Vegetarian Diet - Group of Foods That are Low in Saturated Fats & Cholesterol but High in Fibers

Vegetarian diet, which lowers saturated fats and cholesterol but increases fiber, is a very good eating plan for both maintaining a healthy body and for losing weight. This can supply the body with the recommended daily intake of major nutrients if carefully planned.

Some types of vegetarian diets include animal products; others have no animal source at all. Some nutrients that animal products provide are calcium, iron, vitamin D and B12, and zinc. These nutrients may not always be found in these diets.

There are non-animal food groups that are rich in these nutrients, while at the same time, low in cholesterol and high in fiber. These are oats, nuts, and soy.

Oats are a good source of fiber and these foods are proven to reduce cholesterol content in the body. Examples of foods belonging to this group are oat bran, whole oat flour, and oatmeal.

Nuts are healthy alternatives to junk food. It is also filled with different nutrients like fiber, protein, vitamins, antioxidants, phytonutrients, mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and plant sterols. Recommended nuts are almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, pine nuts, and especially walnuts, which have high omega-3 fatty acids. Avoid or lessen salted nuts or chocolate-coated nuts, and some nuts, which are high in fat content, like Brazil, cashew, and macadamia.

Soy, made of soya beans, is highly effective in cholesterol level reduction. It is also a good substitute for milk and meat products. Miso, soy flour, soymilk, soy nuts, and tempeh are foods that fall into this group.

Vegetarians, although healthy in living, must not forget to include these food groups in their diet to continually lessen cholesterol level and enrich fiber content in the body while at the same time replenishing protein. Any diet always needs wise, healthy, and balanced choices of foods.

By Faviano Torres

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A Vegetarian Diet - The Importance of Carbohydrates and Avoiding Saturated Fats

Carbohydrates form an important part of your vegetarian diet. The principal energy source in the diet is carbohydrate. The vital role carbohydrates play cannot be underestimated as they provide fuel for both the muscles and the brain. Carbohydrates occur in the form of starches and sugars from grains and their products (e.g. flour, bread, pasta) as well as potatoes, legumes, fruits, and to a lesser degree, nuts.

Wherever possible, choose carbohydrates that are the least refined. For instance, use brown rice rather than white, go for wholemeal instead of white bread, and rolled oats in the form of porridge or muesli at breakfast rather than processed cereals. These wholegrain products are broken down slowly by the body and therefore give a more sustained release of energy.

The fats most commonly linked to health problems are saturated fats. They are usually derived from animal sources - meat and dairy foods - but they are also found in coconut and palm oils. Most processed and fast foods such as hamburgers, pies, pizzas, cakes, biscuits, french fries, potato chips, corn chips etc. are high in saturated fats and should be avoided.

When we make the change from eating meat to a diet based on vegetarian foods, our cholesterol levels drop, our body fat changes, we are less prone to many known types of cancers, the likelihood of contracting diabetes reduces, our blood pressure lessens to a normal range and in most cases, our overall health and fitness improves. Moving towards a more vegetarian way of life has been shown statistically to reduce the happening of so many of the diseases of industrialized countries.

The best result is to delete red meats from your dietary habits altogether. By doing this you are disposing of the biggest offender of all when we refer to diseases of the digestive tract and many other body functions. Apart from decreasing your cholesterol or blood pressure, you may reduce the danger of cancers including colon, breast, ovarian and prostate cancer. All of these conditions have been linked in studies to western style meat-based eating habits. As soon as you have conquered the knack of vegetarian preparation it's possible the family, apart from discovering these meals to be mouthwatering, will be contemplating why it's taken ages to unearth this healthy and nutritious way of eating.

There is a lot of information available on the internet to help you understand the advantages of the new lifestyle you are about to introduce. Please make a point of reading as much as possible to acquire an in depth knowledge of the foods required to set you on the path to a healthier and more energized body.

By Bill Hansen

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Bill Hansen is a writer and researcher on vegetarian foods and recipes. If you want to know more about how to follow a healthy vegetarian diet please visit:- http://www.aboutvegetarianrecipes.com.

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The Components of a Vegetarian Diet - 3 Key Protein Sources and Their Benefits Revealed

The components of a vegetarian diet primarily consist of plant-based foods, whole grain, legumes, seeds and nuts. It emphasizes a non-meat food source diet. A vegetarian diet is generally a low fat, low cholesterol diet, and typically includes more fiber.

There are four types of vegetarian groups, Vegans, who eat only plant-based foods. They do not eat food that come from animals; meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheeses and milk. Lacto-vegetarians consume milk and other milk products with plant-based foods only, no meat, eggs, poultry and fish either. Lacto-ovo vegetarians do not eat red meat, fish and poultry, and eat only eggs, milk and milk products like cheese and yogurt and plant-based foods. Flexitarians or semi-vegetarians primarily eat plant based foods but consume meat, poultry and fish on small amounts, occasionally.

