How to Become a Soul Vegetarian

As an African-American woman, I usually get a strange look whenever I tell someone I'm a vegetarian, because the culture I come from embraces meat products so heavily. Even vegetable dishes are marinated in meat, like hamhocks with collard greens. So when I come to someone's house or go out to eat, there are a lot of people who ask me "Why are you a vegetarian?" and "What do you eat?" on a daily basis. Then there are the smart alecs who say "Well, how come you're not 99 lbs.?" Below I will give you some advice on great vegetarian dishes, why I became a vegetarian, what health hazards to watch out for and what present day African-Americans are encountering healthwise, how did I last as a vegetarian, and what brands are overhyped.

Why Are You a Vegetarian?

I've never been the type of person who tries to convince people to live the way I live because I can't stand it when someone lectures me. So, when one woman got upset that I was a vegetarian and told me to "Open your mouth! See those white things inside? They're put there for meat," that annoyed me. Because I'm deadset against trying to give someone a guilt trip into changing their eating style, I appreciate it when people don't knock mine. So I told her "Well, you see this apple right here? Oh, and these chips over here? I guess I can't use these white things in my mouth for those, huh?" Needless to say, she and I battled it out.

So why am I a vegetarian? The reason I became a vegetarian was simply because I was never really that into meat, and for the moral cause. I do not believe in killing anything for my own tasty convenience. Too much of something will get very old. My family overloaded me with meat (five different sausages, hot dogs, and ground beef in spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, etc.) My sister-in-law made dressing one year and not only put turkey on top of the dressing, but cut up little pieces and sprinkled it in the dressing. I was so disappointed because I love dressing and cornbread, and rice, and potatoes, hence the reason why I'm not 99 lbs. One of my co-workers accused me of being a Carbotarian instead of a vegetarian. She might have a point.

How Did You Last As a Vegetarian?

I tried three times to become a vegetarian, and it wasn't until the third time that I actually succeeded. The first two times I gave in immediately because I was very weak for Popeye's Cajun style rice and absolutely burnt out on salad. I had no idea what else to eat. But the last time I decided to be a vegetarian was because of PETA. I was sitting on the El train (a subway train for those of you unfamiliar with Chicago's terminology) and I saw a PETA ad about animal cruelty and the vegetarian lifestyle. I called the number on the sign and within a week or so, I received a pamphlet. A few pages later, I was absolutely disgusted with all meat and called some family members to get every last dead animal out of my refrigerator or it was all going in the garbage. I bought a book called The Ethnic Vegetarian by Angela Shelf Medearis and then went to the Soul Food Vegetarian East restaurant on the east side of Chicago by 76th and Indiana. Right then and there, I realized that you can be a vegetarian and eat well too. You really must do some research on the foods you like in order to find substitutes though.

What's Good to Eat?

Here are some good brand names to buy for the vegetarian lifestyle. Note: A vegan is someone who doesn't eat any animal products. I am not a vegan, so there may be some foods that potential vegans won't want to eat and most that vegetarians would feel comfortable eating. All of these frozen foods or ingredients can be found in the produce section or the frozen food aisle, next to the vegetables.

Morningstar Farms: One of the hardest foods for me to give up was my mother's baked chicken and egg noodles. The white in eggs repulses me, so giving up eggs made me not a bit of difference, but the smell of her chicken really challenged me. I started messing around with Morningstar chicken strips with noodles and it tasted pretty close. When I'd miss Taco Bell's taco salad, I'd go home and cook veggie ground beef, and slap it on a tortilla with lettuce, sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, and Taco Bell sauce and BAM! I was in love!

Their chicken strips are so good in stir fry, the buffalo wings are great with Caesar salad, and the veggie burgers are especially good with Busch's vegetarian baked beans. If you have Dominick's or Jewel Food in your area, they have these brands there.

Gardenburger: I very rarely find a large selection of their food, but they usually have good casserole dishes.

Annie Lee's: They have the best lasagna and veggie loaf.

Soga: Tofu is something you just have to get used to. I hated it at first. It tasted like unsweetened marshmallows, but when I went to P.F. Chang restaurant and tasted their tofu lettuce wraps, I realized they might be on to something. Try firm tofu-it tends to take on the characteristics of chicken. I do not recommend soft tofu at all. When tofu is frozen and then defrosted, it has a rougher texture, which is good for meat-like meals such as steak or beef.

