15 Things You’ve Always Wanted to Ask a Vegetarian (But Were Afraid to Ask)

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Got a question you’ve wanted to ask a vegetarian but were afraid to ask? I reveal all!

When you’re vegetarian people often ask you rather probing questions out of curiosity – which I’m completely open to. I honestly don’t mind if people are curious and want to know more about the practicalities of cutting meat out of your diet. After all, reducing the amount of meat you eat is one of the best ways as an individual to help tackle climate change.

If you’re not vegetarian, and trying to understand more about vegetarianism, I’ve put together the 15 most common (and not so common) questions I’ve been asked in my 20 years of vegetarian living. Hopefully, it can answer some of the things you’re most curious about vegetarianism, and dispel some common vegetarian myths and misunderstandings.

The 15 Things You’ve Always Wanted to Ask a Vegetarian

Person preparing plant-based food with a blue text box that reads the things you've always wanted to know about vegetarianism but were afraid to ask.

I’ve tried to tackle 15 of the most common questions I’ve been asked over the last two decades. However, the main question I’m always asked is “Why don’t you eat meat?” I haven’t answered it here. This is because the answer to this question is personal to everyone and can be answered in so many different ways. 

I’ve personally never been a big fan of meat. Both the taste and the issues of animal cruelty put me off. And then as a student, I found it was cheaper to eat a vegetarian diet than eat meat, so my journey really started from there. Even if there was no impact on the planet from eating meat, I still wouldn’t. But everyone has their own personal reasons for not eating meat, so it’s not an easy one to surmise.

1. Where Do Vegetarians Get Your Protein From?

I’ve put this question first as it’s the one I get asked the most often! Dairy products, nuts, quinoa, and high-protein vegetables and pulses such as peas, beans and lentils are all great sources of protein for vegetarians. Meat replacement products tend to also be high in protein.

I always tell people that gorillas don’t eat meat – instead feasting on fruits, stems and bamboo shoots (and the occasional insect). Despite this lack of meat, gorillas are one of the biggest and strongest animals going! It’s proof you don’t need to eat chicken to get your protein!

2. Where Do Vegetarians Get Their Vitamin B12 From?

Vitamin B12 is important for the nervous system, eyes, and brain, but there’s a bit of a myth going around that you can only get vitamin B12 from meat. As a vegetarian, you can get all the vitamin B12 your body needs from dairy products – including milk, yoghurt cheese, and eggs – and even from marmite if you’re a fan (I’m not!). Many cereals, plant-based milks and nutritional yeast are fortified with vitamin B12 too. If you think you aren’t getting what you need, you can also take a B12 supplement.

3. Do Vegetarians Need To Take Vitamins?

I don’t really take vitamins, apart from vitamin D in the autumn and winter months. I personally think it’s better and cheaper to get the nutrients you need from the food you eat rather than through a synthetic pill. As such, I aim to eat a well-balanced diet. If you want to investigate vitamins, I’ve rounded up the best vegan vitamins, including vegan and vegetarian Omega-3 options.

4. Do Vegetarians Get Ill All Of The Time?

No. It’s a bit of a common misconception that vegetarians are pale and sickly. I sometimes get the odd illness – I have two kids who go to two different schools so get exposed to a whole manner of different germs from them. However, I wouldn’t say I get ill more than the meat-eaters I know.

5. Aren’t All Vegetarians Anaemic?

bowl of vegan salad

This is another myth that all vegetarians are anaemic. I’m not anaemic. I eat (mostly!) a balanced diet and get all the nutrients I need from the foods I eat. Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, and kale are rich in iron, as are various beans and pulses, brown rice and nuts. Many breads and cereals are fortified with iron too.

When I was pregnant with both of my kids, I did develop pregnancy-related anaemia late on in my pregnancies. However, my doctor reassured me that anaemia is just as common in meat eaters as it is among vegetarians.

