A vegetarian but proper diet that includes all kinds of plants and dairy products can provide the body with essential nutrients. They generally need vitamins, minerals, fat, protein and carbohydrates. With an appropriate vegetarian menu, you can live in strength and health for many years. An example of this are peoples who ate exclusively natural products in the 1920s. The basis of this food at that time was vegetarianism. Back then, people mostly consumed fruits, vegetables, grains (millet, corn groats, wheat, barley, oats, rye), legumes (beans, lentils), butter and milk. Meat consumption was very limited during this time and appeared as food once or twice a year.
Proper nutrition without mistakes – how does it work?
There is nowadays a serious and persistent tendency, especially among young people, to switch to vegetarian diets. However, mistakes are often made when selecting, preparing, combining and consuming vegetarian foods. The call to join the vegetarian green team is growing. You can look forward to dinner on a Meatless Monday these days. This proves that grain and plant-based dishes can be very tasty and tasty if you choose a proper diet. More and more restaurants are offering delicious vegetarian dishes using foods such as vegetarian protein sources, which also brings many health benefits.
Constantly eating fatty red meat can increase cholesterol and put you at risk for heart disease. In addition, there are several million people who avoid red meat but still eat chicken or fish. However, switching to a vegetarian diet doesn't immediately qualify you as a health professional. Even vegetarians, who we often think of as the healthy elite for their willpower, make some mistakes when it comes to their diet. So here are some slip-ups that registered dietitians claim are committed by vegetarians. And if you're a newbie vegetarian, don't miss out on finding out about some suitable foods that, surprisingly, also exist.
Wrong selection of vegetarian dishes
Vegetarians often turn to semi-finished and refined foods that contain stabilizers, enhancers and preservatives. In this regard, we give you some basic and helpful onesTips for choosing vegetarianDishes. Always check the contents of what you buy. If possible, get environmentally friendly, organic or certified quality products - ideally from the manufacturer. Heat treatment by frying vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods in refined fats is extremely harmful to the body.
When processed at high temperatures, complex structures form in the food. These are not absorbed by the body and accumulate as toxins. This prevents cell metabolism and prevents proper nutrition. When preparing vegetarian dishes, it is recommended not to cook with refined fats and oils. It is also recommended to steam the vegetables and soak the beans and then cook them fat-free.
Combination of incompatible foods
Combining dairy products with a carbohydrate-rich meal, such as rice, potatoes, grains or legumes, can also be unhealthy for your body. The explanation comes from the way our organism is structured. Proteins begin to break down in the stomach and carbohydrates in the mouth break down further into the duodenum. Mixing these into a meal of protein and carbohydrates can affect your digestion.
So food stays in the gastrointestinal tract for a long time and ferments. The remains stick to the intestinal wall, where stones form, which cause symptoms such as coughing, runny nose, diarrhea, constipation and can eventually lead to more complex diseases. For this reason, a few useful tips for proper nutrition would be the right combinations of foods. For example, consume dairy products alone or in combination with leafy vegetables. Foods high in carbohydrates such as grains, legumes, potatoes or rice are best combined with root vegetables such as carrots, beetroot and cabbage.
Only snack on fruit
Focusing only on eating fruit can leave you feeling very hungry throughout the day. Sure, fruit can be a great source of fiber, vitamins and phytochemicals. But as a vegetarian, you often struggle with declining energy levels when eating only fruits.
The solution in this case would be to add a handful of nuts such as raw almonds, walnuts, pistachios or seeds such as sunflower seeds. This way you slow down the carbs with some protein and healthy fats. People often claim that they have much better energy levels after making this small change. They also boost their zinc levels, a nutrient that some vegetarians may not get enough of.
Not getting enough vitamin B12
A B12 deficiency, even a minor one, can increase inflammation in the body, which can eventually lead to health problems such as stroke, dementia and bone weakness. The more severe deficiency also leads to fatigue, tingling in fingers and toes, poor cognition and poor digestion. Plant-based foods do not contain B12, so vegetarians should actively try to seek it out.
