Vegetarian Diets: It's Not All About Plants

Everyone is looking for the perfect diet to loose all those excess pounds, but what type of diet is better than another? Many, many people have turned to vegetarianism to loose weight, thinking that eating meat will pack on the pounds. So what exactly is Vegetarianism and is it a good diet to choose from?

Vegetarianism is the practice of not consuming meat, with or without the use of other animal derivatives, such as dairy products or eggs. There are four main vegetarian diets: Lacto-ovo vegetarianism (allowed to eat eggs and dairy), Lacto vegetarianism (dairy allowed), Ovo vegetarianism (eggs allowed), and Veganism (no meat, no eggs, and no dairy). Many people who choose a vegetarian diet do so because they believe it will benefit their health. They may believe that the vegetarian diet has a better nutritional balance, is better suited for the human body, and/or avoids contact with harmful bacteria, hormones, and chemicals.

Vegetarian diets can be good for you if they are planned carefully. Plant proteins can provide enough essential and non essential amino acids as long as the protein is varied and the intake of calories is enough to meet energy needs. There are not many plant sources good for iron except beans, dried fruits, and enriched products, the best sources of iron you could ever get is through red meat and eggs.

Vitamin D is another very important part of one's diet and plants do not carry any vitamin D. However, plants are a very big carrier of calcium and studies show that vegetarians absorb and retain more calcium than non-vegetarians do. Vegetarians really need to monitor their consumption of zinc. Zinc is found in many plant sources and is needed for development, however more than 18mg of zinc can cause health problems.

A lot of people think that vegetarian food is not as tasty as non-vegetarian food, but in reality it is really good. Much of the food that we taste is associated with the fat in meats and a lot of the processed meats are high in salt, so you taste fat and salt half the time and not the meat itself. There are a lot of different vegetarian tastes that you can create from hundreds of different veggies, grains, fruits, and nuts… and it doesn't take forever to cook them either!

But you have to remember, just because your not eating meat, don't think that your eliminating the fat from your diet. Vegetarian foods like nuts, seeds, avocado, and soy foods can be quite high in vegetable fat, and of course ALL vegetable cooking oils are 100 percent fat and contain 120 calories per tablespoon.

When turning to a vegetarian diet, take into consideration gender and age. Some studies show that vegetarian women are much more likely to have female babies. A study of 6,000 pregnant women in 1998 found that while the national average in Britain is 106 boys born to every 100 girls, for vegetarian mothers the ratio was just 85 boys to 100 girls.

A vegetarian diet is fine for children and provides all the nutrients required for normal growth and development. Vegetarian kids are similar in height and weight to non-vegetarian kids and are less likely to be overweight. Standard adult vegetarian diets (which are low in fat and high in fiber) can fill up infants under 5 years old before they have ingested sufficient energy and nutrients. So vegetarian diet plans for infants should include fewer high-fiber foods and more energy and nutrient-dense foods.

Giving up meat and becoming a vegetarian MIGHT reduce certain risks of diseases associated with high meat consumption. BUT, unless you follow a balanced vegetarian eating plan you might simply swap one set of dietary risks for another. Remember, unbalanced diets are unhealthy diets whether or not they include meat.

I personally am not a vegetarian, but here are some awesome dishes that are a well balanced, healthy, and filling.

Fettuccini with Garlic and Pine Nuts

3 T. coarsely chopped Italian Parsley
2 garlic cloves
1/3 C. pignoli (pine nuts)
1/4 C. olive oil
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
12 oz. fettuccine, cooked al dente, drained
4 T. butter

In a food processor, combine the garlic, parsley and pine nuts, process to a paste. Add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and process until well blended. Toss the hot pasta with butter (in small pieces) until the butter has melted. Lightly toss in the garlic-pignoli mixture.

Scalloped Turnips

4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
4 cups peeled, sliced turnips
2 Tbsp flour
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cream

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 1-quart casserole. Melt 1 Tbsp butter and lightly sauté onions until just wilted. Layer a third of the sliced turnips in the casserole dish; top with a third of the onion; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of flour, 1/3 teaspoon of salt, and one grind of pepper; pat with dollops from 1 tablespoon of butter. Repeat this layering twice.
Mix milk and cream together and pour over the turnips. Cover and bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes, then remove cover and bake for another 30-45 minutes, or until tender and bubbly.

Cucumber Yogurt Salad

2 cucumbers, peeled, quartered lengthwise, then sliced
Plain yogurt, about 1 cup
1 teaspoon dried dill, or a couple of teaspoons of fresh dill
Sprinkling of salt and pepper

First taste the cucumbers to make sure that they are not bitter. Depending on the variety of cucumber you are using, and many other factors, you may find a cucumber that is distinctly bitter in taste. If this happens, soak the cucumber slices in salted water for half an hour, or longer, until the bitterness is reduced, then rinse and drain before using. To make the salad, simply gently mix together the ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.

Cashew Rice

1 3/4 cups or vegetable stock
2 dried red chilies, seeded (optional)
1 cinnamon stick, broken up
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp butter
2 1/4 cups long grain rice
5 oz. shelled raw cashews

Add the stock and 1 1/4 cups water to a large saucepan with the chilies, cinnamon, salt, and butter. Bring to a boil, stir in the rice and cashews, cover and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes, until the rice is tender.

Fruit and Nut Rice

1 kg Basmati rice
90 g Ghee
2 tbsp Oil
2 Cloves garlic, crushed
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
6 Cardamom seeds
1 Cinnamon stick
4 c Hot water
Tiny pinch saffron powder
3/4 c Chopped dried apricots
1 c Sultanas
1 c Roasted unsalted cashews
1/2 c Pistachio nuts

Wash rice; drain 30 minutes. Heat ghee and oil in large pan, add garlic, onion and spices, and cook stirring, 1 minute. Add rice, stir until rice is coated with ghee, and stir in combined water and saffron. Bring to the boil, cover with tight fitting lid, reduce heat to very low, steam 20 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Add apricots and sultanas, cover, cook over low heat 10 minutes, stir in cashews, serve sprinkled with pistachios.

Enjoy! And please be careful of your vitamin intakes!