Disclaimer: This is NOT an article berating the meat-eaters of the world! Up until six months ago I happily and regularly ate meat, so I'm certainly not about to adopt a holier-than-thou attitude about vegetarianism, or preach about it as a superior nutritional regime to the world! Everybody's needs, interests and preferences are varied, and as such, I've tried to present a balanced discussion!

PHEW. Excuse me while I hang my Captain Serious hat back up!

The idea for this topic blossomed after I received an e-mail enquiring about my experiences as a vegetarian, and precisely why I'd chosen to become one. It's a subject which (surprisingly!) always rouses interest and a flurry of questions at dinner parties, and the initial query is inevitably ''but... why?!''

I first tried to implement a vegetarian lifestyle when I was 9, after struggling to comprehend how I could eat animals when I loved them so such. But this was an extremely short-lived experiment (approximately two days), after discovering that a) I wasn't so enthusiastic about vegetables; b) my parents announced that they weren't cooking two separate meals each night; and c) that my favourite treat EVER (that I was convinced that I couldn't live without!), apple-flavoured Chupa Chups, contained animal fat. So I promptly returned to eating meat, ignoring any future internal questions about my ethics that would arise, until earlier this year. I'd just moved into a new house, surrounded by an abundance of creatures including chickens, bush turkeys and sometimes even wallabies, and as I'd happily coo at them and watch them with fascination, once again my old feelings about whether or not I felt comfortable eating meat resurfaced.

After mulling over the decision for a few weeks and discussing it with my family and friends, I decided to try vegetarianism once more -and this time, it's stuck! I'm often asked which lifestyle I think is more suitable, but honestly, I don't have a one-sided answer. Both have positive AND negative attributes:

The Pros Of Vegetarianism:

x Before becoming a vegetarian, the only type of vegetable that I frequently consumed was potato, in the form of deep-fried chips. Not so good! These days, however, I eat a LOT of vegetables, and I definitely feel a lot healthier because of it.

x Vegetarian diets are generally lower in cholesterol, and recent research believes that vegetarians are less likely to develop some types of cancer than meat eaters.

x It can be cheaper: swapping legumes (such as lentils and chickpeas) or tofu for meat in stir-frys and curries can result in a significantly reduced shopping bill. 

x It's forced me to become more adventurous with trying new foods, and creative in the kitchen!

The Cons Of Vegetarianism:

x Meat contains a HEAP of essential proteins, vitamins and minerals, important for muscle strength, growth and energy. This was something that I hadn't really thought about before deciding to eliminate it from my diet, and to my own peril! While there are a bunch of meat substitutes that you can eat to obtain the benefits of these (such as leafy vegetables, nuts, iron-fortified breakfast cereals and breads, tofu and legumes), I underestimated just how essential they are, and the role they play in maintaining your stamina. Unfortunately, this means that vegetarians often have to think a little bit harder about their meals in order to ensure that they receive the necessary nutrients that they may ordinarily receive in a single piece of meat - a diet of biscuits, pineapple fritters or soup simply just won't do!

x You can occasionally feel pangs (especially if you previously ate meat) akin to that of missing out on something. For the first couple of months, I'd struggle whenever I saw my family or boyfriend cooking up some of my old favourite foods.

x Once upon a time, I used to be able to successfully launch myself out of bed with only a few hours sleep. This is definitely NOT a healthy or intelligent thing to do, but sometimes it was (and still is) a necessity. But these days? Forgetaboutit. I definitely have a lot less energy, and find myself needing much more sleep.

x Dining out can be difficult. While most restaurants offer vegetarian options, there are still many that don't, or have very limited choices - so researching the menu before selecting a venue can be crucial!

♥

Questions? Thoughts? Enquiries as to where you too can purchase your very own Captain Serious hat? Fire away!

xoxo

(Image thanks to Cooriander.)