Since you will be going on a vegetarian diet, you will have to have an adequate nutrition. One important nutrient is protein, your body needs this nutrient to be able to maintain healthy skin, bones, muscles and organs. The primary sources of protein are meat, eggs, nuts, grains and legumes. When eating only plant based foods there are 3 key protein sources. One such source is in nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, can lower serum LDL cholesterol concentrations in the body. Nuts also have a low sugar content wherein dietitians recommend nut to patients with diabetes mellitus type2. Legumes are also one good source of protein for non-meat eaters. Legumes soybeans contain essential amino acids and surpass other plant food in the amount of protein they give. Cereals or grains mostly are grass that are cultivated for their edible bans or fruit seeds, they are considered as staple crops. They are also a rich source of carbohydrates.

When shifting to a vegetarian diet, one must be aware of food planning, meat substitutions are one key point in a vegetarian diet and try to experiment; you should also know the components of a vegetarian diet to be able to maximize the potential in your dietary lifestyle.

By Faviano Torres

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The Vegetarian Diet Meal Plan That Will Help You Lose Weight

A meat eater might view a vegetarian diet as being boring, but a vegetarian diet can be the complete opposite. In order to accomplish an appealing vegetarian diet, it is important to have a good vegetarian diet meal plan.

Since animal protein is non existent in a vegetarian's diet, some important ingredients get more attention than they usually do in other diets. Plant foods, and grains take on the role of main courses.

The Vegetarian Diet Meal Plan

1. Use a wide variety of plant protein sources at each meal, such as legumes, grain products, nuts and seeds, and vegetables. Use small portions of nuts and seeds in dishes.

2. Use a wide variety of vegetables. Steaming, stir frying, or microwaving vegetables retains flavor, nutrients, and color.

3. Choose low fat and fat free varieties of milk and milk products, and limit the use of eggs. This is crucial to prevent a high intake of saturated fat, which is found in whole milk, low fat milk, regular cheeses, eggs, and other foods.

4. Consume more dishes made with soybean-based products like tofu and tempeh. Soybeans are unique because they contain the only plant protein that is nutritionally equal to animal protein.

5. Consume foods that contain nutrients of special importance to vegetarians. Foods with good sources of Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, Zinc, and Linolenic Acid.

This is a low fat diet plan that will help you lose weight while still getting enough protein each day. Like any other diet plan you have to stay committed to it and you will begin to lose the weight you desire.

By Jennifer Vanderbilt

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Vegetarian Diet and Blood Pressure - This Program Lowers High Blood Pressure

Today, people expect a healthier and a longer life and look for various ways to achieve it like changing their eating habits. The vegetarian diet offers one of the best choices for by eating only plant food, you can expect a longer and healthier life.

The incidence of high blood has been pointed as the cause of many fatalities in the world. In a research made in 1900, it was concluded that people who were no-meat eaters had lower blood pressure than those who are. Further studies show that senior citizens who are living in backward societies and are only eating plant food have normal blood pressure than those of their age group living in the United States.

The American Dietician Association and the Dietician Association of Canada are unanimous in the result of their studies on the plant-based diet. All the nutritional benefits conducive for good health are found in plants. It has lower level of saturated fats, cholesterol and animal protein, which are good for the body. It is packed with fibers, magnesium, potassium, antioxidant and phytochemicals that eliminate from the digestive tracts the toxins and pollutants conducive to many diseases. By consuming veggies, can lower body index, reduce your level of cholesterol and blood pressure. Taking away the danger of other disorders as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, renal, osteoporosis, dementia and Alzheimer. It is pure and simple fact that the nutrients found in the plants we ate have healing power to reduce and prevent blood pressure.

Vegetarian diet excludes protein-rich food, high cholesterol eggs, animal product, milk, dairy food, fish and seafoods, which can increase blood pressure. So knowing what is best, you would know which the proper choice is.

By Faviano Torres

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Is a Vegetarian Diet Good for Teens? - Know How to Get Vitamins and Minerals with This Plan

People turn to vegetarianism for different reasons. It might be for economical reasons or religious beliefs, but still, it is a healthy choice that is beneficial to the body. There are different types of vegetarian diets, and many, including teens, are turning to this.

Since vegetarian diet has no meat at all, people ask if this eating plan will work for them, especially the teens. Vegetarians are continuously growing in number, and their diet can be nutritionally adequate if one is educated about it. This diet must be carefully planned in order to get the most out of it.

Vegetarians might lack calcium, iron, protein, vitamin D and B12, and zinc in their food intake, but there are alternatives that can supplement these key nutrients. For calcium, which is very much needed by growing teens, milk and yogurt can supply this nutrient. For those vegetarians who don't eat dairy products, dried figs, green leafy vegetables, orange juice, soymilk, and tofu are excellent sources of calcium.

Iron, another nutrient much needed by the teenagers especially girls, can be acquired from sea vegetables dulse, nori, and wakame. Other choices would be broccoli, iron-fortified cereals, dried fruit, legumes, molasses, soybeans and tofu. Citrus fruits and juices can help for a better absorption of iron.

For vitamins B12 and D, supplements may be needed, although fortified cereals and soymilk can provide some. Sunshine can also give vitamin D and aid in the development of bones.

