The New Becoming Vegetarian: The Essential Guide To A Healthy Vegetarian Diet Paperback – August 5, 2003

I just read 2 excellent reviews of this book by Sara G. and Patrick D. Goonan, so I will not repeat points reflected in their summaries, but rather share with you my personal experiences & changes after reading "Becoming Vegetarian".Two years ago I realized that I should not, directly or indirectly, support jobs and industries that cause animals to suffer. At that time I was not aware that there actually are very strong health benefits from following a vegetarian/vegan diet.Luckily for me I ordered this book as soon as I resolved to become a vegetarian and read it in full in the next few weeks, changing my diet according to my new understanding of what the body actually needs and what are the best veg sources of all required nutrients.The 2 most inspiring discoveries for me on this journey from a meat eater to (ultimately) vegan were:1) I feel myself [not much, but definitely] better: lighter, joints are better "oiled", skin & nails look silkier too (and I was actually feeling very good & was in a good shape before becoming vegetarian);2) I discovered that taste (the likes and dislikes in food) can actually be adjusted, trained! (Later I discovered that this is applicable to all other likes and dislikes as well).Never before did I eat tofu, nor did I like soymilk; I did not eat a lot of lentils before I read this book, nor did I eat any other legumes, seeds or nuts in any noticeable amounts.But after reading about the health benefits of vegetarian food and also resolving to stop eating animal products for ethical reasons, my taste(s) started to change! Very gradually, but very steadily I was becoming indifferent to steaks, fish dishes when I saw them in front of me, eggs etc. I also started liking what I came to know was good for me: legumes, tofu, flaxseed oil in the mango shake with soymilk (!), and now I actually like the taste of soymilk in cappuccino more than I liked the taste of cow milk there (this did not happen the first time I tried cappuccino with soy milk though)!From "Day 1" I also resolved not to let aversion for meat & meat eaters to be cultivated & settled in my mind, so that I do not become offensive to people who continue eating meat - this I knew would prevent me from promoting veganism effectively, and may also unnecessarily distance me from good people.I started by becoming vegetarian and not eating eggs, and then, a year later, after more research and few internal arguments, I decided to stop consuming milk products as well.I want to conclude with one point, which I personally feel very strongly: if you, like myself, live a life of abundance, being able to afford almost any food of the world that you like, it is a moral sin to stay ignorant (as I was) about what food your body really needs & to stay indifferent to the effects your food choices make on Life: animals, environment & your own body alike. And all this because of some ungrounded fear of becoming physically weaker, or of becoming less socially acceptable, or because of certain likes and dislikes in food, which many of us treat as if they really were our own.The "Becoming Vegetarian" will give you a lot of inspiration & practical guidelines on how to become either vegan or vegetarian with maximum benefits for your health. If you want to know more, the same authors have a very good book called "Becoming Vegan", and I also recommend "The China Study" by prof. Campbell.Eat well, love & care after all God's creatures & I wish you a very interesting & happy journey!

A wonderful resource for a life change.

This book has gotten so many great reviews from others, but I find myself wanting to put it down rather than pick it up. This is why:①Everything you need to learn how to be a healthy vegetarian/vegan is there, but you have to hunt for it. A large portion of each and every chapter is spent defending vegetarianism and veganism as a way of eating. I find myself constantly thinking, "yes, I agree...I get that, but let's get to the science of what, how and why." I went looking for a book that would have the straightforward nutrition education needed for new (or previously lazy/overwhelmed and hoping to do better!) vegetarians, and it's a bit frustrating on that level to have to wade through so much advocacy to get to the nutrition part. Preaching to the choir, so to speak...②The book, in places, is more than a little condescending towards vegetarians who have "done it wrong." One of the big fears when becoming a vegetarian is not knowing how to "do it right." I'm sure I'm not the only one who has come to this book after starting off on a vegetarian path and realizing there was still a lot to learn about healthy plant-based nutrition. It's off-putting to have that situation made fun of in the book.③It's very North American-centric. There are a lot of assumptions being made about the ingredients available to the reader in supermarkets, and the description of "ethnic" ingredients and dishes that one may have developed a taste for abroad is... anachronistic.I give it 4 stars because there is really a lot of great information in the book. You won't waste your money, but there are a couple of ways it could be a lot better with the help of a modern editor. High hopes for the next edition!

I been doing a lot of online research towards a Vegetarian diet. I knew the different types of Vegans out there and what they entailed and I could find many recipes, but what I did not find so easily online was what this book brought.It dispelled many myths, and helped sort out many things such as what you might be missing in you're diet with no meat (which is nothing if you balance everything right!).A bit more about me, I am in low 30s and always hated meat, I am now a wife and mother. But was raised to eat it and like it. Its not the taste that got me, its the rights of the animals. Its at the point that I cook meat for my family but I dont eat it, and really that cant be good for me, and I found myself hungry right after a meal!So I decided to explore more about vegetarian diets. This book was a life saver and I now feel very confident I can do this now.This book also doesnt downplay meat as evil. It even has a menu plan for a vegan that still eats meat a few times a week, which is perfect for my family, I am Ovo-Lacto vegan, but this allows me to prepare meals and make my family a bit healthier as well.Now this isnt a recipe book. It gives a general idea for a menu plan for different Vegans and has a couple ideas but this is really about the idea of planning a meal and what to eat, without skipping calories and nutritional needs.A must for everyone who is looking into a more Vegan life style.I do want to say that I got the kindle edition. Its not the best. Some of the print is very small and needs to be enlarged. Also some words are improperly spaced. Might be better to get this one as a book, but still great to read on Kindle :)