Vegetarian Cooking – How The Cherished Diet Without Meat Can Make You Healthier
In this article:
Why vegetarian cooking?
The basics of vegetarian cooking
Tips for healthy vegetarian cooking
Our overindulgence in meat has lead to numerous health problems like high cholesterol and overweight because it made us consume way too much fat, especially the unhealthy saturated fat. An increased risk of diseases like strokes and heart attacks was the result of this unbalanced way of eating. Now, after people started to understand the importance of healthy and balanced nutrition, vegetarian cooking has become increasingly popular.
Why vegetarian cooking?
- There is in general nothing wrong with eating meat. The secret of eating healthy is in fact to consume all food groups, but the right amount of everything to keep a balance of nutrients. However, vegetarian cooking is certainly a very healthy option of eating, provided that certain rules are followed to ensure your body gets all nutrients it needs. One good example is that vegetarians rarely suffer from overweight since their fat intake is usually much lower than the one of a person eating meat (and thus less vegetables and fiber) every day.
- Especially if you have weight problems or high cholesterol, which are to a large extend caused by an excess of unhealthy fats mainly found in meat animal products, vegetarian cooking can make a huge impact on your health. But there are also other reasons why people follow a vegetarian diet: be it religious reasons or simply the fact that they are against the way the animals we eat are treated.
The basics of vegetarian cooking
- The main difference between “normal” and vegetarian cooking is that the vegetarian diet does not include meat. Vegetarians do, however, eat animal products like dairies and eggs, which vegans ( a very strict kind of vegetarians) do not.
- The main foods of vegetarian cooking are fruit and vegetables, grains, legumes, eggs and dairy products (milk, cheese, yoghurt). Fat should come from healthy foods like avocadoes, cheese, yoghurt and nuts, and a combination of legumes with grains, nuts or seeds will easily provide you with sufficient proteins without overloading your system with fat.
- Most important for a healthy and balanced vegetarian diet is great variety in your meals. Try to consume as many different foods as possible over the course of the week to ensure you are getting enough of all nutrients.
Tips for healthy vegetarian cooking
- Choose natural foods, like brown rice, whole grain products and fresh fruit and vegetables rather than processed or refined foods. They still contain more important nutrients, and studies have shown that a diet based on these foods reduces your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
- Buy your foods as fresh as possible and avoid storing them too long. Many vegetables lose a lot of nutrients within days already. If you can, buy only what you need for a day or two, otherwise buy frozen or canned foods (not processed!).
- Fruit and vegetables that are “in season” will be cheaper and fresher. If you have a large freezer, you can buy bulks of them. Then blanch and freeze them (blanching contains nutrients and prevents bacterial contamination), or make sauces or purees that you can freeze.
- Be aware of the fats in your food! Don’t assume you are eating healthy simply because you don’t eat meat. Cheese, cream and sour cream, butter and oil also contain fat, and if you consume a lot of these, you will still eat too much fat, even if you are vegetarian. Keep these foods in moderation, or make use of their low-fat versions, especially if you are experiencing weight problems. And rather bake or grill instead of frying. Many fried dishes can also be made in a pan or the oven.
- The same rule as for fat applies for sugar: Keep it as low as possible. If you overeat, your vegetarian diet won’t safe you. Vegetarian cooking is healthy, but only if you do it right.
Conclusion
For vegetarian cooking, as for any other diet, applies: If you are healthy, there is no need to scientifically work out a plan how much of which food you need to eat. If you stick to a balanced diet with a great variety of foods, if you keep sugar and fat intake low and rather choose healthy fats (vegetable fats, e.g. olive, canola and rapeseed oil, and products made from these), you will be fine, getting all nutrients you need. After all, if you really listen, your body will tell you what kind of food it needs.
Related posts
- Food Related Illnesses - How Our Unhealthy Foods Make Us Sick And Why Healthy Eating Could Make Us Healthier
- Salad Fixing Ideas to Liven Up Your Meal
- The Cholesterol Threat - Why Your Cholesterol Level Is High And How You Can Effectively Fight It
- The Thing With Fat - Healthy And Unhealthy Fats
- Vegetarian Cooking For Kids - How To Ensure Your Vegetarian Child Gets All The Nutrients She Needs
- Vegetarian Cooking - Which Foods To Choose To Ensure A Healthy And Balanced Vegetarian Diet
