Hello,

As a mother of a 17 year old boy who has been raised vegetarian, almost vegan, I disagree with your mother.

Cows only eat grass (or at least they used to) and yet they are quite strong. So, grass has to be able to be turned into a kind of protein at some point.

However, it took me a long time to actually realize that vegetables are a better protein than meat. Living in a society where we're always being told that meat is the only way to get protein, it's easy to start believing it. There are some people that really do best with some meat based proteins. I've seen it first-hand.

If you do any reading into raw foods and eating only raw vegetables, you'll hear people say things like "I have tons of energy." Or, "I have more energy than people much younger than me."

My son who has been a vegetarian/vegan all of his life is much stronger and has more stamina than his peers. I remember walking to a local park not long ago and his peers (meat eaters) were exhausted. He had plenty of energy while several of his peers were exhausted by the short walk.

Also, his body tends to be naturally thinner and more muscular than other teens his age. And, he doesn't hardly ever get sick even when he's constantly exposed to others who are sick.

Realize that your mother was raised eating meat and that she bases her thoughts off of what she was told and learned growing up. It's really strong of you to face your mother with your decision. Way to go. Be patient. She'll likely come around if you keep gently pushing that way.