Variety In Your New Vegetarian Diet

You’ve weighed your options carefully, studied the pros and the cons, and decided that the vegetarian lifestyle is right for you. But where do you start making the changes? Do you go ‘cold turkey?’ Do you adopt a more gradual approach to transitioning to vegetarianism? However you choose to make the change, you can begin to achieve the health benefits of vegetarianism by significantly cutting down on the amount of meats consumed, and making vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains the focus of your meals.

Choose whole-grain products like whole wheat bread and flour, instead of refined or white grains. Eat a wide variety of foods, and don’t be afraid to try vegetables, fruits, grains, breads, nuts, or seeds that you’ve never tried before. Experiment and explore! You may discover a new favorite or two, and learn fresh new ways to liven up more traditional vegetarian dishes. Many vegetarian foods can be found in any grocery store. Specialty food stores may carry some of the more uncommon items, as well as many vegetarian convenience foods. When shopping for food, plan ahead, shop with a list and read food labels. And if you decide to eat dairy products, choose non-fat or low-fat varieties, and limit your egg intake to 3-4 yolks per week.

Becoming a vegetarian can be as easy as you choose to make it. Whether you enjoy preparing delectable, delicious meals or choose quick and easy ones, vegetarian meals can be very satisfying. If you get in the habit of keeping the following on hand, meal preparation time will become a snap:

• Ready-to-eat, whole-grain breakfast cereals, and quick-cooking whole-grain cereals such as oatmeal, whole-grain breads and crackers, such as rye, whole wheat, and mixed grain and other grains such as barley and bulgur wheat


• Canned beans, such as pinto, black beans, and garbanzo beans


• Rice (including brown, wild, etc.) and pasta (now available in whole wheat, spinach, and other flavors) with tomato sauce and canned beans and/or chopped veggies


• Vegetarian soups like lentil, navy bean, or minestrone


• A wide variety of plain frozen vegetables, and canned and frozen fruit


• Fortified soymilks and soy cheeses, should you choose to not eat dairy


• A wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, which should be the core of any diet

As you learn to experiment with foods and learn that a meatless diet doesn’t have to lack variety, you’ll find your decision for vegetarianism was not only wise, but easy and fun come mealtime.

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Sample Menu Items For Your Growing Vegetarian Toddler

Vegetarian child. The term almost sounds like an oxymoron we’ve joked about through the years, like jumbo shrimp. The words just don’t seem to go together! It's not as unnatural as it may sound. Actually, kids are almost natural vegetarians. It’s imperative that you offer your growing vegetarian child a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, and soy based proteins to ensure they have the energy and nutrients needed to grow up strong, healthy, and happy. Consider including items in your daily menu planning for a well-rounded, nutrient-dense healthy diet:

2.5-3 cups fortified soymilk

1/4-1/2 cup iron-fortified cereal

2-5 servings grains (1/2 slice bread, 1/4 cup cooked rice, pasta, quinoa, etc)

2-3 servings veggies (1/2 cup salad or raw veggies, 1/4 cup cooked veggies—bear in mind that the younger your child is, cooked vegetables might be easier for them to chew and digest, then introduce raw veggies as they grow older.)

2-3 servings fruit (1/2 fresh fruit, 1/4 cup cooked fruit, 1/4 cup juice)

2 servings protein foods (1/4 -1/3 cup cooked beans/lentils, a slice or so of calcium-fortified tofu, or peanut or almond butter – be sure that nut butters are fed to children who’ve been tested and shown not to have nut allergies; if you’re unsure, wait until your child’s healthcare provider has had the opportunity to test for such allergies in your child before trying them)

Vitamin B-12 source - nutritional yeast, breast milk, formula, fortified soy milks and cheeses

Vitamin D - sunlight, breast milk, formula, fortified soy milk

Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids - flaxseed oil, freshly ground flaxseed

And here’s some finger-food friendly options for your growing vegetarian toddler: Fresh or frozen mango

