Yannick's video: A Beginners Guide To Vegan - Scientific Benefits And Risks

A Simple Guide To Starting A Vegetarian Diet If you are looking to improve your nutrition and shed a few of the extra pounds in the process, the vegetarian diet plan might be perfect for you. More and more people are choosing to go down the path of becoming a vegetarian not only for personal beliefs about eating animal products, but also because of the health benefits that a vegetarian diet can offer. Growing research demonstrates the benefits of plant-based diets, such as this study on the impact of a vegetarian diet on insulin sensitivity. But how do you successfully transition to eating vegetarian meals while ensuring your nutrient needs are met and your weight loss is sustainable? This simple guide will cover the basics that you need to know about becoming a vegetarian. Before you dive in, please talk to your doctor first before making any major changes to your diet. Types Of Vegetarian Diets • Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians, who eat both dairy as well as eggs • Lacto-Vegetarians, who choose to consume dairy products but not eggs • Ovo-Vegetarians, who consume eggs but not dairy • Pesco-Vegetarians, who consume fish but no other animal based foods • Vegans, who are the strictest type of vegetarian and consume no animal products or byproducts whatsoever The most common type of vegetarian diet is the lacto-ovo vegetarian, but there is absolutely no right or wrong here. Any of these varieties can offer great health benefits. The key is to focus on which personal and health benefits you wish to achieve by changing your diet and experiment with meal types and recipes that support your goals. As with all diets, the transition to a vegetarian diet comes with a few challenges. If you’re used to eating meat in every meal, or even every day, it’s recommended that you start slow by gradually removing meat from your diet one day at a time. Consider trying a Meat-Free Monday plan, or even just one vegetarian meal a week. When starting out, many find that including eggs, dairy, or fish (or a combination) in their diet makes the transition easier and helps them keep their protein needs met. Pros: • Can help lower heart disease and cholesterol levels • May help reduce total calorie intake • Often reduces total saturated fat intake • Most people following this diet report better weight control • Helps with increasing total dietary fiber intake • Preparing/cooking food may be easier as you won’t have to cook meat • Can be a cost effective type of plan for those looking to keep their budget down as meat is often the most expensive food on your grocery list Cons: • Can lead to nutritional deficiencies in the key nutrients of vitamin B12, protein, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, and riboflavin • Some turn to an overconsumption of heavily processed foods because they are meat-free, such as french fries and pizza • May result in lean muscle mass loss and weakness if not enough protein is eaten • Does require more from a meal planning standpoint to ensure all nutrients are met • May limit you from eating in certain social engagements if vegetarian options are not available Common Mistakes People Often Make When Becoming A Vegetarian To help ensure that you are successful as you begin your journey into becoming a vegetarian, let’s look at some common mistakes that people make along the way. 1. Consuming too many processed carbohydrates. Remember, if it wasn’t healthy before you became a vegetarian, it’s not healthy after either. Too many people start eating heavily processed carbohydrates such as muffins, cakes, cookies, granola, and so forth because they are all meat free. They believe it’s a good choice for this diet plan. But, just like on any diet plan, these foods are full of empty calories and will only spike blood glucose levels and set you up for weight gain. You still want to focus on the same wholesome foods you would with any other healthy diet plan. 2. Not increasing healthy fats high enough. Another mistake often made when switching to vegetarian meals is dropping all the meat and feasting on only fruits and vegetables. While it’s great to get in enough produce, remember that your body needs more energy than just what’s found in these foods. If you start to notice your energy lagging, check your healthy fat intake. Make sure that it’s high enough. You can find healthy fats from foods like nuts, seeds, avocados, and oils. 3. Neglecting vegetarian-friendly protein rich foods. Likewise, make sure that you are making a conscious effort to get in enough protein rich foods that are vegetarian friendly. If you can side-step these three major problems, you should be on track to success. • Whole grains – • Potatoes – • Lentils • Nuts/seeds • Olive oil, coconut oil, • Tofu • Soybeans • All fresh fruits • All fresh vegetables • All the herbs and spices you want to enhance your dishes