Healthy Eating for Vegetarians

How to eat vegetarian can be a very healthy eating style. Rules still apply to a healthy diet, although you have to add variety, balance and moderation.

A vegetarian is someone who avoids all kinds of meat, whether it's hamburgers, hot dogs, chickens, or even fish. Vegetarians are also sometimes classified by their type of food or do not want to eat. For example, Lacto-ovo vegetarians will avoid animal meat but they will eat eggs and most dairy products. Vegans on the other hand, will avoid all foods that have traces of animal origin.

Healthy Eating for Vegetarians

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

Along the bean line, there are a number to choose from, including green or red beans, peanuts, split peas, pinto, soybeans, kidneys, and more. Some of them you already know, such as red beans in chili, refried beans in Mexican dishes, red beans and rice, and pinto beans. Although some nuts taste good like the others, others are available with different flavors to help improve their taste. Nuts contain protein, even though they provide more fat than nuts, which means you have to enjoy it in moderation. By having one cup of cooked beans, you will get the same amount of protein as consuming two ounces of meat!

Nutrition that is of concern to vegans, who avoid all kinds of animal foods, are vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D. In the average North American diet, the main source for B12 is animals. To have adequate B12 intake, vegans must take 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, because they are enriched with calcium. Green beans and vegetables will also contain calcium too.

Although all types of vegetarians rely on simple food groups, controlling your intake of vitamins and calcium is something you should always do. This is very important for healthy eating, and staying healthy. If you control what you eat, you will have many years of eating healthy in front of you.

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