Fresh or frozen peaches/nectarines/plums

Cubed avocado

Tofu (put in microwave or steam for 10-30 seconds

Fresh or frozen peas

Pasta that is slightly overcooked

Cubed soy or rice cheeses

Canned beans- black, garbanzo, black eyed peas, or kidney

Toast, cut into little pieces

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The Healing Effects A Vegetarian Diet Has On Your Post-Baby Body

The breastfeeding vegetarian diet doesn’t vary all that much from the pregnancy vegetarian diet. Protein recommendations are the same, vitamin B-12 recommendations are higher, and the recommendations for iron and calories are lower than during pregnancy. But the key in ensuring your healthy vegetarian diet is also helping you recover from the stresses of giving birth and taking care of your newborn is healthy fats. Healthy fats and oils play active roles in every stage of the body’s healing, building, and maintenance processes. In fact, they are as important to an active individual’s body as amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. Healthy fats and oils help convert light and sound into electrical nerve impulses, remove potentially toxic substances from sensitive tissue, and provide strength to cell membranes.

The key is in balancing fats from a variety of foods. All foods that contain dietary fat contain a combination of fatty acids-the chemical building blocks of fat. Learning about the mixture of fatty acids in your diet will help you figure out how to choose foods with the good fats and avoid those foods that contain the bad fats.

For healthy fats, look to monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These can readily be found in a variety of vegetables, oils, and nuts, such as avocados, almonds, and olive oil. These help your body to resist attack from free radicals, which are specially formed types of atoms that can damage your body’s cells when they react with DNA or cell membranes-better than other fats and thus are less prone to stick to your arteries.

Polyunsaturated fats occur in food either as omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids. The key to eating healthy polyunsaturated fats is to maintain the right balance of omega-3 acids-found abundantly in flax, walnuts and canola oil-with omega-6 acids, found in vegetable oils such as corn, safflower and sesame.

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Sample Daily Menu For Pregnant Vegetarians

Though your nutritional needs increase now that you’re pregnant, your vegetarian diet shouldn’t have to change all that much. With some careful planning to ensure your caloric, vitamin, and mineral needs are met, you can still enjoy a rich variety of nutrient-dense delicious foods and help give your baby a nutritious jump-start. Consider the following daily menu for ideas and inspiration.

Breakfast:
1/2 cup oatmeal with maple syrup
1 slice whole wheat toast with fruit spread
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup calcium and vitamin D fortified orange juice

Snack:
1/2 whole wheat bagel with margarine
Banana

Lunch:
Veggie burger on whole wheat bun with mustard and catsup
1 cup steamed collard greens
Medium apple
1 cup soy milk

Snack:
3/4 cup ready-to-eat cereal with 1/2 cup blueberries
1 cup soy milk

Dinner:
3/4 cup tofu stir-fried with 1 cup vegetables
1 cup brown rice
Medium orange

Snack:
Whole grain crackers with 2 Tbsp peanut butter
4 ounces apple juice

If morning sickness is giving you fits during your pregnancy, try eating low fat, high carbohydrate nutrient-dense foods. These are digested more quickly and stay in the stomach for less time giving less time for queasiness. Remember to eat often. Sometimes nausea is really hunger in disguise.

Be sure to drink juice, water, or soy milk if you can't eat solid food. Keep trying to eat whatever you can. If you’re unable to eat or drink the appropriate amounts of foods or fluids for 24 hours or more, get in touch with your healthcare provider.

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Sample Two-Day Diabetic Vegetarian Menu

Though the task of planning out a diabetic vegetarian menu might seem a bit daunting, with a little creativity forethought, it can actually be very simple. Consider the following two-day menu for some ideas and inspiration:

Day one

Breakfast: 1/2 cup melon slices

2 slices French toast (made with soy milk and cooked in vegetable oil with

1/4 cup chopped peaches or apricots

4 ounces enriched soymilk

Morning Snack: 1/2 cup fresh grapes

6 assorted low-fat crackers

Sparkling water

Lunch: 1 cup mushroom barley soup with

2 ounces smoked seitan (A chewy, protein-rich food made from wheat gluten and used as a meat substitute)

1/2 cup green and wax bean salad with

2 teaspoons sesame seeds and

2 Tablespoons reduced-fat salad dressing

8 ounces enriched soymilk

Afternoon Snack: 1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate pudding

(You may create this at home with a sugar-free mix like Sorbee or Estee and any nondairy milk.)

