Vegetarian
Vegetarian Yum Vegetarian Video Recipes How to Make Exciting Vege Pizzas Fertility Tips for Vegetarians The Best Protein Sources for Vegetarians CONTENTS 001 5 Steps for Raising a Little Vegetarian 004 7 Fertility Tips For Vegetarians and Vegans 007 Are Vegetarian Diets Optimal For Children’s Health? 011 How to Make Exciting Vegetable Pizzas Vegetarian Dish 014 How to Quickly Prepare a Tasty BBQ 016 Making a Relationship Work With a NonVegetarian 018 Six Tips for Vegetarian Cooking on a Tight Budget 020 Vegetarian and Vegan Bodybuilding 024 Vegetarian Protein Sources 029 Vegetarian Ultralight Backpacking Recipes 032 World Wide Populations of Vegetarians 034 Yoga and Vegetarianism 001 5 Steps for Raising a Little Vegetarian Josh who is now 6 has been a vegetarian all of his life. He is now becoming more aware and exposed to other options at school and at friend’s house which I do not limit him from experiencing but in our house, we are meat free. Here are my 5 steps for raising a little vegetarian: 1. Educate yourself There are a lot of myths about being a vegetarian and how healthy it is as a lifestyle. Educate yourself on the important information in terms of protein, calcium and micro nutrients. Start here with the 12 Frequently asked questions about being a vegetarian. 2. Get recipe ideas There are sooooo many recipe books out there with vegetarian ideas for kids. When I first became pregnant, I went out and bought 3 or 4 which was enough for me to put together the 10-14 dishes we eat on a regular basis. My favourite is Great Healthy Food for Vegetarian Kids by Nicola Graimes. It really is just about finding 10 key meals that you prepare and rotating them. There are also just so many online recipe sources that really you could get lost in. The point here to find ones you like and remember kids will happily eat the same thing 5 days in a row! 3. Have back up plans We all have busy days and bad days. Be sure to have 1 or 2 easy dishes you can pull out of the bag on the day when things don’t go to plan. For me, it’s pasta dishes which I can cook in 10 minutes, lentil or potato and leek soup or a meat substitute like veggie sausages for veggie hot dogs. 4. Get those Omegas and B12 There are ways for kid to grow up strong and lean and healthy- without meat. If you are still eating dairy products and eggs, then you really should be covered in terms of your Omega 3 & 6 and B12. Alternatively, Rice milk and Soy milks are often fortified with Vitamin B12 and Calcium and of course Flaxseed can be added easily to smoothies to take care of Omega for healthy brains. 5. Have Fun The biggest thing about anything to do with your kids, is to have fun. Remember, there will be goods day and bad, you can’t control everything and if you are being too strict and stressed out, the health benefits that you might have gained may just get cancelled out! So, plan as much as you can but be flexible and have fun. Being healthy and being happy and very closely related! 002 003 How To Eat More Green, Raw Food & Why You Should http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b9fBLJJxDE&list=UUosk66_4CzCMrNshkqZPAeA For more great Vegan Recipes and videos be sure to subscribe to Eco Vegan Girl’s YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/user/EcoVeganGal?feature=watch 004 7 Fertility Tips For Vegetarians and Vegans Who Want to Get Pregnant If you are a vegetarian or a vegan you may have heard stories or rumors about being a vegetarian or vegan can lead to infertility, miscarriages, and problems in the womb. Let me make this clear, this is absolutely not true. As long as you are getting enough vitamins, minerals and other nutrients you can ensure that you have a healthy and safe pregnancy. If you are a vegetarian or a vegan you may have heard stories or rumors about being a vegetarian or vegan can lead to infertility, miscarriages, and problems in the womb. Let me make this clear, this is absolutely not true. As long as you are getting enough vitamins, minerals and other nutrients you can ensure that you have a healthy and safe pregnancy. Here are some tips for fertility for vegetarian men and women: Vegetarian Fertility Tip 1 Make Sure You Are Getting Enough Nutrition Being a vegetarian actually has an advantage over meat eaters as you avoid toxins, hormone disruptor’s and heavy metals in meat, poultry, and seafood. With this in mind however, you can’t always eat vegetarian foods and not watch what you eat. You still need to make sure that you are getting enough nutrition before conception. In particular pay special attention to folate, vitamin B12, and Vitamin B6. Vegetarian Fertility Tip 2 Eat Whole Nutritious Foods It’s easy for vegetarians to get junk food that doesn’t contain meat in it and think that they are eating healthy. However, you are missing out on many trace minerals and vitamins if all you’re doing is eating fast food and processed vegetarian food. Stick to whole nutritious foods that are close to their original form. 005 Vegetarian Fertility Tip 3 Cut Down on Sugar Limit your intake of sugar. Things such as coke, donuts, juice, cake should be stopped. An excess of sugar in your system can lead to Candidiasis or Candida. Vegetarian Fertility Tip #4 - Stop The Dairy If you a vegetarian and not a vegan, then you may be drinking lots of milk and eating lots of dairy products including cheese. Non-organic milk contains hormones, pus and can even contain traces of the drug that was injected into the cow. You don’t want these things in your system while you are trying to conceive. Foods rich in calcium include Vegetarian Fertility Tip 5 Eat More Raw and Organic Foods Cooking foods destroys much of the valuable vitamins and trace minerals in them. By eating foods raw and organic you are eating them as a nature intended and without any harmful pesticides or herbicides. Pesticides and herbicides can lead to infertility problems. 