Archive for July, 2009

The Proper Plannings For A Vegetarian Diet

Friday, July 31st, 2009
Special care must be taken when planning a vegetarian diet to ensure proper amounts of nutrients are included daily. Nutrients such as protein, iron, calcium, zinc and vitamins B-12 and D can all be easily incorporated into your vegetarian lifestyle with the proper planning. Here are some guidelines to consider when you are planning your weekly shopping trip and organizing your weekly menu.

Plant proteins alone can provide enough of the essential and non-essential amino acids, as long as sources of dietary protein are varied and caloric intake is high enough to meet energy needs. Whole grains, legumes, vegetables, seeds and nuts all contain both essential and non-essential amino acids. Soy proteins, such as soy milk and tofu, have been shown to be equal to proteins of animal origin.

Vegetarians may have a greater risk of iron deficiency than non-vegetarians. Dried fruits and beans, spinach, and brewer’s yeast are all good plant sources of iron.

Vitamin B-12 can be found in some fortified breakfast cereals and soy beverages, some brands of brewer’s yeast as well as vitamin supplements. Read the labels of other foods carefully; you might be surprised what food is B-12 fortified. As a vegetarian, it’s essential that you have a reliable source of vitamin D, in your diet. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light stimulates your body produce its own vitamin D. Daytime outdoor exercise and working in your garden are both great alternatives for obtaining this important nutrient.

Those who don’t have the opportunity to get out and soak up the sun might want to consider adding a supplement to their diet.

Recent studies suggest that vegetarians absorb and retain more calcium from foods than their non-vegetarian counterparts. Vegetable greens such as spinach, kale and broccoli, and some legumes and soybean products, are good sources of calcium from plants.

Zinc is imperative for growth and development. Good plant sources include grains, nuts and legumes. However, zinc daily zinc requirements are actually quite low. Take care to select a supplement that contains no more than 15-18 mg zinc.

Vegetarians may have a greater risk of iron deficiency than non-vegetarians. Dried beans, spinach, enriched products, brewer’s yeast and dried fruits are all good plant sources of iron. When eaten alongside a fruit or vegetable containing high amounts of vitamin C, your body more willingly absorbs the needed iron, so be sure to team these two vital nutrients up as much as possible when meal planning. Vegetarian Diet for Optimal Personal and Environmental Health It’s been well documented through the years that vegetarians are healthier than people who eat meat. Vegetarians are less likely to be obese, or to have high blood pressure, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or colon cancer. They are also less likely to die from heart disease. Vegetarians have lower blood pressure even when they eat the same amount of salt as meat eaters and exercise less. Many studies show that vegetarians have less instances of colon cancer, due in large part to the differences in the bacterial flora that is present in the colon. There are many factors in the vegetarian diet that contribute to better health. Vegetarians consume two to three times as much fiber as do meat-eaters, which has been shown to reduce cholesterol and blood glucose levels, and protect against colon cancer.

They also consume more antioxidants, which are found in a wide variety of plant foods and protect cells from oxygen-induced damage and reduce the risk for heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and other diseases.

Vegetarians eat more isoflavones than do meat eaters. These compounds, found mostly in soy foods, are a type of phytochemical. Research shows that isoflavones may reduce the risk for prostate cancer and may improve bone health. Vegetarians also consume much less saturated fat and cholesterol than do meat eaters, resulting in significantly lower levels of blood cholesterol, decreased instances of heart disease and possibly for diabetes and cancer. And, since vegetarians do not eat meat, they are not exposed to heme iron, a type of iron found in meat that may increase the risk of heart disease and cancer.

And lastly, vegetarianism is not only optimally healthy for your body, but your environment and the planet’s animals. It allows you to live more harmoniously with the world around you, which improves mental and emotional health accordingly.





By: Jasper Sayer

Low Calorie and Vegetarian Recipes – the Delicious Options

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

It is common belief that low calorie and vegetarian recipes have to challenge your palate. The truth is, however, they can be just as delicious as your favorite dishes. Now, I am about to share with you two such recipes, and you can just give them a try to convince yourself.

1. Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers

You will need the following ingredients to prepare for this recipe:

* 1 can of black beans

* 1/2 of an onion

* 1/2 cup of flour

* 2 slices of bread

* 1 teaspoon of garlic powder

* 1 teaspoon of onion powder

* 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

* salt and pepper

To prepare, follow the steps below:

a) Dice the onion, then saute it for about 4 or 5 minutes until soft.

b) Pour the black beans into a large bowl and mash them until they are almost smooth.

c) Add to the mashed black beans with the sauteed onions, garlic powder, onion powder, and seasoned salt.

d) Crumble up the sliced bread and add them to the mixture.

e) Add the flour to the mixture, a few tablespoons each time. Keep stirring after each addition.

f) Add a small amount of oil into a frying pan, and heat it up.

g) Scoop some of the mixture out of the bowl with your hands, and shape it into a pattie that is about 1/2 thick.

h) Fry the patties until they are firm.

Have a try and you will be amazed at the wonderful taste of the burgers.

2. Tofu Scramble

If you have ever tried vegetarian diet, you will know that tofu is always used as a meat substitute. And, the tofu scramble which we are about to try can be served as a wonderful substitute for scrambled eggs.

You need these ingredients:

* 1 block of tofu, drained and press

* 1/2 yellow onion

* 1/2 green pepper

* 1 teaspoon garlic powder

* 1 teaspoon onion powder

* 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

* 1 tablespoon soy sauce

* 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

* 2 teaspoons oil or margarine

Here are the steps for cooking:

a) Cut the tofu into one inch cubes, and then use a fork to slightly crumble it.

b) Dice your onion and bell pepper.

c) Add some oil or margarine to a skillet set to medium-high.

d) Add the onion, green pepper and tofu to the skillet. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes.

e) Add to the skillet with garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, soy sauce, and nutritional yeast.

f) Cook the tofu scramble for 6 or 7 minutes, stirring frequently. When it is done, pour onto a plate and enjoy.

You can treat a tofu scramble like what you would do with scramble eggs, adding vegetables of your choice, like tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, and carrots.

Now, are you convinced that low calorie and vegetarian recipes can be just as tasteful as the non-vegetarian ones? Simply give the two recipes a try. In fact, there are thousands of people out there who are enjoying delicious and healthy vegetarian diet every single day!


Ways to Enhance Your Vegetarian Recipes

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

Cooking vegetables can be tricky. Over-cooking vegetables can make them bland, soggy, and most importantly, can remove the necessary nutrients that are bodies need to remain healthy. Boiling your vegetables is the biggest culprit for robbing cooked vegetables of their nutritional components. It also turns this crisp and fresh vegetables into a lifeless, tasteless form.

Vegetables are essential to the human diet and make up a great part of our daily vitamin requirements. There are methods to cook vegetables in a manner which does not deplete these nutrients which are listed below.

Steaming

Steaming vegetables is always a great way to enhance the flavors of your veggie recipe. Cooking vegetables in this manner will leave vegetables crisp and bright in color.

If you do not have an official vegetable steamer, a steamer can be fashioned out a of pot, a metal colander, and a pot lid. Place a small amount of water in the bottom of a the pot. Fit the metal colander into the pot. Start to boil the water. It’s that simple!

Using a Wok

The secret to how a wok works is that it cooks quickly and at a very high temperature. Because of this, vegetables retain their flavors, textures, and colors with only a minimal amount of nutrient loss.

Paying attention to this cooking process is crucial because most foods are cooked over intense heat in a matter of minutes. Again, no matter which method is used, you do not want to over-cook the vegetable in any way.

Grilling

There’s room on the grill for veggies so why not? Many vegetables grill well, but some aren’t cut out for it, especially those high in water content. Cucumbers don’t make the grade, nor does celery, and lettuce. But even a slightly skilled backyard chef can do wonders with asparagus, eggplant, onions, peppers, and even cabbage.

