Re: Where do I get my important

Don't make it too complicated. First off, what kind of vegetarian are you trying to be: vegan, laco, or laco/ovo? If you are or want to be laco or laco/ovo, then you don't need soy at all, although certain cultured soys like tempeh, tamari, etc. are very nice and also shouldn't harm your thyroid. (I'm also not convinced about that thyroid/soy theory. I know hundreds, if not thousands, of life long vegetarians who have consummed soy products moderately their entire lives and have no thyroid problems.) I haven't done much research into those claims, but how do we know they aren't being spread by stoogies of the meat industry? After all, the soy industry is making a sizable dent into the meat producers' profits, and there is no way that the meat industry is going to sit back and do nothing.

Personally, I've been a laco-vegetarian for over 35 years and I've consummed soy products moderately the entire time and I'm still alive. (Many of my meat eating friends are no longer able to say the same.) Likewise, my 5 lifelong vegetarian children are alive and very healthy. So, even if there is some truth to the soy/thyroid theory, I'd rather take my chances with soy products than with meat which we know is the cause of hundreds of diseases. And, if you're going to worry about soy, worry about Monsato Corp. and their genetically altered soy, as well as pesticide laden soy. In other words, go organic.

But anyway, as I was saying, unless you're a vegan, you don't need soy products. There is plenty of protein in beans, grains, milk products, wheat flour, etc. etc. Just get a couple of vegetarian cookbooks, start eating a variety of foods, and have a good time. Once you get away from the meat and potato culture, you'll be amazed at the immense variety of foodstuffs available. Personally, I like to follow in the footsteps of those cultures who have been vegetarians for centuries, if not milliniums, like India, China, Japan, etc. If you study their cuisins, you won't have any protein problems whatsoever. Tweet