Protein can be found in eggs and dairy products. Protein consumption doesn't have to be complicated, like consuming a combination of red beans and rice. Beans, cereals, grains, nuts, soy products, and vegetables can supply all the protein that one needs.

By Faviano Torres

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Easy Vegetarian Recipes You Can Make with Your Kids!

At a certain age, children absolutely love being a big help in the kitchen. No matter what you are cooking, they want to help you with it. Instead of having them help you by setting the table, why not find easy vegetarian recipes that you can make together? It can be a great bonding experience with your child, and it will teach them some early, valuable lessons on cooking.

Ever had a quesadilla? If not, you should because they are absolutely delicious and are a really easy vegetarian recipe! What you will need for each quesadilla is two pieces of whole wheat tortilla bread, cheese, red and green peppers, desired herbs, sour cream, salsa, and a toaster oven. Lay down one piece of tortilla bread and let your child put whatever they want on it. Encourage them to make little designs using the peppers to make it more fun for them. If you have more than one child, each person can make one of these healthy and delicious snacks! After filling it with cheese and peppers, toast it in the oven until all the cheese has melted. Serve with sour cream and salsa and you're done!

Sandwiches are something else that are totally easy to make, even for kids! Sandwiches don't have to be complicated at all. Simply choose your desired sandwich ingredients like lettuce, cheese, herbs, tomatoes, cucumber, and so on. Put the ingredients on the bread, cut it in half and you have yourself an easy meal that your kids can help you with.

There are hundreds of easy vegetarian recipes out there that you can make with your kids. It teaches them valuable lessons about food, and can be a great bonding experience. Try out one of the recipes above, and you are sure to enjoy the entire process.

By Bill Hansen

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Bill Hansen is a writer and researcher on easy vegetarian recipes. To receive your instant access to information on various vegetarian issues and receive a Vegetarian gift, in the next few minutes that could prove extremely valuable to you please visit http://www.aboutvegetarianrecipes.com.

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Vegetarian Breakfast Dishes - Start Your Day Right!

Breakfast is the most important part of the day. It helps you fuel your body before you get out there and start your daily life. If you don't eat meat, then things like bacon and breakfast sausage are obviously out of the question. Below you will find some vegetarian breakfast recipes and meals that you can eat to start your day.

One of my favorite vegetarian breakfast recipes is some simple oatmeal. When I start to get bored of plain oatmeal, I like to change things up a bit by adding in some fruit! Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, or even slices of banana go wonderfully in oatmeal. To give it an extra kick of flavor, sprinkle some cinnamon on top and you will have a delicious breakfast that will keep you going until lunch.

Another of my favorite recipes is a tortilla wrap. You can do anything with this type of breakfast. I like to take my tortilla, and fill it up with things like scrambled eggs, cheese, green onions, celery, tomatoes, and anything else I can think of for that day. It's a lot of fun and really easy to do before you head out to work in the morning.

Omelets are another amazing breakfast food. It's also another food that you can add a lot of different ingredients to! Add in some green onions, spices, cheese, regular onions, celery bits, and any other vegetable you like. This makes a healthy and nutritious breakfast that you can enjoy as part of a healthy diet.

There are thousands of vegetarian breakfast recipes out there for you to enjoy. Choose a few of your favorites and rotate them so you don't get bored of any one food. Both you and your family are going to love your healthy and varied vegetarian diet, starting with the most important meal of the day.

By Bill Hansen

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Bill Hansen is a writer and researcher on vegetarian breakfast recipes. If you want to know more about how to follow a healthy vegetarian lifestyle please visit http://vegetarianlifestylebenefits.com/.

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Vegetarian Soup Recipes - Easy and Fun!

Soup is one of the most versatile meals you can possibly make. Almost any soup can be frozen and then reheated later to make for an easy meal. There are thousands of varieties of vegetarian soup recipe available out there that you can try. Or, you can do what I like to do and basically invent your own recipe! It's really easy to do, and soup is so very easy to make.

One of my favorite vegetarian soup recipes to make is carrot soup. All you really need is a pot full of boiling water. Add cut up carrots, celery, onion, salt, and any other spices that you really enjoy. Cook until the carrots and celery are soft and then you're done! I'd say it's as easy as pie, but it isn't. It's easier!

With a pot of boiling water as your blank canvas, you can make any type of soup that you can imagine. Your creativity will be very helpful here. Throw anything you love into the pot. You can use any type of vegetable or even potatoes to create your masterpiece soup. It's a lot of fun to come up with new recipes and try them out. If you love them, great! Keep the recipe for later. If you don't like them, it's no problem. Just try something different next time.

Creating soup can be a lot of fun to do. If you find recipes you love, you can share them with friends or family members. Your family will love your soup, and will ask for more!

Vegetarian soup recipes are incredibly easy to come up with. With a shelf full of spices and fridge full of fresh vegetables, there is no limit to what new tastes you can come up with. Keep your favorites and do them again and again for a healthy diet of vegetarian soups.

By Bill Hansen

About Author
Bill Hansen is a writer and researcher on tasty and nutritious vegetarian food. If you want to know more about how to follow a healthy vegetarian lifestyle and at the same time receive a FREE vegetarian gift in the next few minutes that could prove extremely valuable to you please visit:- http://www.aboutvegetarianrecipes.com.