An example of a delicious vegetarian recipe using the grill is:

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

Ingredients:

*1 large portobello mushroom, cleaned and stemmed

*1/4 medium green bell pepper, halved

*1 thin slice red onion

*1 whole wheat hamburger bun (split) or whole wheat sliced bread

*2 tablespoons fat-free Italian salad dressing

*1 slice (1 ounce) reduced-fat part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

1. Brush mushroom, bell pepper, onion and cut sides of bun with some dressing; set bun aside. Place vegetables over medium-hot coals. Grill 2 minutes.

2. Turn vegetables; brush with dressing. Grill 2 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove bell pepper and onion from grill.

3. Place bun halves, cut sides down, on grill. Turn mushroom top side up; brush with any remaining dressing and cover with cheese, if desired. Grill 1 minute or until cheese is melted and bun is lightly toasted.

4. Cut pepper into strips. Place mushroom on bottom half of bun or on a slice of bread; top with pepper strips and onion slice. Cover with top half of bun/slice of bread.

Makes 1 Serving


Vegetarian Recipes: Important Non-meat Sources of Protein for Vegetarians

Sunday, July 19th, 2009

Although most vegetarians consume a considerable amount of protein, they often do not absorb as much as they would on a nonvegetarian diet. This is because plant proteins are considerably less digestible than animal proteins, which contain amino acid chains that are closer or identical to human amino acid chains.

Consuming animal proteins might yield close to a 1:1 absorption ratio, while consuming plant proteins, such as wheat, might only yield 50% of the amino acids needed to build a “complete protein” or a protein that can readily be assimilated into the human body.

In order for vegetarians to absorb a healthy amount of protein, they must consume a variety of plant proteins to form complete amino chains. By eating vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts, fruits, and whole grains, vegetarians can increase the amount of complete proteins they create by combining a number of varieties of amino acid chains.

Vegetarians must also consume more foods that contain proteins because plant proteins are generally harder to digest. While a nutritional label may suggest that pasta has 5 grams of protein per serving; you may only be able to digest 2-3 grams of that protein, which means you must complement the pasta with other sources of protein.

In addition to natural sources of protein, vegetarians should also seek foods that are “protein-fortified”– or artificially-infused with protein.

For example, many supermarkets offer a variety “protein-fortified” pasta and bread. I have seen pasta that contains as much as 12 grams of protein per serving.

Soy milk is also a good source of protein for vegetarians. Studies on isolated soy protein show that it can be absorbed nearly as well as animal proteins, yielding close to a 1:1 protein absorption ratio.

For non-vegan vegetarians, yogurt, milk, and eggs (which contain complete proteins) are all excellent sources of protein.

As a vegetarian you have a number of options to boost your protein intake – and you should consider taking advantage of all of them. You should diversify your food selections, drink more soy products, and eat “protein-fortified” breads and pasta.


Different Kinds Of Vegetarians

Monday, July 13th, 2009
Many people think of vegetarians as one homogeneous group that just doesn’t eat meat.

But nothing could be further from the truth. There are different categories of vegetarians as diverse as the reasons for going vegetarian in the first place.

A vegetarian is generally defined as someone who doesn’t eat meat. But someone who is vegetarian could conceivably eat dairy products such as milk, eggs and cheese. A lacto ovo vegetarian doesn’t eat meat, fish or poultry, but does consume eggs, milk or cheese. A lacto vegetarian consumes milk and cheese products, but doesn’t consume eggs.

A vegan is someone who doesn’t consume any animal product or by-product, including dairy food. They eat only vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and legumes. They also don’t use animal products, such as leather. Vegans also don’t use white sugar because it’s often processed with a substance derived from animal bones that whitens the sugar.

There are other categories within the vegetarian community. Fruitarians, for example, eat only fruit. Their rationale is that fruits, including fruits such as tomatoes, are self-perpetuating and don’t need to be planted to create the food source. They consider it a way of eating that’s most in balance and harmony with the earth, the most natural.

All of the above will eat cooked vegetables, fruits and legumes. There is also a growing movement towards eating only raw or living foods. This based on the assumption that cooking food processes most of the nutrients out of it, and to get all the nutritional value, vitamins and amino acids from food, it’s best consumed raw, or juiced. If cooked at all, it should only be cooked to slightly over 100 degrees, so the nutrients are still retained.

