My friend the Crapitarian

I saw a lady today that was trying to lose weight and not having any luck as a vegetarian.  She asked me what I had against vegetarian diets.  I explained that I didn’t think anything was wrong with vegetarian diets, but I did have a problem with vegetarian diets that didn’t include any vegetables. 

This may sounds a bit strange but it is actually something I regularly.  Yes, you understand correctly, there are vegetarians out there that don’t eat vegetables.  So what do they eat?  Mainly crap.  We should probably call them crapitarians.  That would be way more accurate.  The lady I saw today mainly ate veggie burgers, veggie hot dogs, veggie chicken patties, protein bars, granola bars, crackers, and lots of sweets.  She was mainly eating a bunch of processed foods.

I think some vegetarians trick themselves in to thinking that the vegetarian diet is healthy because it excludes meat.  However, this isn’t exactly accurate.  A vegetarian diet may have health benefits, but not because it excludes meat.  If done right, a vegetarian diet may be healthful because it replaces processed foods with whole real foods (vegetables, fruits, legumes, etc.).  If done right it replaces store/restaurant-bought junk foods with vegetables, fruits, beans, peas, etc. 

My point is this:  If you want to be a vegan or vegetarian, have at it.  I don’t see a problem with it, if you are eating real foods instead of processed foods.  If you replace junk food with vegetables, fruits, and complex starches, you will benefit.  If you replace the junk food with vegetables, fruits, local meats/eggs, and complex carbs starches, you will still likely see benefit. 

If you want to have a piece of chicken with some green beans and sweet potato tonight, go for it.  If you want to make a black bean burger with real food from your pantry, have at it.  Either will be better than that soy dog, the protein bar, or that granola bar you got at Publix.  And if you want to be a vegetarian, don’t think that you can eat whatever you want as long as it didn’t come from an animal.  Most of the crap food out there doesn’t come from animals. 

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest!