Vegetarian Diet: A Healthy Choice The vegetarian diet is a healthy lifestyle followed by more than seven million Americans. It tends to be low in cholesterol, total fat, and saturated fat, which helps reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Sound promising? Let WebMD point you toward some of the most nutritious and satisfying vegetarian foods. Vegetarian Diet: Getting Started There are many types of vegetarian diets. By definition, vegetarians do not eat meat, poultry, or fish. Some vegetarians eat eggs and milk products. Others eat dairy, but skip the eggs. Finally, vegans eat only plant foods. They do not eat anything derived from animals, including milk, eggs, and honey. Whichever path you choose, youll want to make protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B-12 a priority. Pick Your Proteins Meat protein contains all the essential amino acids the body needs, but vegetarian sources often dont. Protein needs can easily be met by eating a variety of plant-based foods. To get the full range of proteins, vegetarians must eat a wide variety of nuts, seeds, legumes, and grains. For example, beans are high in an amino acid called lysine, but low in sulfur-rich amino acids. The opposite is true of grains. So eating a meal of black beans and rice is one way to get a balanced set of proteins. Tofu and vegetable kebabs with sage Serving of vegetarian lasagna Pepper half stuffed with couscous and vegetables Mushroom, Tomato and Cheese Omelet with Fruit Eggplant parmesan Hot bean chilli with rice Portobello mushroom burger, close up Veggie burger with mushroom, lettuce and tomato Fresh vegetables Man flipping vegetables in wok Still life with milk and dairy products Hummus with pita bread Father and daughter in dining room eating carrots Mixed seeds Tablets of B-complex vitamins scattered on a table Father and daughter in dining room eating carrots Couple in restaurant reading menU Substitute With Soy Soy products are a versatile source of protein. They work well as a meat substitute. Try making tofu kebabs the next time your meat-eating friends fire up the grill. Even if tofu leaves you cold, there are plenty of other soy foods on the market today. Soy is the prime ingredient in most meatless hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and breakfast sausages.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Apr 2014 17:57:01 +0000
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