Vegetarianism has become a rage over the past few years and people all over the world are catching up. I am not an animal rights activist nor am I advocating for one. But, the reasons behind so many people turning vegetarian and staying that way are certainly compelling. Read on to learn about the huge health related benefits and why every meat lover should definitely consider gradually cutting down on meats …
Why Vegetarian?
You are not only doing a favor on the animals by going vegetarian; You are doing a bigger favor on yourself!
Human body is not built primarily to eat and digest meat. I know you don’t believe me!
| | But the thing is, the body adapts itself based on our food habits and if you are used to eating meats since a very young age, The digestive system has to function really hard and this leads to a faster deterioration of the tissues and muscles. |
By changing your diet gradually, you will see significant improvements in your overall health:
– If you have high cholesterol level, this will be substantially reduced.
– Your chances of heart attack will significantly go down.
– The pressure on your digestive system would be considerably low.
– The calorie intake would go down as will the proportion of fat obtained from food and this will drastically boost your weight loss. This is a sure shot way to accelerate your weight loss efforts.
What constitutes Vegetarian food?
Most people can think of only salad when it comes to vegetarian food. You are in for a very pleasant surprise when you learn about the amazing variety of mouth-watering dishes that can be prepared without using meat. For instance, in India, you would come across about 200 different types of rice preparations alone and probably thousands of entrées and appetizers that are completely devoid of meat.
All kinds of raw and cooked vegetables, whole grains, pulses, fruits and dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese constitute vegetarian food. White meats don’t come under vegetarian food. Even eggs are debatable.
But, that is not to say you become a strict vegetarian. Some types of meat are good for the body – happy? You get a lot of protein and it helps build muscles.
What kind of meat is good?
The protein content in white meat like chicken and sea food is significantly higher than what you can get from similar quantities of pulses and
nuts. That being said, if you are a vegetarian due to religious reasons or because of your love for animals, you don’t have to start worrying
about your nutrition. Vegetarians aren’t weak or protein deprived people. You can get your daily protein requirement from a good mix of milk,
pulses and nuts. But, if you are vegetarian only coz of health reasons, you can definitely have chicken and fish (not deep fried though!) for
your protein intake.
Vegetarian or Vegan?
The difference is that Vegans don’t even have milk or milk products. So pretty much all kinds of cheese, cream, yogurt, ice cream are out of question for Vegans unless they are non-dairy based. So, all vegans are vegetarians but the converse is not true.
My personal opinion is that the choice is extremely limited for vegans especially if you are eating out. There are restaurants that are totally vegan but they are very rare. Plus, I think there are fewer avenues left to get essential nutrients if you are further limiting your choice – milk is a great source of protein, calcium and vitamins!
So, unless you have a compelling reason to be vegan, I would recommend just being vegetarian. And, if possible, vegetarian who eats lean meats.
Summary:
– Red meats affect our digestive system, cause high cholesterol and affect our heart.
– Cutting down on meats can tremendously accelerate our weight loss
– Salad is not the only choice for vegetarians – there are amazing varieties of mouth watering vegetarian dishes
– White meat (chicken and fish) are a good source of protein and so is egg
– If possible don’t be a vegan – just be a vegetarian who eats white meat.
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