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Benefits of Soy protein

Soy protein is very healthy: it is very low in fat, contains no cholesterol and contains phytochemicals. The main phytochemicals in soy protein are isoflavones, saponins and phytc acid. These phytochemicals are strong antioxidants but have many other properties. Soy protein and its associated phytochemicals seem to reduce heart disease, osteoporosis and risk of cancer. Soy protein has a lot of many unique benefits that makes it a top notch protein. It is probably one of the most important aspect of a vegetarian diet.

Since vegetarians do not consume meat. But it doesn't mean only vegetarians uses soy protein. A lot of people uses soy protein in their diets and soy protein supplements.

But why is it a terrific substitute for animal protein? That is because it offers a complete amino acid profile. Soy protein contains all the amino acids that is essential to human nutrition. They are essential since thay cannot be synthesized by our bodies, but must be obtained from the foods we eat.

Soy protein has its benefits. They are the best substitutes for meat protein. Soy protein are proven to have reduce cholesterol levels. Soy protein reduces the risks of heart related diseases. And they helps to increase nutritional value of other foods. This is because of its complete amino acid profile. And it also contains extra amounts of various amino acids.

Epidemiological studies suggest that soy protein may reduce the risk of certain cancers, including breast cancer and prostate cancer. Japanese women, who eat a lot of soy protein (mainly from soy tofu and miso), have a much lower risk of breast cancer or prostate cancer than Western people have. The anti-cancer effect of soy protein could be explained by the phytochemicals, which are associated with the soy protein. These phytochemicals include the isoflavones genistein, daidzein and glycitein, phytic acid, saponins and protease inhibitors. Isoflavones and phytic acid have strong antioxidant properties and can prevent oxidative damage by free radical to our DNA and cells. Shu X.O. et all suggest that high soy intake during adolescence may reduce the risk of breast cancer in later life (Soyfood Intake during Adolescence and Subsequent Risk of Breast Cancer among Chinese Women. Cancer Epid Biomarkers Prev. 10: 483-488). The inverse association between soy protein intake and reduces risk of breast cancer was observed for each group of soyfoods examined.

FDA determined that diets with 4 servings of soy per day can reduce LDL cholesterol by up to 10%. Another benefit of soy protein is that it reduces LDL cholesterol without affecting HDL cholesterol. Studies shows that soy protein reduces plasma concentrations of LDL cholesterol but not affecting HDL cholesterol. Other than these well known benefits, soy protein also reduces risks of other ilnesses such as prostate cancer, colon cancer and osteoporosis.

So where can we get soy protein in our daily diet? Well you can get plenty from tofu, soy cheese and soy milk etc. Alternatively, you can get soy protein supplements. Soy protein supplements can be purchased online or retail.

By Aziz Omer

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The author is an expert on weight loss training and healthy diets. To learn more about health and fitness, please visit http://www.taftclub.com/.

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The Best Muscle Building Tips for Vegetarians

So, how does being a vegetarian have effects on your capability to build muscle? Possibly much less than you'd think or have been lead to believe.

First off, man was likely really meant to be a plant eater and not a carnivore. Physiologically talking, man has all the features of a plant eater and not one of the traits of a carnivore. We have got the teeth, jaws, digestive enzymes, stomach astringency, and small intestines length of plant eaters.

The most annoying and revolting of those is the small intestines length. Carnivores have small intestines that are 3-6 times body length. The reason being because beef rots terribly quickly and wants to pass thru the body extremely fast. Sadly, humans have a small intestines length of 10-11 times body length. What this suggests is that long after the beef has gone rotten, it's still in your body decaying and making a contribution to infinite number of illnesses. With that out of the way let's get to the issue of how to create muscle on a vegetarian diet.

As I have discussed a lot of times during the past, protein-heavy diets are a con. You do not want all that much protein to increase muscle. Though many folks thought he was loony, Mike Mentzer first said to me that during a telephone conversation back in the mid ninety's.

I asked him his thoughts on protein intake and he screamed at me "That's the biggest trick under the sun. The sole reason you read about the advantages of protein-laden area because that is what everyone sells. Say what you may about Mike Mentzer, but I suspect he was ahead of his time on that one and you have got to respect his rebelliousness. In truth it shouldn't actually have an effect on your size gains that much either.

As you know, you want a caloric surplus to add muscle. Though your protein will be under that of most beef eaters you can still build plenty of muscle. Walk into any state pen and take a glance at the weight pit. You'll see some of the most important, most jacked men you've ever seen. How many grams of top of the range ion exchange protein do you believe they eat per day? Extraordinarily, small, I'm able to assure you that. Somebody I know used to be a jail guard and told me of how giant and powerful the men were.

"How are they getting so giant with no protein" I asked (this was back in the times when I was still brainwashed). He informed me that he hadn't got any idea because all they needed to eat was grits, fake potatoes, rice and a little serving or 2 a day of awfully low quality beef or a beef substitute. So perhaps they were getting ninety grams of protein a day. You simply don't need protein-heavy diets to create muscle. When it comes to adding muscle while maintaining fat, this is the one place you will have difficulty. If you are lean, this should not be an issue. But since your insulin sensitivity is lower when you're fatter, you could have difficulty staying lean by eating all those starchy carbs. This may slow down your size gains as you may finish up looking like a fat slob in virtually no time.

