Eating Healthy For Vegetarians

The vegetarian way of eating can be a very healthy style
of eating. The rules still apply with healthy eating,
although you should add variety - balance - and moderation.

A vegetarian is someone who avoids all types of meat -
whether it be hamburgers - hotdogs - chicken - or even fish.
Vegetarians are also sometimes classified by the type of
food they are or aren't willing to eat. For example -
Lacto-ovo vegetarians will avoid animal flesh yet they
will eat eggs and most dairy products. A Vegan on the
other hand - will avoid all food that has any trace of
animal origin.

Because they don't eat meet - vegetarians will often
wonder how they'll get enough protein. Although you may
not realize it - the average American actually consumes
more protein than he actually needs. For the lacto-ovo
vegetarian - dairy products are an excellent source of
protein. Vegans on the other hand - get their protein
from nuts - seeds - and soy products.

Along the lines of beans - there are several to choose
from - including green or red lentils - peanuts - split
peas - pinto - soy - kidney - and many more. Some of them
you are already familiar - such as kidney beans in
chili - refried beans in Mexican dishes - red beans and
rice - and pinto beans. Although some beans taste good
as they are - others are available with different flavors
to help enhance their taste. Nuts are hihg in protein,
although they deliver a lot more fat than beans - which
means you should enjoy them in moderation. By having
one cup of cooked beans - you'll get the same amount of
protein as eating two ounces of meat!

The nutrients of concern for vegans - who avoid all types
of animal food - are vitamin B12 - calcium - and vitamin D.
In the average North American diet - the primary source
for B12 is animals. To have an adequate intake of B12 -
vegans should reguarly consume vitamin B12 supplements or
foods - which contain vitamin B12 - such as soy products
or milk.

For calcium - vegans can rely on orange juice or soy
milk - as they are fortified with calcium. Beans and
leafy green vegetables will also contain some calcium as
well.

Although all types of vegetarians rely on simple food
groups - controlling your vitamins and calcium intake is
something you should always do. This is very important
for eating healthy - as well as staying healthy. If you
control what you eat - you'll have many years of healthy
eating ahead of you.

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