Yoga Vegeterian Diet

Yoga is more than just a system of exercise consisting of various, stretches, poses and movements. As Long Island University notes, the 5,000-year-old Hindu discipline, in addition to promoting proper exercise, encourages proper breathing, relaxation, meditation and diet. The yoga diet has traditionally been a lacto-vegetarian one: a diet that excludes meats, but allows the consumption of fruits, vegetables and dairy products.

Theories

According to the American Yoga Association, the yoga vegetarian diet can help promote both physical and mental health, contributing to a "bright, stable frame of mind." Long Island University adds that the diet can help maximize spiritual awareness. While it would be difficult -- if not impossible -- to measure the spiritual benefits of a yoga vegetarian diet, research does show that the diet can have positive effects on physical health.

Research

A 2000 study by S.C. Manchanda et al, which was published in the Journal of the Association of Physicians of India, showed that men suffering from coronary artery disease could benefit significantly from maintaining a yoga vegetarian diet. The study followed 42 male patients for one year. Half of the patients maintained a yoga vegetarian diet, and completed yoga exercises regularly, while the other half maintained a diet and exercise regiment recommended by the American Heart Association. The yoga patients showed a more significant regression of coronary lesions at the end of the year, and also had fewer episodes of chest pain. Other benefits of the diet included more significant decreases in cholesterol-levels and body weight. However, as New York University notes, the study had several drawbacks, as the supposed "regular" yoga exercise was not monitored and the number of participants was too small for providing conclusive results.

Nutrition

The University of Maryland Medical Center states that a well-planned lacto-vegetarian diet, like the yoga diet, can provide adequate nutrition. However, there are several essential nutrients that can be lacking in such a diet, including B-vitamins like B12 and riboflavin, vitamin D, minerals like zinc and iron, and -- perhaps most significantly -- protein. Proteins provide the body with amino acids, which are the building blocks of all its tissues. And while some plant-foods do contain protein, the proteins they contain are incomplete. This means the proteins do not supply the essential amino acids that proper health requires.

Food Choices

Some of the healthiest food options for yoga-vegetarians include whole-grain breads and cereals; starchy vegetables like corn and potatoes; leafy green vegetables like turnip and kale; cabbage-mail vegetables like cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower; and dark fruits like melons, apricots and mangoes. The American Yoga Association recommends replacing meats with soy-based products, such as tofu burgers and tofu hot dogs. Also, when choosing dairy products like milk, yogurt and cottage cheese, the low-fat or no-fat options are the healthiest.

Egg Exceptions

Eggs are a high a source of complete proteins, which are essential for health. The yoga standpoint on egg consumption, as the American Yoga Association notes, is that eating unfertilized eggs, such as those that come from the supermarket, is allowed, while eating fertilized eggs, which you would find in the wild, is not allowed.