Getting All The Nutrients With A Vegetarian Diet
Today, many people decide to follow a vegetarian diet, either for ethical reasons or for personal taste. In this article we take a closer look at vegetarian diets and how you can adapt them healthy.
However, many people think that stopping eating meat can lead to health problems, so they continue to eat meat from time to time. What they don’t know, however, is that there are healthy foods that provide you with the same nutrients and minerals as meat.
For this reason, it is important that you plan your diet carefully to prevent malnutrition and help you enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Following a vegetarian diet can provide you with many health benefits. For example, think of:
- Lower cholesterol levels.
- Lower blood pressure.
- Less intake of saturated fats.
- Lower risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.
- Achieving a healthier body weight.
A vegetarian diet: different types
When people think of vegetarian diets, they usually think of diets without meat or fish. However, there are many different types of diets that include or exclude different foods:
- Lacto vegetarians do not eat beef, chicken, fish and eggs, as well as foods containing these products. However, people following this type of diet can consume dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter.
- Ovo vegetarians do not eat beef, chicken, seafood and dairy products, although they do allow eggs.
- Lacto-ovo vegetarians do not eat chicken, fish and beef. However, they do eat dairy products and eggs.
- Pescotarians do not eat chicken, beef, dairy and eggs, but they do allow fish.
- Vegans do not eat meat or food derived from an animal, including milk and eggs.
Some people choose to follow a semi-vegetarian diet, also known as a flexitarian diet, that is primarily plant-based. However, it also occasionally contains meat, dairy, eggs, chicken or fish, in small amounts.
Nutrients to consider on a vegetarian diet
People who want to follow a vegetarian diet should make sure they get enough of certain nutrients. We will discuss these nutrients below.
Iron
This is a mineral that is abundant in red meat. It even plays a fundamental role in red blood cell production. These are the cells that help carry oxygen around the body.
Some good options for getting iron on a vegetarian diet include:
- legumes
- Broccoli
- raisins
- Wheat
- tofu
Iron-fortified cereals are also ideal. However, iron that doesn’t come from an animal source is harder to digest. To solve this problem , it is important to get enough vitamin C with meals to help absorb and digest iron.
Protein
Protein is an essential nutrient to keep your skin, muscles and organs in good shape. They are made up of basic units called amino acids. There are 20 different amino acids that can be joined together in various ways to make different proteins.
A complete protein is one that contains all the essential amino acids . Meat contains these proteins. However, there are also options for people who want to eat vegetarian. For example, you can combine foods to get all the essential amino acids, such as rice and beans or corn and legumes.
Other foods that contain protein (although they are not complete) that you should include in a vegetarian diet are:
- Eggs
- Quinoa
- walnuts
- Seeds
- Cereals
- tofu
- soy milk
You may feel hungrier if you follow a vegetarian diet. Animal proteins make you feel full. However, you don’t have to overdo it by overeating to feel full.
You can put more vegetables on your plate without adding extra calories. Some of these vegetables, such as asparagus, peas or broccoli, help you feel full because they are high in fiber.
Conclusion about following a vegetarian diet
If you want to follow a vegetarian diet, remember that you can find foods with the essential nutrients you need. As you can see , the plant world offers foods that you can combine to get all the nutrients you need.
However, don’t forget to plan your meals well. That way you don’t get too much or too little of certain nutrients.