006 Vegetarian Fertility Tip 6 Drink Lots of Water Water is crucial to sperm motility and the functioning of many processed within your body including conception. Make sure you are drinking at least 6-8 glasses a day. As a general rule of thumb your urine should be clear. Vegetarian Fertility Tip 7 Limit Your Intake of Soy This tip may come as a shock to you, but most soy is genetically modified. Soy also has hormone mimicking effects and can disrupt the normal functioning of your body. Opt for alternatives to soy products and limit their intake. STOP LOOKING FOR ANSWERS. Find out how I got pregnant naturally after trying both Clomid and IVF without success. CURE INFERTILITY and GET PREGNANT in as little as 4-6 MONTHS FROM NOW with my #1 bestselling fertility book - the http:// www.OrganicFertilityBible.com. CLICK HERE to Download your copy of the Organic Fertility Bible Now. 007 Are Vegetarian Diets Optimal For Children’s Health? When someone says I am a Vegan or Vegetarian, what comes to mind first? Let me guess, a person that doesn’t eat meat right? Well, part of that is true but there are different types of Vegetarians, such as Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians, Vegans, and Macrobiotic diets. A Lacto-Ovo Vegan doesn’t eat meat or fish but eats dairy and eggs. A Vegan excludes all meats, fish, dairy, eggs, and no animal products, this is the type of Vegetarian most of us refer to. Macrobiotic diets are not necessarily vegetarian, but are largely based on grains, legumes, and vegetables. Although I am not a huge fan of vegan diets, I am not one to say they can’t work. A well-balanced vegetarian diet should pay particular attention to the following sources: adequate protein intake, essential fatty acids, iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamins B and D. 008 Supplementation may be required in cases of strict vegetarian diets with no intake of animal products. If done right, then there are positive outcomes from vegan diets and at the end of the day if you are a vegan and live a healthy lifestyle, than more power to you. Now, the real question is, are vegetarian diets optimal for children’s health? Before we begin with this topic, coming from my biased opinion, I do not agree with parents raising their young children on vegan diets for several reasons. A very important reason is the fact that parents lack giving their children a nutritious diet as it is, let alone a vegan diet which is supposed to be stricter and could lead to more health and deficiency problems down the road if done wrong. Are Essential Fatty Acids and Amino Acids important for children’s growth? Absolutely they are, our body does not naturally produce them and a child is not going to go and buy their selves some fish oil and BCAA’s at a vitamin store to supplement with. Since vegan diets exclude animal proteins and fish, where do the fatty acids and Amino Acids come from? That is the biggest problem. They do not come from anywhere because most parents are not aware of how critical these nutrients are for optimal growth and overall health. If parents aren’t aware of the importance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 and Amino Acids, than how is a child supposed to know that? The human brain needs the major essential long chain fatty acids known as “DHA” and “EPA,” which are found in omega-3 for proper development. There is a handful of research to support that theory. Do children using vegan diets have Vitamin and mineral deficiencies that can lead to lack of growth? Energy Expenditure, also known as the “Metabolic Rate” can be at risk with restrictive vegan diets, due to the lack of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients being provided. Many vegan dieters become Copper toxic and Zinc deficient, do to not getting the right amounts of animal proteins the body needs. These deficiencies can cause what is known as “Brain Fog,” which is a fuzzy feeling you get in your brain from time to time. Eventually this can potentially lead to chemical imbalances in the human body and digestion problems. (1)In a study conducted by Roberts et al. and Campbell et al. states that severe malnutrition has been reported in infants and toddlers fed inappropriate vegetarian diets as well as deficiencies of iron, vitamin B-12, and vitamin D. So, the greater the variety of foods that make up the diet, the better the chances that all the nutrients will be provided. (2) In another study found in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Hebbelinck et al. concluded that a Lacto-Ovo vegetarian diet sustains adequate physical growth and maturation. Some of the vegetarian subjects, however, appear to have had difficulty meeting the energy requirements. Basically if the vegan diet is done the right way, then children can have optimal growth and not have any vitamin and mineral deficiencies, but they may lack energy. 009 What other deficiencies can potentially occur if a child is fed a vegan diet? Nutrition for kids is more vital than it is for adults, due to the fact they have to grow and mature into adults at some point in time. When children are growing up, they are in such a tender stage of development for their brain, muscles, and bones. Every bit of quality nutrition is critical for proper growth and parents need to understand that, bottom line! There has also been research that when mother’s being pregnant and on a vegan diet, the baby can be born with undeveloped brains and their central nervous systems are starving due to not getting the proper vitamins, minerals, and nutrients through proper diet during the pregnancy term. An undeveloped brain can then lead to learning disabilities. Some symptoms to watch out for in the children, if fed a vegan diet are: Short term memory loss, cold hands and feet due to not getting the proper amounts of nutrients from animal fats to support the adrenalin and thyroid functions, and sleep disorders. 