The fight this problem, I'd suggest carbohydrate cycling the way a normal meat eater would do it. Have super high carbs on coaching days and limit your starchy carbs on non coaching days. Perhaps a day per week, only have plants as your carbs and eat nuts, and beans and fish and eggs that day. Building a great physique as a vegetarian is definitely possible. Bill Pearl and Clarence Bass were salad munchers and other mythical bodybuilders were too. My chum and colleague, Robert Dos Remedios, is vegetarian and is a lean 240 pounds and in awesome shape. Jon Hinds is a vegan, in his mid forty's and is jacked and robust as may be.

The best tight end in NFL history, Tony Gonzalez is also a vegan and manifestly it has not hurt him in the least. Like the great Chuck D once asserted, do not believe the hype. You do not need four hundred grams of protein every day to grow. You may progress just fine as a vegetarian.

By Jeffery Bauer

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Jeffery Bauer works extensively with police officers, military personnel, and entertainers. Most importantly, Jeffery has helped tens of thousands of skinny guys and hard gainers in hundreds of different countries build muscle more quickly than they could ever imagine.

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Tips on Converting to Vegetarian Cooking Recipes

If you have decided to switch your diet and plan to start making only vegetarian cooking recipes for you or your family, then you should know a few tips that will make the switch easier for you.

Tip 1: It is important that you switch over to vegetarian cooking recipes gradually. When switching to a new diet for health reasons, you should always make changes slowly. Otherwise, you risk putting yourself through too much of a change at once, which will often cause you to go back to your old eating habits. If you truly want to succeed and stick with this permanently, it will benefit you to switch over gradually.

Tip 2: There is no reason for you to eat foods that you hate. If you don't like salad, then don't eat it. If there is a specific vegetable that you cannot stand to eat, then why put yourself through the torture? There are hundreds of vegetarian recipes out there that you can find and use, which use ingredients that you enjoy.

Tip 3: Experiment often. You would be surprised at how many new things you can try that you will end up loving. If you have been on the diet for a while, and are becoming bored with your foods, then it is time for a change. Introduce a few new meals into your regular routine so that you can keep excitement and variety in every meal that you eat.

Vegetarian cooking recipes are great and can have many long term health benefits if you start right away. As long as you follow the tips outlined above, you will find the diet change to be quite easy to accomplish. Remember to switch to your new diet gradually, and you will be more likely to succeed when switching to the vegetarian diet.

By Bill Hansen

About Author
Bill Hansen is a writer and researcher on tasty nutritious vegetarian food and recipes. If you want to know more about how to follow a healthy vegetarian lifestyle and at the same time receive a FREE vegetarian gift in a few minutes that could prove extremely valuable to you please visit: http://www.aboutvegetarianrecipes.com.

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A Vegetarian Diet may be Best for Humans

I have been on a vegetarian diet-or to be more exact-a vegan diet for close to 10 years now and although the first 3 were erroneous based on my actions as a result of misinformation, the last 7 or so have been the healthiest of my entire life. Not only has this dietetic lifestyle been the main reason why I've been able to cure my terrible case of acne, it also miraculously cured my bad breath (to the point that I honestly don't have the so-called morning breath) asthma and overall lethargy.

The benefits of vegetarian diet have led me to convince many associates to make a similar dietetic change. This is the main reason why I now write this article for your edification if you are interested in such a dietetic lifestyle.

I will go over the popular items usually consumed by non-vegetarians and give you reasons why these substances need to be eliminated or drastically reduced from the human diet.

The Vegetarian Diet: Avoided Products and Reasons Why

Meat:

I am of the belief that giving up all flesh foods may be highly beneficial to the health seeker. Fruits and raw vegetables contain ascorbic properties that prevent various diseases. Meat, however, may be affected by such dreaded diseases as intestinal worms etc.

Many medical doctors forbid their patients to eat meat to alleviate gout rheumatism. The Russian Dr. Buteyko advises all asthmatics to abstain from ALL animal products and processed foods. This discipline has helped many an asthmatic to give up ventolin. I am living proof of that. Meats are in a decomposing state, producing a host of poisons, uric acid and mucus in the body.

They are highly unbalanced, containing a great excess of protein while almost completely lacking in calcium and growth promoting vitamins and minerals. Experiments reported by Farger and Walepole in the journal of Physiology and Pathology show that putrefied meat contains many toxic substances, some of which cause the blood pressure to rise which is why physicians forbid it to patients suffering from high blood pressure.

If you must eat meat or flesh, do eat only one kind of it in a day in very small quantities and spaced very far and few between say once or twice a week and then with plenty of green leaves and starch-less vegetables.

I will touch on other items consumed by non-vegetarians and present the reasons why such items shouldn't be consumed...and why you may want to consider a vegetarian diet for improving and maintaining your physical, mental and spiritual health.

