Wellness

[FastDogWalker2]

I am considering going veg for the health benefits.  I am active and eat well generally but I think I do eat more red meat than is probably healthy.  My cholesterol and blood pressure are fine but heart problems and cancer were something my parents dealt with so I am hoping to lessen potential problems.  Thanks for all of the great advice - a gradual approach sounds like a great option.  Again, thanks!

[jackthebear]

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@FastDogWalker2 wrote:

I am considering going veg for the health benefits.  I am active and eat well generally but I think I do eat more red meat than is probably healthy.  My cholesterol and blood pressure are fine but heart problems and cancer were something my parents dealt with so I am hoping to lessen potential problems.  Thanks for all of the great advice - a gradual approach sounds like a great option.  Again, thanks!

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cutting out the red meat, is the easy part

can sub chicken or fish 

IMO all those "meat substitutes" look unappealing to me, why to fool yourself into a substitution?  

[Slainte]

Some meat substitutes are pretty bad, but there are quite a few tasty ones. Gardein has a number of almost as good as meat, like the crabless cakes, https://www.gardein.com/products/crabless-cakes/, and the meatless meatloaf with gravy, https://www.gardein.com/products/home-style-meatless-meatloaf/. Field Roast's apple sage sausage,http://fieldroast.com/product/smoked-apple-sage-sausage/, is great in my version of the haluski cabbage noodle casserole. Their Fieldburger, http://fieldroast.com/product-family/field-burger/  makes a good substitute for a hamburger on the grill. I do  a lot of lentil, eggplant and mushroom based meals, but every now and again want something close to "regular" food. Because the Gardein and Field Roast products are more processed foods I use them more sparingly. 

If it is for health reasons, choosing to add more meatless meals and occasionally have fish or chicken makes good sense. Meatless products have come a long way, though. I remember talking to a vegetarian friend back in the '70s. Her meatless version was a canned nut paste that did taste terrible. It's much, much better nowadays.