010 Can vegan diets lead to child obesity? Depending on what kind of vegan diet is being provided, sure a child can put on fat through a vegan diet. If the parent’s are just feeding their children “High Glycemic Carbs” and no proteins or fats, than that can cause a huge insulin spike and most likely go to your fat cells rather than your muscle cells and then be stored and lead to fat gain. It all really depends on how educated the parents are, if they are keeping a good balance of macronutrients, especially rich proteins high in Leucine content and fibrous carbs than the child should be fine. Also I would hope the child is doing some sort of physical activity and not living a sedentary lifestyle sitting and playing video games all day. Sugar consumption, well we can’t leave that out of the equation now can we. Most vegetarians don’t even know they are pre-diabetic and continuously eat refined sugars and alternative sweeteners without even knowing it. Well, we should all know by now that sugar is the devil, and does lead to fat gain, and if you are pre-diabetic then you are only going to make matters worse. What do children love the most? Nine out of ten times it’s good old sugar, and some more sugar. So, if parents are feeding their children adequate amounts of sugar daily, even through a vegan diet, then the children will gain fat and may lead to diabetes down the road. With all this said, are vegetarian diets optimal for children’s health? In my humble opinion I do not agree with them, but if done properly and the children are monitored for symptoms and are living a healthy active lifestyle, than it should be fine. Someone once told me that vegan diets will become more popular in the future, but I have to disagree respectively do to all the studies and research that show animal fats and animal proteins are the key to longevity and muscle growth. At the end of the day everyone is going to live their life the way they choose too, whether that’s through a paleo diet, zone diet, vegan diet, or regular diets. Whatever makes that person happy is all that really matters, but for the sake of children not having control of what they eat is wrong. Parent’s need to educate themselves regardless of the circumstances, it doesn’t matter if you are a vegan or not, the bottom line is to feed your children the right nutrients their bodies need for proper brain development and overall growth. References: (1) Roberts IF, West RJ, Ogilvie D, Dillon MJ, Malnutrition in infants receiving cult diets: a form of child abuse. Br Med J 1979; 1: 296-8. Campbell M, Lofters WS, Gibbs WN.Rastafarianism and the vegan syndrome. Br Med J 1982;285: 1617-8 (2) Hebbelinck M. et al. Growth, development, and physical fitness of flemish vegetarian children, adolescents, and young adults. American J of clinical Nutrition. “Live A Dynamic Lifestyle” 011 How to Make Exciting Vegetable Pizzas If you thought that the only exciting pizzas were the ones smothered in beef, pepperoni, fish, or seafood, you might be surprised to discover that a vegetable pizza recipe can be just as delicious as its meat or fish counterpart. There are lots of types of pizza and vegetable pizza is actually one of the more popular kinds. 012 The key to making mouthwatering vegetable pizzas is to choose the vegetables carefully and choose your seasonings even more carefully. For example, a pizza topped with vegetables and nothing else is never going to be exciting. A pizza flavored with vegetables and spices or herbs will be better. Use a delicious pizza sauce as well and your pizza is sure to be popular. How to Add Flavor to Your Pizza If you are going to use vegetables as your pizza topping and no meat or fish, you can be bold with your choice of pasta sauce. Perhaps you fancy a creamy white pasta sauce with plenty of garlic, or maybe a spicy tomato sauce with chilies appeals to your adventurous nature. You might want to use plenty of cheese to complement the vegetable flavor, in which case what about putting half the cheese under the vegetables and half on top? Combine a couple of different cheeses, if you want to, or try something new. What about using a strong flavored blue cheese on your vegetarian pizza, or goat’s cheese? These cheeses are great with any vegetables so feel free to experiment. Making a homemade pizza dough recipe adds to the appeal of any pizza. You can choose from a whole wheat crust, an herb or spice one, a fluffy thick dough, a crispy thin base, or something different. Think about your planned pizza toppings and decide what kind of pizza sauce and crust would go nicely. 013 International Vegetable Pizza Recipes You can make international pizzas just with vegetables. For example, if you have an eggplant to use up, you could team it with feta cheese and olives for a Greek touch or with curry powder, spinach, and potatoes for an Indian style pizza. If you are going to use sliced plum tomatoes, add chopped onion, plenty of mozzarella and some fresh basil leaves for an authentic Italian pizza recipe. If you are planning to make a traditional Italian pizza, by the way, use a thin and crispy crust for it. Why not experiment with fusion style vegetarian pizzas? You can combine popular Mexican vegetables like tomatoes, corn, and avocado with Indian spices like curry powder and turmeric for a tasty finish, or pretty much any chopped vegetables with any fresh herbs. Grill the vegetables before making the pizza to bring out their flavor and give them a mouthwatering smoky taste. Try using parsley, cilantro, thyme, oregano, dill, marjoram, or mint to add flavor to vegetable pizzas. You can either stick with one herb or combine different ones. Herbs de Provence adds a taste of France to your pizza recipe and there are other readymade herb or spice mixes that you can play around with, in order to maximize the flavor of your vegetable pizza recipe. Of all the different types of pizza, vegetable pizza is perhaps the most tricky to make interesting. Start off with the best pizza dough recipe and top it with a delicious sauce plus tasty, healthy vegetables for a winning meal. GreatPizzaRecipes.com You Make the Pizza, We Help You Make It Great! 