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Vegetarians please come in, I have a ?
DH and I have been vegetarian since July, and we're both having some serious protein cravings. They didn't exist 2-3 weeks ago. We have been very careful about what we eat so we get enough protein, like eggs, beans, nuts, protein-rich grains like quinoa, soy, and dairy, all in moderation (meaning we're not eating a ton of cheese every day). DH tried being veg twice before and right around the 7-8 month mark because of these cravings he started eating fish, then chicken, then a little beef, then he fell off the veg wagon altogether. I reeealllyy don't want to fall off the wagon as I am very happy with the vegetarianism, but I would kill for some scallops or chicken.
Is this just a phase and the cravings pass, or is my body telling me that I should go back to eating meat? As I said, we're already very careful to eat protein-rich plant sources, so unless I eat tofu multiple times a day (which wouldn't be healthy) there's not much we can do in that regard. TIA!
Re: Vegetarians please come in, I have a ?
I'd try some scallops and see how they go. When I ate a veg diet in college, adding a little meat back in caused some problems. Some vegetarians allow seafood, so I'd start with that before I went right to chicken.
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If that doesn't help, perhaps you could find one or two responsible, sustainable sources of animal protien that you each have two or three times a month, as that would still be a big improvement over returning to frequent meat eating.
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More than likely your "protien" cravings are actually iron cravings. Your body is made to tell you when you need something. I had similar issues but I didn't recognize them right away and I ended up anemic because of it. My nutritionist said that had I picked up on the iron craving through the 'protein craving' I would have been fine staying vegetarian. Have you made sure that you're getting your daily allowance of iron fulfilled? It's difficult to do so with only greens, and if you find you cannot, taking an iron supplement can't hurt at all.
A word of caution: before your hunny starts taking iron, if you decide to do so, he should consult his physician. The stories about men who eat too much steak and other red meats having heart attacks are true, it's because they get too much iron. A woman can process it better, but a man is much more sensitive to it.
Also, your red blood cells regenerate every 90-120 days. You only need to take iron for 3 months. It just supplements your already existing red blood cells with the iron they are missing. By the time 3 months has passed, your supply will be replinished with cells containing the correct amount of iron.
Hopefully that helps a little. Apparently this is a very big probem among 'new' vegematarians.
Sorry, I can't help- I've been vegetarian since I was 11 and I honestly don't remember any protein cravings, but that doesn't necessarily mean I didn't have them.
I can say this- after a while I honestly stopped seeing meat as food. When I smell meat now, it smells disgusting an entirely un-appetizing. I can't even count how many times I have gotten in trouble for walking into my mom's house and asking 'What stinks?" only to find out it's her apparently mouth-watering roast or stew or whatever. I say stick with it
I went vegetarian very young and was vegetarian for about 10 years and never had any cravings. What is it you crave? To me scallops are very buttery, so what about making a really good scrambled egg sandwich? Or instead of red meat a really good mushroom pasta, or even like a mushroom casserole?
If you think you might be iron deficient take some blackstrap molasses. They are easier on the body and better utilized than iron supplements - this is what I did while vegan.
Is it possible to get sustainable seafood where you are?
While I didn't have problems as a kid, I find it easier as an adult to keep things less rigid. I still haven't decided if I'm ever eating red meat or pork again, but I don't really need to decide. Neither are something I normally eat, so I'll just keep not eating them, and we'll see. If you can't manage the cravings in other ways, maybe adding a little animal protein that fits your ethics now and then is what makes the diet sustainable long-term for both of you.
this is pretty close to me too.....i became vegetarian in 2nd grade- and it was because 1. i didn't like meat at all, not the taste, smell or idea of it. and 2. we saw a video in school about where the food you eat comes from. i haven't touched meat, or had any desire to, since then!
I have been a vegetarian for 14 years and my DH has been for almost 7 years. For me I don't get any cravings for meat/protein, but my DH definitely does. We eat a lot of beans. Black beans, pinto beans and about once a week we have tofu. Also a little less than once a week we have a meat replacement /"mock meat". One of the best ones I have ever tried is the Quorn chik'n cutlets. If you put them in a pan with a little olive oil they are a wonderful substitute to chicken breasts.