I took some iron supplements prescribed by my doctor, I also supplemented them with an iron-rich plant-based liquid called Floradix (available at Ethical Superstore), which was recommended to me by my midwife. My iron levels soon returned to normal, and once I gave birth my anaemia went away.

6. Aren’t Vegetarians Tired All Of The Time?

This is another myth that if you don’t eat meat you’ll be tired and lethargic all of the time. For about nine years, I worked two jobs, wrote this blog, looked after two young kids, and found time for a social life and the hobbies I enjoy. This took a lot of energy, but I was never too tired to do it all.

My kids are a little bit older now so don’t need to be looked after quite so intensely. I’ve also cut down on how much work I do. The blog is now my main job and I don’t need to work outside of home anymore. However, life is still busy, and I’m not tired all of the time. I’ve got all the energy I need to do everything I need to do!

7. Do Vegetarians Miss Meat?

This is personal to everyone. However, for me, I don’t miss meat. I wasn’t a big meat eater before I became a vegetarian, so it wasn’t hard to cut it out of my life completely. Now the idea of meat is so alien to me that I can’t physically imagine chomping down on a big bit of steak. The very idea makes me feel a little sick. From speaking to friends who are vegetarian or vegan, they mostly say the same.

8. What About The Smell Of Bacon, Doesn’t That Make You Hungry?

The smell of bacon doesn’t really do it for me to be honest! Because I haven’t eaten meat for so long I don’t associate the smell of bacon with food. The smell of bacon wasn’t something I found particularly hard to deal with at the start of becoming a vegetarian.

If you are finding it difficult there are even vegetarian bacon substitutes on the market, such as Quorn bacon, if you really fancy a bacon sarnie. We call it ‘facon’ in our house! I eat mine with tomato, lettuce and a spot of vegan mayo, and it really hits the spot.

9. But Vegetarians Eat Chicken, Right?

This is such a surprisingly common question, but the bottom line is if you eat chicken you’re not a vegetarian.

The clue is in the name – chicken isn’t a vegetable. Chickens are living animals that need to be killed for their meat. I think that when people say that they’re vegetarians but that they eat chicken, then this gives vegetarians a bit of a bad name. It’s also confusing to meat-eaters and perpetuates this question.

10. OK, But Do Vegetarians Eat Fish?

No, vegetarians don’t eat fish or shellfish. This is because fish and shellfish are still living animals that need to be caught and killed. Again, if you don’t eat meat (including chicken) but still eat fish, you’re not a vegetarian – you’re a pescetarian. Don’t confuse people by calling yourself a vegetarian that only eats fish.

11. If Vegetarians Don’t Eat Meat, Why Do They Eat Meat Replacement Products, Like Quorn?

Many vegetarians, like myself, find that sometimes it’s nice to have the convenience factor of being able to just put something in the oven – like veggie sausages – without having to do a lot of prep work. It’s also nice to have a bit of variation in our diet – texture and taste-wise – but without the need for an animal to have been killed.

12. Do Vegetarians Judge Meat-Eaters?

Perhaps a very small minority do, but in the main most vegetarians I have spoken to feel like everyone’s entitled to eat what they want. In a restaurant, I can happily sit next to someone eating meat without casting judgment or criticism on their dietary choices. Sitting next to someone tucking into a roast chicken doesn’t bother me in the slightest. And I’m not going to get into a rant about the meat industry to someone about to tuck into a steak. There’s a time and place for discussion about vegetarianism, and it’s usually not over the dinner table.

13. Is It Difficult To Eat At Restaurants And Cafes When You Don’t Eat Meat?

Person preparing vegetarian food in ktichen

It’s 2024, and I think every pub, restaurant and cafe in the UK now caters for non-meat eaters. Admittedly some are better than others! It’s safe to say things have come a long way since the 1990s!

I also live near Edinburgh which is lucky enough to have a plethora of really good vegetarian and vegan cafes and restaurants. But even if you don’t live in a big city, then, in the UK at least, you’d be hard-pressed to find a cafe or restaurant that doesn’t cater to vegetarians to some degree. If in doubt, I find Indian and other Asian restaurants are often really veggie-friendly.

