Transitioning From a Meat-Based Diet to a Vegetarian Diet
Making the transition to becoming vegetarian can be an exciting experience; new ingredients to discovery and a new approach to food and cooking.
With some planning and organisation, making the switch from a meat-based diet to a plant-based diet is not that difficult.
The one main difference is, all nutritional needs will come from a non-meat source.
Or in the case of vegans, their nutritional needs will be from a non-animal source.
And one of the main concerns most people have when it comes to adopting a plant-based diet is the availability of nutrients and minerals for the maintenance of a healthy body.
Animal is not the only source of protein.
Protein is readily available in grains and lentils/pulses and when grains and lentils/pulses are combined together in a meal, they provide high quality protein, which is normally available only from eggs, meat and dairy products.
As an example, half cup of cooked buckwheat contains 3.
45g of protein while half cup of cooked quinoa has as much as 5.
29g of protein.
And the protein available from half cup of cooked brown rice is 2.
45g.
This is good news all around for both vegans and lacto-ovo vegetarians.
An adult only needs on average between 40-70 grams each day depending on gender, age and physical activity.
Complete protein can also be obtained from all soybean products such as tofu, soymilk, tempeh and miso.
In fact miso falls into the category of super food.
Miso is made from a combination of cultured grains and soybeans and it is a living food rich in microorganism and beneficial enzymes.
These enzymes are alive and play a vital role in balancing complex carbohydrates and nutrients like protein, vitamins and minerals.
In addition to various other nutrients, soy products are also rich in essential amino acids.
Plant-based food source is also rich in minerals and nutrients.
Nuts and green leafy vegetables are a good source of calcium.
A handful of whole raw almonds, about 30 nuts, contains as much as 85mg of calcium and 95mg of magnesium.
A cup of lightly steamed broccoli has about 132mg of calcium.
Another rich source of calcium is fresh papaya - a medium size fruit has about 72gm calcium and 31gm of magnesium.
By combining the right food, a vegetarian meal will provide all the basic nutrients required for a healthy body.
A meal prepared from a combination of rice, quinoa and buckwheat with a serving of tempeh and broccoli will provide most of the basic nutrients.
The key to a healthy vegetarian or vegan diet is to consume a wide selection of fruits, nuts, grains and vegetables.
And where possible, choose organic over conventional for maximum benefit.
Zainil Zainuddin Copyrights reserved
With some planning and organisation, making the switch from a meat-based diet to a plant-based diet is not that difficult.
The one main difference is, all nutritional needs will come from a non-meat source.
Or in the case of vegans, their nutritional needs will be from a non-animal source.
And one of the main concerns most people have when it comes to adopting a plant-based diet is the availability of nutrients and minerals for the maintenance of a healthy body.
Animal is not the only source of protein.
Protein is readily available in grains and lentils/pulses and when grains and lentils/pulses are combined together in a meal, they provide high quality protein, which is normally available only from eggs, meat and dairy products.
As an example, half cup of cooked buckwheat contains 3.
45g of protein while half cup of cooked quinoa has as much as 5.
29g of protein.
And the protein available from half cup of cooked brown rice is 2.
45g.
This is good news all around for both vegans and lacto-ovo vegetarians.
An adult only needs on average between 40-70 grams each day depending on gender, age and physical activity.
Complete protein can also be obtained from all soybean products such as tofu, soymilk, tempeh and miso.
In fact miso falls into the category of super food.
Miso is made from a combination of cultured grains and soybeans and it is a living food rich in microorganism and beneficial enzymes.
These enzymes are alive and play a vital role in balancing complex carbohydrates and nutrients like protein, vitamins and minerals.
In addition to various other nutrients, soy products are also rich in essential amino acids.
Plant-based food source is also rich in minerals and nutrients.
Nuts and green leafy vegetables are a good source of calcium.
A handful of whole raw almonds, about 30 nuts, contains as much as 85mg of calcium and 95mg of magnesium.
A cup of lightly steamed broccoli has about 132mg of calcium.
Another rich source of calcium is fresh papaya - a medium size fruit has about 72gm calcium and 31gm of magnesium.
By combining the right food, a vegetarian meal will provide all the basic nutrients required for a healthy body.
A meal prepared from a combination of rice, quinoa and buckwheat with a serving of tempeh and broccoli will provide most of the basic nutrients.
The key to a healthy vegetarian or vegan diet is to consume a wide selection of fruits, nuts, grains and vegetables.
And where possible, choose organic over conventional for maximum benefit.
Zainil Zainuddin Copyrights reserved
