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When Ali Boyd decided to follow a vegetarian diet at age sixteen, her reasons were fairly typical of those offered by most teens who opt to give vegetarianism a try. The Mendota Heights teen was not only interested in living a healthier lifestyle and making better food choices, but the social implications of a more humane philosophy towards her daily diet also came into play. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t affected by some of the propaganda type advertisements that organizations like PETA put out in order to enrage people,” says Boyd, now eighteen and a freshman at Marquette University in Milwaukee. “I think what pushed me over the edge was a presentation given by a girl in my high school English class. She did sensationalize why people ought to refuse to eat meat, and while I didn’t believe everything she said, her message did have an impact.” While it is difficult to find statistics on the number of teen vegetarians who are saying no to cheeseburgers and yes to Boca Burgers, there is little doubting the appeal of organizations like PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to teens when lists such as “The World’s Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities” make the news. This year’s female winner was former American Idol and country superstar Carrie Underwood, who claims she stopped eating meat at age 13 due to her strong love for animals. Other popular celebrities on the list include Joaquin Phoenix, Jared Leto, Kristin Bell and “Heroes” star Milo Ventimiglia. However, experts say there is much more to the vegetarian lifestyle choice than mere idol worship - today’s savvy teens are very aware of important topics like global warming, sustainable living, preservative use and food safety (due to recent e-coli outbreaks) and have confidence that their own choices can make a statement, even if it is only in the lunchroom or around the family dinner table. In an article written by Dr. Kerrie Sanders on the Vegetarianteen.com website called “Talking to Teens About Vegetarianism”, she says that for many teens, vegetarianism is a stepping stone to greater social and political awareness: “Vegetarians find the bulk of their power is in what we put on our plates. Local issues are actually a good segue into these larger, more global issues. For example, if your teen naturally gravitates toward civil rights issues (i.e., gender, race and age diversity), then s/he will probably easily take the next baby step to see the workers of underdeveloped nations as equally deserving of fair treatment as American workers.” On a daily basis, Boyd says one of the biggest challenges to her lifestyle choice happened in the school cafeteria. “At my high school, if you chose not to eat meat, your options were usually some sort of deep fried potato, an exceptionally squishy peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a salad,” she says. “There just wasn’t enough variety.” Eating out with friends proved to be less of a challenge, but when it came to healthy choices, Boyd says she is not convinced that “substituting pizza for a burger is particularly healthy.” As for family meals, she says her mother did a good job of respecting her decision and providing good vegetarian options. If parents are not familiar with vegetarianism, they might be concerned about whether or not their teen’s diet includes adequate amounts of vitamins and protein. However, some experts claim vegetarianism, especially the lacto-ovo variety that includes dairy products and eggs, can actually be a healthy choice for growing teens. The primary reason for the health boost is the daily intake of fruits and vegetables, which generally receive short shrift in the average teenage diet. A vegetarian teen should definitely supplement his/her diet with vitamin rich foods such as cereals, breads, soy and rice drinks (vitamin B12); calcium fortified orange juice and dairy products (vitamin D); and dried beans, dried fruits, iron fortified cereals and breads (iron). Ideal protein sources include dairy products, eggs, tofu, dried beans and nuts. Ali Boyd is no longer the practicing vegetarian she was two years ago. “I guess I buckled to the temptation of Chicken-O’s in school lunches,” she jokes. In reality, the challenge to make sure she was getting enough protein into her daily diet got the best of her. “I didn’t do the greatest job of that, so I felt better once I did eventually start eating meat again,” Boyd admits. She believes she did make some long-term changes that have led to a healthier food lifestyle. “Being vegetarian taught me to value vegetables more than I used to,” she says. “And when I have the option, I try to eat meat at only one meal, but with cafeteria food I just grab whatever looks most normal even if that means beef stir fry over quiche.” Confused about the different types of vegetarian diets? Here’s a list of the most common varieties, including what’s on and off the table. Ovo-vegetarian: eats eggs, no meat. Lacto-ovo vegetarian: eggs and dairy products allowed, no meat. Lacto-vegetarian: eats dairy products, no eggs or meat. Vegan: eats only food from plant sources. Source: www.kidshealth.org
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Tween/Teen Times