014 How to Quickly Prepare a Tasty BBQ Vegetarian Dish 015 We all know that having a barbecue has become a sort of cultural ritual in the modern society. Indeed, some people spend hours and even days on choosing the right foodstuffs and ingredients and on preparing the most delicious sauce. Those who prefer having a healthy organic diet can also enjoy some great BBQ vegetarian dishes that can be prepared quite quickly and without the usual ritual meat eaters perform. Step number one is to pick as many fresh vegetables as you like. You can opt for the ones you love most or experiment with some new ones that might taste excellently when grilled. If you prefer to have the traditional tofu you can add it to the BBQ vegetarian dish as well. After washing the vegetables well, you have to slice them along with the tofu into moderately sized pieces. You can choose from a wide range of marinades depending on your preferences. A traditional one requires the juice of half a lemon, two tablespoons of olive oil, one or two cloves of garlic and a tablespoon of oregano. You can use these proportions to make larger quantities of the mixture. The slices should stay in the marinade for around half an hour and then put them on wooden skewers. The grilling should be no more than five to ten minutes on each side. Remember to brush some olive oil on the grill beforehand. If you would like to prepare more sophisticated BBQ vegetarian dishes you should visit a website presenting a wide variety of barbecue recipes. It is best to get your information from a trusted source in order to avoid disappointment. The sites on which people share their favorite BBQ vegetarian recipes seem to offer the most useful and delicious ideas since the dishes presented have been cooked and rated accordingly. You will also get additional tips on the preparation, which is also particularly valuable. There is no reason to exclude vegetarians from the grand traditional bbq. Learn all the tricks of the trade and wow all your friends no matter their culinary traditions in all things bbq, from a great website with loads of tips and tricks at [http://bestbbqrecipes.info]. 016 Making a Relationship Work With a Non-Vegetarian We’re all people here. No matter whether we’re meat-eaters or strictly vegetarians, at the end of the day we want a relationship with someone that will make us happy. But sometimes things can become tricky depending on whether your stances on meat consumption differ. Can you be a vegetarian and live with someone who isn’t? Here’s some things to consider. First, are you just now starting a relationship or have you been with this person for a long time? Secondly, are you just now becoming a vegetarian or have you always been a vegetarian? These two questions go a long way to understand a few things. If you’ve been with someone for a long time and they’ve always eaten meat while you haven’t, chances are you’ve found some way to co-exist (we’ll get to that in a bit). If, however, you’ve been with someone for a long time and just now made the switch, things may be significantly more complicated, partly due to your change not just affecting you but also your partner. If they don’t support your decision, prepare for a rough ride. One of the biggest things to understand in a mixed-food relationship is that you can’t decide what your partner will believe, no matter how close the two of you have gotten. This makes it critical to have a discussion early on to determine what each of you believe regarding the consumption of meat or animal products and animal rights in general. Changing that belief isn’t really something you can instantly do, so if that’s going to be a problem going into a relationship, don’t bother. If the change is one that’s happened alter and it bothers you, you’re probably going to have to decide which is more important to you between your beliefs and your partner. Still, if you can live with someone who differs from you diet-wise then it doesn’t take much to balance things out for the both of you. When making vegetarian-only dishes at home, have some meat in the freezer just in case your partner would prefer to supplement the meal. When going out to eat, let them pick the restaurant half of the time so that they can go someplace they still enjoy. Striking this balance of beliefs is crucial for the relationship to continue on. Just go into this delicate situation realizing that you aren’t dealing with just anyone here; you’re dealing with the person you love or intend to love. If their beliefs keep you from doing that, you’re in for a world of hurt. But if you have a mutual respect and care for each other equally, things can and will work out. For more on living a vegetarian lifestyle or finding a vegetarian diet that works for you, head over to VegOnline.org today! 017 018 Six Tips for Vegetarian Cooking on a Tight Budget Sometimes vegetarian recipes have the reputation of being only for wealthy people who can afford to shop at fancy grocery stores and indulge in special products. It is true that buying organic food and loading up on fake meats marketed toward vegetarians can drive up costs, but the veggie lifestyle does not have to be expensive. Here are some tried and true tips for vegetarian recipes on a limited budget. 019 1. Find a local produce market. Many cities, and even some small towns, have produce markets that sell fruits, vegetables, and even some staples at significantly reduced prices compared to regular grocers. One trick is to buy items that are in season, as the prices are always lower. Buy turnips in October and strawberries in July. 2. Purchase nuts and legumes in bulk. Peanuts, almonds, lentils, pulses, beans, and other sources of protein are critical in the vegan diet. To get the best deal, find a store that sells these legumes out of bulk bins. This allows customers to buy only the amount they need, and some local shops will even weigh and mark a regular customer’s empty containers for easy refilling. Although dry beans require soaking in advance, it is always cheaper to buy them in bulk than to opt for canned goods. 3. Befriend oatmeal. One of most versatile breakfast foods, oatmeal is unbelievably cheap and can be dressed up to keep it from getting boring. Instead of buying packets of previously sweetened oatmeal, stick with canisters of quick oats. These can sometimes be found for as little as one buck at the dollar store. Simply add in raisins, bananas, honey, cinnamon, or even peanut butter for variety. 