I did find that when I first became vegetarian I ate sooooo many veggies! Which is great except for the fact I felt hungry all the time. I don't know if your craving for meat may be because you are not as satisfied after eating compaired to when you ate meat. I try to offet that a couple times a week by make a more hearty meal. One of my favs is to get a quart of No-chicken Chicken broth and put whatever veggies are in season at that time in a pot and simmer for about 30 min and then add a can of Eden Carribbean Beans and rice. AMAZING SOUP!
I didn't have this happen when I was veg, but oddly, after I started eating some meat again. I craved red meat (which I didn't eat for several years after I stopped being veg). I'm pretty sure it was iron deficiency, esp. since I notice now that I crave it more during or just after my period.
I just wanted to echo what a PP said about men and iron. My dad had iron overload awhile back and had to have blood taken periodically until his levels were normal. Women (who have periods) lose iron each month, but men don't, so it just builds up in their systems.
I've been a vegetarian for a little more than two years now. I introduced seafood back in about 9 months in because I just didn't feel like I was getting enough protein. I eat fish pretty infrequently - maybe once a month or so - and it seems to deal with the cravings and allow me a bit of extra protein on those days/weeks I feel like I am lacking.
I won't lie though - I still have cravings from time to time. I don't think it has to do with "my body telling me it needs protein" - I think it's just that I've eaten meat for so many years, and for the most part liked it, and it's just something I miss from time to time. I think you just have to remind yourself in those moments why you became a vegetarian. It sounds kinda silly, but it really really helps me to think hard about the impact and ask myself if it's really worth it to me to have those few bites? It never is to me.
Thanks for the responses everyone. We do eat a variety of beans. Our weekly dinner menu usually looks something like this:
1 tofu meal (tofu & veggie stir fry, BBQ tofu)
1 mock meat meal (seitan, tempeh, or veggie burgers)
1-2 bean meals (chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans, cannelilli beans)
1 cheese meal (Indian paneer, or something cheese-heavy like Portabello Mushroom Parmigiana)
1-2 veggie only meal
I haven't had my iron levels checked but I do take a prenatal vitamin, not sure if there's iron in that. I don't want to eat meat at all, I want to stick with being veg (no meat or seafood). But DH and I are craving scallops or something meaty, which has me worried that we're missing some protein and/or iron as you said. I guess I'll get my iron levels checked and either do an iron supplement or introduce a little seafood/meat back into my diet. I was hoping ya'll would say "it's a phase, it passes..."
Or you could first try incorporating more kale in your diet and adding in some ways of having blackstrap molasses. Just seems easier than rushing off for tests.
If you have the $$, it may be worth seeing a nutritionist, who can help to analyze your diet. (He/she may also suggest a food log.)
I can't really relate to craving meat specifically, b/c I never really liked the taste of it. Plus, I have a lot of trouble ignoring that dead animal flesh is still dead animal flesh, not a just a "burger" or whatever. However, sometimes I have craved a particular dish that usually contains/focuses on meat, and have been able to reproduce the flavor in a veg-based dish.
When I went off the iron supplement, I had already started taking prenatals which my OB said was definitely sufficient to maintain appropriate iron levels. The important thing to remember is that calcium blocks iron absorption, and Vitamin C boosts iron absoprtion. So she suggested I take my prenatal with a glass of oj and don't consume any calcium for an hour before or a half hour after taking it.
I'm a lurker, but I've been a vegetarian for 18 years, and I just wanted to reiterate what some pp have mentioned: there are a LOT of vegetarian iron sources! If you are, in fact, low in iron, you have more options than just eating meat or taking supplements.
When I first became a vegetarian (age 15), I did become anemic, but that's because I didn't have the knowledge or much family support at the time, and my diet was very imbalanced (lots of plain noodles, etc.). I took supplements in high school, but now I just take a regular multi-vitamin and calcium (and I probably don't even need to take those, given my diet, but I take them "just in case".)
Google "vegetarian iron sources", and you'll find lots of info!