ALL VEGGIES, ALL THE TIME

From the dawn of time, people have eaten vegetarian diets.

The reasons for vegetarianism vary. Religious influences have played a role, but today many vegetarians choose their diets for health and environmental concerns. A new book caters to teenage vegetarians.

"Vegetables Rock! A Complete Guide for Teenage Vegetarians" by Stephanie Pierson (Bantam Books, $12.95) describes the different types of vegetarian diets, which range from vegan (no animal products) to lacto-ovo vegetarian, which accepts milk, cheese and eggs as part of the diet. Today, one-third to one-half of teenage vegetarians are vegans, Pierson estimates. Katy Maehl, a senior from Lewis and Clark is a vegan. She says it's not too difficult to maintain the diet. You have to take the time to look at the ingredients. "But it's not that hard. There is a substitute for everything." For protein you can eat beans, rice, nuts, tofu and soy products. Vegetarian diets are generally healthier than the carnivorous diet, if appropriate measures are taken to meet all dietary needs. Studies have shown that vegetarians tend to have lower rates of obesity, heart diseases, hypertension, adult-onset diabetes, and some cancers. But, vegetarianism is "not for everybody," says Sonja Erickson, a senior at Lewis and Clark. Jenny Westbrook, a junior at Lewis and Clark said, "I'm sorry, I could not live without my hamburgers." Still, carnivorous people don't have to give vegetarians a hard time. Maia Newell-Large, a vegetarian and senior at Lewis and Clark, says it's bothersome when people who know you're a vegetarian come up to you and ask "What do you eat?" "It's not just eating salads," she said. If you're looking for an alternative to your meat-based diet, check out "Vegetables Rock!" It'll give you some reasons to be a vegetarian and some yummy recipes, too. As the bumper sticker says, "Four out of five cannibals agree, vegetarians taste better."

Copyright 1999 Cowles Publishing Company
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.