How to do vegetarianism right

I became a vegetarian in college for largely ethical reasons: the treatment of animals, the scarcity of land for grazing animals to live on, our inability to feed everyone such high-quality meat, as well as health reasons: more energy, lighter energy from food, less animal fat and saturated fat.

I still feel better on a diet with less meat. But now I understand that the success of a vegetarian diet will vary dramatically from one individual to another. This can be based on a number of things, including:

– Predisposition and genetic background

-blood type

– Metabolic tests

– Ability to tolerate and digest beans, soybeans, and grains

– Closely monitor energy levels associated with certain foods

A vegetarian diet has been linked to the prevention of heart disease and cancer. Some of the benefits include reduced constipation, less exposure to food toxicity such as foodborne illness and antibiotics, increased antioxidants, and even better athletic performance for some people.

However, there is also a growing body of literature revealing the importance of saturated fats, even those from animal products. The bottom line is that there is no one diet that works for everyone.

For those who are or want to be vegetarian, here are five ways to make sure you’re doing vegetarian right:

1) Pay attention to calcium: dairy consumers can use yogurt, non-dairy food consumers should incorporate plenty of greens, almonds, tofu, figs, white beans, etc.

2) Use a vitamin B12 supplement – ​​Found in animal foods, vitamin B12 is necessary for proper red blood cell formation, neurological function, and DNA synthesis.

3) Get Vitamin D: Adequate amounts can be obtained with limited daily sun exposure

4) Add Iron – Make sure your diet includes iron-rich foods, such as soybeans, lentils, spinach, tofu, Swiss chard, black beans, and quinoa.

5) Include Zinc – No plant foods are high in zinc, but good amounts can be found by combining whole foods like nuts, seeds, whole grains, and leafy greens.

If you can happily eat beans, lentils, quinoa, brown rice, nuts, seeds, and generous amounts of vegetables every day, you can meet all of your nutritional requirements as a healthy and happy vegetarian.

Similarly, if you eliminate meat only to replace it with bagels and cream cheese, peanut butter sandwiches, pasta, and ice cream, you’ll be missing out on some crucial health nutrients.

By incorporating these five key nutrients, you can eat a diet that’s good for the earth and good for your body.