Vegetarian Diet Problems

Vegetarian diet problem - I know I'm a hardcore Animal eater but nutritious conscious. Vegetarian diet can be nutritionally balanced, but it requires a lot of careful planning. Poor planning is the cause of nutritional deficiencies in the diet, not the absence of animals. The lack of nutrients will depend on the foods that you omit. The following are the most common nutrients that may be lacking in the diet.

What nutrients you lack in???? - Vegetarian diet problems
1)  Vitamin B12      It helps to produce red blood cells and to grow nerve cells properly etc. It is especially important for pregnant and lactating women, infants, and children. Because of their greater ability to store it, animals contain more of the vitamin than plants. (snapper, calf's liver, venison, shrimp, scallops, salmon, and beef). Take: Tofu, fortified soy milk, sea plants (kelp), vitamin Fortified meat analogues, yeasts(brewer's yeast).

2) Omega-3 fatty acids      It's important for brain and behavioral functions, growth, and preventing diseases like cancer and heart disease. It's an essential fatty acid, which cannot be made by your own body - you must be obtained through your diet. Fish is the great source for it. Take: alpha-linolenic acid - flax seed oil, flax seed, canola oil, soybeans, walnuts and tofu.

3) Calcium      It's vital for building strong bones and teeth. The time to build strong bones is during childhood and the teen years. Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese) and dark green vegetable (broccoli and leafy ones) are good sources of calcium. Take: Soy foods, and foods fortified with calcium (some kinds of orange juice and soy milk).

4) Iron      It helps red blood cells carry oxygen to your whole body. Iron absorption is increased remarkably by eating foods with vitamin C along with foods with iron. Vegetarians do not have a higher incidence of iron deficiency than do meat eaters. Red meat, pork, fish and shellfish, poultry are the great sources.
Take: Beans (lentils), soy foods, green leafy vegetables, raisins, some flours, cereals, and grain products.

I don't wanna go too much details. I just wanna inform you - both vegetarians and Non vegetarians - about vegetarian diet problems for your reference. I like to make this blog to be an a little informative place for food related information.

Check out my restaurant reviews that contains tons of information on Yelp as well.

Purple Yam Cake - Experiment of New Foods (No.1)

Experiment of New Foods :
I'm 100% Japanese foodie from Tokyo. I love to eat all kinds of cuisine - French, Thai, Indian, Mediterranean, Mexican etc...(You name it!!) I'm very open minded and adventurous to try new and different foods. Isn't that the only way to broaden my taste bud, right? The Japanese eat all kinds of foods from eye-catching beautiful sweets to fermented soybeans. I'm always curious about all kinds of foods that I don't even know what they are at international supermarkets. I thought it's a good chance for me to try those strange and/or new foods I've never tried before and share my experiment with you.

This is my first "Experiment of New Foods" - Purple Yam cake.
It's also called "Ube ("purple yam" in Philippino) Cake" and a very popular Philippino sponge cake. The color is a little dark lavender and so beautiful. That's why I couldn't help grabbing it to test the flavors. In the Philippines, ube is cooked with sugar and eaten as a sweetened dessert or jam (halaya ube) and "halo halo"(shaved ice). Ube is often confused with the Okinawa sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas).

How to make a Ube Cake:
2 cups purple yam, washed, peeled and cubed
2 cups sweet rice flour
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons baking powder
1-1/2 cups water
1-1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup grated coconut

1. Cover yams with water and boil until tender or soft. Drain and mash until smooth.
2. Mix flour and water in a bowl to form a thick batter. Add sugar and mashed yams. Blend well. Strain to remove lumps. Add coconut milk and the baking powder and mix well.
3. Pour mixture into greased muffin pans to 2/3 full and steam over boiling water about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. (Makes 3 dozen cakes)

Check out my experiment of new foods - the purple yam cake on YouTube.

Kewpie Mayonnaise - My Favorite Japanese Foods (No.4)

My favorite Japanese Foods (No.4) - Kewpie Mayonnaise.

