People choose their food based on personal preferences. Taste, cultural customs and nutritional value account for the vast differences in choices. Vegetarians historically have ethical reasons for eliminating meat from their diets. They may object to the ill-treatment of animals raised strictly for slaughter, for example. More recently, science has linked the consumption of animal meat to cancer and heart disease, according to The Cancer Project.com. Nowadays, more people are turning to a meatless diet because of the health hazards of consuming meat.
The Meatless Diet
Going meatless means you save money on meat, you limit exposure to carcinogens and you move steadily toward your ideal weight. Vegetables, fruit and whole grains provide the foundation. As a vegetarian, you will discover the diverse tastes and textures of new plant foods. You will eat beans of every type and color, assorted leafy vegetables, legumes such as lentils and peas, and cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts and asparagus. You'll expand your world of fruit to include citrus-types, stone fruits such as peaches, plums and nectarines, a variety of berries, tropical fruits, grapes, melons and bananas.
Meatless Protein Sources
Getting the proper amount of protein concerns all vegetarians. Animal protein gets absorbed better by your body than the plant version. Plant protein lacks a few of the enzymes necessary to form a complete protein. However, pairing vegetables, such as beans, with a whole grain supplies all the enzymes to round out the protein and make it comparable to meat protein. The vegetarian-foods that contain protein include soy and other beans legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Some vegetarians include dairy products and eggs in their diets since they are good sources of protein. Milk, cheese, yogurt and eggs result from natural animal functioning and do not require taking the animals' lives.
Meatless Iron Sources
While vegetarians are no more prone to iron deficiency than the meat-eating population, they do have to replace the iron lost by giving up meat. Heme iron, the iron in meat, converts to usable iron better than the iron provided by plant foods, which are considered sources of non-heme iron. Another reason to eat lots of iron comes from your consumption of certain foods which inhibit iron absorption, such as spinach, rhubarb, Swiss chard, beet greens and large amounts of wheat bran. If you know where to find iron and eat adequate amounts of it, this will not present a problem for you. You must include iron-rich foods in your new diet: soybeans and soybean products, such as tempeh and tofu, Swiss chard, lima beans, enriched bagels, quinoa, spinach, lentils and blackstrap molasses.
Tips for Adjusting to a Meatless Diet
In the beginning, hunger pangs will occur more frequently and too soon for your next meal. This happens because the body digests plant-source foods much easier than it digests meat. On the plus side, your meatless diet puts less stress on your digestive system, liver and kidneys. To relieve hunger, allow yourself a healthy snack between meals to hold you over. A slice of bread and a piece of fruit or cheese does the trick. Eventually, you'll adapt to your new levels of satiety and hunger. Try new herbs and seasonings to perk up meals. Sample products such as seitan, a wheat-based protein cooked like a steak. Textured vegetable protein is a derivative of the soybean that makes hamburgers and meatballs. Finally, splurge and buy a few vegetarian cookbooks or investigate online resources for endless ideas about how to prepare your meatless dishes.
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