In our Western society, a common nutritional belief is that meat and animal products must be consumed in order to maintain a well-balanced, muscle-building healthy diet.
In most cases, if someone dares to stray away from this line of thinking, they’re immediately branded as being some sort of a hippie, or just downright weird.
Fortunately however, more and more people are starting to discover the many health benefits to be had from eating a vegetarian diet. On top of that, many doctors and other health professionals have begun prescribing vegetarian meals to people who are suffering from certain conditions.
Although vegetarianism may seem like a modern fad, in reality, its health benefits have been known for centuries in many cultures world-wide. India and many Asian countries make up the largest percentage of the world’s vegetarians, both for health and spiritual reasons. One group of people, the Hunza — who live near the Himalayan Mountains — have an exclusively vegetarian diet. Members of their community reportedly often live to be over 100 years old.
According to the American Dietetic Association, A vegetarian diet includes a number of benefits. These include: 1) reduced cholesterol; 2) reduced levels of saturated fat; 3) enhanced levels of important minerals and antioxidant vitamins; 4) lower body fat; 5) lower risk of heart disease; 6) lower blood pressure; 7) lower risk of type-2 diabetes; and 
lower instances of several cancers.
Obesity, one of the major health concerns in this country, can be addressed with a vegetarian diet, one that eliminates excess protein and animal fat consumption, and increases fiber in the form of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Those who consume a vegetarian diet maintain a lower body mass index (BMI), which significantly aids in the treatment and management of other chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes.
One of the biggest reasons for many people being hesitant to adopt a vegetarian diet is because they are concerned that their body won’t be getting a sufficient amount of protein. While this may be a perfectly valid concern, one also needs to bear in mind that a balanced vegetarian diet provides your body with all the protein it needs.
In fact, meat-based diets typically provide excess protein, which may actually be harmful. A leading gerontological journal reports that too much protein can cause a person to lose about 30% of their kidney function by the time they become elderly. It can also cause systemic acidity, which the body attempts to counter by pulling calcium out of the bones. This can, unfortunately, lead to osteoporosis.
Switching to a vegetarian diet doesn’t mean your meals will only consist of celery sticks, apples and nuts. After all, thousands of people eat vegetarian meals in a number of combinations. These would include, but are not limited to:
Lacto vegetarians, who do not eat meat or eggs, but do eat dairy products such as milk and cheese.
Lacto-ovo vegetarians do not eat meat, but will eat dairy products and eggs.
Ovo vegetarians do not eat meat or dairy products, but will eat eggs.
Vegans do not eat meat, dairy products, eggs, or any animal products at all.
Now more than ever before, there are a growing number of health organizations endorsing the benefits to be had by changing to a vegetarian diet, or at least one which contains primarily plant based foods.
Also, the number of restaurants and supermarkets that provide vegetarian meals and products has grown exponentially in recent times.
Research and information exists out there on the internet, as well as through medical providers and vegetarian organizations.
The truth of the matter is; a vegetarian diet is perfectly healthy for you, and in fact, it may even end up saving your life one day.
Tap into Charles Carr’s extensive cooking experience as a home cook, and what he has learn from a few master chefs by getting free access to his vegetarian guide. Also, here’s a free limited report Master Chef Secrets on how you can save a ton of money on your culinary equipment.
Filed under Vegetarian Recipes by on Jul 28th, 2010. Comment. 
We’re all fighting the ravages of time. But, what if time did not have to be so ravaging? Antioxidants could be the answer to aid your body grow old gracefully, strong, and fit.
What are antioxidants?
We now know what super foods are so it’s time to define antioxidants. Antioxidants are things that fight free radical damage in the body. This begs the next query:
What are free radicals?
Here is the down and dirty explanation. The body utilizes food nutrients at a cellular level to drive many reactions that goes on in the body. This is termed cellular metabolism or respiration. Free radicals are by-products created by these reactions. In the body, these materials bump into organs, vessels and everything else, damaging them in the procedure. That’s why the body ages, and not always very gracefully.
Free radicals can come from not just the body but also the surroundings. Pollution, smoking, stress, drugs, alcohol, and any other sources all feed into the damage that causes us to age. Antioxidants aid by neutralizing the effects of these rogue particles. You’re less vulnerable to disease, wrinkles, age spots, arthritis, and the list continues.
Antioxidants Foods
What foods can you take to get the most of the antioxidant benefit? As it stands, there’re no suggestions so far as the quantity of antioxidants you need to take daily. Suffice it to say, eat as much as you can not just for anti-aging effects but also for in general good health. Let’s have a look at a few antioxidant foods:
Berries – The finest berry for antioxidants is believed to be blueberries, but strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries are also effective alternatives to get your fill of antioxidants. The rule is always eat the most colorful fruit and veggies for the most antioxidants. Even a half cup daily on your cereal is a nice start in raising your antioxidants.
