Vegetarian Diet

Vegetarian Diet

For years we have known the positive effects of the Vegetarian Diet. It was in the 1960’s that I recall it for the first time, the sixties was a time when free love and everything natural was in fashion. We protested the Vietnam War, danced at Woodstock, burned our bras and gave up meat. Hippies were the youth of the time and were greatly influenced by Asian and East Indian culture.

The new Vegetarian Diet was aromatic, savory, was out of the norm, helped us get healthy and best of all upset our parents. As responsible parents we were used to consuming large amounts of red meat and fats and fed our children in abundance because that was the way of our grandparents. The depression of their time had left them with the idea that we needed so much to survive. We didn’t know at that time we were doing more harm than good. Our meat 100 years ago wasn’t loaded with chemicals and hormones, but technology had made it all different by adding this and that to everything consumable, just to add more of a shelf life.

This diet seemed to be the answer to all the problems. People started to grow their food thus returning to the old ways. Society has been ravaged by sickness that can be related to the consumption of animal products. Our need for a more tranquil lifestyle helped us make the transfer to only consume what we can grow ourselves.

Vegetarian Diet and its Ingredients

A Vegetarian Diet would mainly consist of non animal products, different religions or cultures may add eggs, cheese and perhaps fish. Since legumes are a great source of protein legumes are a staple in this low fat diet. Most people have the idea that if you are a vegetarian you are automatically thin, most certainly not the case.

Vegetarian Diet and Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates play and important part in any Weight Loss Plan, and the more grams of carbohydrates you ingest the more at risk you become for weight gain. beans and other types of legumes are very high in carbohydrates. However with a good exercise program being a vegetarian is very beneficial, not only does your body reap the benefits of weight loss studies have shown that the Vegetarian Diet helps to reduce many health problems that are connected to the consumption of red meat and other animal products.

Vegetarian Diet and Cholesterol

High cholesterol is a main factor in heart and stroke related illness, studies show that this is caused from eating meat. So we are safe to say that if we don’t eat animal products we are exempt from this type of illness. Well not really, many other factors come into play, such as genetics, smoking, lack of exercise, diabetes and the list goes on. There are many benefits from this diet, internally and externally, the complexion may have a smoother appearance and be free of acne related skin problems, although results are different for each individual. That alone would be beneficial to a great percentage of the population.

Vegetarian menus are easy to prepare and great recipes can be found everywhere. The internet is loaded with sites geared toward the vegan diet. You will discover where to buy the best ingredients, spices, herbs and other organic food items. Some of the regular grocers have isles set up just for these specialty diets. You may enjoy the discovery of perhaps growing your own items; this can be very satisfying to the individual who also likes to work in the garden.

Many vegan people start community gardens where everything is grown and shared with other people of the group. It is also a great way to teach and spend time with children or grandchildren. Whatever your reasons a Vegetarian Diet is a wonderful and fulfilling lifestyle and a way to improve your health.