4. Limit fake meats, or stick with tofu. With many people becoming vegetarian in recent years, companies are offering more meat substitutes for vegetarian recipes. Most are processed convenience foods that, albeit vegetarian, are not especially healthy. When cooking a vegetarian meal on a budget, one alternative is to use tofu, which is typically more affordable than seitan and other popular meat replacements. Tofu is indispensable because it assumes the flavors around it and can easily be doctored by marinating it in a favorite sauce or other condiment. 5. Bake bread at home. Bread from the bakery is fast and often tasty, but spending three dollars a loaf is not necessary when simple cheap breads can be made at home. Irish soda bread, for example, can be mixed together with little more than self-rising flour and some buttermilk, meaning that multiple loaves can be prepared for the cost of a single store brand loaf. 6. Make vegetarian recipes in advance and freeze them. To benefit from large purchases that often yield savings, a shopper may end up with more ingredients than needed for one meal. Preparing meals on a Sunday for the whole week is a method familiar to many busy moms and working professionals who are pressed for time, but it also saves money. In the case of vegetarian recipes, stews, soups, bean casseroles, and other dishes can be prepared in large batches and refrigerated or frozen for later use. Even some typical convenience foods, like frozen bean burritos, can assembled and bagged for easy microwaving later. Making six burritos at home and freezing them is bound to be cheaper than buying six individual burritos that were made in a factory, and they will taste better too. 020 Vegetarian and Vegan Bodybuilding 021 Just because you want to take up Bodybuilding, doesn’t mean that you need to eat lots of meat, or in fact, any meat. If you are a vegetarian or vegan then chances are you have taken the decision to not eat meat, fish and maybe eggs or any other animal products. Whether your choice is down to ethics or you just do not like the taste or the idea of meat and fish, do not let anyone tell you that you need to give up and eat meat in order to build your body. Here are some of the things to consider if you are a vegetarian or vegan and have decided to take up bodybuilding. Make sure that you are getting enough calories. If you have eaten a vegetarian or vegan diet for some time then chances are you will not have any problems eating, but you may well need to increase your calorie intake. A deficit in calories when training hard will only leave you feeling tired and drained and will cause you to breakdown any muscle that you are trying to build. One easy way to increase your calorific intake in a safe way would be to eat small snacks spread throughout the day. Eating a banana or an apple or even a couple of whole wheat biscuits with a spoonful of peanut butter for instance and if you eat dairy, consider natural yoghurt with some fruit. Like with all forms of exercise, you must keep your body’s fluid levels up by drinking plenty of water as becoming dehydrated can not only be dangerous but also will lower your body’s efficiency when using all of the nutrients that you have eaten. One fact that not a lot of people know is that a water molecule is required to break down the bond between two fat molecules. 022 Eating plenty of protein is also very important for bodybuilding. Some will claim that the best way to eat protein is to eat meat, but this argument is scientifically floored as gram for gram, many vegetables contain more protein than meat as many meats contain a high water content. Free range eggs are of course a great source of proteins, especially the white part called the albumin. If you do not eat eggs then whey protein is also very good, although you must make sure that the whey that you use comes from a vegetarian source. For Vegans there are also some great alternatives to eggs and whey and these include refined protein isolates such as Soya protein, Rice protein and Hemp protein powders. All of these are very easy for the body to digest and can be mixed to make the most of all of their nutrients. Of the 3, Soya is the most complete protein powder as it contains all of the essential amino acids required by the human body. Of course, any Soya protein powder that you choose to use should ideally be from an organic source. Ensure that the bodybuilding supplements that you use are suitable for vegetarian and/or vegan diets. Just because a supplement contains all vegetarian or vegan products doesn’t mean that it is not wrapped in a gelatine capsule. Choose a bodybuilding supplement such as BodyCheck, which is suitable for Vegetarian, Vegan, Halal and Kosher diets, and has the added benefit of not only helping to increase your endurance but to help aid recovery also with a selection of natural anti-inflammatory herbal extracts. For some more tips visit Vegetarian Bodybuiling HD Come and see our website over at https://vegetarianbodybuildinghd.wordpress.com 023 How to Prevent & Heal from Colds & Flu, Naturally! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBkiDj7is-Y&list=UUosk66_4CzCMrNshkqZPAeA For more great Vegan Recipes and videos be sure to subscribe to Eco Vegan Girl’s YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/user/EcoVeganGal?feature=watch 024 Vegetarian Protein Sources 025 For those of you who have adopted a vegetarian lifestyle, or are considering one, you have surely heard the tales of how a vegetarian diet offers too little protein to be healthy. Well, since I have met and know many healthy vegetarians, I can assure you that this is not the case. Vegetarianism offers diets rich in all of the necessary vitamins and minerals, including an ample supply of protein. How Much Protein Do I Need? According to the American Food and Drug Administration, our recommended daily allowance for protein is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight. For a 135 pound person, that is approximately 49 grams of protein. This is an easily achievable target by anyone adhering to a healthy vegetarian diet plan. Protein Sources in Food So, what are the best sources of protein for a vegetarian? I have listed below some foods that contain all of the essential amino acids, which means they are complete proteins and therefore are every bit as healthy as any meat product you will find. 026 Beans We have a variety of beans to choose from: Garbanzo beans, Lentils, Kidney beans Lima beans, Split peas, and Navy beans. Beans are great for soups, salads, or by themselves. Just one cup of black beans provides 15 grams of protein making them one of the best protein sources for a veggie diet. Soy I mention the soybean separate from the other types of beans, because it surpasses all other food plants in the amount of protein that it provides. In fact, its bioavailability is equal or better than many meats. It has become the staple food of many vegetarian diets. Nuts For those who love nuts, there are many different types. Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, chestnuts, macadamia, walnuts, and peanuts (my favorite) are all good choices for protein. With the large variety of nuts and their many uses, you should have no trouble getting adequate protein. 027 Grains No vegetarian diet would be complete without grains. Types of grains include oatmeal, barley, wild rice, and rye. These grains can be found in a variety of foods. Look for whole grains in pasta and breads. Many people get the majority of their grains for breakfast in their cereals and even their bagels. It is best to look for 100% whole grains when you are making these selections to avoid those that are overly processed. Seeds Great for toppings on your salads or just a snack by themselves, seeds such as sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower are great sources of protein. One of my favorites is flaxseed, which is great for topping your cereal in the morning and along with protein is a great source for your omega fatty acids. Natural Protein Supplementation Although a balanced vegetarian diet offers more than enough protein for anyone’s needs, some may choose to supplement their diets. This is most often done because of food preferences or for athletic endeavors. Probably the most popular vegetarian protein supplement is TVP, or texturized vegetable protein. TVP has been around for years and is excellent for supplementing your healthy diet plan. It has a “meaty” texture, which some like and can be used in soups, pizzas, casseroles, and many other prepared meals. Additional supplements include soy protein powders and whey protein powders. Each offers an excellent blend of amino acids and is a readily bioavailable protein, but on the whole, we do not think these are necessary for the average person. They are merely a preference for some. Vegetarianism is a natural and healthy lifestyle choice that can be every bit as healthy and fortifying as diets with meat and dairy. So, the next time someone perpetuates the myth of inadequate protein in vegetarian diets, make sure to challenge them on the greater array of protein sources your diet has over theirs! Alden Pennington is co-author of NaturalHealthLifestyles. com and has been a natural health enthusiast for many years. Alden graduated from the University of Kentucky and is currently a Human Resources Director with a keen focus on the company wide health and wellness program. http://www.NaturalHealthLifestyles.com 028 The Organic Garden http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d39tgJ8fsNc For more videos from My Garden School, subscribe to their YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/user/MyGardenSchool?feature=watch 029 Vegetarian Ultralight Backpacking Recipes Ultralight backpacking recipes ideally don’t involve cooking, because if you really want to go light, you won’t be bringing a stove. The simple recipes that follow, then, are healthy, light, and simple to make without any need to cook. They are also vegetarian (but not vegan). Hummus and Tortilla Chips The combination of hummus and whole-corn tortilla chips is not only delicious, but it gives you a fair amount of protein. Mixing beans with whole grains has been known for years as one of the easiest ways for vegetarians to get relatively highquality protein. What makes this simple recipe especially practical, is there are now several brands of powdered hummus mix. You just add water to some, or water and olive oil. The latter can be carried in a small plastic bottle. 030 Wilderness Salad The more adventurous hikers who are willing to get educated will like this one. First, it requires that you learn about some of the basic wild edible plants that can be used in a salad. For example, on many hikes you will walk past dandelions which have edible leaves, wild roses that have edible flower petals, and various plants in the mustard family that have edible seed pods and leaves. Collecting as you hike, you can quickly gather enough for a salad with lunch. Before you leave for your trip, get a couple packets of a decent salad dressing to bring with you. If you can’t find a place to purchase these, order a salad at a fast food restaurant and ask for an extra packet or two of dressing. Alternately, you can carry a small amount of olive oil in a plastic bottle, and bring a lime. The juice from a third of a lime mixed with a tablespoon or two of olive oil makes a great dressing. The unused part of the lime can usually be kept in a plastic bag for a couple days without refrigeration. To really dress up the salad, add some sunflower seeds. You might also bring some croutons. Both of these are high in calories for their weight, making them ideal ultralight backpacking foods. Parmesan cheese can also be carried without refrigeration for a few days, and will make the salad even tastier while adding a bit of protein as well. Peanut Butter and Berries One of the more delicious sandwiches I have had consisted of peanut butter and wild blueberries. If you use whole-grain bread you are getting a good dose of protein. Other berries you could use include blackberries, June berries, raspberries, wild strawberries, and at least a dozen others if you are willing to take the time to learn about wild edible berries. One of the worst things about the typical backpacking diet is the lack of fresh plant foods, so berries - as well as the wild salad outlined above - are a healthy addition. Bread is harder to carry than