Last June, my sister was helping me study for my biology final exam when she saw that I had written in my notes that the meat we eat is muscle. It didn’t occur to me that this would affect her, so I was completely surprised when, a few days later, she announced her decision to become a vegetarian. But a recent study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association says that a significant number of kids experiment with a vegetarian diet as a way to mask an eating disorder.
Sure, some kids might use a vegetarian diet to try to lose weight, but there are many, like my sister, who choose vegetarianism for other reasons.
Awareness about Vegetarian Diet
Since growing more aware of vegetarianism through my sister’s choice, I have noticed the increasing popularity of vegetarianism among today’s teenagers. A survey released by the Vegetarian Resource Group showed that two percent of teenagers do not eat any meat at all, and one college food service program announced that 40 percent of students asked for vegetarian meals.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, has noticed this growing popularity among teens as well, launching a new pro-vegan campaign that uses a number of young celebrity spokespeople, such as Alicia Silverstone, Holly Madison, and Kim Kardashian, to target teens.
There are different types of vegetarians. Some vegetarians are “vegans” who do not eat any animal products, including dairy, such as milk or yogurt. “Lactovegetarians” eat milk products but avoid meat, poultry, eggs, and fish. “Lacto-ovovegetarians” eat eggs and milk products, but don’t eat meat, fish, or poultry. This is the category that most vegetarians choose, and is the diet that easily allows for complete nutrition.
Common Reasons Among Teens
The Palo Alto Medical Foundation, or PAMF, lists common reasons why teens give up meat, including the support of animal rights, religious and cultural taboos, and health and weight management. The Vegetarian Society adds environmental concerns to this list. Of these reasons, two causes in particular seem most important to modern teenagers like me: health and weight, and environmental concerns.
Vegetarians are generally at lower risk than non-vegetarians for heart disease, high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer and obesity.
With regard to health and weight management, there has been an increased amount of pressure on teens to maintain a healthy diet and weight. Since vegetables and meat substitutes, such as tofu, are filled with important nutrients and protein with fewer unhealthy fats and calories, teenagers use vegetarianism to promote healthy eating. But teens often forget that being a vegetarian does not just mean not eating meat; it means substituting meat with ample nutritious foods, particularly those high in protein. The Vegetarian Resource Group states that, “A healthy, varied vegetarian diet includes fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds and legumes.” Dairy products are also an important source of protein and calcium.
About environmental concerns, many people worry that eating meat is harmful to the environment. Reportedly, raising animals for meat uses a great deal of resources such as land, grain, and water. The production of plants and grains, however, does not use nearly as much of these resources. In addition, the preparation of meat also requires a large amount of fossil fuel.
Now, I’m not trying to convince you to become a vegetarian. I love meat just as much as the next teen, and don’t plan on ever becoming a vegetarian. Still, I recognize that vegetarianism can be very beneficial to those who follow it safely.
If you, or someone you know, is thinking about becoming a vegetarian, here are some tips:
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Make sure to eat plenty of valuable proteins, vegetables, and grains. That way, you will be able to maintain a healthy and complete diet.
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Teenage vegetarians have nutritional needs that are the same as any other teenager. The years between 13 and 19 are times of especially rapid growth and change, so be sure to consume enough calories from the “right” nutrients.
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Teens also need iron, so be sure to vary your diet to meet your iron needs. To increase the amount of iron absorbed from a meal, eat a food containing vitamin C as part of the meal. It’s a good idea to take a multivitamin to make sure you get all the iron and other vitamins and minerals that you need every day.
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Need a quick, healthy snack when you’re on the run? Consider bananas, apples, oranges, grapes, peaches, plums, dried fruits, bagels and peanut butter, carrot or celery sticks, popcorn, pretzels, soy cheese pizza, bean tacos or burritos, salad, soy yogurt, soy milk, rice cakes, sandwiches, and frozen juice bars.
Vegetarianism is a choice, so you should not feel pressured to continue if you decide that it’s not for you anymore.