In some places, there might only be one vegetarian option on the menu. However, if it doesn’t suit then you can speak to the chef then they might be able to whip you up something else up. If you’re in doubt call ahead to let them know your requirements.

If you’re out and about at lunchtime and need a quick sandwich then the vegetarian sandwich selection is definitely improving. For years all you could get was cheese and onion, or egg mayonnaise but over the last decade, there’s been a huge improvement in what you can find.

14. Don’t You Feel Awkward At Dinner Parties?

Most family and friends know we’re vegetarian so it’s not really a big deal. However, if people ask us to dinner we always let them know/remind them we’re vegetarian with plenty of advance notice. I’ll always ask the hosts if they want us to bring a vegetarian dish to share – it’s the polite thing to do!

15. Do Vegetarians Poop More?

I have seriously been asked this question, and I can see from search engines that people find my blog by searching for this very question! A 2022 scientific study did actually look into the bowel habits of vegetarians (a job I’m glad I don’t have!).

The study found that “Vegetarian diets high in fibre-rich plant foods have been associated with a higher frequency of bowel movements and softer stools. Thus, vegetarians appear to suffer less frequently from constipation and other bowel disorders.” So there you go, vegetarians do poop more, but are healthier for it!

I hope I’ve answered all the main questions – if I’ve missed any pop them in the comments below and I’ll answer them!

I’ve got heaps of vegetarian and vegan recipes so do have a good poke around. These posts on vegetarian slow cooker recipes are a great place to start!

If that’s not enough I’ve also put together a Pinterest board full of vegetarian recipes, and this post on how to go vegetarian without alienating everyone by Sarah Von Bargen is SO good!

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12 Comments

  1. Honestly I like your website but I cannot understand the vegetarian deal, I mean your website is called moralfibres how are you not vegan?!

    Seriously, do you not know that vegetarianism is as bad as consuming flesh for the animals, if not arguably worse, in fact if you were to replace your flesh eating with animal ovulations and lactation products entirely you would be hurting animals far more than continuing to eat decomposing corpses which are to some extent a byproduct of the ovo/lacto industry.

    I should also point out that your food is not vegetarian in the real sense it is strictly speaking ovo-lacto-vegetarianism, you can argue your point from a “natural language” argument but unless somehow milk and eggs are plants you will ultimately loose.

    Please consider very seriously going vegan, it is the only moral choice, for animals, for human health and social welfare and to care for the environment.

    Please check out:

    http://www.provegan.info/eng/vegan/introduction/

    http://www.goveganradio.com

    http://www.abolitionistapproach.com

    If you’re under any doubt of the mistreatment of “dairy” cows or chicken exploited for eggs you need only search on youtube.

    Please go vegan, because raping, torturing and killing animals are an integral part of (ovo-lacto) “vegetarianism”.

    BTW you should check out the recommendations for B12 also as your current information is incorrect. B12 is required for more than the avoidance of deficiency, it is also an essential part of the metabolism of homocystene and as it is very easy to take and cheap it should be supplemented either the Iranian way (not recommended) which involves putting Humanure directly on your growing vegetables or simply with a vegan supplement available from any pharmacy!

    http://nutritionfacts.org/2011/09/12/dr-gregers-2011-optimum-nutrition-recommendations/

    1. I’m fully aware about the problems with the dairy industry (I grew up in a prime dairy farming area), but to be honest I’ve struggled to make the switch from vegetarianism to veganism (I’m upfront with this – it’s on my about page). It can be difficult for people to switch to veganism for a host of reasons – from cost and accessibility of vegan products to medical reasons. I also think it’s tough to say that vegetarianism is worse for the environment than eating meat.

  2. I want to say first I love your blog and really enjoyed reading this post. You can add
    Where do you get your EPA/DHA?
    And for vegans:
    Do you have trouble getting enough lysine and/or choline and/or calcium?

