Life as a vegetarian
Making the choice to go meat-free
Now that you've reached an age where you're totally responsible for your own choices, food and diet is something you're probably going to be more aware of. And with that awareness, comes the very personal question of whether you should be eating meat or not. Whether it's for religious, spiritual, environmental or health reasons, adopting a vegetarian lifestyle is a totally personal choice that has to be right for you at this stage of your life.
Vegetarians fall into different categories. Some abstain from all meat, fish and poultry products. The 'lacto ovo' style of vegetarianism allows you to eat eggs and dairy products, but not meat like beef, pork, lamb poultry or fish. Further dissection of this group includes 'ovo' vegetarians who eat eggs but not dairy products, and lacto vegetarians who eat dairy products but not eggs.
Vegans abstain from eating any food that comes from animal products including eggs, cheese, yoghurt, milk or honey. A vegan diet is more challenging than a vegetarian one, and may require extra effort to get the right mix of nutrients to support your body. Raw vegetarians eat only raw food, consisting mainly of raw vegetables, seeds, nuts and fruit.
Ensure you have the right mix of nutrients
If you're planning to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle, make sure you eat a good combination of healthy foods including vegetables, leafy greens, whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes and fruit. You may also want to consider taking a multivitamin such as Swisse¥Δ Ultiboost Student Focus or Blackmores¥Δ Teen Multi for Girls or Guys.
There are many benefits to a vegetarian lifestyle. Most enjoy a low fat, high fibre diet. However, it's also important that you consume enough protein because our bodies need it to maintain healthy skin, bones, muscles and organs. There are multiple protein sources in a vegetarian diet, many of which come from natural or meat substitute products including lentils, tofu, tempeh, nuts and seeds and dairy.
Other nutrients important in a vegetarian diet include iron and calcium. Non-vegetarians can easily consume the iron they need from animal products. But if you decide to become a vegetarian you'll need to make sure you get enough iron from sources like prune juice, certain beans and dark leafy vegetables like spinach. Iron is essential for energy and learning. You can also take supplements like Herron¥Δ Iron Complex, BioSource¥Δ Calcium with Vitamin D and Caltrate¥Δ Plus.
Most people associate calcium intake with dairy products. Fortunately, there are many other sources of calcium including broccoli, kale and other dark, leafy vegetables. Also, certain meat alternatives and tofu have added calcium. Soy is fortified with calcium. Calcium helps build and maintain strong teeth and bones.
Zinc is an essential component of many enzymes and plays a role in cell division and the formation of proteins. Good sources of zinc include whole grains, soy products, nuts and wheat germ. You can also take a zinc supplement like Herron¥Δ Zinc Complex.
The key to a healthy vegetarian diet is to enjoy a wide variety of foods. Since no single food provides all the nutrients that our body needs, eating a wide variety helps ensure that we get the necessary nutrients and other substances which promote good health.
A vegetarian lifestyle can promote weight loss. Keep in mind that weight gain occurs when the calories you eat exceed the number of calories you burn in a day. This can happen with a vegetarian or traditional diet. However, vegetarian diets typically include lots of fibre and low calorie but nutritious food selections.
Vegetarians and weight loss
As with any diet there are certain steps you can take to promote weight loss. These include:
- drinking at least eight to ten decent size glasses of water every day. This helps flush your body and reduce food cravings when dehydrated
- choose high fibre, nutrient-dense food including dark, leafy greens, legumes and nuts
- wherever possible, opt for wholegrain products to help you feel fuller for longer
- consider eating six mini meals instead of three larger meals every day
- choose a multivitamin and mineral supplement to accompany your diet and ensure you're getting enough trace vitamins and minerals
- exercise everyday if you can - this could even be a walk around the block. Remember, some exercise is better than none at all!
Many people find vegetarianism a rich and rewarding lifestyle. So if you're considering it, experiment a few different types of vegetarianism and choose the one that's most sustainable to you.
¥Always read the label. Use only as directed. ΔVitamin supplements may only be of assistance if the dietary vitamin intake is inadequate.