Students go meatless

A vegetarian diet may be a mystery to some people, especially those who classify themselves as a “meat-and-potatoes” type, but there is more to vegetarianism than simply abstaining from meat.

Tamara Vitale, clinical assistant professor in the department of nutrition and food sciences, said college students who are interested in following a vegetarian diet can do so easily and healthily by following a few simple guidelines and making correct eating choices.

“A meal consisting of a soft drink, fries and a candy bar is classified as vegetarian, but is loaded with saturated fat and sugar and short on fiber and many nutrients,” Vitale said. “A veggie burger on a whole grain bun loaded with tomatoes and lettuce, a fruit salad, an order of fries and bottled water would be healthier and would fit the vegetarian meal bill better.”

According to kidshealth.org, there are several different types of vegetarian diets, depending on what types of meat and dairy products are eaten. Separate from vegetarians, there are vegans, who eat food only derived only from plant sources. The Web site also states there are many people who call themselves vegetarians but are actually semi-vegetarians. They have eliminated red meat, but may eat poultry or fish.

Vitale suggests that vegetarians incorporate low-fat dairy products, eggs, nuts, beans and soy products into their diet to make sure sufficient amounts of protein are attained.

“Supplements aren’t necessary for vegetarians unless you tend to eat the same limited choices day after day,” Vitale said.

Vitale said that fortified cereals and dark, leafy greens are good sources of iron and soy products are rich in vitamin B-12.

Jennifer Moss-Holmes, a junior majoring in photography, said she became a vegetarian when she was 16 and recently has gone vegan, omitting all animal products from her diet. Holmes is also the president of SALT club on campus, which stands for Students for Animal Liberation Team.

“I went vegan because I realized eating dairy and eggs contributed to animal cruelty,” Moss-Holmes said.

Moss-Holmes said veal comes from calves born in the dairy industry and egg-producing operations often keep the hens is poor conditions with little room to move around or even stretch their wings.

Moss-Holmes said she takes a multi-vitamin, B-12 and calcium supplement to make sure she is meeting her daily dietary requirements, but said she gets enough iron and protein from eating other foods such as soy products and vegetables.

Giselle Olsen, a sophomore majoring in English, said she has been a vegetarian a little more than three years. She said she decided to make the switch when she went to Warped Tour and was stopped by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals booth. She said PETA had lots of information about animal cruelty and a lot of logical reasons not to eat meat.

“I have always loved animals and I didn’t really eat that much meat anyway, so I decided to try being a vegetarian,” Olsen said.

Olsen said that now she does not eat meat or gelatin, however she does occasionally eat dairy and eggs.

“I would go vegan, but the hardest thing for me is desserts, since a lot of desserts are made with butter and eggs,” Olsen said.

Olsen said she doesn’t force her agenda on anybody, but is willing to talk to people who are interested in vegetarianism. Her advice for anybody who wants to try it is to start slowly and then gradually reduce the amount of meat in their diet little by little.

Adriane Henderson, a senior majoring in art, said her whole family was vegetarian for about five years when she was growing up. She said her mom was really health-conscious and her family ate a lot of organic food to avoid growth hormones and pesticides that are found in a lot of inorganic meats.

“It was hard to find organic meat and when you could find it, it was really expensive,” Henderson said.

Henderson is not a vegetarian now, although she said she only eats meat about twice a month. However, she said she does eat fish on a regular basis and still orders vegetarian dishes when she goes out to eat.

“The new Thai restaurant in town is good for vegetarians because they will substitute any meat in a dish for tofu,” Henderson said.

Tofu is a product made from soybeans. Vitale said products made from soy are widely available and are a good non-meat protein source. Products made from soybeans include soymilk, tofu, tempeh and miso.

Vitale said soymilk is made when soybeans are ground in water, cooked, then strained. Soymilk can be used as a milk substitute or converted into non-dairy products like cheese, yogurt and ice cream.

“Tofu is made when coagulants are added to soymilk. It comes in many forms including silken, extra firm, baked and marinated,” Vitale said. ” The softer varieties work best in recipes where they are pureed and the firmer versions are preferred in stir fries.”

Mike Sasser, a junior majoring in business, is not a vegetarian but said he worked at a vegan coffee shop in Salt Lake City several years ago. He said they used a lot of soy products and even had vegan doughnuts made using soymilk.

“The vegan doughnuts were really good,” Henderson said. “It was surprising, but they were actually better than regular doughnuts.”

Olsen said she also loves the different kinds of vegetarian food that are available and thinks people in Logan should be more open to trying vegetarian foods.

“It’s really not that bad, there is a lot of food you can eat,” Olsen said.

nnaylor@cc.usu.edu