Stop The Junk Food

The world is turning vegetarian – this is the claim made by advocates of ‘Vegetarianism for good health’. True, vegetarian diets can be really healthy and safe – but only if the foods are well balanced and portions allotted according to age, sex and physical activity of the individual. If this

is not followed, deficiencies that lead to diseases will occur due to improper food balancing.

Known health benefits

Most vegetarian diets, when they are a combination of a variety of properly balanced foods, can have tremendous health benefits.



Vegetarians automatically have a lower intake of saturated fatty acids which are derived mainly from consumption of animal products, particularly red meat. Vegetarians confine themselves to lower fatty acids from dairy products and eggs.

High dietary fibre is present in vegetarian food especially in veggies like legumes which are an excellent source of protein. Dietary fibres help in lowering the risk of colon cancer.

Anti oxidants are present in plenty in a vegetarian diet. Fruits, vegetables and plant oils contain vitamin C and E and as these are always incorporated in a vegetarian diet automatically.



Complications of a vegetarian diet



Blood disorders due to iron deficiency are common. Enough absorbable iron intake is a must especially for females. Dairy, eggs and other plant food contain dietary iron of which only 2 – 20% is absorbed whereas at least 15 – 30% iron in non vegetarian foods like poultry and fish gets absorbed.

Vitamin B12 is present only in animal products. A deficiency in this important vitamin causes changes in the nervous system and results in weak limbs and even difficulty in speaking and walking.

Rickets is a disease that is a result of Vitamin D deficiency. The sun is the main source of this vitamin, but for many, fortified milk is the answer.

When one concentrates on too much fibre intake, vegetarians end up consuming a really bulky diet which can put a restriction on the energy intake.



Pesticides in Food

Another aspect that is gaining in alarming proportions is the large scale use …http://www.sitagita.com/view.asp?id=9697

There seems to be a misunderstanding in the world of vegetarian foods, most people have a stigma about these types of foods. Unfortunately this stigma is without merit these days, the days of reality TV and all. Today is a new day a new era and people are doing absolutely amazing things with vegetarian foods today, and the food is mouth watering delicious. The stigma or false belief is…

1. Most people believe that vegetarian foods do not have a taste to them or very little taste at all.

2. The food looks dry and visually unappealing.

3. The food does not look fresh.

4. We do not like what does not look nice or that does not have that certain appeal = no thank you I do not want that.

We all grew up around certain types of foods and this helps to feed the stigma. To put it plain and simple, meat is hard to get away from; this is due to being around it so much to where you just adapt and accept; especially as a full dinner course meal.

In life lots of people want to have and maintain a healthy diet but believe the reason it is so hard to stick to maintaining a healthy vegetarian diet is because most people simply do not crave vegetarian food ‘ probably because most people do not want to eat what they think is dull food, tasteless salads for the rest of their lives.

In this day and age with all the healthy options we have today you can find delicious vegetarian dishes. By coating your vegetables with a peanut oil will get rid of that dry unappealing not fresh look. We have plenty of great vegetarian dishes available today…

1. Fluffy peach pancakes

2. Different types of breakfast smoothies

3. Several delicious types of crepes

4. Mouth watering spring rolls

Always remember you have one life and one body and one mind so why not take care of your body and adapt a healthy life style. In doing so you will find your mind is less stressed and you feel more comfortable and relaxed and in due time you will also look healthier. There are hundreds of reasons why a vegetarian diet is going to make you a healthier person and hundreds of reasons why meat is bad for you I am sure you probably already know all these reasons and know why becoming a vegetarian or just adding a few healthy dishes to your diet would be good for you. Eat well now and you can be well on your way to becoming a more healthy person. We all make decisions for ourselves in life and it is for us to determine what is good for us. I am just sharing with you the 100% truth from which you can make an intelligent decision; one that will suit you and your life style; as every one knows when it is all said and done you must live and do what you think is right for you and I wish you all the best in your new vegetarian life style.

Vegetarian food is often accused of providing a less than adequate source of nutrition. The human body is dependent on a great number of vitamins and other minerals and each of these can be attained in a vegetarian diet as well as any other.

In fact it may well be that a vegetarian diet is better equipped to provide for our protein requirements than any other.

Protein is any one of a class of nitrogenous organic compounds that form the structural components of body tissues. Often described as the building block of life Protein is the second most abundant substance in the human body, after water.

Proteins play a crucial role in the biological processes of the body and are essential for growth and repair. The immune system, the transmissions of nerve and muscle impulses are all dependent on proteins. Proteins also provide the structural support needed for our skin and bones.

During digestion, the human body breaks proteins down into smaller components, called amino acids. Once absorbed they are use to make new proteins as the body requires.

There are approximately 20 different amino acid types in proteins and the human body is able to make all but 9 of them itself. The 9 it cannot produce are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Histidine is essential for the healthy growth of children.

Unlike meat products, vegetables do not contain all the amino acids we need individually, so a varied intake of vegetables is necessary to ensure sufficient protein replenishment.

Good sources of protein for vegetarians include most beans and pulses, nuts, seeds, tofu, soya milk and textured soya protein, wheat, oats, rice, milk and cheese. Egg is also an excellent source of protein and is considered to contain the ideal composition of amino acids. Some of the poorer sources of protein are carrots, apples, sugar and butter.

The recommended daily intake of protein for men is 42 to 56 grams and for women 41 to 47 grams. As a general rule the older the person the more protein is required. Pregnant women require 51 grams and women who are breast-feeding require 53 to 56 grams. Also as a general rule, we are recommended to consume 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram that we weigh.

Our protein needs do not alter with activity levels, although protein intake needs to increase for the repair of tissues and during periods of rapid growth such as pregnancy or in children.

Almost all plants contain protein, so it is unlikely for a vegetarian to develop a protein deficiency while practicing a balanced vegetarian diet. Excessive protein can also causes adverse effects to the human body and may increase the risk of osteoporosis, heart and kidney disease and cancer. However it is now believed a vegetarian diet contains adequate yet not overly excessive levels of protein.

So vegetarians need not be overly concerned with their protein intake, simply practising a varied and balanced diet is more than adequate.

A vegan diet may need to be planned a little more carefully than a vegetarian, to ensure adequate protein levels are met. A good variety of grains, pulses, nuts and starchy vegetables are recommended.