Vegetarian diets may lack some nutrients, as do most diets - I know of nobody who eats the perfect balance of nutrients. Some Indians have a tradition of vegetarianism streatching back hundreds of years, and seem to have thrived on it. Vegetarians do not as a matter of curse lack 'essential' nutrients, but depending on how you approach it you may need supplements, especially if pregnant or .
For protein in particular you need to have variety - beans, lentils, quorn, tofu, soya. Too much of any one may upset your system - and those around you. LOL
You can add eggs, cheese and milk and still be vegetarian, but I changed because of welfare considerations and have no faith in these products.
I take a multivitamin (with iron) tablet and glucosamine (vegetarian) which helps my osteoarthritic joints.
There is enormous variety available in preparation which make sthe diet anything but boring - especially if you love Indian food, for example.
If you are serious about avoiding meat, poultry & fish products, read labels carefully. Worcester sauce ,for example, is another product containing anchovies. Food manufacturers are pretty casual about slapping a 'suitable for vegetarians' label on things. For example, some think vegetarians eat fish. You'd think the clue was in the name.
Also read the leaflets which come with any medication or diet supplements. 'Whey' protein drinks, for example, often have 'bovine' protein added. Any capsules may have a gelatin shell. Even more inexplicably, tablets may have gelatin in them. Why go on about gelatin - well, products now use beef gelatin again - remember BSE?
if you inadvertently consume meat, poultry or fish products, don't worry about that karma. As with Jains, Buddhists need to have the intention to commit a harmful act for it to be completed.
'Preachy bit':
Oh, and don't listen to the meat eaters who tell you that the meat would be in the supermarket anyway, so you're not responsible for killing. Simple marketing applies - if we do not create the demand, animals do not get killed. More vegetarians should logically result in reduced demand and reduced killing. IMHO if you pick up that pork chop you are a direct beneficiary of killing and are effectively the cause of it.
The above is just my view, having worked in meat processing plants and seen the suffering first hand.
I'm not preaching at anyone else to change their view, but have many times been preached at by meat eaters at business events - maybe they felt guilty and I was reminding them of death, blood and guts when they tucked into a steak.
And yes, eating soya may lead to deforestation, but any consequent deaths are accidental or careless, so a less harmful type of killling than the butcher slitting the throat of the live pig. Again, if that bothers you, avoid soya unless ethically supplied. Ethically - 'organic' does not mean ethical.
I'm happy being responsible for the karma I perform, and the karma others perform on my behalf. The butcher may be responsible for his own karma, but it is the meat eater who creates the causes and conditions for that person to kill. I'd rather not. ;)
I always disliked the taste as a kid, but if you miss the taste of meat, try Linda McCartney products.
That's my advice about going vegetarian - others may offer different advice, and the thread is for that, not for the usual 'Buddha ate meat' or 'meat is OK if it wasn't killed especially for you' arguments. I live in hope.
