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Evening,

My flatemate's girlfriend who now lives with us has over the last year become more and more vegetarian. My flatmate says that he is starting to feel the pressure, and is not particularly happy because he feels his single pork chop is being bullied by the courgettes and aubergines in the fridge.

I mentioned that I would like to buy him and her a book for Christmas about Paleo just so they can read it together and get another point of view.

I've only read "The Paleo Solution - Robb Wolf" and "Good calories, Bad calories - Gary Taubes" so wondering if there is a more suitable "light" introduction to paleo out there, and one which a vegetarian who is very interested in their health would be more open to reading?

Update: Spoke to my flatmate's girlfriend last night and she said she would be really interested in reading a book on Paleo. So I started reading "The Primal Blueprint - Mark Sisson" on Kindle last night as I never give a book I haven't read myself. I like his style, different from "The Paleo Solution - Robb Wolf", but Sisson seems good at continuing to summarize his main points over and over.

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I feel for your flatmate - my best friend became a vegan about 5 years ago and I feel like i lost a great part of my life which was sharing gourmet food with someone I loved and who had passion for food... now its "oh wow those tempura vegetables were amazing"... pffft! – MayaBee Nov 29 2011 at 21:51

16 Answers

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The Primal Blueprint

"The perfect book for your vegetarian girlfriend or boyfriend." - Kurt Harris MD

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Well now that sounds about right. – AlohaSpeck Nov 30 2011 at 13:58
Agree ... very gentle introduction. – Enrico Dec 3 2011 at 20:55
Started reading this on Kindle last night, I like it and am going to buy a hardcopy for her this week. Thanks. – AlohaSpeck Dec 5 2011 at 7:55
Don't forget his website as a resource too. Since I'm now intuitively eating high-fat paleo, it's easy for me to forget how weird/drastic paleo seemed when it was first making noises on my periphery. That website helped a lot for recipes and the like. All the goofy "primal lifestyle" and Grok stuff aside, Sisson's introductions to the concepts are pretty slick. The best evidence is physical. I was quick to throw all my vegetarian nonsense out the window the moment I realized that paleo could cure my acne. – StreakOfLean Dec 5 2011 at 19:14
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If he is intimidated by her vegetables, first thing you do is tell him to find the pants that has his man parts in it.

Then you go with him and check the books, because he might know would be less offensive and possibly acceptable.

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I would recommend Beyond Broccoli by Susan Schenck. It's similar to the Vegetarian Myth but the writing style seems much more approachable and she makes references to Paleo authors as well. The author was a former raw vegan and even wrote a book on it. She does still advocate eating less cooked foods while telling people to eat some meat (esp. fish).

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A House for Mr. Biswas. It's a great book, and the more you read, and think about what you read, the less interest you have in being a vegetarian.

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I'd mind my own business ... this isn't supposed to be a religion. :-)

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I'd forget about a book and just show her this film. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1vavWPKVkc&feature=related

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I don't know a lot about this topic, but let me speculate - it is IMPOSSIBLE to be a vegetarian and Paleo. IMPOSSIBLE I say!

However, you could ask your flatmate's GF to read this - http://paleohacks.com/questions/56799/mingers-talk-why-cant-we-all-get-along-similarities-between-veggies-and-paleo/56864#56864

And then this - http://rawfoodsos.com/2011/08/13/ancestral-health-symposium/

Paleo is about toxin avoidance, first and foremost, IMO. Meat lovers (EXCEPT ROSE) gonna hate the Ghee Wolverine, but I can outdrink all of my meat eating friends. Nuff said.

If your flatmate's GF is really interested (and of course hot), I will be happy to give her some tips, maybe even the entire shaft, of Paleo for the vegetarian. Contrary to what anyone tells you, they are not mutually exclusive!

Ghee Wolverine, out...

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1 
 Hey, I'm a meat lover, and I don't hate the Ghee Wolverine! Only now I hate you for saying that. – Rose Nov 29 2011 at 23:56
j/k. <3 <3 <3 <3 – Rose Nov 29 2011 at 23:57
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 Rose - I made the appropriate edit. Love you too babe! – Aravind Nov 29 2011 at 23:58
Thank you for tolerating my tolerance. Um...you're not Dutch, are you? – Rose Nov 30 2011 at 15:06
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 No, my tolerance of tolerance excludes the Dutch. I can't stand the Dutch :-) – Aravind Nov 30 2011 at 15:52
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Also, send 'em this link to NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/29/health/vitamin-b12-deficiency-can-cause-symptoms-that-mimic-aging.html?src=me&ref=general

Basically confirms that B12 can only be obtained from animal sources, problems arise when you don't get it, and supplementation ain't the answer.

