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?