Hey, I'm not talking about fresh-made mayonnaise here. I've made it before by myself and it tasted great! This is something you can get any super market in Japan and any Asian market in US easily, but tastes so great :) Once you tried this, you WON'T be back to an American mayonnaise anymore. Hehehehe, I'm not kidding. By the way, I hate an American Mayonnaise. I won't buy it anymore. Because it tastes awful. It's tasteless and has a weird texture - it's almost like glue. It's white. The better egg yolk you use, the yellower its color becomes. The color is one of the indications of better quality you can get out of your mayonnaise. (I believe. lol)

I'm not a big fan of Mayonnaise. What the hell am I talking about - I'm saying Kewpie mayonnaise is my favorite Japanese food?! Yeah, it tastes good - I admit that. But it has high calories. It basically made from egg yolk, OIL, citrus juice, and seasonings. I naturally avoid using it. I use only minimum portion when I use it. This is my "guilty pleasure" seasoning. It's that good :D

I'm very conscious about my weight. I'm not skinny by Japanese standards. Though my American friends consider me as skinny, I never think so. I workout at gym and pay lots of attention to my intake. My weight hasn't changed since high school. But I gained a lot after I seriously started working out thanks to muscle weight. Dress size gets down despise of my weight gain - muscles weight 3 times more than fat. Using mayonnaise is pretty much my "guilty pleasure". lol

Kewpie has various products - from mayonnaise to dressings. It also has their own 3 minute TV cooking show (Sorry, it's in Japanese). It's been there forever. Do you know why I bring it up? The theme song. You hear it before and after the show. Tara ratta tattatta, tara ratta tattata.... It stuck to my head... Gosh, I wish I can bring the song here :(

Even its high calories, I still love this. You can use it to various dishes. There are some weird flavor ones like wasabi. I sometimes like to use it with soy sauce or Bull Dog Tonkatsu sauce. This will enhance your dishes for sure :) This stays strong and forever in fiercely competitive Japanese food market. It just because it tastes so good. That's why this Kewpie mayonnaise is my favorite Japanese food.

You can see more of my favorite Japanese food and other stuff on Yelp. Check them out!

Bad Restaurant Experiences

Have you ever had bad restaurant experiences? Hell, yeah! Dirty tables, bad services, yucky foods etc.

I'm a foodie. So I'm a little careless about customer services and decor. Though I prefer clean, I can put up with bad services (a lot more tolerant than ordinary annoying customers) over good foods. I go there for the food, not for the service. Foods make me happy, other stuff is just a bonus for me. If the foods were bad, I WON'T come back - no second chance from me. First impression is very important here. lol

I've worked in restaurant industry. Giving bad restaurant experience to customers is the last thing I would do. I was well trained at very high-end places known for great customer services from the beginning of my career in the industry. All of my senior co-workers and managers had incredibly high expectations and paid a lot of attention to details. I've done all the roles in a restaurant - from a dish washer to manager. So I DO KNOW how much restaurant workers have to work to give "great customer service" at the restaurant. 

Hence, I'm one of the easiest customer when I eat at restaurant. I don't complain nor demand. All I want from my server is to get my food in timely manner and my drink refilled. How easy is that?! I don't ask much and give more than 20 % tips easily. I had to work a lot more to get the tips when I was a server... Well, some genius created "Tip" system for the sake of restaurant industry. It switched the obligation for their labor cost to the customers. How brilliant is that????? 

Haha, I know it sounds weird. I should be a PICKY customer after my last paragraph, right? I feel sorry when I see very annoying and rude customers complained to the manager or the servers. I do know how the restaurant people feel. It's incredible how rude and cheap customers here can be at the restaurant. Shame on you!!!!! It's embarrassing for you to show everyone at restaurant how frugal and inconsiderate you are.... If you don't like it, just don't come back instead of complaining. I don't see any complainer at restaurant in Japan....

Even if I were the easiest customer, I have occasionally some moments I wanna say or complain. So I decided to blog not only the good restaurant experiences but also bad ones.

Suggest for annoying customers: Unless the reason for the complain was severe and valid, don't complain. Never come back instead !! Don't just complain just because you want to cut the bill. Especially don't complain in front of your date embarrassed by you....

Suggest for restaurant workers:  Work hard to EARN your tips. Don't expect me to give you tips automatically if you didn't make any efforts to make MY restaurant experience enjoyable. You are the key for not creating bad restaurant experiences. WORK!!  Little efforts make a big difference.  

I hope this blog helps you and restaurants to decrease the bad restaurant experiences in the future. Check my restaurant reviews, as well. 

House Curry Sauce - My Favorite Japanese Foods (No.3)

House Curry Sauce - My Favorite Japanese foods (No. 3) - Instant food.

It's called "Kukure Curry" unlike the official name on the package. It's a Japanese style curry in the pouch. All you do (to cook) is to put it into boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes - ready to eat!! How simple is that?!
Open and pour it onto a bowl of rice. You can eat it with bread, if you want. It's easy and TASTY!!! This is very convenient "Instant food" when you don't wanna cook or go camping.

