Giving up meat can sound challenging, we learnt a little more about the lifestyle and how to do it healthily.
First things first – let’s define a vegetarian. There are three key terms here to note. A pescatarian eats fish/seafood but not meat, a vegetarian eats animal products (eggs, milk, etc) but no fish, no seafood, no living creatures and a vegan does not eat any animal products whatsoever. We are talking about vegetarianism, no consumption of any animals.
People choose to go vegetarian for different reasons, the most common being for moral reasons (animal rights), for health reasons or for the simple fact that they don’t like meat (or for a combination all three).
Cutting out meat can be challenging so we spoke to a nutritionist, Laura Holland, to make sure it’s done the right way.
‘Many people are reverting to a more vegetarian-based diet due to the negative health impact of eating meat on a daily basis. As an example, studies show that eating meat can reduce your life expectancy by as much as ten years compared to a those who eat a vegetarian diet,’ she explains While vegetarians can often miss vital nutrients, namely iron, zinc and protein, it’s a bit of a myth that vegetarians never feel full. Laura says it’s easier than it seems to get the important stuff. ‘Protein is the most obvious concern but there is actually lots of protein in vegetable-based foods, and it is much easier for your body to absorb than animal protein. Iron can also be a concern as this is traditionally thought to be exclusive to red meat, however kale has more iron than red meat.’
When eating out, vegetarianism can seem challenging. The restaurants here are not as adept at catering to dietary requirements, and a healthy choice isn’t always available for a snack or meal – Laura recommends a little prior planning. ‘Being a vegetarian can sometimes mean that you begin eating a lot of cheese simply due to process of elimination in restaurants, and grabbing ready-made foods on the go. So it is important that if you choose to be vegetarian you make a conscious effort to eat a good variety of foods and perhaps this means a little more planning.’
It’s important to mix up your diet with lots of different nutritious options, to keep yourself entertained and satisfied as well as nourished and healthy. ‘Variety is important because it is easy to begin eating the same foods daily with vegetarian options in certain places being very limited,’ Laura says. ‘A little more planning with extra effort on healthy snacks is key and the more colour you can get into your diet the better.’
‘Eating food that feels good for your body and the fact that you feel good about eating is essential for optimal nutrition. For many people they feel good about eating a plant-based diet and are therefore reporting more energy, better digestion and generally a lighter feeling on all levels. It’s also rather wonderful from the animal’s perspective and of course, the environment because a vegetarian diet has a smaller carbon foot print than the meat eaters!’ So why not give it a try?
Laura Holland, nutrition and wellbeing consultant at BeUtiful You, laura@beutifulyou.co.uk, www.beutifulyou.com.
Going veggie dos and don’ts
Do
• Eat lots of nuts and pulses – these are high in protein, essential fatty acids and vitamins that vegetarians need.
• Know there is most often a vegetarian alternative on the menu.
• BYO vegetarian supplements to social gatherings.
• Talk to other vegetarians about diet and lifestyle – every vegetarian has a few stories to share.
• Experiment with recipes.
• Invest in a multivitamin.
•Load up on super-foods such as spinach, nuts, avocado, kale and quinoa.
Don’t
• Overload on carbohydrates – lacking protein can cause vegetarians to over-indulge.
• Eat gelatine – this is commonly found in chewy sweets and jelly. It is an animal product, as is rennet – found in most supermarket cheeses.
• Be afraid to ask for a meat-free alternative when eating out
• Eat too much cheese as a supplement, it’s commonly used to substitute meat but is very fatty.