The more restrictive you become with your diet, however, the more educated you need to become to be sure you’re getting all the necessary proteins and vitamins that you need to maintain good health, especially muscle and heart health.

No matter what your reasons for eating a more vegetarian diet, there’s no denying the obvious health benefits that are derived from the elimination of red meat from your diet. On average, vegetarians have lower levels of the blood fats, cholesterol and triglycerides than meat eaters of similar age and social status have.

High levels of blood fats are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Lacto-ovo vegetarians, those who eat eggs and dairy products, which contain cholesterol-raising saturated fats and cholesterol, have higher cholesterol levels than do vegans, as those who abstain from all animal foods are called. But even among lacto-ovo vegetarians, cholesterol levels are generally lower than they are among meat eaters.

Researchers have found that older men who eat meat six or more times a week are twice as likely to die of heart disease as those who abstain from meat.

Among middle-aged men, meat eaters were four times more likely to suffer a fatal heart attack, according to the study. As for women, who are partly protected by their hormones and generally develop heart disease later in life than men do, the risk of fatal heart disease has been found to be lower only among the older vegetarians.

In a 1982 study of more than 10,000 vegetarians and meat eaters, British researchers found that the more meat consumed, the greater the risk of suffering a heart attack.

Though eliminating meat from the diet is likely to reduce your consumption of heart-damaging fats and cholesterol, substituting large amounts of high-fat dairy products and cholesterol-rich eggs can negate the benefit.

To glean the heart-saving benefits of vegetarianism, consumption of such foods as hard cheese, cream cheese, ice cream and eggs should be moderate. And the introduction of more vegetables, fruits and raw foods will definitely enhance the benefits of abstaining from eating meat.





By: Jasper Sayer

Vegetarian Recipes: Yorkshire Pudding

Monday, July 13th, 2009

The old-fashioned way of making it is with white flour.

Try this way.

4 oz. each of Allinson breakfast oats and Allinson fine wheatmeal,

4 eggs,

1 pint of milk,

pepper and salt to taste.

Whip the eggs well, and make a batter of the eggs, milk, meal and oats, adding pepper and salt. Pour the mixture into a shallow Yorkshire pudding tin, which has been previously well buttered. Scatter a few bits of butter on the top, and bake the pudding for 1 hour. Serve with baked potatoes, green vegetables, and sauce.

The old-fashioned way of making it is with white flour.

Try this way.

4 oz. each of Allinson breakfast oats and Allinson fine wheatmeal, 4 eggs, 1 pint of milk, pepper and salt to taste.

Whip the eggs well, and make a batter of the eggs, milk, meal and oats, adding pepper and salt. Pour the mixture into a shallow Yorkshire pudding tin, which has been previously well buttered. Scatter a few bits of butter on the top, and bake the pudding for 1 hour. Serve with baked potatoes, green vegetables, and sauce.

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Vegetarian Recipes – What is the Difference in Veg and Vegan Recipes?

Friday, July 10th, 2009

Humans have been eating meat and animal products for many millennia, ever since evolution began and they evolved from apes. Vegetarianism on the other hand is a few thousand years old, and Veganism is just a few decades old and is an extreme form or subset of vegetarianism, where all animal products are avoided. Whatever food is consumed, whether meat based, veg, or vegan, cooking is an integral part of eating food and this requires Recipes. There are thousands of Vegetarian Recipes, Vegan Recipes and Recipes for meat based dishes that are available on hundreds of websites.

Some of these Home cooking recipes have been handed down through generations from mother to daughter and mother-in-law to daughter-in-law. Although humans have been consuming vegetables and plant products, along with meat and other animal products, for many millennia, vegetarianism dissuades consumption of all types of meat, and eggs too. Some communities do not consider eggs as a non-vegetarian item, but in countries like India, eggs are not considered vegetarian and are not consumed by strict vegetarians. Many individuals are used to meat and egg based dishes, along with a few veggies in salads and soups. But they are unaware that there are thousands of Veg Recipes available that can be used to make a complete meal, including soups, starters, appetizers, main course dishes, and desserts.