Although fermented foods contain a small amount of B12, it is simply not enough to be considered such a source. One cup of milk and egg per day provides approximately two-thirds of the recommended daily B12. Although whole foods are always recommended first, this is one case where fortified grains or a supplement aren't a bad idea, especially for vegans.
The right diet for losing weight
This may also seem a bit shocking, but many new vegetarians actually gain weight when they stop eating meat. As a vegetarian, you have to adapt to a completely new vegetarian food pyramid. So you have to reprogram your eating habits that you have had for years. The golden rule of vegetarianism is that you need protein to feel full. If you're still hungry after a meal, you probably didn't eat enough protein. Many new vegetarians gain weight because they don't feel full after eating. In return, they eat more and start snacking.
Vegetarian meat substitute
As a new vegetarian, you need to make an active effort to eliminate meat from your diet, not just replace it. If you're not sure how to replace meat for a proper diet, go to the store and buy a few different meat substitutes to try at home. There is much more than just tofu on the market. Get in and just try this variety. If you're not happy with the meat substitute you've chosen, try making it differently or try a different brand. You will find some that you like and others that are not so good. While fake meat smells, looks and tastes like the real thing, it requires either significantly more or less cooking time, depending on the product.
Vegetarian protein drinks, bars and powders
If you want to replace meat, consider adding your favorite protein shake,protein barsor add powder. While meat substitutes are easy to add to your routine, they typically don't contain enough protein to meet your daily needs. So, to complement the wrong meats for your proper diet, you need to diversify. The best way to take protein powder is with breakfast.
Since most people skip breakfast anyway, a quick protein drink or bar is the easy way to get your morning kick and protein. Also, don’t forget to vary your proteins. Most meat substitutes are made from soy. Therefore, try consuming a protein product that also contains whey. Many new vegetarians add protein powder to their protein smoothies. Remember that there is a lot of protein in the egg yolk too.
How to order vegetarian in a restaurant
Among the new habits you'll need to develop as a vegetarian is relearning how to order at a restaurant. For example, don't ask a waiter if he can recommend a vegetarian dish. Why? Since “vegetarian” means no red meat to some, it may also mean no chicken broth or lard to others. Instead, inform the person serving specifically what you want. There's nothing worse than not asking for details and then being served something you won't eat. Soon you can do thisthe best restaurantsfor your new right diet in your area. Many restaurants these days even have vegetarian options on their menu. Use these with the same restrictions as above.
As a new vegetarian, you may be at a friend's house at mealtime and have nothing to eat. You don't want your host to make you special. So be prepared. Take a jar of almonds, cashews or peanuts with you in the car. They are high in protein, don't melt (like many protein bars) and have no expiration date. If you have one at any timealternative snackWith you, you can reduce the temptation to eat meat and fast food and make eating from home less stressful.
Eating yeast bread
Yeast for bread is an artificially created thermophilic mixture that does not occur in nature. This cannot be broken down in the body during the preparation or consumption of saliva and gastric juices. Thermophilic yeasts also release toxic low molecular weight substances that can destroy poorly protected and sensitive cells. This leads to several negative effects in our body:
- It suppresses the formation of good intestinal flora.
- This develops into dysbacteriosis.
- This prevents the formation of vitamin B12 in the body.
- Eventually, various anemic conditions are created in the body.
Risky and bad eating habits
Consuming fruits during and after meals is not a good idea if you want to achieve proper nutrition. Fruits are the most digestible food and pass quickly through the gastrointestinal tract. If taken during or after a main meal, they ferment and break down in the body. Furthermore, liquids during meals dilute the gastric juices and thereby slow down digestion.
Overeating and excessive consumption of sweets also leads to the accumulation of toxins and the formation of bacteria in the body. Often the combination of several or all of the most common mistakes in vegetarians leads to various deficiencies and dystrophies in the body. If you follow the basic rules for healthy vegetarian meals listed above, health, happiness and longevity await you.
