Everything You Wanted To Know About Being Vegetarian
Those who practice the art of eating vegetarian do not eat fish, meat or poultry. There are also those who call themselves "Vegans". They are vegetarians who also do not eat or use anything that is made from animal products, including anything dairy, cheese products, eggs, leather items, milk, silk products, and also items made from wool.
There are many reasons why people choose to be vegetarian. The reason may be one or many and may include: dislike of meat, health reasons, ecological based, religious concerns, having compassion for animals or a belief in non-violence.
Those who eat vegetarian can meet all of the healthy diet requirements for our body's to function properly according to the American Dietetic Association. As with any other diet, the vegetarian needs to eat in moderation, include a variety of fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts.
People become vegetarians at all ages and stages of life. Some are born into vegetarian families. Some never really take to the taste of meat and when they are old enough to make food choices, decide to deliberately avoid meats, fish and poultry. Others become vegetarians when they find out how meat is processed and where it comes from. There may be some who decide that red meat is not healthy for them and then they advance to excluding all other included items like fish and poultry when they learn more about being vegetarian. For some the change to being vegetarian is a gradual process, for others the change takes place immediately once something convinces them that eating animals is wrong or distasteful.
Some people fear that they won't be able to meet their body's need for protein when they convert to being vegetarian. As long as you vary what you eat regarding fruits, nuts vegetable and grains you can meet all of your body's needs. There are many sources of protein that many are unaware of including: whole grain bread, corn, potatoes, greens, nuts, seeds, chickpea and peas as well as lentils and tofu.
Another concern people have is getting enough calcium and iron when eating vegetarian. Iron can be found in many common foods like cashews, chard, dried beans, dried fruits, mushrooms, and tofu. Lots of foods are iron-fortified such as cereals, certain instant oatmeal and prepared "veggie meats". It is better for iron absorption is you consume foods rich in vitamin C, such as broccoli, citrus fruits and juices and also tomatoes. A fact that some people are unaware of, is that if you use iron cookware, you can also add iron to your diet as the food will take on some iron form the cookware.
When people learn about how to eat a balanced meal using vegetarian guidelines they discover that it is not all that complicated to make meals that are strictly vegetarian. There are many books written to increase the knowledge about meeting the needs of vegetarians. It is surprising how many foods can be enjoyed while sticking to a vegetarian diet, foods such as: macaroni and cheese, meat-less spaghetti, grilled cheese sandwich, bread and yogurt, peanut butter, bean tacos, jams, fruit salads and of course vegetable soup.
