Keresa Stencavage answers some questions about being vegetarian and her decision behind it.

Talon: Why did you become vegetarian?

Keresa: I’m not a fan of animals, but that doesn’t mean I support the inhumane killing of them. Meat isn’t an important part of my life; the knockoffs are really good. I focus more on what I’m eating. I think it’s helped me pay more attention to what I eat.

T: How old were you when you decided to become vegetarian?

K:I was 13 when I decided to become vegetarian, and I’ve now been vegetarian for three years.

T: What do you feel is the best part of being vegetarian?

K: I think the best part about being vegetarian would be the increased focus on what I eat. I’m more likely to choose healthier options because I am constantly reading the ingredients lists and learning more about what I eat and what has meat in it.

T: What are questions you’re most typically asked from people who are curious about your diet?

K: Quite a few people ask me whether I eat fish. I do not eat fish; if I did I would be pescatarian. People also ask me where I get my protein from if I’m not getting it from meat. There are a lot of great meat knock-offs that are good for protein that, in many cases, taste better than real meat.

T: Do you have any advice for people looking to go vegetarian?

K: My advice for people going vegetarian would be to watch your iron levels. It is fairly common for vegetarians to have low iron levels, as they are not getting it from meat anymore. You can take iron supplements, but iron can also be found in plenty of other foods.

T: Was going vegetarian an overnight or gradual thing?

K: Going vegetarian was a quick thing for me. Some people suggested easing into it by just slowly cutting meat out of my diet, but I prefer to stop eating meat all at once because I knew, for me, it would be easier if I jut committed to it quickly.