Many people give up eating flesh on moral or compassionate grounds,while others become vegetarian to improve their health and well-being.
Vegetarian food is extremely healthy and provides all the important vitamins, minerals,
proteins, carbohydrates and fats for a nutritious, well-balanced diet.
WHAT IS A VEGETARIAN?
There are different kinds of vegetarians:-
1. LAC TO VEGETARIANS
They eat no flesh of any kind. Their diet consists of fruit and vegetables and dairy products(vegetarian cheese only)
2. LAC TO-OVO-VEGETARIANS
They eat the same as the lac to vegetarians but also include eggs in their diet.
3. VEGANS
They eat only plant food.They eat no flesh, no eggs and no dairy products. Some will eat honey but not others.
4. FRUITARIANS
They eat only fruits,nuts and seeds.(This includes the fruit of vegetables such as tomatoes and courgettes. However they never eat the roots of plants such as carrots and potatoes)
HOW HEALTHY IS A VEGETARIAN DIET?
All the research appears to confirm that if a well-balanced vegetarian diet is followed you will be eating healthily.
1. It's usually lower in saturated fats(found mainly in meat and dairy products)
2. It's high in complex carbohydrates which provide bulk for the diet. These are the unrefined or low-refined starchy food that should form the majority of the average vegetarian diet--bread,rice,other grains, pasta, potatoes, cereals, dried beans, peas, lentils, fruit and vegetables.
There are many alternatives to obtain the protein found in flesh, such as nuts,seeds, legumes(beans and pulses) and some whole grains.These foods also contain fibre which helps the body stay healthy.
The four main food groups
1. Beans,nuts and seeds.
2. Grains.
3. Dairy produce.
4. Fruit and vegetables.
If something from each group is included in the daily diet, you will be sure of getting the nutrients you need for a healthy diet.
