Perhaps those "pasty" ones were unhealthy not because of their vegetarian
diet but because of a poor digestive system which not only did not do well
with animal products but with plant products as well.
There really isn't too much to argue about anymore; the consensus is (in
the US at least) that one can do well with little/no animal products.
Vegetarians and others all need to be careful about certain nutrients.
Lauri Scharf
Arlington, MA