Grapes – The skins of the red grape contain an antioxidant material called resveratrol. This is one reason why it’s recommended that people drink a glass of red wine every evening for their health. Naturally, snacking on a plate of red grapes is also considered pretty healthy. Make sure not to peel the grapes; if you are feeding a young kid grapes, simply cut the grapes in halves or quarters so that the skins slide down easier.
Prunes – Prunes are great to get the digestive system flowing. But, prunes also offer a great boost to the immune system. And, no, you do not need to drink that rather unpleasant juice if you do not wish to. Snacking on 2 or 3 prunes a day is much more appealing to most of the people.
Pumpkins and Carrots – A popular antioxidant substance is beta-carotene. They improve eye health, immunity and aid with cellular repair. You will see a common component here – orange color. Again, the more colorful the vegg., the more antioxidant power. Buy pie-pumpkins when you can, cut and roast them simply like squash and keep a bag of fresh carrots cut and ready to munch on.
Beans – Filled with protein, they work to construct muscle and lower cholesterol. Replace meat in your diet a few times a week with a hearty black bean soup, red beans and rice casserole, or 3 bean salad, and your antioxidants will be jumping right off the scale. Beans aren’t just protein packed, but they’re also a vegetable, so you’re meeting several food requirements as well.
What are you eating? Is your food aging you or is your food aiding you recapture your youth? Antioxidant super foods can slow the aging process so you live healthy and live long!
Do you want to Discover More? Click Here for FREE veggie recipes and information: Vegetarian Weight Loss Diet Unique version for reprint here: How To Combat The Negative Effects Of Time With A Few Admired Super Foods.
Filed under Vegetarian Diet Plan by on Jul 28th, 2010. Comment.
Healthy options inspired by vegetarian cooking are often the most important consideration for those who are convinced that amino acids and the types of protein common in the fleshy foods we eat from animals are unnecessary, possibly detrimental to our wellbeing.
There is no universal agreement about which foods from the plant kingdom (and which cooking methods) are most suitable for a vegetarian to consume. There are some who have allergies and cannot eat meat products. They have little or no choice other than to follow a prescribed diet based upon vegetarian cooking to ensure their good health.
Others may choose to follow a meat-free regime for a variety of reasons which are based on the individual’s religious principles or other lifestyle choices. A common example would be someone who has decided that breeding animals for the express purpose of killing and eating them is ethically wrong, and chooses instead to eat only vegetables: some would define this as Vegan rather than Vegetarian.
Every religion considers Life to be something sacred: this is expressed in one way or another in all forms of prayer. Buddhism is almost synonymous with pacifism, and as a consequence many practitioners opt for a simple vegetarian existence.
We can enjoy many vegetables as soon as they have been dug up, or cut down. These are generally defined as salad vegetables, and usually need nothing more than the soil washed away, sometimes followed by peeling off a thin outer layer.
Vegetables with a more solid consistency, such as potatoes and other root vegetables, cannot be enjoyed in a raw state and must therefore be cooked. Stewed, steamed and baked recipes are the most popular: a purist might not wish to fry or roast vegetables as there is a possibility that the oil used for this method of cooking could potentially come at least in part from animal sources.
With this in mind, it can be stated with confidence that the chapter which helps the cook to select the best from a wide range of special sauces to pour over the meal is arguably the most significant section of any Vegetarian Cooking handbook.
Discover how to cook vegetarian meals the easy way. Discover the tips and techniques to becoming a vegetarian and cooking healthy and delicious vegetarian. Check out the best vegetarian cookbooks containing an abundance of delicious recipes sure to please the whole family. For some mouth-watering recipes, visit Delicious Vegetarian Recipes.
Filed under Vegetarian Recipes by on Jul 16th, 2010. Comment.
Kosharee is a very healthy Egyptian dish. It’s 100% vegetarian and very tasty. A mixture of lentils and rice, you’ll definitely love this dish. Oh, did I mention that it’s made of cheap ingredients?
