For a healthy vegetarian diet you will consume mainly plant based foods that include whole grains, fruits, nuts, vegetables, seeds, and legumes. Vegetarian diets usually focus on foods that contain less cholesterol and fat and higher amounts of fiber as the main source of the meal, rather than some mean which has high amounts of fat.
There are three different groups of vegetarians that include the Vegans who have eliminated all foods that come from animals including meat, fish, eggs, milk, poultry, and cheese, and stick to only plant based foods. Lacto-vegetarians consume milk and milk products with plant based foods. Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat eggs, milk, and milk products as well as plant based foods.
To help maintain a well balanced vegetarian diet you can use a vegetarian food pyramid to keep you on track. These pyramids identify many food groups and make it easy to know the right amount to eat each day.
These days it isn’t hard to find vegetarian products. There is a huge vegetarian food industry with products that include tofu dogs, soy burgers, and texturized vegetable protein. These are found in every supermarket in America and are made to simulate the texture and taste of real meat but are considerably lower in fat and calorie content. Some of the meatless products are made from soybeans.
To replace cow’s milk you can drink fortified soymilk, rice milk, or almond milk. Instead of butter you can use olive oil when you are baking, or even water, vegetable broth, wine, or a nonfat cooking spray. For your favorite baked goods you can use canola oil. You can replace cheese with soy cheese or yeast flakes, and for eggs try an egg replacement.
If you switch to a diet that requires you to restrict different foods then you will find the more restrictive the diet the harder it is to consume all the essential nutrients your body needs to survive. A common vegan diet completely restricts food sources which contain vitamin B-12 as well as all milk products which are highly rich in calcium.
You should also pay special attention to iron and zinc intakes when eating a vegan diet. Your body also needs protein which is commonly found in meat products to maintain healthy skin, bones, and muscles.
