegetable and fruit intake but you could just gorge on Oreos. Any diet can be "healthy".

I eat lean protein, fatty fish, vegetables and fruit as my main staple. 80% whole food and 20% "junk" works for me, as well as staying active. Again as many have said, speak to a specialist not the internet for nutrition.

 

[Mr Reasonable]

I really want to do vegan just for the ethics of it but man cheese and eggs....

Good option here is to just eat more ethically when you can. If you can swap something in, do it. If you need to have some cheese or want eggs at breakfast, do it. Acknowledge your choices and decide how you feel.

You'll feel better about yourself for being a part time ethical consumer rather than being full time something you don't seem to feel great about.

 

[Peggies]

I think we (as in people who have enough of pretty much everything) should be sensible about what we eat.

Eating low quality-cruelty rich-cheap meat each and every day will destroy your body and the planet. But so it is with sugar, salt, fat etc.

Personally I've been a vegetarian for something like 15 years now just because I don't like the taste and texture of it. As long as I eat enough eggs and dairy products I'm fine but vegan nutrion is - in my humble opinion - not advisable for humans.

 

[IDKFA]

All the vegans I know have to take supplements to function normally, such as B12. Not sure we can call it a healthy diet if supplements are needed.

 

[FunkMiller]

Humans have developed over millions of years as omnivores.

Are you going to listen to evolutionary science and hard facts? Or listen to a bunch of vegans?

Eat a healthy, balanced diet.

 

[GeekyDad]

I hope you're all better from your bout with cancer.

As for diet, everyone is built different. ...

Thank you, and that's pretty much how it appears to me as well -- it's not "one size fits all."

It also seems like a particularly tough age for humans in terms of knowing the foods best for ourselves.

 

[CGNoire]

I cant enjoy any food that didnt suffer before ending up on my plate.

 

[JCK75]

No - the only way it's even a viable choice is because we can ship in veggies and fruits from across the world to fill in the gaps.
Soy is poison

I also don't think only meat is healthy.. a balanced diet is supreme.

 

[MaestroMike]

 

[Billbofet]

 

[Maestr0]

Listen to your body, eat what you can eat, and if necessary go see a doctor if you have allergies or your body is intolerant, but don't follow any trend if it's gonna hurt your health (even some diets are worse), and if money is not a trouble, eat fresh as much as you can.

 

[Imp the Dimp]

I don't find the health argument very compelling and I don't think it bears out in the data that one lifestyle is substantially superior to the other. If you're active on a hardcore gaming forum, odds are you're not exactly living the healthiest lifestyle in the first place. The ethical side of the argument is much stronger.

 

[Lunarorbit]

A balanced diet is best for you. I'll never not eat meat but between hormones and drugs they pump into animals as they grow it's scary. Fish have so much plastic in their diet now as do wild ducks that people hunt.

Not considering environmental factors of raising meat just be cautious. Eating strictly meat can reek havoc to your digestive system and bowels.

 

[Tams]

There's only one thing certain about vegans (and to a lesser degree vegetarians): they'll make sure you know.

We have evolved as omnivores. Act like one.

 

[Lunarorbit]

I think we (as in people who have enough of pretty much everything) should be sensible about what we eat.

Eating low quality-cruelty rich-cheap meat each and every day will destroy your body and the planet. But so it is with sugar, salt, fat etc.

Personally I've been a vegetarian for something like 15 years now just because I don't like the taste and texture of it. As long as I eat enough eggs and dairy products I'm fine but vegan nutrion is - in my humble opinion - not advisable for humans.

You think you're diet changed as you got older pegs? I'm 41 now and my body doesn't react as well as it used to if I eat tons of meat.

 

[Wildebeest]

There are very few diets proven by science to be healthy if stuck to your whole life, and vegetarian is one of them. Specifically, the "Seventh-Day Adventist" diet, but some question it because these people also don't eat processed junk food, drink, smoke, or do drugs.

 

[StueyDuck]

Having a balanced diet is the healthiest

 

[Peggies]

You think you're diet changed as you got older pegs? I'm 41 now and my body doesn't react as well as it used to if I eat tons of meat.

I'm just a little bit younger than you and have pretty much always had a girlish taste in food. Always prefered vegetables and grains to meat. I tend to overdo it with carbs though. I friggin' love pasta and rice and potatoes and bread and yeah well carbs.

 

[nightmare-slain]

I think eating meat is healthier if you have a reasonably balanced diet. If you're all in vegeterian then you might need to take supplements to make up your iron, calcium, protein, vitamins, etc.

I'm not 100% vegeterian but I do try to cut down on how much meat I eat because eating meat is one contributor to emissions that damage the environment and I love animals so I feel bad eating them. If I can get a vegeterian alternative then I will prefer that but I will still eat chicken, pork, etc.

 

[Trogdor1123]

I’d hate to be vegan… sounds like a terrible way to live.

Ron knows best

 

[NecrosaroIII]

I was vegetarian for a year. After the first month, it's not so bad. It was weird going back to eating meat.