many foods, of course, since it tends to get flattened in the pack. Pita bread might hold up better. You can also just put the peanut butter on whole wheat crackers and then top them with several berries each. These should get you started, and you can come up with your own vegetarian ultralight backpacking recipes fairly easily once you get past the idea that food has to be cooked. Notice too, that with the exception of adding parmesan cheese to the salad - if you wish - everything mentioned here is not only vegetarian, but vegan. Copyright Steve Gillman. For more Vegetarian Backpacking Recipes and to get the free version of the book “Ultralight Backpacking Secrets”(And Wilderness Survival Tips), as well as gear recommendations, and a new wilderness survival section, visit: http://www.theultralightbackpackingsite.com 031 032 World Wide Populations of Vegetarians 033 What do Brad Pitt, Bob Dylan, Pamela Anderson, Martina Navratilova, David Duchovny and Brigitte Bardot have in common? All are vegetarians. With the exception of India, it is estimated that about 1% of the global population abstains from meat, poultry, and fish, and that about 0.1% are vegans, avoiding all animal products. Yet these figures translate into about 60 million people worldwide, excluding India. A large 2008 study of vegetarians [Vegetarianism in America, published by Vegetarian Times] shows that 3.2 percent of U.S. adults (7.3 million people) follow a vegetarian-based diet. About 0.5 percent (1 million) of those are vegans, who consume no animal products whatsoever. In addition, 10 percent of U.S. adults (22.8 million people) say they follow a semi-vegetarian diet, which includes occasional consumption of fish. This study showed that of the non-vegetarians surveyed 5.2 percent, or 11.9 million people, are “definitely interested” in following a vegetarian diet in the future. This shows that many people believe a vegetarian diet is a healthy diet. The vegetarian study collected data on age, gender and other demographic factors revealing that: - 57.1 percent have followed a vegetarian diet for more than 10 years; 18 percent for 5 to 10 years; 10.8 percent for 2 to 5 years, 14.1 percent for less than 2 years. - 42.0 percent are age 18 to 34 years old; 40.7 percent are 35 to 54; and 17.4 percent are aged over 55. - 59 percent are female and 41 percent are male. The 2008 vegetarian study also showed that 53 percent of vegetarians eat a vegetarian diet to improve their overall health. Environmental factors were cited by 47 percent, 39 percent cited “natural approaches to wellness”, 54 percent cited animal welfare; 31 percent cited food-safety concerns, 25 percent cited weight loss, and 24 percent weight maintenance. In Western Europe the number of vegetarians varies between 2% and 4% of the population according to to a 2006 Mintel survey (Mintel. com), with the United Kingdom as the exception. The UK is shown as having the highest per capita vegetarians in Western Europe at 6% of the population. The large number of vegetarians in the UK is accounted for to some extent by health scares relating to mad cow disease. The number of vegetarians in Eastern Europe varies between 0.3%% and 1.9% of the population according Mintel, which is a much lower percentage compared to Western European countries. Regarding the rest of the world, data is incomplete and estimates vary between 0.2% and 4% vegetarians as a percentage of population, excluding India and Israel. Israel, at 8.5%, has the world’s second largest percent of vegetarians, according to the Israeli Ministry of Health, which equates to a remarkable 595,000 people in such a small country. India holds more vegetarians than the rest of the world combined. A 2006 survey by the Hindu newspaper found that 40 percent of the population, or 399 million people, are vegetarians. It is estimated that today, more than 400 million Indians are vegetarian, mostly driven by class and religious concerns, with the Brahmin class expected to not eat meat, the Hindu religion suggesting vegetarianism and the Jain religion demanding it. The Jain religion does not believe in harming other forms of life. With over 7 million members, they prohibit consumption of any kind of flesh, eggs, or honey; root vegetables (which might harm soil insects when harvested); and fruit or vegetables that have been on the ground, and those that are more than 3 days old (including pickles and preserves). Water must be boiled before drinking, and all liquids must be strained before consumption, usually with a cloth held over the mouth. 034 There are different types of vegetarians, depending on dietary restrictions. For example, some vegetarians exclude all cooked food, others may exclude milk or eggs, and so on. It is interesting to note that when vegetarians are compared with non-vegetarians in the same demographic (same socio-economic-cultural background), research shows that vegetarians are less healthy. In fact, peer-reviewed research shows that vegetarians have a higher incidence of cancer, dementia, obesity, heart disease, stroke, eating disorders, infertility and other ailments. The author, Russell Eaton, has made available a free ebook that explains why vegetarians are less healthy than their non-vegetarian peers. This free ebook “The Vegetarian Paradox” makes compelling reading and will be of special interest to anybody contemplating or following a vegetarian diet. Claim your free copy now by going to ==>> [http://www.the-vegetarian.com/ types-of-vegetarians.php] 035 Yoga and Vegetarianism 036 What Does Yoga Say About Vegetarianism? Yoga and non-harm towards all creatures are intimately linked together. This can be traced back to the influential Hindu text The Bhagavad Gita which states that One is dearest to God who has no enemies among the living beings, who is nonviolent to all creatures. This nonviolence towards all creatures, including animals, continued to spread over the centuries. This is especially true in India and the surrounding regions. Philosophies such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism promote non-violence, or Ahimsa. Ahimsa literally means not to cause pain. This includes pain