Rice And Lentils Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup rice
1 cup brown lentils
1 big onion finely chopped
oil and salt for taste
paprika and spices of your choice (optional)
1 Maggie cube (optional)
Macaroni Ingredients:
1/2 packet macaroni
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
water sufficient for boiling the macaroni
oil
salt
Tomato Sauce Ingredients:
3 big tomatoes beaten in the blender with little water
3 tablespoons preserved tomato sauce
5 cloves chopped garlic
4 big tablespoons vinegar
1 glass of water
3 tablespoons oil
salt for taste
Kamounnia Sauce Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic chopped
1/4 glass of water
1 tablespoon cumin powder
2 tablespoons vinegar
oil
salt for taste
Onion Slices Ingredients:
1 large onion thinly sliced
shallow oil for frying
Rice And Lentils Method:
1. Clean, wash and soak the rice in water for an hour and then drain well. Clean and wash the brown lentils then boil them until nearly tender. Keep aside and don’t throw lentil boiling water. Fry the onions that are finely chopped in little oil. Add the paprika and spices of your choice. Add the rice that was washed and drained well. Add the semi-boiled lentils and stir slowly, then add the lentil water, one Maggie cube and salt. Water should only cover the rice and lentils. Wait until you see water bubbles, then cover well and cook on very low heat for 1/2 hour. Keep aside.
2. Macaroni Method:
Boil the Macaroni with 1 tablespoon oil and salt. Drain well and keep aside.
3. Tomato Sauce Method:
Stir garlic in oil for 2 min., then add the tomato juice, water, preserved tomato sauce, salt and vinegar. Cook on medium heat for 1/2 an hour and add water if needed. Don’t add water after 1/2 an hour and leave it until the sauce thickens. Keep aside. You can use part of this sauce to put on the macaroni.
4. Kammounia Method:
Stir garlic with cumin powder in oil for 3 min. Add 1/4 cup of water and let it boil for 10 min on medium heat. Add vinegar and salt according to taste. Keep aside
5. Onion Slices Method:
Cut onions into thin slices and shallow fry them until they become dark brown. Keep aside.
6. Preparing one Kosharee plate: In a dish put the lentils and rice first. Then the macaroni and finally the brown onion slices. Serve with tomato and Kammounia sauce.
Note: Sometimes Kosharee rice is cooked separately from the lentils but I prefer this method. Also, you might add some boiled chickpeas.
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Filed under Vegetarian Recipes by on Jul 14th, 2010. Comment.
Give me 10 minutes and I’ll provide you 1 very good reason to become vegetarian.
While fish can serve as the major dietary way to obtain the long-chain omega-3s eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which were shown to be essential in supporting brain health, low intake of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in vegetarians won’t adversely affect mood, as reported by a new research (Nutr J. 2010;9:26. DOI:10.1186/1475-2891-9-26).
A research team from Arizona State University conducted a cross-sectional study that compares the mood of vegetarians who never eat fish with the mood of healthy omnivorous adults.
An overall total of 138 healthy Seventh Day Adventist adults living in Arizona and California (64 vegetarians and 79 non-vegetarians) were enrolled in the study and completed a health history questionnaire, food frequency questionnaire and 2 psychometric tests, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and also the Profile of Mood States..
Vegetarians had significantly lower mean intakes of eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and also the omega-6 arachidonic acid; they had higher intakes of the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid and the omega-6 linoleic acid.
“Seed oils are the richest sources of linolenic acid, notably those of rapeseed (canola), soybeans, walnuts, flaxseed (Linseed oil), clary sage seeds, perilla, chia, and hemp.”
However, the vegetarians also reported even less negative emotion than omnivores in both psychometric tests. Mean total psychometric scores were positively linked to the mean intakes of eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid , and inversely associated with alpha-linolenic acid and linolenic acid intake.
The study team noted there is also the possibility that vegetarians may make better dietary choices and may generally be healthier and happier.
If you want to try it out, here’s a good example of vegetarian recipe based on Italian cuisine
Italian Spaghetti with Zucchini
Ingredients:
* 17 oz. Spaghetti
* 24 oz. Of thin sliced zucchini
* 1 / 2 cup walnuts oil
* Some basil leaves
* 2 tablespoons of yeast flakes
* Salt and pepper
In a large skillet heat the oil and when hot, add garlic and zucchini. Raise heat and stir often to finish their cooking. They should be golden and crispy outside and tender inside. Cook the pasta, drain and sauté in pan with zucchini, basil and yeast. Serve immediately.
Zucchini contain fewer calories and possess no fat. But they are a good source of potassium, vitamin e, ascorbic acid, folate, lutein and zeaxanthin.
Most of these nutrients are very sensitive to heat and to enjoy their full benefits you need to look for a quick solution to cook or even eat raw in salads.
From the therapeutic point of view, zucchini have laxative, refreshing, anti-inflammatory, diuretic and detoxifying action.
About the Author – Louise Infante writes for the sample vegetarian menu blog , her personal hobby blog focused entirely on vegetarian cooking tips to help individuals live better.
Filed under Vegetarian Eating, Vegetarian Recipes by on Jul 9th, 2010. Comment.
