Vegetarian cooking may seem daunting at first but with a little creativity and experimentation it can become fun to whip up a quick and simple dish or an elegant and elaborate meal. The key to cooking nutritious and delicious vegetarian meals is to incorporate a wide variety of foods and to learn what foods to use in place of meat products. The best way to learn these tricks is to be open to sampling different vegetarian cuisines and attempting new recipes.
Types of Vegetarians
When cooking vegetarian meals it is important to keep in mind what type of vegetarian will be consuming the meal. There are many different types of vegetarians but the three main types are vegans, lacto-vegetarians, and lacto-ovo vegetarians. Vegan diets are the most restricted, excluding all foods that contain meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products. Lacto-vegetarians will not eat meat, fish, poultry or eggs but will eat dairy products. Lacto-ovo vegetarians will eat eggs and dairy products but do not eat meat, fish, or poultry.
Vegetarian Diets
The American Dietetic Association maintains that a healthy vegetarian diet can meet all known nutritional needs. The key is to cook with a wide variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, whole grains, nuts, seeds, oils and legumes. The American Dietetic Association recommends that a healthy vegetarian diet include an average of six servings of grains; five servings of legumes, nuts, and other protein rich foods; four servings of vegetables; two servings of fruit; and two servings of fats a day.
Nutrition and Vegetarians
Because the vegetarian diet is more restrictive then traditional diets, there are certain nutrients that vegetarians may lack. These nutrients include calcium, iodine, iron, omega-3 fatty acid, protein, vitamin D, vitamin B-12 and zinc. Iron and omega-3, which are not readily absorbed from plant sources, and B-12, which is found almost exclusively in animal products, can be the hardest nutrients for vegetarians to obtain. However, if a vegetarian eats a healthy and varied diet supplemented with fortified foods, the risks for these deficiencies can be fairly low.
Vegetarian Cooking and Protein
A big concern about a vegetarian diet is that it is lacking in protein. However, the recommended dietary allowance for people is about 0.36 grams of protein per pound, an amount easily met by plant-based protein sources. Replacing meat products in meals can be as simple as using black beans or veggie burgers for ground beef, or tofu instead of chicken, but there is always room for creativity. Common sources of vegetarian protein include soy-based products like tofu and tempeh, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, and potatoes.
Health Benefits of Vegetarian Cooking
Because vegetarian diets are usually low in their use of animal products, they are usually lower in total fat, unhealthy saturated fats, and cholesterol than diets that include meat. According to the American Heart Association, this means that eating a vegetarian diet can decrease your risk of obesity, coronary heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some forms of cancer. Furthermore, because vegetarian cooking is typically rich in whole grains and vegetables, vegetarian meals tend to be nutrient-dense and high in fiber.
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