Following a vegetarian diet and lifestyle.

Following a vegetarian diet. What to eat and when.

Approximately 2.5% of adults in the United States and 4% of adults in Canada follow vegetarian diets. And the figures are rising. Actually, more and more people these days are turning towards a vegetarian diet. But it is nothing new. Vegetarianism existed even centuries back among Hindu and Buddhist sects who considered all animal life sacred and thus prevented its killing. Philosophers and writers of ancient Greece and Rome also promoted vegetarianism. Some people even believe that humans were originally vegetarians. But through the evolutionary process, they learned to eat meat (mainly insects and small animals) by scouring the forest. Thus, slowly they became non-vegans.

So how can we define a vegetarian diet? It is a diet that consists of eating exclusively vegetable foods, including fruits and abstaining from any form of animal food. There are those people who consider egg to be part of a vegetarian diet and thus consume it. And there are those who are hardliners and even consider onion as non-veg and thus avoid it strictly. Thus, the exact ingredients of a vegetarian diet changes from person to person and from society to society.

But there are those who say that a vegetarian diet is unhealthy because it cannot supply the human body with everything it needs. But according to the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada, a properly planned vegetarian diet is healthy, nutritionally adequate and does provide health benefits that are adequate in the prevention and treatment of diseases.

Common myths about vegetarian diet

Vegetarians never get enough protein without eating special plant foods: The secret to getting adequate protein is to eat a variety of foods throughout the day. As long as a vegetarian eats them, it is not true.

Vegetarian diet is low in fat: Yes they have lower fat content than meat-diets but such a diet has enough fat to sustain a person and keep him in good health. Vegetarian foods like nuts, seeds, avocado and soyfoods are also high in vegetable fat.

Vegetarian diet is time consuming: The growing number of vegetarian convenience foods like frozen vegetarian entrees, makes it easy to plan and prepare vegetarian meals.

Diet Plans