By LaMarion Ziegler

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Get tips for lowering your blood pressure without all the side effects vistit http://yourinforighthere.com right now!

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Can I Build Muscle if I am Vegetarian?

Just before I tackle the main purpose of this article which is to show how to build muscle vegetarian style I will briefly outline the different types of vegetarians.

Vegans won't eat dairy products or any other products of animals, pesco-vegetarians will consume fish and other dairy products whereas lacto-ovo vegetarians will both consume milk and eat eggs but won't eat meat. There are a few more sub categories but that is enough detail for the purposes of this article.

Because of the nature of the food vegetarians do not eat, things like red meat and so on they have a lower risk of certain diseases including but not limited to hypertension, coronary artery disease, a variety of cancers and diabetes mellitus.

As you may agree the reasons for changing to be vegetarian are compelling indeed and that is before we even begin to discuss the idealistic side of things such as being less cruel to animals, saving food for starving others, conserving the rainforest, becoming more friendly to the environment and such like.

So, if I am vegetarian how can I get enough protein to pack on muscle mass? The answer to this question very simply is Soy. Soy in reality has higher levels of protein than beef and also contains all eight of the essential amino acids.

Soy can easily be gotten from sources like: textured soy protein, soy milk, seitan, miso, tempeh, and of course tofu. These can all be included in a variety of tasty recipes and dishes. Beans, rice, seeds, legumes, nuts and even vegetables are another great supply of amino acids which together should ensure you never get short on protein.

Alright so that is protein dealt with but what about vitamins and minerals, particularly zinc, vitamin D, calcium, iron and vitamin B12? Well, supplements should be taken by vegans for this.

Vitamin B12 is found in dairy products so is not an area of concern for other types of vegetarians. The others can easily be gotten from a decent meal replacement powder. Of course however many minerals and vitamins are easily available in the form of leafy green vegetables and fruit that you should not overlook if you wish to build muscle up vegetarian style.

So, overall there are many health benefits to being a vegetarian and being a vegetarian need not prevent you from achieving your bodybuilding goals. Of course a key factor to your diet success will be the ability to plan, however this is just as crucial for meat eating bodybuilders also. With the above guidelines in mind go ahead and build muscle vegetarian style!!

By Ricardo d Argence

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We shot the lid off of the body building and supplement industry to reveal the honest and unbiased truth about building muscle, gaining strength and melting away unwanted body fat. Visit us if you want to read more Bodybuilding Articles

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A Healthy Vegetarian Diet Reduces Many Known Health Risks

Many people see their vegetarian and healthy lifestyle as tools to cope with their busy lives and often long working hours. They are careful what they eat and often make sure they include some nuts with their meal and will be conscious of how much protein they are getting.

Over the past five to ten years it is noticeable that many restaurants are now venturing past the vegetarian lasagna or stuffed eggplant meals which used to be the only options available. Now many chefs are taking up the challenge, with fresh, seasonal produce, and can see that there is a lot of scope for innovative vegetarian meals.

A healthy vegetarian diet can be quite low in total and saturated fats, which can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, assist with weight management, lessen the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer. The high intake of fiber usually associated with vegetarian diets can also reduce the risk of colon cancer, diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

People thinking of taking up a vegetarian diet should seek advice from an accredited practicing dietitian.

Some other reasons that people make the switch to a healthy vegetarian diet are:-

* A dislike for the taste of meat or preferring the taste of vegetarian food

* Concern for animal welfare

* Religious grounds

* Growing up in a vegetarian family

* Budget reasons - meat can be more expensive

* Feeling heavier after eating a meal

* Environmental concerns

* Many health benefits
A vegetarians' essential ingredients include:-

* Protein found in eggs, dairy and soy-milk products.

* A high intake of vitamin C can convert iron in green leafy vegetables and whole grains into the readily absorbed harm iron form.

* Zinc can be found in nuts, seeds, legumes, cheese, eggs and cereals.

* Eggs and dairy are a rich source of vitamin B12.

* Look for foods fortified with vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids.

The American Dietetic Association agree that a well planned vegetarian diet, with a wide variety of plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, breads, cereals, whole grains, legumes, dairy products or alternatives and nuts and seeds can be nutritionally adequate and healthy.

A well-planned vegetarian diet provides essential nutrients including protein, iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin B12, iodine and essential fatty acids, and is suitable for all ages, including infants and children, and also breastfeeding and pregnant women.

Studies have shown that non-vegetarians have a 54 percent increased risk of developing prostate cancer and an 88 percent increased risk of developing bowel cancer.

By Bill Hansen

About Author
Bill Hansen is a writer and researcher on a healthy vegetarian diet. If you want to know more about how to follow a healthy vegetarian diet, please visit: http://www.aboutvegetarianrecipes.com.

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Vegetarian Diet to Lose Weight

As a personal trainer and certified nutritionist I am often asked questions by my clients but one question that I have been asked a lot lately is what is a vegetarian diet to lose weight. It seems as though more and more people are becoming vegetarian and it is important for them be able to find information about a diet for them to help with weight loss.