Kukure curry... House curry sauce - this is not only my favorite Japanese foods but also many Japanese kids (I'm sure there are tons of adults love it). Curry is always No. 1 favorite food for kids in Japan. "House" is the most popular curry brand in Japan - just because it tastes good. I often compare it with other brands as a starting point. Other brands can be a little more spicier than House. I still think "House" is the best. I believe most of Japanese think of "House" curry as a standard curry. It's that big in Japan. That's why House opened up restaurants all over the US using their products. You can try the curry at "Curry House". This place has great varieties of homie Japanese  foods - from curry to pasta. It's always packed - especially lunch time.

There are 3 levels of the spiciness - Sweet, Mid Hot, and Hot. Kids love Sweet. Hot isn't so hot - it's just "Japanese" hot. lol. I like HOT personally. I used to like the mild when I was a kid. Obviously I'm not a kid anymore :p But this House Curry Sauce is my favorite Japanese food.

I haven't done the review of Curry House yet, but you can check out other restaurant reviews.

Border Grill (Santa Monica, CA) - Restaurant Reviews (No.1)

My first restaurant review here ; Border Grill - Santa Monica, CA.
You can see its restaurant review on Yelp, but I wanna use here for extra stuff I didn't write there. I'm still trying to figure out how I can make this interesting. At least I decide to write reviews for only certain restaurants I wanna talk about more - instead of writing reviews of ALL the restaurants I tried on Yelp. We'll see.

Why did I pick this place first?! "Border Grill" (Santa Monica, CA) is my recent "WOW" restaurant that I was so excited to write its restaurant review. I go to eat at restaurants a lot. But it's hard to find 4 or 5 star places for me - I'm very picky in a good way when it comes to food. I do think I'm easily amused IF the foods were very yummy :) This place certainly made me think these foods were so great!! So I picked this place for my memorable first place for review here.

This place claims to offer modern Mexican food. I do think it's more like the mixture of Mexican and Latin foods in modern way. You don't see those kind of "twist" in real Mexican foods. I do love authentic Mexican foods that MEXICAN cook - so don't worry, I know what I'm talking about :)

If I think of "Latin foods", maize-based dishes (tortillas, tamales, pupusas), varied "Salsas" and condiments (pico de gallo, guacamole,  mole) would come up in my mind. All the dishes here have those basic with their own twists. Each dish is FULL of flavors by emphasizing the tastes of the ingredients. Unlike real Mexican foods, each dish is pretty light. (I'm not talking about portion; their portion for appetizer is perfect and pretty generous for entrée.) I'm Japanese who was born in Japan. We Japanese cook and enjoy foods in that way - appreciating and enhancing the flavors of the ingredients. I was so amazed how perfectly each item was cooked and its flavors. I haven't seen the restaurant that offers such a sensation for me these days. I did enjoy all the dishes I had there except for turkey tostada. (It was kinda bland..)

I'm known to a tough restaurant critic on Yelp. Border Grill (Santa Monica, CA) is definitely my favorite restaurant that is very appropriate for my first restaurant review here. Trust me - you'll love it.

The foods I can eat but don't like to eat

I'm a hardcore foodie - but I have the foods I can eat but don't like to eat. I can eat most of the stuff even like Natto (fermented soy beans). I'm not talking about foods at "Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern". I don't like to eat bugs nor something too exquisite - just to compensate protein or some sort of nutritious as food resources in the third world. I'm talking about foods more like the ones at "No Reservation" - local and authentic foods at the areas.

I'm adventurous and curious to try new and interesting foods. These are the foods  I can eat but don't like to eat - I'll give you the reason why I'm not so fond of eating them...

- Mint    Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (It tastes like a tooth paste. Meh...), gum, candies etc.
- Cinnamon   Artificial cinnamon products, Cinnamon stick... I'm getting OK with cinnamon powder now :)
- Apple Pie   Ewww.. I don't like the texture when apple was cooked. I love fresh apple, of course.

- American candies    Chocolates and candies etc.  (They taste and look awful and unhealthy.... )

I'm glad that I was born as 100% Japanese - I can eat various foods. I'm fortunate that I don't have any food allergy so far. I think this list will get longer  if I tried more foods..... My principle is "AT LEAST I TRY ONCE". There are tons of food choices available. Life is so short. I don't need to eat foods I don't like. At least I tried - that's all matter. These are the foods I can eat but don't like to eat (unfortunately).

You might find the foods I can eat but don't like to eat on my restaurant reviews....