    I tend to be afraid to ask ovo-lacto-vegetarians about dairy and eggs. Conventionally sourced dairy normally involves suffering, reduced life-expectancy of the animal and killing, as do conventionally sourced eggs. Often this kind of question is one which quizes the vegetarian’s motive and can be quite sensitive. Dairy is certainly not meat and eggs are not normally considered meat so while they may fit in the definition of vegetarian, if the vegetarian is eating their diet to eliminate their direct involvement in animal suffering it could be a contentious point. The same goes to vegetarians eating their diet for environmental reasons – dairy comes quite low on the scale of environmentally-friendly sources of nourishment.

    On a related note – labels like vegetarian, pescetarian etc. are useful for quickly communicating a dietary preference/way of life, but they have their limitations. I have full respect for people who would call themselves a ‘vegetarian’ who explains that they are fine, for example, with eating chicken and eggs only if it’s from their own or their neighbour’s garden and seafood if they’ve caught it themselves, and will only have dairy if they personally know the farmer and their practices and agree with them (or get it from somewhere like Ahimsa Milk). The same goes to those that explain that they will eat fish but no land animals/dairy/eggs because of environmental considerations – and avoiding calling themselves pescetarian as it tends to include ovo-lacto diets. I think these kinds of people do a very good job of promoting vegetarianism, and if they have to be fed then they would probably have to tell people they are vegan. However, I agree that there are too many people who the above does not apply to and incorrectly call themselves vegetarian in a way that doesn’t help vegetarianism.

  3. I’m a vegetarian and gets those questions all the time. Especially the fish one. They are still animals that need killing!
    And totally agree with your sandwich bugbear, hence why I always take packed lunches to work (cheaper too).

    Alice x

  4. I have been vegetarian for 50 years or so now and it never gets any easier for others…. ;-) Now living part-time in Spain and it’s like I have turned the clock back 40 years. They just do not understand why I would not want to eat meat or fish…and as for Ham, that is not really meat apparently so surely I could have a bit of that, just for flavour.

    1. Oh yes, I spent some time living in eastern Europe and southern Germany some years ago and found a similar attitude, especially to sausage! Meat three times a day is common, and you’d get eyed with suspicion if you didn’t want to eat sausage (to the level where you felt you were offending people if you didn’t eat sausage!). I can imagine Spain is similar! I’m not been out of the UK for a little while now so I often forget we’re actually quite a relatively enlightened country when it comes to vegetarianism!

  5. Really good post – thank you. I have a question for you, I really like the idea of eating less meat (my son has talked about becoming vegetarian) but we don’t like spicy food. Nearly every recipe I look at uses chillies or other spicy ingredients. I’ll be honest, I’ve always suspected the dishes may be quite bland without those ingredients. What flavourings can I use instead?

    1. Hi Karen, I’m not a spicy food fan either – we’re a big fan of using a spoonful of tomato chutney in pasta and chilli sauces for a nice flavour, or a fruity chutney in a curry. I also find reducing the amount of spices in recipes – maybe half a spoon instead of a spoon – works quite well! Also chilli powder is less pungent than chilli flakes, and paprika gives a nice warm flavour without being spicy. It’s also worth remembering that if you make a curry or chilli that’s too spicy then adding some plain yoghurt really helps take the heat out! Good luck!!

  6. Thanks for a great post. I didn’t really know people asked all those things, maybe I’m just more aware that yes vegetarians have a healthy diet. Though i don’t wanna make the shift, I do want to eat more planbased.
    But i do have a question. What is your attitude to leather? (And fur)

    1. Hi Johanne, oh yes, I’ve been asked all of these questions over the years! With leather I’m happy to use/wear it if it’s secondhand or new if it’s vegetable tanned. I actually wrote a blog post about this very topic last year that goes into my reasoning in more detail: https://moralfibres.co.uk/can-leather-be-eco-friendly/ With fur to be honest I’ve never worn fur and don’t own anything fur based – it’s the kind of thing that if I was ever going to buy I’d only buy it secondhand.