Dinner: 1 cup chili with lentils with

1/4 cup prepared Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)

over 1/3 cup white rice

1/2 cup steamed or roasted carrots

1/2 cup fresh pineapple slices

Evening Snack: 1/2 cup pretzels

8 ounces enriched soymilk

Day two

Breakfast: 1/3 cup cranberry juice or sugar free cranberry juice cocktail

3/4 cup cooked oatmeal with 1/2 banana and

1 teaspoon vegan margarine

8 ounces enriched soymilk

Morning Snack: 3 cups low fat popped popcorn with

2 teaspoons nutritional yeast

1/2 cup orange juice

Lunch: 6" pita stuffed with 2 ounces meat substitute (equivalent to 2 ADA meat exchanges), lettuce, radishes, and cucumbers
1 cup shredded cabbage with

1-1/2 Tablespoons vegan mayonnaise

8 ounces enriched soymilk

Afternoon Snack: Fruit smoothie made with

8 ounces soymilk, 2 ounces silken tofu, and

1/2 cup frozen or fresh berries, blended together

3 sugar-free ginger snaps

Dinner: Baked eggplant (1/2 cup) with

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup black beans with 1/3 cup brown rice one medium baked apple

Evening Snack: 2 Tablespoons peanut butter on 6 crackers

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Vegetarian Diet For Optimal Personal And Environmental Health

It’s been well documented through the years that vegetarians are healthier than people who eat meat. Vegetarians are less likely to be obese, or to have high blood pressure, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or colon cancer. They are also less likely to die from heart disease. Vegetarians have lower blood pressure even when they eat the same amount of salt as meat eaters and exercise less. Many studies show that vegetarians have less instances of colon cancer, due in large part to the differences in the bacterial flora that is present in the colon.

There are many factors in the vegetarian diet that contribute to better health. Vegetarians consume two to three times as much fiber as do meat-eaters, which has been shown to reduce cholesterol and blood glucose levels, and protect against colon cancer. They also consume more antioxidants, which are found in a wide variety of plant foods and protect cells from oxygen-induced damage and reduce the risk for heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and other diseases.

Vegetarians eat more isoflavones than do meat eaters. These compounds, found mostly in soy foods, are a type of phytochemical. Research shows that isoflavones may reduce the risk for prostate cancer and may improve bone health. Vegetarians also consume much less saturated fat and cholesterol than do meat eaters, resulting in significantly lower levels of blood cholesterol, decreased instances of heart disease and possibly for diabetes and cancer. And, since vegetarians do not eat meat, they are not exposed to heme iron, a type of iron found in meat that may increase the risk of heart disease and cancer.

And lastly, vegetarianism is not only optimally healthy for your body, but your environment and the planet’s animals. It allows you to live more harmoniously with the world around you, which improves mental and emotional health accordingly.

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Vegetarians And Cancer

You might have a general idea that eating a vegetarian diet is more healthy for you. But do you really know how much less the incidence is of certain types of cancers among vegetarians?

Vegetarian diets—naturally low in saturated fat, high in fiber, and replete with cancer-protective phytochemicals—help to prevent cancer. Large studies in England and Germany have shown that vegetarians are about 40 percent less likely to develop cancer compared to meat-eaters. In the U.S., studies of Seventh-Day Adventists, who are largely lacto-ovo vegetarians, have shown significant reductions in cancer risk among those who avoided meat. Similarly, breast cancer rates are dramatically lower in nations, such as China, that follow plant-based diets. Interestingly, Japanese women who follow Western-style, meat-based diets are eight times more likely to develop breast cancer than women who follow a more traditional plant-based diet. Meat and dairy products contribute to many forms of cancer, including cancer of the colon, breast, ovaries, and prostate.