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Yeah, I agree with not getting involved, though you could also try a more neutral book about nutrition, like Deep Nutiriton or something that doesn't appear to be so clearly carnivorous. Plus, she'll learn plenty from it whether she decides to be a vegetarian or not.

Also, I mean in all honesty, wanting her to not be a vegetarian because it's annoying him is... meh. But honestly wanting to give her an interesting informative book about health generally? That I feel like you can do with a clean conscience and without getting in the midst of a couple fight.

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Primal Body, Primal Mind

but honestly, I'm in agreement with those who suggested not getting involved.

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Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, particularly if the vegetarianism is ethically focused. It isn't paleo (there's a lot of talk about eating grains), but it's extremely readable, and provides a very accessible argument in favor of eating appropriately-raised animals.

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Love her too, good one! – Rogue Nutritionist Nov 29 2011 at 22:06
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It really depends why she's vegetarian. For perceived health benefits or animal rights? I think any paleo book (I like Robb Wolf's) would be good for taking apart the vegan myth to better health. I don't have an exact recommendation for taking apart the animal rights side, perhaps something by Joel Salatin? I've got a couple of his books on my wish list.

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The Vegetarian Myth by Lierre Keith. The book is gracefully written and completely debunks the vegetarian concept from health, political, environmental & sustainable perspectives.

Keith was a vegan for 20+ years and now suffers life long health issues due to her former diet.

The book doesn't 'bash' vegetarians / vegans and it does explore in detail the benefits of a paleo diet.

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2 
 Great book, but getting a vegetarian to pick it up when they don't see fault in their ways is one hell of a task. I find it best to drop little knowledge nuggets over a long period of time and let them sink in, then eventually introduce the book. Things like PubMed articles on the health implications of soy and gluten, studies showing the importance of vitamins A D E & K and how plant-sources are sub-optimal, analyses showing the environmental impacts of monocrops, pictures showing the happiness at farms like PolyFace, etc. – Bobby Nov 29 2011 at 19:27
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 I love this book, but handing it to the vegetarian girl-friend of your flat mate is liable to start some fireworks. I say avoid the entanglement or go with Primal Blueprint - an easy going read. Sisson's wife was (or is) vegetarian and he lurves his veggies. – Dave S. Nov 29 2011 at 20:01
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 I loved her book, and second this as a former longtime vegetarian and vegan myself... – Rogue Nutritionist Nov 29 2011 at 22:05
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 I wouldn't give them the book, just read it yourself & leave it lying around the flat... – Dragonfly Nov 29 2011 at 22:51
I must admit, I am not a fan of giving books with these sorts of titles as they come across aggressive before they are even read. For instance Gary Taubes book "Good Calories, Bad Calories" is called "The Diet Delusion" here in the UK. I have no idea why, but whenever I talk about it I call it by it's original name. Never understood trying to encourage people to listen by telling them "You are wrong, or naive" in the first instance. Thanks for the title I have added to my wishlist. – AlohaSpeck Nov 30 2011 at 13:56
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Robb Wolf's Paleo Solution - He was healthy before going Vegan, then got really broken while Vegan, and got unbroken on Paleo.

Not that she'd read it, most Vegans are brainwashed.

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 Brain-washed or brain-fogged? – Nance Nov 29 2011 at 19:06
My recollection is that Robb wasn't really healthy before going Vegan (he's Celiac). He went Vegan thinking it was healthier, and could fix some problems, then went paleo after that. – James Nov 29 2011 at 22:36
@James, yup, I think you're right, he's always been Celiac. – raydawg Nov 30 2011 at 12:14
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while i admire your motivation i can only give you this advice;

don't get involved

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 This promises to be a lose-lose situation for you. If you MUST give a book, I'll recommend Primal Blueprint just to be different. – Nance Nov 29 2011 at 19:05
Yeah, I like primal blueprint also when lending out for a "light" introduction. – JayJay Nov 29 2011 at 20:33
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 Yeah, break up your friend's relationship, screaming fights over food... You = screwed. – James Nov 29 2011 at 20:55
+1 I would definitely stay out of this one! – Kewpie Nov 29 2011 at 22:30
Hahah it really is not that serious an issue. I had already mentioned to my flatmate about the book and he said he thought it was a good idea. We all get along well and I am already friends with his girlfriend which was further cemented recently over shared love for coconut oil. – AlohaSpeck Nov 30 2011 at 13:49
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Robb Wolf used to be a vegetarian (he may have even dabbled in veganism), so one of his books that covers that part of his life would be a good place to start.

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Agreed - I find his book a little too childish (what is with the "buttercup" thing???) - but I do like the fact that he can contrast his own vegetarian past with the now and compare the health effects. – MayaBee Nov 29 2011 at 21:49

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