It is important to realise that you most likely not being told the whole truth about this kind of diet as there so any bogus diets out there and misinformation that it is so easy to become lost. If you want to a vegetarian diet to lose weight listen up because constructing one is very easy.

1. First of all like any other diet I highly suggest that you start eating 5 smaller meals a day as this will help elevate your metabolism. The faster your metabolism is the more calories that will be burned through out the day even when sitting still.

2. Vegetarian diets are often low in protein and protein is essential for fat burning so it is important that you use vegetarian versions. Often people on a diet that is vegetarian will use protein powders to help increase their daily protein intake and they are inexpensive as well.

3. Skim dairy products are a great addition as they contain key minerals to help you lose weight fast. Yogurt, skim milk and cottage cheese are great to keep up your vitamin and mineral intake because you are most likely lacking them.

By Robert Howdy

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Lows to enjoy the world while expanding his knowledge in all topics. I want to give back to the world what has been given to me in the way of informative content.

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Vegetarian Diet and Heart Benefits

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 Jill Smi

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Learn about watermelon nutrition and growing watermelon at the Watermelon Facts site.

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Vegetarian Diet to Your Rescue - Best fuel for our Immune System

Our immune system mounts such an exceptional coordinated defense system against invaders that it still continues to baffle scientists! The best fuel to boost our immune system is to maintain a healthy diet rich in vegetables and fruits.

Despite the marvels of modern science, no substitute can be found for the immune system. Our immune system is the best doctor in the world – it is most powerful and effective than any drug. To keep this internal army in prime condition, vegetables and fruits diet is the answer.

In war, the stronger army wins while the weaker army quickly succumbs to invasion. Our body works in the same way. When germs attack, a healthy immune system instantly fights them. Only when our immune system is malnourished or weak do we fall seriously ill or even die from infections.

Take the example of two people exposed to the same recent swine flu break out. One falls seriously ill but the other doesn’t. Although they face the same viral threat, only the person with a weak immune system becomes sick with the flu.

Studies by World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) show that as developing countries become increasingly urbanized, even traditionally vegetarian societies such as the Chinese and Indians are choosing high-fat, meat-rich diets over high-vegetable ones. The report also mentioned that the prevalence of heart disease in China and India is higher than all developed countries put together. India is thought to have the world’s largest diabetic population.

In contrast, South Korea, which still follows a high-vegetable diet, shows lower fat intake and lower rates of chronic diseases than countries of similar economic status.

The statistic above is due to the fact that our immune system thrives on a healthy diet and good rest, poor nutrition and stress can make us fall ill more easily.

Wholesome plant foods are rich in vitamins and minerals. Certain plant foods, like soy are also rich in protein. Experts have stated that vegetables and fruits provide approximated 40 nutrients or more. For example, an orange provides us with a healthy amount of vitamin C, in addition to beta-carotene, d-Limonene, folic acid, potassium, calcium and many other nutrients.

Scientists attribute the disease-fighting capability of plant foods to an arsenal of compounds – antioxidants, phytochemicals and polysaccharides. Antioxidants and phytochemicals give fruits and vegetables their color, flavor, aroma and a strong disease-fighting capability. For example, an apple a day may really keep heart doctors away as it provides 20% of our daily fiber needs. A medium stalk of broccoli has more than double the recommended quota of vitamin C and calcium comparable to an equal serving of milk. Cactus fruits are said to have seven times more antioxidant effect than vitamin C.

All of us would like to live long, healthy lives, free of chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, stroke and osteoporosis. But an overwhelming majority of us still eat unhealthy foods whenever we want and as much as we want, without considering the consequences.

If we choose the best fuel for our vehicles, why don’t we do the same for our bodies?

By Sara Marshall

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I am a software programmer by profession. However, currently I am a happy full time stay-home-wife.

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Vegetarian Diet Plan Problems

The whole intention with a vegetarian resource center is to have informative information waiting to help you with this recently new lifestyle change. It will present you with all the beneficial info on nutrition. Likely these resource centers will be non profit and with that, should be dedicated to education only. Check for there reference guide.

Resource groups for vegans will be open to new ideas for all topics for new food combos and also how to deal with your family on Thanksgiving. The Vegan how to group will be a great help with all the challenges of your meat eating friends. Use it as your fact center for this new vegetarian lifestyle.

Standards for vegetarian are not the same, this society of vegetarians has many groups and sub groups with-in them. The strictest vegetarian is the vegan hands down with out even wearing a silk shirt because silk worms may have been caused harm in the process. Even the food labels do not know the different types.

Vegetarians that are the minimalist would eat eggs and cheese because it does not cause the death of an animal. Simple meals like tomato sauce and pasta has been an easy one for years. A food that is more of a cuisine is the Middle Eastern foods because they are innovational in taste.

It may seem like a pain being a vegetarian, but take my word for it is worth it. Most of my adult life I have been a vegetarian and with this talk of lack of muscle without eating meat. Oh come on now last time I checked, I do believe cows still eat just grass. The people of this world have lived off of farms for thousands of years.

I am going to try not to turn this into a rant, so please bear with me. Health care costs would be far less with vegetarian diet. The reason would be you would be eating far less fat, with that cancer rates would be less. Changes are there would be less obesity people in the world also.

