Looking to give up meat, fish and poultry? Here’s what you need to know about following a vegetarian diet
Considering switching to a vegetarian diet, but not sure whether it is a good idea, or how to best handle it? Rest assured you’re not alone. With plant-based diets rocketing in popularity, an increasing number of people are choosing to give up meat, fish and poultry. A well balanced vegetarian diet can be very healthy, but if you want to reap all the benefits, you may need to pay more attention to what and how much you eat.
What is a vegetarian diet?According to the Vegetarian Society , vegetarians do not eat animal-based products like fish, meat and chicken. They also avoid by-products of slaughter like gelatine and animal rennet. What are the potential benefits of a vegetarian diet?Weight lossAccording to the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics , vegetarian diets may promote weight loss and help maintain these results in the long term.
Gut healthGood gut health is crucial to the proper functioning of multiple systems in our bodies. The evidence is growing that vegetarian diets may have a beneficial effect on the composition of our gut microbes. According to the Frontiers in Nutrition journal, people who follow vegan and vegetarian diets tend to have a significantly higher count of the ‘good’ Bacteroidetes and lactic acid bacteria, and lower count of the ‘bad’ Clostridium and Enterococcus species.
Foods to enjoy on a vegetarian dietWhat foods should you avoid if you’re vegetarian?If you are a vegan or lacto-vegetarian, you should also avoid eggs. If you are a vegan or ovo-vegetarian, you should also avoid dairy products. And if you are vegan, you should also avoid other animal by-products, such as honey, beeswax and pollen.
But that does not mean that vegetarians are unable to get good quality protein. Eating a variety of legumes, nuts, seeds and grains will help you to obtain a complete amino acid profile. Another solution is to consume more complete vegan protein sources, such as tofu and seitan. Lastly, including more eggs and dairy products in your diet can also help bridge the gap.
Do you need to supplement on a vegetarian diet?Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 is essential for our health and getting enough of this vital micronutrient may result in unintentional weight loss, lack of appetite, fatigue, depression and cognitive problems. Since the majority of sources of vitamin B12 are animal-based foods, those following plant-based diets are at high risk of deficiency.
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