Vegetarian diets |
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A vegetarian diet is thought to be very healthy and studies in the past decade have shown vegetarians to have fewer heart attacks, lower rates of cancer, premature mortality, less obesity and lower blood pressure when compared to non-vegetarians. It is not known whether this is directly as a result of not eating meat, or due to the fact vegetarians tend to lead ‘more health conscious lifestyles’ with less smoking, less alcoholism and more activity.
The dietary benefits of being vegetarian are most likely due to eating more fresh fruit and vegetables that contain vitamins, phytochemicals and antioxidants that have protective health properties against chronic disease. The diet can be very healthy and fits in with ‘healthy eating guidelines’ providing it is a diet high in fruit, vegetables, natural foods such as beans, pulses, nuts and seeds and natural oil. This reduced incidence of chronic diseases has also been seen in Mediterranean countries that have a high intake of natural oils, fruit and vegetables, but also they eat a lot of fish and small amounts of meat.
However, a vegetarian diet can be ‘unhealthy’ when the saturated fat from meat has been replaced with excessive amounts of dairy based protein foods like cheese, milk and eggs, or processed vegetarian meals, with little fruit, vegetables or natural oils. This ‘unhealthy eating pattern’ has been seen in teenage vegetarians who live on junk food and too many processed foods.
Until recently those who followed a vegetarian diet were told that they needed to combine their vegetable based protein sources at each mealtime because plant based proteins are incomplete in all the eight essential amino acids. All proteins are made of building blocks called amino acids and some are non-essential which means the body can make them and the essential amino acids have to be consumed in the diet. Vegetable sources of protein do not contain all the essential amino acids and therefore a mixture of different vegetable protein sources has to be eaten to make up all the essential amino acids.
The latest information suggests that a varied diet on a daily basis with a wide range of vegetarian protein sources will be sufficient to provide all the necessary essential amino acids. No longer do you have to combine proteins at each mealtime with the exception of pre-school children where parents are advised by the Vegetarian Society to continue. This means mixing up grains with beans and pulses, nuts and seeds. Examples of combining proteins are beans on toast, pitta and hummus, cereals and milk (or milk alternative).
There are different types of vegetarian
Lacto-Ovo vegetarian: eats dairy and eggs but excludes meat and fish.
Lacto vegetarian: eats dairy but exclude eggs, meat and fish.
Vegan: only eat plants foods and excludes dairy, eggs, meat and fish.
Fruitarian: eats 75% of the diet as fruit and the rest as uncooked vegetables, raw nuts, seeds and bean sprouts.
Top Tips
Eat plenty of plant based sources of protein such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, pulses, soya protein, quorn, tofu, nuts and seeds.
Make sure that you eat plenty of iron containing foods such as dried fruit, fortified breakfast cereals, lentils, coco powder, haricot beans, red kidney beans, pumpkin seeds, soya beans, dark green leafy vegetables, cashew nuts and baked beans in tomato sauce. The iron in vegetable sources (non-haem) is not as well absorbed as iron found in meat (haem). So make sure that you have fruit, or fruit juice with meals as vitamin C helps iron absorption. Also don’t drink tea with meals as this can reduce iron absorption.
Make sure that you are getting enough calcium if avoiding dairy. Go for a dairy free alternative that has added calcium such as rice, soya or oat milk. Other good vegan sources of calcium are tofu, nuts, seeds and leafy green vegetables
Eat plenty of natural oils that contain omega 3 such as linseed, flaxseed, hempseed, and walnuts
Don’t over consume on convenience foods or dairy based protein foods.
The vegetarian store cupboard
For more diet, health, food and fitness information visit www.weightplan.com
Tags: fruitarian, lacto vegetarian, lacto-ovo vegetarian, vegan, vegetarian
The dietary benefits of being vegetarian are most likely due to eating more fresh fruit and vegetables that contain vitamins, phytochemicals and antioxidants that have protective health properties against chronic disease. The diet can be very healthy and fits in with ‘healthy eating guidelines’ providing it is a diet high in fruit, vegetables, natural foods such as beans, pulses, nuts and seeds and natural oil. This reduced incidence of chronic diseases has also been seen in Mediterranean countries that have a high intake of natural oils, fruit and vegetables, but also they eat a lot of fish and small amounts of meat.