First off you will be able to live without animal protein. Do not cram your self with all the facts at first because it will over well you. Start making the change with food like using more mushrooms in your meals, use things you know. A gradual change into being a vegetarian is the best route to take.

So do you want a healthier lifestyle? A permanent reduction in your weight, blood pressure, maybe cholesterol should sound good. The meat industry wants you to think you are going to fall over without it. Your diet will be mostly the same things you already enjoy with fruits and vegetables that you eat today.

By James Richardson

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James Richardson has taken on the vegetarian lifestyle and for anyone who wants to learn more, I have compiled all I have learned on vegetarian diet plan So visit my site at www.vegetariandiet.us to learn a lot more than what is in this article.

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How to Make Low Fat Vegetarian Recipes

Being a vegetarian in itself has many health benefits, but if your goal is to lose weight, then you may want to consider low fat vegetarian recipes as part of your daily cooking routine. Vegetarian food is already really healthy, but to lose weight you will need to take extra steps to make it even healthier and fat free for you. Below are some easy tips on making regular recipes, low fat vegetarian recipes.

Tip 1: If a recipe calls for butter or margarine, make sure that it is low fat butter or margarine that you use. This will greatly cut down on the total fat content of your meal.

Tip 2: Many delicious dessert recipes call for sugar. Instead of using regular white sugar, use a zero calorie alternative. The end result will usually taste the same, but you will be cutting the fat content significantly.

Tip 3: Do you love sandwiches or toast? Stop eating white bread. It's high in calories and it isn't going to help your digestive system or your weight loss. Instead of white bread, start using whole wheat bread, which is a much healthier alternative.

Tip 4: Do you love your salads? Although your salad is probably very healthy for you, the type of salad dressing you use could be hurting you in the long run. Switching to lighter salad dressings is going to help you cut back on fat in your salad. Limiting your use of cheese, or using light cheese instead can also help to make your salad low in fat.

It's not very hard to alter existing recipes in order to create low fat vegetarian recipes. All it takes is a few substitutions in your daily routine, and you will start losing weight. Not only will you lose weight, but your body will be healthier and have fewer toxins.

By Bill Hansen

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Bill Hansen is a writer and researcher on low fat vegetarian recipes. If you want to know more about how to follow a healthy vegetarian lifestyle please visit:- http://vegetarianlifestylebenefits.com/

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Blood Pressure: The Vegetarian Diet

A vegetarian diet has been shown in many studies to significantly lower high blood pressure. Strict vegetarian diets though, can easily become deficient in protein, which is essential for building new cells. Eggs, milk, cheese and other dairy products are important sources of protein as well as variety for most vegetarians. They are not available for vegans (a group of vegetarians who eat no animal product at all) who must rely on pulses (beans and peas), soya products and nuts as their most protein-rich foods.

Egg yolks are high in cholesterol, but as a source of high blood cholesterol they are no more important than other foods containing animal fats which, when digested, are changed into body cholesterol. Prudent diets generally recommend not more than tow eggs a week, but if you cut down on other fats, you can eat more.

All cheeses except cottage cheese contain large amounts of sodium, so cheeses have to be virtually eliminated from any serious low-sodium diet. They also contain a lot of saturated fat, which raises blood cholesterol. The same applies to butter, except that you can easily get low-salt butter. For reasons, which so far remain unexplained, people who drink a lot of milk tend to have lower cholesterol levels than people who drink little or none. Evidence for this is consistent and apparently reliable. However, milk does contain a lot of salt and has to be restricted in low-sodium diets.

Fish is something that we keep being told is a "healthy food". Fish, particularly oily fish such as mackerel, herrings, salmon and trout, have an important protective effect against coronary heart disease and are therefore an important part of any prudent diet for people with high blood pressure. The effect is probably through omega 3 fish oils, which reduce blood levels of triglyceride, the form in which fat is transported from the gut to the liver. They can be taken as capsules if you really can't stand the taste of fish.

Another important component of any blood pressure lowering vegetarian diet is dietary fiber. Dietary fiber means everything in your food, which you cannot digest and which, therefore, passes through your body until it is expelled in your stools. Although the term "fiber", dietary fiber includes lots of materials which are not fibrous at all, such as gums and mucilages (a gummy substance from certain plants), which affect both the way in which your food is absorbed and the quantity you want to eat before you begin to feel full and tired of chewing.

As well as breakfast cereals whose fiber content you can hardly miss if you ever watch television, wholemeal bread and all fruit and vegetables have a high fiber content, although how much you actually get from your fruit and vegetables depends on whether you cook them and how much. Pulses like peas, beans and lentils have the highest fiber content of any cooked vegetables. Increasing the fiber content of your diet by eating more wholemeal bread, fruit and vegetables is one of the most effective steps you can take in any reduced-fat, weight reducing and cholesterol-free lowering diet, which in turn effectively reduces high blood pressure lowering blood cholesterol levels.

By Michael Russell

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Michael Russell has been involved in online business since early 2001, and whilst spending countless hours each month running his business still finds time for various hobbies and interests.

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