How to Get the Best Nutrition From Vegetarian Diets
Living on a vegetarian diet can be rewarding lifestyle for people who want to live a little healthier or avoid killing animals for food. Vegetarianism is broken into four different subcategories. Vegans do not eat any animal products like meat, milk or cheese. Lacto-vegetarians drink milk and consume milk products like cheese and yogurt but do not eat meat or animal products like eggs. Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat everything a lacto vegetarian does with the addition of eggs. Flexitarians eat a mostly plant-based diet, but will sometimes eat small amounts of animal meat.
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Instructions
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Consume beans, legumes, fruits, grains and vegetables with each meal. Vegetarians actually have their own food pyramid to properly outline what foods should be eaten and how often. On a regular food pyramid, grain is the largest portion of food we should consume daily. For a vegetarian, the food pyramid splits the largest daily helpings between beans, grains, fruits and vegetables. This part of the food pyramid can be consumed by any vegetarian, including vegans.
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Include nuts, seeds, soy and plant oil in one meal a day. For Lacto-ovo vegetarians and Flexitarians, egg whites can be added to one meal a day as well. Only one serving a day of these foods and oils are required for a healthy vegetarian diet.
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Eat whole eggs and sweets sparingly. Vegans and Lacto-vegetarians can enjoy sweets about once a week. Lacto-ovo and Flexitarians can enjoy a serving of whole eggs and sweets once a week. These items should be eaten in moderation, however, to maintain a nutritious vegetarian diet.
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Tips & Warnings
Talk to your doctor about becoming a vegetarian. They can provide helpful advice and tools to keep you healthy on your new diet. They may even refer you to a dietitian (a doctor that specializes in healthy eating practices).
Consumption of alcohol is allowed on a vegetarian diet. With any diet, however, moderation is important when consuming alcohol. Being a vegetarian does not increase your tolerance to alcohol.
Soy products exist as an alternative meat choice. Soy can even be turned into hamburger patties and hot dogs. They won't taste the same as meat products, but a devoted vegetarian would rather consume soy than meat.
For Lacto-vegetarians and Lacto-ovo vegetarians, consider consuming extra portions of milk, butter and cheese to substitute meat proteins. They will not replace all of the nine amino acids, but they will give you more energy.
Malnutrition is a valid risk when pursuing a vegetarian lifestyle. Consult a physician if you believe you may be suffering from malnutrition.
