Eating Healthy For Vegetarians

The vegetarian way of eating can be a very healthy style
of eating. But the rules of healthy eating still apply.
You still need to add variety with balance, and moderation.

A vegetarian is someone who avoids all types of meat,
whether it is hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, or even fish.
Vegetarians are 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 vegetarians don't eat meat they often
wonder if they are getting enough protein. Although you may
not realize it, the average American 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.

A staple for vegetarians is the bean. Tthere are several types of
beans to choose from, including peanuts, split
peas, pinto beans, soy beans or nuts, kidney beans, 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 high in protein,although they deliver a lot more

fat than beans, which means you should enjoy them in moderation.
One cup of cooked beans supplies the same amount of
protein as eating two ounces of meat!

Since vegans avoid all types of animal food they should be concerned
with getting enough 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 regularly consume vitamin B12 supplements or
foods which contain vitamin B12, such as soy products
or milk.

Vegans can rely on orange juice or soy milk for calcium
as they are calcium fortified. Beans and leafy green
vegetables 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.