Passing a Sommelier exam with the highest score in the class!!

I'm very proud of myself for passing a sommelier exam with the highest score in the class (around 40 people). I did study a lot for 6 months by making my own notes and flash cards. I carried and memorized them even while walking for exercise. I'm weird - I love to learn. I think it's coming from my curious nature. And I love wine - I got some elements I could become a certified sommelier. I can't remember my cell phone number, but was always good at memorizing things for tests at schools. Basically I memorized the whole book to pass the test :)  In fact, I didn't mean to study that much - I just wanted to pass it at first. I did it just because I felt like I was insulted by the Master Sommelier who taught the class. He thought I couldn't make it just because I was a Japanese chick with broken English who worked at Japanese restaurant with a little wine. He is the manager of VERY famous wine restaurant in Orange County. He is also infamous for being a "Male Chauvinist Pig" at a VERY well known company.

I was offered to take the class for free at work. Passing a sommelier exam with the highest score in the class IS NOT my job requirement at all. Normally, only employees who work with wine daily can go through the program since the cost is pretty high. My chef went through the program and I was just hired there, where was a fine-dining Japanese restaurant. But he knew I loved wine with work experience at very famous restaurants with wine and helped me to go through the program. 

Once the class started, I was a stranger - working at Japanese restaurant that carried only a few fine wine. On top of that, I was just a hostess, not even a server - I didn't even touch a wine at all !! About 10 people from a wine restaurant, about 10 people from a VERY famous wine restaurant, about 10 chefs from various locations, about 5 people from wineries and other companies, and my friend from a casual dining and me. But I was VERY confident that I could pass the test with my brain. It doesn't matter how good my skills for English and public speaking are. I studied, so I tried to raise my hand during the classes.
But the Master sommelier instructor(Just call him Mike) tended to point HIS people instead of me or others. I could see Mike didn't like me somehow and tried to avoid me. I know the reason - I'm FEMALE. He showed such absurd attitudes for entire 6 month class. So I studied hard.

I was so nervous right before the test. I felt like I was about to forget everything. But I had enough time to review it twice. After the Masters scored our tests, one of the Masters called our names passed the test. I was 99% sure that I had 100% and there was only ONE question I wasn't sure. I was worried like most of my classmates. When he said this was the last person....he didn't call my name :( My classmates looked at me with surprise. I couldn't believe I couldn't pass it. I was about to burst into tears..... Then he said "I'll call the name of the person who passed the test with the highest score in this class". He called MY NAME finally!! I was so relieved.... :)

When I was given the Sommelier badge and its certification, 4 master sommeliers gave me big hugs and compliments. Mike smiled at me and gave me a hug but I could tell it wasn't coming from his heart. But I FELT SO GOOD to have seen the face!! The class assistant who works with Mike daily was very supportive for the entire class. I told him the reason why I wanted to pass the test with the highest score. He came up to me and gave me big hugs and smiles after I got my badge!!

This was a big deal for my managers. They were so happy that all of the food and beverage managers talked about me at their meetings. I got a gigantic special cheese cake for me just because I kicked ALL of the servers (my classmates) who deal with wine daily at their WINE restaurants. After that, I was offered to teach one of the introduction wine class as a guest instructor. I did pretty good in the class :) I also helped a study group (around 10 people) for the next class - ALL of them passed it :)

I'd like to be a sommelier that I can share my knowledge and experience with my customers and friends without being snobby. Though I felt so great to have been able to show I can do it, passing a sommelier exam with the highest score in the class is just a step for me.

Calpico - My Favorite Japanese Food (No.2)

Calpico - my favorite Japanese food (No.2) - drink.

It's a beverage concentrate which tastes like some sort of yogurt drink. It is called "Calpico" here. But its "original" name is "Calpis" - it's only known as "Calpis" in Japan. But they had to change it to "Calpico" here because "Calpis" sounded like "Cow Piss" in English. lol. I don't hear it so personally, but I'm not a native English speaker...

At first, they just sold the syrup (concentrate) with bottle. Little me (when I was a kid) was so excited when my mom asked me to buy the bottle at supermarket - because it was my favorite Japanese drink :) It still reminds me of nostalgic memories when I was a kid. You make the "Calpis" by diluting it with water. Recommended water and Calpis ratio is 4:1. You can change the ratio up to your preference. Some people prefer 3:1 ratio, which is sweeter "Calpico". I prefer a little more water ratio than 4:1 just because it's still too sweet for me. Now they sell not only the syrup but also the "Calpis" (no need diluting) in the can now. I think it's a little too thin for me in the can. They must want to make more profit out of little use of the syrup, right?! lol.