Lightlife Smart Deli: As a college student, I am all about sandwiches. I love eating a turkey sandwich, some chips, and fruit. You can find this lunch "soy" in any produce department of most major grocery stores. They have "turkey," "bologna," and "salami."

CROWNS Roasted Vegetables and Three Cheeses: This is one of the most delicious snacks ever. Please, if you have any Safeway-supported stores in your area (like Dominick's grocery store or check www.safeway.com to see what other stores have this brand), check out "CROWNS Roasted Vegetables and Three Cheeses." It should be in the pizza area. These things are little stuffed wraps with roasted tomatoes, portabella mushrooms, and bell peppers. My eyes lit up when I ate them.

Quorn: These products are meatless, soyless, and made from vegetables. The Naked Cutlets taste just like chicken breasts.

Silk: My grandfather told me that he would try soy milk when he saw a soy cow walking around. But, after a couple of months of seeing me drink Silk milk regularly, he gave in, tried it, and loved it. Silk has a wholesome taste that compliments cereal well.

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Are There Any Vegetarian Foods You Won't Eat?

Now there are some vegetarian brand names that I'm not a fan of, specifically Boca. I wrote that company a nice long letter and told them they needed to take tips from Morningstar Farms because the food tastes like sponges doused in sauce. IHOP is even serving those burgers. If a waitress brings you one of those, just run right out the door and don't look back. Head to any major grocery store, buy a sponge packet, open it up, and start chewing. You'll get the same taste for less money.

I also have yet to taste good vegan ice cream and the vegetarian eggs and MorningStar's sausage are not for me. I can't stand the smell of sausage or those white squiggly things inside, and veggie sausage is entirely too close to that meaty taste, so for the start-up people who enjoy sausage, you'll probably love it. As for vegetarian eggs, they still come out of the same chickens; they just supposedly weren't tortured in the process. I tried several soy milks before I finally found one I liked. Just because a label says soy milk doesn't mean that they all taste the same. I was not a fan of Rice Dreams, but as stated above, I really enjoyed Silk.

Health Issues

When living the vegetarian lifestyle, we lose the protein in meats, but there are other ways to get protein. People commonly generalize vegetarians as being malnourished, which is not true. In the black community, 77% of women and 61% of men are overweight. 31% of black women have breast cancer, 37% of black men have prostate cancer, 25% of black women have diabetes, and 13% of black men have this disease as well. With a healthy diet, such as a vegetarian diet, a lot of this can be prevented.

Here are some common foods for healthy living:

Protein-beans, peanuts, peanut butter, bananas, sesame seeds

Vitamin B12--soy milk and various cereals
Vitamin D-margarine
Calcium-tofu, broccoli, seeds, nuts, kale, bok choy, legumes (peas and
beans), greens, calcium-enriched grain products, and lime-processed tortillas
Iron-legumes, tofu, green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, whole grains, and iron
fortified cereals and breads, especially whole wheat (absorption is
improved by vitamin C, found in citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes, strawberries, broccoli, peppers, dark-green leafy vegetables, and potatoes with skins)
Zinc-whole grains (especially the germ and bran), whole-wheat bread, legumes, nuts, and tofu

One thing that you must know is that you cannot eat salads all day. I'm terrified of passing a stone so I am very weary of eating too many green foods regularly. It's a good idea to switch up the routine. If you're going to eat a salad for lunch, try eating a veggie burger for dinner or pancakes for breakfast. Don't get so stuck in one routine that you start to dislike what you eat. That's exactly why I quit being a vegetarian the first time.

Do not stuff yourself with non-meat fatty foods if you decide to be a vegetarian. Going to McDonald's to buy french fries and eating Olive Garden bread all day is not hitting on anything and you will end up skyrocketing in weight. I am always battling with my weight because I love bread and rice so much, but exercising daily helps keep my energy level up. So, even though I may be more wholesome than your average vegetarian, I am still in pretty good shape. Exercising keeps the energy level high, keeps my flexibility in tact, boosts my self-esteem, and makes me feel pleasant. Don't forget to drink water. I don't go anywherewithout a bottle of water.