However, a vegetarian diet can be ‘unhealthy’ when the saturated fat from meat has been replaced with excessive amounts of dairy based protein foods like cheese, milk and eggs, or processed vegetarian meals, with little fruit, vegetables or natural oils. This ‘unhealthy eating pattern’ has been seen in teenage vegetarians who live on junk food and too many processed foods.
Until recently those who followed a vegetarian diet were told that they needed to combine their vegetable based protein sources at each mealtime because plant based proteins are incomplete in all the eight essential amino acids. All proteins are made of building blocks called amino acids and some are non-essential which means the body can make them and the essential amino acids have to be consumed in the diet. Vegetable sources of protein do not contain all the essential amino acids and therefore a mixture of different vegetable protein sources has to be eaten to make up all the essential amino acids.
The latest information suggests that a varied diet on a daily basis with a wide range of vegetarian protein sources will be sufficient to provide all the necessary essential amino acids. No longer do you have to combine proteins at each mealtime with the exception of pre-school children where parents are advised by the Vegetarian Society to continue. This means mixing up grains with beans and pulses, nuts and seeds. Examples of combining proteins are beans on toast, pitta and hummus, cereals and milk (or milk alternative).
There are different types of vegetarian
Lacto-Ovo vegetarian: eats dairy and eggs but excludes meat and fish.
Lacto vegetarian: eats dairy but exclude eggs, meat and fish.
Vegan: only eat plants foods and excludes dairy, eggs, meat and fish.
Fruitarian: eats 75% of the diet as fruit and the rest as uncooked vegetables, raw nuts, seeds and bean sprouts.
Top Tips
Eat plenty of plant based sources of protein such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, pulses, soya protein, quorn, tofu, nuts and seeds.
Make sure that you eat plenty of iron containing foods such as dried fruit, fortified breakfast cereals, lentils, coco powder, haricot beans, red kidney beans, pumpkin seeds, soya beans, dark green leafy vegetables, cashew nuts and baked beans in tomato sauce. The iron in vegetable sources (non-haem) is not as well absorbed as iron found in meat (haem). So make sure that you have fruit, or fruit juice with meals as vitamin C helps iron absorption. Also don’t drink tea with meals as this can reduce iron absorption.
Make sure that you are getting enough calcium if avoiding dairy. Go for a dairy free alternative that has added calcium such as rice, soya or oat milk. Other good vegan sources of calcium are tofu, nuts, seeds and leafy green vegetables
Eat plenty of natural oils that contain omega 3 such as linseed, flaxseed, hempseed, and walnuts
Don’t over consume on convenience foods or dairy based protein foods.
The vegetarian store cupboard
- OATS
- WHOLEGRAIN BREAKFAST CEREAL
- NUTS
- SEEDS
- SOYA MILK FORTIFIED WITH CALCIUM
- SOYA DESSERTS
- DRIED BEANS, LENTILS AND PULSES
- TINNED CHICKPEAS AND KIDNEY BEANS
- TOFU
- TAHININ – MAKE HUMMOUS QUICKLY WITH CHICKPEAS AND OLIVE OIL
- CANS OF TOMATOES OR PASTA SAUCE
- SOYA SAUCE/CHILLI SAUCE
- BLACK BEAN SAUCE
- MARMITE OR YEAST EXTRACT
- VEGETABLE STOCK CUBES OR SWISS STOCK POWDER
- COUS COUS
- BULGAR WHEAT
- SELECTION OF WHOLEWHEAT PASTA, SPELT WHEAT PASTA, PLAIN DRIED PASTA
- BARLEY AND MILLET FOR CASSEROLES
- BASMATI, BROWN BASMATI RICE, WILD RICE
- DRIED FRUITS – APRICOTS, PRUNES, FIGS, DATES AND SULTANAS
- WHOLEWHEAT NOODLES, BUCKWHEAT NOODLES, RICE NOODLES
- TOMATOE PUREE
- HARISSA SAUCE
- OLIVE OIL
- PESTO SAUCE
- PINE NUTS
- CAPERS/OLIVES
- MIXTURE OF HERBS AND SPICES
For more diet, health, food and fitness information visit www.weightplan.com
Tags: fruitarian, lacto vegetarian, lacto-ovo vegetarian, vegan, vegetarian