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Featured Article
Vegetarianism for Health
By Amy Freeman
Looking for a way to shed some of that holiday weight gain? Do you want to feel better and decrease your chances of getting certain diseases? Eat your veggies. Studies have shown that people who eat a vegetarian diet generally weigh less and have a reduced risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. The American Dietetic Association states that "appropriately planned vegetarian diets ... are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases." What's more, eating a vegetarian diet is better for the planet. Raising livestock produces more greenhouse gas than driving cars, according to a 2006 report from the United Nations.
How to Get Started
Think about the meals you eat regularly. Some may already be vegetarian. Others can very easily be made vegetarian. Swap veggie burgers for hamburgers, use beans in your chili instead of beef, and, most importantly, eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The USDA recommends eating at least three ounces of whole grains every day. Trade white rice for brown, whole wheat pasta for regular, and you'll easily meet the recommendation for whole grains.
A calculator on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website (http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov) can help you determine the amount of vegetables and fruits you should eat daily given your sex, age, and level of activity. For example, based on my age and activity level, the CDC recommends that I eat two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables daily. That sounds like a lot, but one large, three-inch apple counts as two cups, one large banana is one cup, and so is one large orange. Twelve baby carrots count as one cup of vegetables. However, it takes two cups of raw spinach to make one cup of vegetables, according to the USDA. What About Protein?
You do not need to eat meat to get enough protein in your diet. Americans tend to consume more protein than they need, thanks to a heavy meat diet. Too much protein can be detrimental to your health, causing kidney problems and bone loss. Current dietary recommendations base your protein intake on your weight. The number of grams of protein you consume daily should be about a third of your body weight. For example, a 150-pound person should take in about 50 grams of protein daily, the amount in 10 ounces of steak. A cup of soybeans has about 29 grams of protein.
Wondering what will replace the meat in your diet? If you are a lacto-ovo vegetarian, meaning you eat dairy products and eggs, you can easily meet your daily protein requirements simply by drinking milk or eating an egg for breakfast. If you are on a vegan diet consisting only of plant-based foods, you can get plenty of protein from legumes and tree nuts. Try out as many different beans as you can. Chickpeas are great for lunches, turned into hummus or a simple chickpea salad with olive oil and chopped raw vegetables. Black beans make great taco and enchilada fillings. Soy is the most versatile bean, showing up in the form of tofu, tempeh, and a variety of processed meat substitutes. Keep in mind that many brands of fake meat are highly processed and contain a number of preservatives, something you want to avoid if your goal is to improve your health. Other Dietary Concerns
You may worry that a complete vegetarian diet will not provide enough calcium and other key nutrients, such as vitamin B-12. However, calcium is plentiful in dark green vegetables, such as kale and broccoli, and in soybeans and other legumes. Additionally, it is not the amount of calcium taken in that matters so much as the amount lost by the body. High protein and high sodium diets cause calcium loss. On the flip side, eating lots of fruits and vegetables prevents calcium loss and provides other necessary vitamins, such as vitamins C and A.
Getting vitamin B-12 on a vegetarian diet is trickier. Vitamin B-12 is essential for creating red blood cells and maintaining the nervous system. The human body needs only about ten micrograms a day of B-12. However, it is not found in plant food. Lacto-ovo vegetarians are able to get enough B-12 from dairy and egg products, but vegans should take B-12 supplements or eat foods fortified with the vitamin. Some brands of soymilk are fortified with B-12. Nutritional yeast, an ingredient commonly used in vegan cooking, is also usually fortified with B-12. Tangy with a cheesy taste, it is also a good source of other B vitamins, fiber, and protein. If You Can't Give Up Meat Entirely...Mark Bittman, a writer for the New York Times and author of the cookbook How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, recently lost 35 pounds practicing what he termed a "vegan before six o'clock" lifestyle. While he may still have some meat or cheese for dinner, for breakfast and lunch he eats only whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Thanks to this simple change in his eating habits, Bittman saw vast improvements in his health. His cholesterol level dropped, as did his blood sugar.