Now there are all kinds of flavors - strawberry, mango, lychee, and aloe etc. But I love the original syrup.  The Japanese love "Seasonal" item, which you can get it only for a short period of time. They love the words "limited", "seasonal" and "special". This seasonal calpico on this picture is made by the "thicker milk" from Hokkaido (Northern part of Japan. The milk there have more fat content with better quality (I guess), which makes its taste sweeter and more flavorful than ordinary milk). It's fun to see special flavors sometimes.

I prefer to use the syrup on the top of my shaved ice as it is. I also love my "Strawberry Milk Calpico" shaved ice (Calpico, condensed milk, and smashed fresh strawberries). You can use it whatever you like. I hope the original keeps staying in the market forever.. It seems to stay strong in the crazy Japanese food market. It'll be my favorite Japanese food - drink - forever.

I'll keep introducing my favorite Japanese foods from drinks to anything - you name it!

How to Become a Certified Sommelier

Have you ever thought about how to become a certified sommelier?!
You can't be a sommelier just because you love wine. That's just a first step to get into the wine. You got to study A LOT just to pass the test. Even after getting the title of "Sommelier", learning about wine is endless - wine is constantly changing (and aging). Let me explain about "Sommelier" from the prospective in the wine industry. "Sommelier" is a wine expert who specializes in the restaurant side of the industry - wine tasting, wine purchasing, the creation of wine lists, pairing wine with foods, wine storage and inventory. For restaurant guests, "Sommelier" helps them to pick up the suitable wine within their budget that fits their tastes (needs) and complements their food. Having a master sommelier at fine dining restaurant and resort is kind of necessity.

There are a few organizations to certify you as a sommelier. Wanna know how to become a certified sommelier? I went through the test of "The Court of the Master Sommeliers". There are a few steps to become the top of sommelier - Master Sommelier. There are currently less than 200 Master Sommeliers worldwide, around 60 % of them are in N. America. Only 15 women at this moment. This is its rough guide:

The Court of the Master Sommelier:
Sommelier Level 1&2(Certified) - Written test only. It covers the basic knowledge of wine and viticulture (cultivation of grape wine), preparing and presenting wine, beer, liqueurs, and cigars. $500
Sommelier Level 3 (Advanced) - Written test (more in details) and 6 blind tests. You must identify and discuss six wines, referencing the varietal, place of origin, and vintage. $300.
Sommelier Level 4 (Master) - 2 tests. $900 + $800.

The class for Level 1 is petty intense and long (almost 6 month class). The course is generally offered 2-3 times per year and acceptance is highly controlled. The course is designed for potential Master Sommelier candidates. But I do recommend to take it if you were a wine lover who has a time and $. You will learn a lot about wine. It really helps you to pick up better wine for your bucks and enjoy wine more.

All you need to do it to fill out the application on the organization (this case, The Court of the Master Sommeliers). And study a lot and pass the test. Once you pass it, you will be a "Sommelier" forever. You'll get a pin and the certification. Now you know how to become a certified sommelier :)

Do you like the tip of how to become a certified sommelier? Check also my restaurant reviews on Yelp.

Meiji Strawberry Chocolate Bar - My favorite Japanese Foods (No.1)

Meiji Strawberry Chocolate Bar - my favorite Japanese foods (No. 1) - Snacks.
I want to introduce my favorite Japanese foods, which can be very unfamiliar to you. Japanese food is not just "Sushi", "Teriyaki Chicken", and "Tempra". I want you to know that we Japanese eat all kinds of good stuff. This includes homie dishes (we Japanese eat a lot more often than sushi), snacks, drinks that I've been familiar with. I also want to add new stuff from Japanese supermarket sometimes.

Well, I'm not a big fan of chocolate. Why do I include it as "My favorite Japanese foods"?! Because I like it :)
This is $1 chocolate that has been in the market forever. Since I was a kid, this is my favorite chocolate. This is NOT a fancy chocolate ever. But I do like it because it has strawberry seeds in it for just a $1 chocolate! Hershey's chocolate tastes "cheap" but not this one.

Japanese food makers have to create new food products constantly because Japanese get bored so quickly. I saw the news in Japan that even food items at convenient store are renewed EVERY 2 weeks. How often you see new item at Seven Eleven in US?! Let's say.. If "Mango" became "Hot" in Japan, EVERYBODY makes and buys mango products from jello to candy. But the "Hot" period is quite a short. Next hot product will come out in a few months and everyone will move on to the new trend. But this chocolate stays for long time and I do hope it will do so forever :)

I think chocolate taste good. I just don't like the fact that it makes me fat :p I eat chocolate sometimes especially when I'm so exhausted - when I need a sugar. But I'd say this is my favorite Japanese food.