Vegetarianism evolved with religions and cultures over many millennia. Many religions like Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism have strict rules regarding food consumption. Meat and eggs, and products made from these are strictly prohibited in many religions, castes, and communities. Thus evolved the dependence on vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices. This led to the evolution of Vegetarian Recipes over the millennia, with each caste, community, and even individual households having their own variations of standard recipes and ways to cook food. Vegetarianism is gaining ground in western countries like the US, UK, and Europe, but the opposite is happening in Eastern countries like India, where people are becoming more aware of western meat dishes and recipes.

Although vegetarianism does not exclude animal products like milk, and products made from milk, like butter, Ghee, sweets, chocolates, desserts, ice creams, etc, Veganism excludes these too. Donald Watson and Elsie Shringley started veganism and the Vegan Society in 1944. Veganism excludes all animal products as food, including milk and milk products. Anything that involves exploitation of animals for food, clothing, or any purpose is excluded for use. As veganism evolved, so did Vegan Recipes, which excluded all animal products for food consumptions. Veganism still includes all vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices, and there are hundreds of Recipes available for vegans.

Although Fast food and eating out in restaurants has become a necessity due to the hectic lifestyle, many families are turning back to healthy home cooking and the recipes handed down from past generations are coming in handy. Many individuals are also willing to try new Veg Recipes, meat and egg based Recipes and even Vegan Recipes. As they say, variety is the spice of life, and adding some variety to daily meals is sure to entice the family back to the dining table, instead of ordering pizzas and burgers, or taking the family out to lunch and dinner, which is an expensive affair.


How to Become a Vegetarian

Saturday, July 4th, 2009
as many reasons for becoming vegetarian as there are vegetarians; it’s a highly personal and individual decision to make. But in a survey conducted on behalf of The Vegetarian Society the majority of people said that they gave up meat and fish because they did not morally approve of killing animals, or because they objected to the ways in which animals are kept, treated and killed for food.

With the growing awareness of the importance of healthy food, many people are also becoming vegetarian because it matches the kind of low fat, high fibre diet recommended by dieticians and doctors. Concern about the environment is another factor as people become more aware of the effect raising animals for their meat is having on the environment. Or you may be concerned about wasting world food resources by using land to raise animals for meat instead of growing crops that can feed more people directly.

Being vegetarian presents currently a big difficulty:

Since vegetarian diet is the most suitable human being, it ought to be pleasant, easy and joyful for us. However, people who try to transit to vegetarianism experience big difficulties instead. Several days of strict vegetarian diet would surely wake up a hungry beast of prey within you.

Avoiding meat is one of the best and simplest ways to cut down your fat consumption. Modern farm animals are deliberately fattened up to increase profits. Eating fatty meat increases your chances of having a heart attack or developing cancer. Every minute of every working day, thousands of animals are killed in slaughter-houses. Pain and misery are common. In the US alone, 500,000 animals are killed for meat every hour. There are millions of cases of food poisoning recorded every year. The vast majority are caused by eating meat. Meat contains absolutely nothing – no proteins, vitamins or minerals – that the human body cannot obtain perfectly happily from a vegetarian diet.

Consider the reasons for becoming vegetarian. These might include moral or ethical reasons, religious reasons, health reasons, environmental reasons or a combination of any of these. Get some vegetarian cookbooks and find some vegetarian recipes that interest you. Take a look around supermarkets, food stores and health food shops and see the variety of vegetarian food that is available. Do some research. Read up on vegetarian nutrition and vegetarianism in general. There is plenty of information on the internet and in books. Tell parents or a significant other about your choice. Make sure you have some solid research to back you up, as some people are very resistant to the idea of vegetarianism because of misunderstandings related to health, evolution or religion. When informing your family of your dietary choice, stay calm and polite, even if they find it difficult to accept.

Being Vegetarian – For whatever reason you are becoming veggie, you can’t call yourself vegetarian if you eat any kind of fish or if you eat cheese with animal rennet.

In fact, ethically minded vegetarians don’t buy leather. (Remember, leather came from an animal that once had a pulse and a pair of eyes!) However, as a vegetarian it may be argued that you could buy 2nd hand goods that contain leather.





By: peterhutch