 

[DrFigs]

I knew I guy from college who was vegetarian for religious reasons and was much fatter than I was. No reason to think it's healthier than eating in moderation, if that's what you're getting at.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I knew I guy from college who was vegetarian for religious reasons and was much fatter than I was. No reason to think it's healthier than eating in moderation, if that's what you're getting at.

My french teacher in high said she was vegetarian and she was probably one of the fattest people in the entire room. So either she was lying and eating tons of fatty meat, or was pigging out on carbs, candy and salads with ranch dressing because just about every vegetable out there (maybe all?) eaten raw is hardly any calories per serving.

 

[NeverYouMind]

Gorging on nuts and carbs can be more fattening than a weekly burger with bacon. Biggest difference is regular excercise can eliminate meat fat from your blood vessels exponentially faster than the carbs stored in your belly fat. To get rid of belly fat you have to push yourself beyond tiredness (burn all the sugar powering your muscles and then some).

 

[Kenneth Haight]

I’ve been vegetarian for about 6 years now just mainly for ethical reasons. Seen too many documentaries about cute animals in disgusting factories and just decided I didn’t want to be part of it anymore. I’m aware I’m still part of a horrible dairy and egg industry etc. but I can’t go full vegan and I try and source as ethically as possible. No one can be happy with factory farming but unfortunately it is very convenient but very bad for the earth.

I still cook meat for my wife and kids, it doesn’t bother me. I would never be like one of those preachy veggies/vegans. I ate meat for nearly 30 years so I would be a hypocrite to do so.

I just think we should be thinking a lot more about what we are doing to the planet and our bodies. WHO will have us all eating fucking bug burritos in a few years, you watch .

 

[Chairman Yang]

I'm vegetarian. It was hard growing up, but very easy now with the food options available to me. I have both vegetarians and non-vegetarians in my family, and the vegetarians have tended to live much longer (like to age 95+) but of course there are many other factors affecting that.

My recommendation, if you're interested, is that you start by just cutting down your meat intake. Maybe by half for a few months, then by 75%, then eliminate it entirely except for a few special occasions.

 

[Beastclaw Raider]

My girlfriend has been vegetarian since a teen, she has an excellent health. Personally I cant do it and will never give up meat.

Nice thing about it is she's not one of them crazy vegetarians, we can share a meal together and eat my steak while she eats her own things. Actually never thought I'd date one of them, heh.

 

[GymWolf]

The animal proteins fear-mongering is always funny, i eat a lot of meat and fish (and train so proteins can have a purpose) and do blood exams every 6 months and i'm in impeccable conditions.

Refined carbs and low quality fats are what kill people, not proteins.

 

[Beastclaw Raider]

Pretty much. Can't go vegan all your life, you will have problem long term

Girlfriend bas been vegan for more than 20 years and never had problems, her blood tests are always fine, contrary to mines. So that's b.s, and she doesnt take any supplements at all.

 

[JimmyRustler]

*sigh*

How about people finally stop talking about the irrelevant side of nutrition? It makes no difference if you eat meat or not.

!!! STOP EATING SUGAR AND PROCESSED FOOD !!!

That is ALL that counts.

 

[Beastclaw Raider]

*sigh*

How about people finally stop talking about the irrelevant side of nutrition? It makes no difference if you eat meat or not.

!!! STOP EATING SUGAR AND PROCESSED FOOD !!!

That is ALL that counts.

Pretty much yeah, that shit is the poison we should all be worried about

 

[iorek21]

More knowledgeable can correct me, but a veggie/vegan diet that contemplates all your daily micronutrients might be way more caloric/expensive than a meaty one for the simple fact that vegetable protein sources often comes with extra carbs or added fat such as soy meat or "future meat". Might need to have some balacing to make if you want to eat correctly.
That's a big problem especially for protein since even if you eat soy, drink whey or eat beans, you'll still need much more to fill up your needs. For example:

100g of cooked soy has:
173kcals
10g of carbs
16g of protein
9g of fats

On the other hand, 100g of grilled chicken chest has:

159kcals
32g proteins
0 carbs
2.5 fats

See the difference? To get the protein of 100g of chicken you'd need 200g of soy with added 20g of carbs and 18g of fats. It's very easy to go off rails on a diet when trying to fill all of your daily needs in a veggie/vegan diet.

Of course, there's the ethical aspect of it which people often care more about, I don't really think veggies/vegan think much about their macros outside bodybuilders, athletes and actors.

 

[winjer]

We are omnivorous. So a bit of each type of food is ideal.

 

[chromhound]

Girlfriend bas been vegan for more than 20 years and never had problems, her blood tests are always fine, contrary to mines. So that's b.s, and she doesnt take any supplements at all.

My grandma was vegan for most of her life and the doctor force to back to eat meat

 

[Beastclaw Raider]

My grandma was vegan for most of her life and the doctor force to back to eat meat

My mother wasn't vegan for most of her life and her doctor forced her to eat less meat.

The fuck is this?

 

[Kiwicha]

Nobody will force me to eat meat ever, much less for medical reasons.
But yeah, if op is looking for a healthy diet, it doesn't have to be necessarily vegetarian or vegan. I eat a lot of unhealthy stuff and consume a lot of sugar. Vegan only works if you really believe that eating meat is not right for you.