Harvard studies that included tens of thousands of women and men have shown that regular meat consumption increases colon cancer risk by roughly 300 percent. High-fat diets also encourage the body’s production of estrogens. Increased levels of this sex hormone have been linked to breast cancer. A recent report noted that the rate of breast cancer among premenopausal women who ate the most animal (but not vegetable) fat was one-third higher than that of women who ate the least animal fat. A separate study from Cambridge University also linked diets high in saturated fat to breast cancer. One study linked dairy products to an increased risk of ovarian cancer. The process of breaking down the lactose (milk sugar) evidently damages the ovaries. Daily meat consumption triples the risk of prostate enlargement. Regular milk consumption doubles the risk and failure to consume vegetables regularly nearly quadruples the risk.

Vegetarians avoid the animal fat linked to cancer and get abundant fiber, vitamins, and phytochemicals that help to prevent cancer. In addition, blood analysis of vegetarians reveals a higher level of “natural killer cells,” specialized white blood cells that attack cancer cells.

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Ideas For Adding Some Variety To Your Vegetarian Lifestyle

Variety is not only good for vegetarians because the same old food can become boring but it is also necessary. Making sure that your vegetarian diet is varied is the best way to ensure that your get enough of the right nutrients.

You should never stick to one or two recipes and never be tempted to confine yourself to a few commercial products because they seem easy to prepare. If you do that you simply will not get a balanced diet and you will become bored. That is why so many vegetarians give up after a short time.

When you visit the supermarket spend time in the fresh produce section. If your usual store does not carry fresh produce go to another one or find a local supplier. Fresh fruit and vegetables are the main stay of a healthy and varied vegetarian diet.

Get to know what is in season and how to prepare it. A vegetarian should learn what fresh fruit and vegetables look like, feel like and smell like. Vegetarians who can shop in farmers' markets have an advantage. But many supermarkets are improving the range of fruit and vegetables they stock.

If you choose a variety of colors of fruit and vegetables you will automatically have a range of nutrients. Vegetarian meals should not be colorless.

The look of food is often underestimated by vegetarians. But we eat with our eyes. The sight of a plate of beautiful food sets out mouth salivating as much as the smell of new baked bread.

Speaking of new baked bread, vegetarians should learn to bake bread. A sourdough rye loaf fresh from the oven or a crusty whole meal with poppy seeds can make a simple vegetarian meal into a gourmet feast. A simple vegetarian sold or a bowl of lentil can become a complete meal with good bread.

If eating butter is a problem because you are watching your cholesterol levels then dip your bread in olive oil. When you try this with quality home made bread you will see how delicious it is. Vegetarians have respect for vegetables so find the best olive you can. It will be worth it. The varied taste of olive oil from different countries or even different estates will in itself add variety to you vegetarian diet.

Beans, lentils and grains are the staples of vegetarian diet. But they can become boring. Never be afraid to try new types or pulse and grain. if you have never eaten quinoa then you should. It is quick to cook and makes a change from rice. Try using barley instead of rice. Even the vegetarian staples need not be dull.

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The Top Five Nutrients Vegetarians Lack

When you are beginning the process of converting to a vegetarian diet it is important to plan carefully. You need to make yourself familiar with the nutrient value of your food and how foods interact with one another.

A vegetarian diet can be lacking in five essential nutrients unless it is planned. These are protein, iron. calcium, zinc and vitamin B-12. In a meat based diet these are easily obtained from animal products. If dairy produce and eggs are included in a vegetarian diet these essential nutrients should not be in short supply.

If you have decided to eat a vegetarian diet, whether for reasons of health or because of ethical considerations, you need to consider where you will obtain these nutrients. It is perfectly possible for a vegetarian to derive these nutrients from vegetable sources with a little thought.

