About 2 years ago, I went fully vegetarian. It had been coming along for a while, based on:

  • Sustainability concerns;
  • Ethical concerns;
  • Cost concerns;
  • Indifference to meat flavour;
  • Desire to try something new.

Being vegetarian, vegan, or similar is one of the latest hot topics. I strongly believe reducing meat intake is important for creating a better planet, and probably has some health benefits too. At the same time, there are some practical considerations to be had when considering cutting out meat and/or animal products. I want to share those considerations with you today.

Disclaimer: everything I say here is my own observation only, and shouldn’t be taken as medical advice. I’m not a doctor.

Iron Deficiency

I don’t know where it came from: there is some rhetoric online that vegetarians need not worry about iron intake, despite cutting out their largest source of iron (red meat). Let me tell you that you should think a little about iron. Don’t assume you will be fine. I have been iron deficient since ceasing consumption of red meat. It probably contributed to a persistent feeling of fatigue I have experienced for years. And, I’m a young man, apparently the least likely group to be iron deficient - it could be worse if you are, e.g. a menstruating woman.
After seeing a specialist doctor, the first thing they said is I must take an iron supplement if not regularly eating red meat. Why? Because, unfortunately for vegetarians, the body absorbs iron from red meat far more efficiently than any other food. You probably won’t get enough iron naturally if you are not eating red meat, specifically. Spinach and legumes probably won’t cut it. The body requires iron to function, and without a consistent source of it (red meat!), your iron levels will deplete, eventually causing bad things. If deciding to go vegetarian, please monitor you iron and realise you may need to take a supplement.

B12 Deficiency

Similar to iron, you can become deficient in vitamin B12 if not eating enough animal products regularly. I’ve never been a huge fan of milk and eggs, and I took vegetarianism as an opportunity to consume even fewer dairy products. And then, you guessed it, I almost became B12 deficient. Sadly, B12 is basically exclusive to animal products, and I’m not aware of any effective supplements. The solution for me was to eat more cheese, yoghurt, and eggs (several serves per week).

Protein Intake

Another point on the nutrient deficiency train: protein. Perhaps controversial, since there seems to be some reactionary narrative that plant-based athletes are at no disadvantage compared to those who eat animal products. Maybe technically true if you’re super dedicated, but the fact for the average person like me is that it’s easier to eat enough protein with animal products than without. The recommended daily intake of protein is around 0.9g per kilogram of body weight[1]. There are some claims that this amount may increase towards 2g/kg if you’re trying to build muscle. The recommendation is to increase intake of legumes and soy products, but they typically don’t have as much protein as red meat or poultry. Compare 100g of lentils containing 9g protein and 20g carbohydrates[2], to 100g of steak containing 25g protein and 0g carbohydrates[3]. Certainly you can hit your protein requirements and maintain balanced macronutrient intake, but you will have to utilise more ingenuity and dedication than someone who incorporates some meat. Further, overconsuming one type of food to compensate may be bad for other aspects of your wellbeing.

That said, I won’t dissuade you from eating legumes. They are awesome, and generally recognised as a healthy food. As a vegetarian, they should be one of your staple foods. Be warned that you may pass gas a lot more after consuming them, though.

Cooking is Harder… and Easier

The biggest advantage, if you may call it that, of cooking with meat is its ability to stand more or less on its own in a dish. It’s relatively easy to cook a piece of steak, or chicken, whack a sauce on it, add some vegetables, maybe rice, and call it a meal. Not only a meal, but a pretty tasty and balanced meal, too. Without the culinary crutch of meat (yes, I call it a crutch), you are forced to think a bit more about creating a cohesive dish. It took me a while to figure out what types of meals I could create which were as easy and as nutritious. The reward is becoming a better cook.

On the other hand, without meat, you are freed from the hassle of meat food safety. No more meat juices everywhere, no more meat smell, no more “is it really cooked all the way through?”, no more concern about safe storage. Handling raw chicken in particular was a huge pain and I don’t regret leaving it in my past. I can whip out a can of beans and have them fried up in a few minutes with near-zero hassle.

Trying to Dodge Meat in Restaurants

Yes, you may become “that friend” who has to pick the eatery with decent vegetarian choices. I would say “oh choose anywhere, I’m not picky”, suddenly to realise my diet decisions now rule out entire menus of options. In my country (Australia), vegetarian selections are slowly becoming more common, dependent on the cuisine. I’ve found fast food, find dining, and Asian restaurants love their meat, where your vegetarian “choice” (or probably the only thing on the menu without meat) will be hugely underwhelming compared to the meaty dishes. Some cuisines will bless you with the most amazing dishes that were created without meat in mind; try Indian, Middle Eastern, and Italian eateries.

Sensitivity to Animal Taste

Now for an odd point. After a while of reduced meat intake, I started to notice that many animal products have a certain taste to them. I think most people who regularly consume animal products don’t take notice, because they generally look at me weird when I mention it. The taste is reminiscent of slightly rotting flesh. I find it’s strong in cow’s milk, eggs, and fish. At one time I was trying to drink a lot of milk to combat B12 deficiency, but after a while, found I couldn’t stomach it due to that “animal” taste. To much amusement, I prefer the taste of plain soy milk, which many people hate.

Conclusions

After discovering all of what I’ve shared here, and weighing up the health and ethical concerns, I made the change a few months ago to quit strict vegetarianism. Blasphemous, I know. I reincorporated some fish into my diet, because: fish is the most ethical meat to farm as far as I know, fish is great for protein, and it’s delicious. My diet overall is now more of a balanced diet, skewed mostly towards plant foods. Which, interestingly, is close to the Mediterranean diet that has gained some recognition recently. I am confident my health and wellbeing has improved as a result.

The takeaway I will offer to you is this: try reducing your meat intake, and replacing it with more vegetables and legumes. There are ethical, sustainability, cost, and health benefits to be had. Don’t worry about eliminating every trace of meat and animal products from your life - it’s somewhat hard and unnecessary.

References

[1] “Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand: Protein”, https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/nutrient-reference-values/nutrients/protein

[2] “USDA FoodData Central Food Details: Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt”, https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/172421/nutrients

[3] “USDA FoodData Central Food Details: Beef, rib eye steak, boneless, lip off, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 0 fat, all grades, cooked, grilled”, https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/172164/nutrients