towards humans and animals. In addition to physical pain, verbal pain must also be avoided under the principles of Ahimsa. According to The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the first limb of Ashtanga Yoga is Yama. Yama consists of non-violence, truthfulness, non-steadling, continence, and non-greed. Non-violence again translates to Ahimsa, or not causing pain. The sutras continue, Part II. 35 - “In the presence of one firmly established in non-violence, all hostilities cease.” In addition to these ancient texts, several famous men associated with yoga practiced and taught Ahimsa. The Buddha and Gandhi taught the virtues of nonviolence. It is important to note, however, that although these ancient texts do preach the importance of Ahimsa, or non-violence, nothing is said that relates Ahimsa to eating an animal that is already dead. And although texts such as the Bhagavad Gita does speak against eating meat, the practice is discouraged for health reasons. Of course, many people believe that eating meat is directly in contradiction to the principles of Ahimsa and therefore vegetarianism is the only option. For example, some Yoga Gurus believe teach that vegetarianism is a necessary part of life. Here are some quotes “If animals died to fill my plate, my head and my heart would become heavy with sadness”, says Guruji. “Becoming a vegetarian is the way to live in harmony with animals and the planet.” - B.K.S. Iyengar “The most important part of the yoga practice is eating a vegetarian diet.” -Sri K. Pattabhi Jois “Spiritual progress does demand at some stage that we should cease to kill our fellow creatures for the satisfaction of our bodily wants.” -Mahatma Gandhi, an avid vegetarian. 037 However, not all yoga gurus agree. For example T.K.V. Desikachar has said, Vegetarianism is not a prerequisite of the yogi. - T.K.V. Desikachar Additionally, it is widely known that the Dahali Lama is not a strict vegetarian for health reasons. And it is thought that the Buddha himself was not a strict vegetarian. To Eat Meat Or Not To Eat Meat... I strongly believe that this is a personal question and the answer greatly depends on factors only you can decide. I know many practitioners of yoga who have tried to eat a strict vegetarian diet but have found they did not thrive. I also know many people who are vegetarians and would never dream of eating meat again. It is important to remember that the concept of Ahimsa means much more than avoiding harm to animals. It means refraining from causing pain to any sentient creature. Pain can be caused by physical harm, the words you say to another person, and even the thoughts you think about another person. Again, Ahimsa is part of the first limb of Ashtanga yoga called Yama. In addition to non-violence, Yama also teaches: • Satya - To one established in truthfulness, actions and their results become subservient • Asteya - To one established in non-stealing, all wealth comes • Brahmacharya - By one established in continence, vigor is gained • Aparigraha - When non-greed is confirmed, a thorough illumination of the how and why of one’s birth comes As you can see, vegetarianism is not the only point, if the point at all, of Yama. If you are a meat eater, there are still hundreds of ways you can break Ahimsa everyday. But on the same token, if you are a vegetarian, there are still hundreds of ways you can break Ahimsa everyday. I believe that it is not prudent towards our spiritual development to get so caught up in the vegetarian question that it prohibits us from seeing the big picture of Ahimsa. If vegetarianism isn’t right for you, due to health reasons, access to food, religious beliefs, or whatever, than I believe there is no reason for you to stop practicing yoga. Many will disagree, but fortunately we are all able to make our own decisions regarding our bodies, and those who disagree must remember that spirituality is a uniquely individual pursuit, so what one person does has no bearing on what another does. 038 However, I want to Stress An Important Point About Animal Mistreatment If one does decides to eat meat, I do believe it’s important to know where your meat comes from and how it was treated before and during it’s slaughter. Unfortunately, factory farming has led to the disgusting abuse and mistreatment of animals solely for the purpose of feeding humans. I most definitely believe that this is wrong and completely goes against the principles of Ahimsa. I would avoid purchasing any meat made on factory farms. Unfortunately in America, this seems to be the vast majority of meat. Any time one goes to a restaurant or regular grocery store, chances are the meat for sale will have been raised and slaughtered on a factory farm. There are other options, however. Local, sustainable farmers often produce meat they will offer to the consumer for sale. Before purchasing your meat from a farmer, ask to see the farm and observe the treatment of the animals. Ask the farmer important questions, such as how they slaughter their meat, what they feed the animals, and how they animals are kept. And for those people who do not have access to a farm, stores such as Fresh Market, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods do offer some information about the treatment of their animals. Please contact the store manager for more information. It’s Our Decision and Our Responsibility If you are interested in reading more about the philosophy behind yoga, I would like to suggest reading and meditating on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. In the end, a decision so personal as what your use to sustain your body can only be made by you. For those who choose to be vegetarian, we must remember that this decision alone by no means satisfies the principle of Ahimsa. And for those who choose to eat meat, it’s important to be aware of the source of our meat and ensure ethical treatment of and respect for the animals who give us nourishment. Claire Austen blogs about yoga, meditation, and healthy living for a modern lifestyle at http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com
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