A vegetarian can obtain protein from beans, peas, lentils and other pulses. These vegetarian staples need to be mixed with grains such as rice, barley or wheat, which also contain protein, because only together do they make what is called a complete protein. A complete protein contains all the essential amino acid that are found in meat and other animal products.

Soya beans are unique among beans in containing all the essential amino acids without the addition of grains. Soya products make up an important part of a vegetarian diet for that reason. Soya milk, soya yoghurt, soya cheeses, tofu and soya meat substitutes make up an important part of a healthy vegetarian diet.

A vegetarian diet need not be lacking in protein if it contains a variety of pulse, grains, nuts and seeds. Sprinkling a few sesame seeds on a meal will increase its protein content.

It is not even necessary to include different incomplete vegetable proteins in the same meal to create a balanced protein. The body is capable of storing amino acids and combining them later.

Many of the commercially available soya products have calcium, zinc and vitamin B-12 added in the manufacturing process. But a vegetarian should also ensure that these nutrients are present in the rest of their diet.

Soya beans are also a good source of iron as are seeds such as pumpkin seeds. Quinoa, a seed that cooks like rice and can be used as the starch component of a meal contains iron.

Zinc is vital for growth and cell division. It is essential for reproductive health. for liver function and insulin activity. It is present in dairy foods as well as beans, lentils nuts and seeds. Chick peas are a good source of zinc, as is tahini paste. A hummous dip is more than a tasty snack it is valuable source of a nutrients in a vegetarian diet.

Calcium need not be a major problem in a vegetarian diet. If a vegetarian diet includes dairy produce it will provide enough calcium. Even for vegans it is possible to obtain calcium from plant sources. Whole meal bread is a fairly good source of calcium as are dried apricots. Baked beans and broccoli are both good sources of calcium.

Where vitamin B-12 is concerned it is only necessary to resort to supplements if eggs and milk are excluded from a vegetarian diet.

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Three Health Advantages Of A Vegetarian Diet

A vegetarian diet offers a number of health advantages when compared to the typical diet that is eaten by the majority of people in the rich industrial countries. The healthy character of a vegetarian diet derives from the fact that it is rich in fruit and vegetables, contains large amounts of fibre and is low in animal fat.

In recent years the problems of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, the degenerative diseases of old age and cancers have been on the increase. Provided it is well planned, a vegetarian diet addresses all the modern health problems.

It is possible to become obese on a vegetarian diet, but an overweight vegetarian is a rarity. A vegetarian diet is likely to include many slow release carbohydrates, such as brown rice, whole meal bread and root vegetables, that raise the body's blood sugar level slowly. This has major implications for both obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Much of the fat in a vegetarian diet is derived from nuts and seeds which contain essential fatty acids known as omega 3, 6 and 9. These essential fatty acids do not raise cholesterol levels and so benefit the heart. They play a vital role in the brain and help to maintain the suppleness of joints, as well as ensuring good skin and hair.

Soya products make up an important component of a vegetarian diet. Studies show that soya actively reduced the body's cholesterol levels and so contributes to heart health.

One of the key health advantages of a vegetarian diet is its high fibre content. Fruit, vegetables and whole grains all contain fibre. Fibre is essential to maintain the health of the colon and bowels. Studies have shown that a high fibre diet is linked to a low incidence of pre-cancerous growths in the colon.

The fruit and vegetables that a vegetarian consumes contain important anti-oxidants which combat the free radicals that can cause cancer.

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The Importance Of Eating A Healthful Vegetarian Diet

So often when people say they are vegetarian they mean that they do not eat meat. But being a vegetarian is about more than just not eating meat. It is possible to be a vegetarian in the sense of not eating meat and eat a very unhealthy diet indeed.

A vegetarian diet may by high in cholesterol if it relies too much on cheese and eggs. It may be low in fibre if it is based on refined grain products like white bread, white pasta and white rice. If it lacks fresh vegetables you diet will be deficient in vitamins and minerals. You may vegetarian but you may not be eating a healthful vegetarian diet.