I write restaurant reviews that introduce my favorite Japanese foods on Yelp. Check them out!

Tips (No.1): Tips for Cutting Hot Peppers - Remedy from burning hands!

Tips for cutting hot peppers! I marinaded beef with very spicy sauce (tons of red chili peppers and Serrano) with a single latex glove yesterday. Right after I touched the marinade sauce, my hands were burning !! Gosh, literally burning :( I have a weird allergy for a cardboard. I don't always have the allergic reaction to all of card boards, it happens sometimes. I worry that I got another allergy, so I asked chefs I work with about the allergic reaction and how to fix the burning from touching hot peppers. They told me about "Capsicum" but neither of them knew how to fix it. So I had to research it.

I know MILK can cut the heat when you eat very spicy foods. But does it work as "tip for cutting hot peppers" as well? When I had a "Russian Rulette roll", which contain all kinds of hotness, from "Tabento?", which is my favorite Sushi joint in Costa Mesa, I had to drink milk at Sushi Counter!!! It worked :)

The following is what I learned about:
"Capsaicin"(methyl vanillyl nonenamide), is a lipophilic chemical in the hot peppers responsible for the heat when you taste food with hot peppers and when you cut hot peppers.

Tip No.1 - When you cut hot peppers, wear rubber gloves. The oil can seep through latex gloves, so wear thick ones or use multiple gloves.
Tip No.2 - Do Not rub them whatever you do.
Tip No. 3 - Wash your hands thoroughly with dish soap or milk. Take an over the counter pain killer as directed.
Tip No. 4 - Apply an ointment such as aloe vera or hydro cortisone cream.
Tip No. 5 - Put on gloves to clean the area where you cut the peppers.

Other tips I found:
- Chlorine Bleach. It's hard to rinse it off though, it neutralizes capsicum. Not recommended for eyes.
- Your hair. The oil in the hair helps neutralize the heat. It sounds like capsicum is oil based - that is why water doesn't seem to offer much relief.
- WD-40. It's a widely available water displacing spray. Do you have it at your home?
- Alcohol products. It cuts the oil, then follow that with a lotion or ointment.
- Benedryl. It can be (and might be) an allergic reaction.

I learn things everyday - tips for cutting hot peppers. I hope you enjoy what I do as well.
If you want to see my review of "Tabento?" or other reviews, go to my Yelp page.

Becoming Vegetarians ?!

Becoming Vegetarians? Hell no! Wanna know the reason why I'm not Vegetarian?! 1) I love animal foods -it's tasty and nutritious. 2) I understand human being is a sinful creature that can't survive without eating animals. (I mean in healthy way as our body need) 3) I'm not convinced enough the reasons why I should become a vegetarian as Vegetarians claim. I wanna talk deeper about the reason No. 3.

Health, animal rights, religious or other beliefs, environment, parental preferences... The most common reasons for becoming vegetarians. It's your personal choice - I get that and I respect that. But many Vegetarians claim that killing animals are NOT OK, but eating plants are OK. Don't forget the FACT - it's not just my personal opinion. Both animals and plants are alive - that's why they grow. Why can we say which lives are more important than others?? Why can we say killing animals is Not OK but eating(KILLING) plants is OK?? When did we (especially Vegetarians) become the GOD to judge it?!

I do think we all need to realize that we human being are the sinful creature that can't survive without eating alive creatures - BOTH animals and plants. For me (hope not just me), both lives are EQUALLY important.
Vegetarians might claim animals have emotions - they cry. Who the hell can we say plants DON'T have ones? They might have them - we just don't know: I saw an episode at "Mythbusters" that they grew 2 identical plants in a hostile environment (loud music & nasty comments toward the plant) and in a pleasant one (natured music and benevolent comments) at the same time. Guess what? The latter lasted longer....

I do appreciate whatever I eat because of my understanding of food intake and meanings of life. Hence, I'm not convinced enough for the reason why I should eat only plants as they claim. If you give me good reasons, I'll become a Vegetarian and support "Becoming Vegetarians"!!

I share not only my passion about foods and wine here, but also write restaurant reviews on Yelp. I'm not so focused on "Becoming Vegetarians" there (lol), I do talk about foods. Check them out!