Being Vegetarian

Being Vegetarian - Vegetarianism? You mean like scraping meat off your plate and eating whatever is left?

For some people, vegetarian food sounds like an oxymoron. To others, it is more like the normal pursuit of a hardcore nutritionist. “Scary,” meat lovers would probably say. “Just another fad,” cynics would comment.

But there is more to vegetarianism than just avoiding meat. The whole diet is really more complex than that and encompasses not only physical health but the spiritual as well. In order to ensure that you are meeting your daily nutritional needs, you need to take extra steps.


Which Type of Vegetarian Are You?

Some people are not aware that the term “vegetarian” is actually a broad word used to refer to types of vegetarians – the purists (or “vegans” as they are often referred to) and regular vegetarians.

While both observe a diet which consists primarily of plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seed, the distinction between the two lies in the types of animal-derived foods they eat.


Vegans

As purists, vegans eat only plant products. They don’t eat meat, honey, dairy products, eggs, or just basically any food that comes from animals, whether processed or not. As such, veganism represents the toughest form of non-meat diet.

Vegetarians

As compared with vegans, vegetarians are more liberal, so to speak. Liberal in the sense that some vegetarians eat fish or shellfish, dairy and eggs.

Apart from vegans, there are different kinds of vegetarians:

• Lacto Vegetarians – Diet consists only of fruits and vegetables and dairy products, like milk, cheese, and butter.

• Lacto Ovo Vegetarians – Diet consists of fruits, vegetables, dairy, and eggs.

• Fruitarians – Diet consists of fruits (includes tomatoes and courgettes), nuts, and seeds. No roots of plants like carrots and potatoes.

The Vegetarian Food Pyramid

If you have been a meat-lover for so long, you might find it hard to suddenly eat only plant produce. Any sort of drastic change in habits like that may have the effect of turning you off vegetarianism completely or destroying your resolve to eat only vegetables and fruits from now on. The key is to take it one step at a time.

Adopting a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle is a major change for most people. Deciding whether or not you should become a vegetarian is already so hard. Much more if you finally do what you have set out for yourself.

While you can always decide to become vegan or vegetarian right away, it might be easier if you take it slow at first. For instance, for the first two weeks, you may want to forego only eggs and meats. Then, the week after that, forego dairy products, before you go entirely vegan.

That way, the change will not be as shocking. And you give yourself a chance to adapt to this new change.

To keep your vegetarian diet on track, it helps if you follow the vegetarian food pyramid. Like a regular food pyramid, a vegetarian food pyramid outlines various food groups and food choices that, if eaten in the right quantities, form the foundation of a healthy vegetarian diet.

• EAT SPARINGLY: Vegetable fats and oils, sweets and salt

• EAT MODERATELY: Low-fat or non-fat milk, yogurt, fresh cheese or fortified alternative group (2-3 servings) and legume, nut, seed, and meat alternative group (2-3 servings)

• EAT GENEROUSLY: Vegetable group (3-5 servings) and fruit group (2-4 servings)

• EAT LIBERALLY: Whole grain, bread, cereal, pasta, rice group (6-11 servings)


Also, try the following vegetarian alternatives to certain forbidden food groups:

• Milk: Fortified soymilk, rice milk or almond milk

• Butter: Olive oil, water, vegetable broth, wine or nonfat cooking spray; canola oil (for baking)

• Cheese: Soy cheese or nutritional yeast flakes

• Eggs: Commercial egg replacers (made mostly of potato starch); Or use this recipe: ¼ cup whipped tofu or 1 tablespoon milled flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water



The Vegan Food Pyramid

The above food pyramid may not work for vegans since they contain dairy and eggs. So use this guide instead:

• Vegetables: Dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, collards, kale, mustard and turnip greens, chicory, bok choy; dark yellow and orange vegetables such as carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes and pumpkin

SERVING SIZE: 1 cup raw vegetables or ½ cup cooked vegetables (3 or more servings per day)

• Whole Grains: Bread, rice, pasta, hot or cold cereal, corn, millet, barley, buglar, buckwheat, groats and tortillas

SERVING SIZE: ½ cup hot cereal or 1 ounce dry cereal, one slice bread (5 or more servings per day)

• Fruits: Citrus fruits, melons and strawberries. Be sure to choose whole fruit instead of fruit juices.

SERVING SIZE: One medium piece of fruit or ½ cup cooked fruit, 4 ounces juice (2 or more servings per day)

• Legumes: Beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, baked and refried beans, soy milk, tempeh, and texturized vegetable protein

SERVING SIZE: ½ cup cooked beans or 4 ounces tofu or tempeh, 8 ounces soy milk (2 or more servings a day)


Get Adequate Nutrition

Vegetables and fruits are foods that belong to the health food category. However, this does not automatically mean that you are getting enough nutrients just because you are on a vegetarian diet.

In fact, there are many nutrients that you may be deficient in as a result of your vegetarian diet. Here is how you can get these nutrients even from non-meat sources:

Protein

Protein is important to maintain healthy skin, bones, muscles, and organs. The biggest sources of protein in our diets are meat. But since you are on a vegetarian diet, that is really not an option. So what are your alternatives?

Vegetarians who eat eggs and dairy products should not have any problem regarding protein. For vegans, they use the following foods as convenient sources of protein:

• Soy products

• Meat substitutes

• Legumes

• Lentils

• Nuts

• Seeds

• Whole grains

Calcium

To maintain strong teeth and bones, you need lots of calcium. This mineral is often found in milk and other dairy products. For vegetarians, consider low fat dairy foods and dark green vegetables as rich sources of calcium. Specifically, be sure to include the following foods in your diet:

• Spinach

• Turnip

• Collard greens

• Kale

• Broccoli

• Tofu enriched with calcium

• Fortified soymilk and fruit juices

Vitamin B-12

Vitamin B-12 is important in the production of red blood cells and prevent anemia. The problem is that this vitamin is found almost exclusively in animal products, including milk, eggs, and cheese. For vegans, they have the following alternatives:

• Enriched cereals

• Fortified soy products

• Vitamin B-12 supplements

Iron

Aside from Vitamin B-12, your body also needs iron in order to produce red blood cells. In fact, iron forms a crucial component of red blood cells, the lack of which would result in anemia. For iron sources, consider the following foods:

• Dried beans and peas

• Lentils

• Enriched cereals

• Whole grain products

• Dark, leafy green vegetables

• Dried fruits

Note that your body may not be able to easily absorb non-animal sources of iron. To help with absorption, eat foods that are rich in vitamin C, including strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage, and broccoli.

Zinc

This mineral forms an essential component of many enzymes. It also plays a role in cell division and in the formation of proteins. Whole grains, soy products, nuts and wheat germ are good sources of zinc.