Going vegetarian is about more than just not eating meat. It means taking a positive decision to eat a wide range of foods that provide a balanced mixture of nutrients.

It is important to plan the change to a vegetarian diet. This may mean buying some new equipment for your kitchen. If you are used to eating convenience foods you may need to buy some basic items.

The next step is to plan your meals. Not all vegetarian meals rely on cheese, eggs and milk for protein. These are useful ingredients in a vegetarian diet but not by any means essential. It is perfectly possible to get enough protein by combining grains with pulse such as peas, beans and lentils. A bowl of lentil soup with a slice of bread provides all the essential amino you need. Chili beans and rice combine in the same way to create what is called a complete protein.

A diet based on pulses and whole grains has the immense of advantage of providing you with enough fibre. This is important to maintain colon health. Cancer of the colon is most common among people who eat a diet based on over-refined processed foods. Fibre is one of the key ingredients in a healthful vegetarian diet.

Switching to a high fibre diet takes a little time. Your body needs to adjust. So take things slowly at first.

A healthful vegetarian diet based on whole grains, pulses, nuts, fruits, and vegetables will also be good for your heart as it is low in fat. The fats you use in vegetarian cooking should be vegetable fats and oils such as olive oil, coconut oil or groundnut oil. There is no reason to exclude butter from a vegetarian diet especially if most of the fat you are consuming is of vegetable origin.

One of the great things about a healthful vegetarian diet is that it helps to maintain you weight at the right level. You will still pile on the pounds if you binge on ice cream but a really healthful vegetarian diet leaves you feeling satisfied so that you are less likely to overindulge in sweet things.

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Vegetarianism And Cancer: The Evidence

Vegetarianism has the reputation of being a healthy diet because it is low in fat and high in vegetable products and fibre. An increasing number of scientific studies are showing that a vegetarian diet can help to prevent cancer and can assist the body to recover from cancer when combined with chemo-therapy or radiation therapy.

A vegetarian diet is not an alternative to conventional forms of treatment. It would be unwise to reject medical treatments that have been shown to work. Only the irresponsible would recommend a cancer patient to reject conventional medical treatment.

What a vegetarian diet can do for a patient who is undergoing cancer treatment is to help their body cope with the side effects. A diet high in natural fruit and vegetable juices will provide the body with important nutrients that help the natural healing process.

Patients who adopt a vegetarian diet often report an improvement in their general outlook and their attitude to the disease. In part this may be because they are eating a nutrient rich diet.

But the psychological effect of switching to a vegetarian diet can be as important as the nutritional value. Cancer patients suffer from a feeling of loss of control because their whole life becomes dominated by a complex regime of treatment that is in the hands of specialists. When they change to a vegetarian diet they regain their sense of control over their own lives.

The effect of psychology on disease should never be underestimated. It is well documented in the medical literature as the placebo effect. Feeling better should not be dismissed in cancer treatment. Vegetarianism will do not harm and it may do some good.

But it is in cancer prevention that the benefits of vegetarianism are most thoroughly documented. A diet which contains many soya based products has been shown to be associated with a low risk of cancer. Breast cancer in particular is very rare among women who eat a soy based diet. Vegetarianism is the soy based diet par excellence.

Diets which are high in meat, especially red meat like beef, has been shown to be associated with a higher incidence of colon cancer. Animal fat may also be associated with a higher level of breast cancer in younger women. Dairy products may be associated with an elevated risk of ovarian cancer.

A vegetarian diet alone can never eliminate the risk of cancer because there are so many environmental and genetic factors involved. But it can reduce the risk because it is high in fruit and vegetables that contain substances called flavonoids and other antioxidants that destroy the free radicals which can cause cancer.

Free radicals are molecules that damage the DNA of cells. We are exposed to free radicals through pollution as well as diet so they are almost impossible to avoid. But by eating a vegetarian diet that is rich in fruit in vegetables we can help our bodies to resist their effects.

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