Good news for vegetarians - or not?

[housesparrow]

A new study suggests that a low protein vegetarian diet could be the key to long life.
Reducing consumption of a protein found in fish and meat could slow the ageing process and increase life expectancy, according to the research.



Unfortunately the same substance in meat which is thought to speed up the ageing process is also found in Brazil nuts, sesame seeds and wheat germ ....so I fear that what is left might make a rather dull diet.

[everso]

Ah, but Housey, what fun would there be for scientists if they discovered that food we all enjoy was the secret to a long and happy life? It's the very fact that they are advising us to adopt a boring diet, which would make us all miserable, that gives them such satisfaction. Besides which, a boring diet wouldn't make us live longer - it would just seem like we're living longer.

[housesparrow]

LOL, everso!

I prefer vegetarian food, but it always seems so fiddly to prepare just for one - and Jack is a confirmed meat and fish eater.

[everso]

Mr. E. and I don't eat much meat, and quite often I might serve up a meat or fishless meal.

I couldn't be a complete vegetarian though, because of my love of bacon sandwiches.

[everso]

Having said that, I had an enormous rump steak on Saturday evening in a restaurant. I had to send it back though because it was a trifle underdone and bloody

[Patrick]

'Course, if you eat less fish your bones could fall apart more easily too! (oily that is). I don't know, you just don't know which way to turn.

[aubrey]

There was a letter in the Guardian Notes and Queries last week asking if vegetarians can eat jelly fish. Of course we can. We can eat what we like - jelly fish, steak, bacon, anything. No one will come after us for it. You don't sign something saying "I will not eat... on pain of..."


I don't not eat meat for health reasons. I'm more of a junk food vegetarian. Spud-u-like was a great place for me.

[everso]

Dec 12, 2009 15:11:40 GMT aubrey said:

There was a letter in the Guardian Notes and Queries last week asking if vegetarians can eat jelly fish. Of course we can. We can eat what we like - jelly fish, steak, bacon, anything. No one will come after us for it. You don't sign something saying "I will not eat... on pain of..."


I don't not eat meat for health reasons. I'm more of a junk food vegetarian. Spud-u-like was a great place for me.

I think we all realise that, Aubrey. People choose to be vegetarians they aren't forced.

Maybe the person who wrote the letter should have said "would" rather than "can".

[aubrey]

Yes, I know - I'd have written to the Guardian about it instead but I 'd never get round to it. There was a sniffiness in the letter that was irritating, and I've often been asked if I'm allowed to eat something, and I think, well of course I am. And then the thing, how do you know that carrots can't feel pain? If they could they'd have legs, otherwise pain is pointless.

I wanted to grumble and you were here, so...

[Patrick]

Isn't it a Roald Dahl story that has a woodcutter who suddenly can hear the trees scream?

[riotgrrl]

Spud-u-Like was great! What happened to it? You don't see it anymore.

So far as junk food goes, baked potatoes were the least junkie.

[Deleted]

THERE is a little baked potato place just round the corner from where i live, ive not eaten there, but they smell gorgeous when i walk past that place. havent had a proper baked potato for years..always seems a lot of bother now with the microwave so handy..

[rjpageuk]

Dec 7, 2009 9:36:54 GMT everso said:

Having said that, I had an enormous rump steak on Saturday evening in a restaurant. I had to send it back though because it was a trifle underdone and bloody

Thats the way it is supposed to be.

I have done my own independent research on this issue and I think the key to long life are Haribo sweets.

edit: esp. cola bottles.

[Patrick]

The only Spudiliké (as Waynetta slob would have it) that I ever knew - was in Hastings funnily enough. Then it got taken over by the café next door - but for the next ten-fifteen years it still had a big fat potatp for a door handle!

[housesparrow]

Dec 12, 2009 15:11:40 GMT aubrey said:

There was a letter in the Guardian Notes and Queries last week asking if vegetarians can eat jelly fish. Of course we can. We can eat what we like - jelly fish, steak, bacon, anything. No one will come after us for it. You don't sign something saying "I will not eat... on pain of..."

People can eat boiled rat if they can stomach it, or lightly braised baby if the cops don't catch them first. But surely the question being asked was "can I eat fish and still call myself a vegetarian?" and the answer to that has to be 'no'.

Unfortunately more and more people do insist on describing themselves as "vegetarian" even though they eat fish, and it is beginning to cause a bit of friction among the purists. A couple of veggie mates have turned up at functions arranged by friends or workmates, to be told that the vegetarian option is poached salmon, lobster pate or whatever.

[everso]

Dec 14, 2009 15:51:09 GMT rjpageuk said:

Dec 7, 2009 9:36:54 GMT everso said:

Having said that, I had an enormous rump steak on Saturday evening in a restaurant. I had to send it back though because it was a trifle underdone and bloody

Thats the way it is supposed to be.

I have done my own independent research on this issue and I think the key to long life are Haribo sweets.

edit: esp. cola bottles.

Yeah, it's the way it's supposed to be when the animal is running round a field. On my plate I want it properly cooked as I don't want to catch tapeworms.

The steak was in a lovely sauce, which had all blood running into it.

Bleughhhh.

[Deleted]

I TRIED TO Catch tapeworms once but they were too damned fast.. so i settled for slow worms.

[Patrick]

I tried to get mumps twice when I was little - Well, put it this way whenever someone got mumps nearby, I was sent round to play with them!

You'd think the scientists would be interested wouldn't you? The boy with immunity to mumps!

[everso]

I caught mumps off my children when they were little. I looked likea hamster and a pelican all at once.

[everso]

Dec 15, 2009 0:56:59 GMT @costal said:

I TRIED TO Catch tapeworms once but they were too damned fast.. so i settled for slow worms.

I found a slow worm in our compost heap once. I threw it over into next door's garden. It was pretty big. Mr. E. wouldn't touch it in case it was an adder in disguise, but I put my rubber gloves on and picked it up.

I'm so brave sometimes.