Benefits of Being A Vegetarian

You want to be a vegetarian or vegan for any reason, because benefits of being a vegetarian or something else such as, be it for love, health, allergies, animal lover, or eco-activist.  It’s hard to change your eating habits, especially if you’ve been on a meat-based diet your whole life. But being vegetarian or vegan is not impossible and it is worth trying.

To help with your transition, try making a recipe list, for example, make a shortlist of 20 vegetarian/vegan dishes from a variety of cuisines you feel comfortable with. The selection shouldn’t involve complicated cooking, as you don’t want to get discouraged before you even start.

Try to choose dishes that use ingredients that you are familiar with and that are readily available. Start trying as many of each as you can, one at a time. Chances are you probably only have half the amount you started with.

Remember that changing your diet means that you should be able to satisfy your taste buds, only when you are sure that it will continue. Sometimes it is also an acquired taste, as it will be completely different from your old habits. Be patient and keep trying to find more. In the end, you will have a list of perfect recipes just by trial and error.

Once you’ve found or already have a list of delicious recipes, it’s time to try making a meal completely vegetarian or vegan. For example, try starting with the dinner menu. Even if you can eat out, be sure to order a vegetarian/vegan-only dinner. You have to hold yourself using the power of your will.

Once you try it, you will start to see the difference in just a few weeks. You will feel more benefits of being a vegetarian on your body gradually. Your digestion will improve, you will sleep better, you will have more energy the next morning and, of course, you will notice a weight loss.  The motivational factors of this result will influence you to shift your focus to the next vegetarian/vegan menu, which is breakfast.

There are a number of balanced, nutritious, and easy-to-prepare vegetarian/vegan breakfast recipes that are also worth trying. Try to do some good research in stages, because once you’ve managed to adjust to a change in breakfast and dinner, you may not even want a regular diet at lunch.

It’s time to try the vegetarian/vegan menu for lunch too. Start changing lunch menus four times a week with your new dietary preference, and continue several meals with your old diet until you don’t want it anymore.

It is important to keep in mind, that choosing a recipe that suits your taste is nutritionally balanced and filling. Special emphasis on the need for vitamins. D, B 12, Calcium, and protein because the vegan diet lacks or lacks these essential nutrients. Fortified foods should be included in your daily diet.

Make sure you always pay attention to your health parameters. Consult a nutritionist/doctor for guidance in planning a balanced diet. Plan your meals according to your physical needs, lifestyle, age, and activity level. Try not to change your diet right away. If you want a permanent change, take it easy, plan well, and carefully maintain your health.

As is known, nutrition is the key to good health. There are many ways of eating that we humans follow to ensure the well-being of the body and mind.

Lifestyle choices with a vegetarian or vegan diet generally aim and expect to lose weight in order to lose weight. Obesity is often an obstacle for all people who cannot control healthy and regular eating habits. Another obstacle due to obesity is of course appearance, this is the main problem for women who want to look slim and beautiful.

The veganism and vegetarianism campaigns of well-known artists are making more and more people opt for certain types of diets, such as vegetarian or vegan, to lose weight.

Vegetarian vs Vegan

Many people think that being vegetarian or vegan is the same, but it is not. Being a vegetarian is not eating any animal meat, nor consuming any other animal product, be it eggs, fish, milk, etc. While being vegan is a lifestyle that involves more than just not eating processed meat products, it also means not using animal products such as wool, leather clothing, leather belts, leather shoes, leather bags, etc. For those defenders of veganism, animal cruelty has nothing to do with their way of life.

Some types of vegetarians include Lacto vegetarian, flexitarian, Lacto Ovo vegetarian, and Ovo vegetarian.
A Lactovegetarian is a type of vegetarian who eats plant foods but still consumes animal milk. The consumption of this type of vegetarian is different from that of vegans who do not eat or drink animal products and their derivatives at all. The vegetarian is plant-based plus milk and eggs, while the vegan is plant-based only, with no eggs or milk.

Vegan diet or Veganism

Vegans not only do not eat meat or fish from animals but also have to be very careful when buying a product. Be careful to make sure you carefully read the labels of all purchased products, to ensure that they are not made with any type of ingredient or ingredients of animal origin.

The vegan diet is perhaps the strictest subtype of the vegetarian diet, as it avoids all foods of animal origin, including dairy, eggs, and honey.

This diet includes people who follow a vegan diet, in addition to rejecting all kinds of exploitation of animals for the benefit of humans. That is, ethical vegans do not buy any type of product that uses animals. For example, these people will never buy a wool sweater, because they consider it immoral.

Types of Vegetarian diet

In the world of vegetarianism and veganism, there are different combinations that makeup variations in the types of vegetarian and vegan diets. Now we will explain each of them.

Ovo Vegetarian Vegetarianism

Ovo-vegetarians are people who do not consume foods of animal origin with one exception: eggs. Since the eggs that are eaten are not fertilized, they are considered harmless to hens and therefore suitable for this style of feeding. For Ovo vegetarians, this is much more moral than consuming milk, for example.

Lacto Vegetarianism

Lacto-vegetarians do not eat any meat but include dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, milk, or butter in their diet. This combination of vegetarian and vegan diets is one of the most common today.

Fire Vegetarianism

Vegetarians who consume honey are considered fiery vegetarians. Like milk and eggs, beekeeping is considered, for some, a type of animal exploitation, so not everyone opts for this type of food.

Pollotarianism

This is a choice that belongs to semi-vegetarianism because although the consumption of red meat is suppressed, the possibility of eating animal meat through poultry is maintained. This is often the preferred alternative as an initial phase towards pure vegetarianism or veganism.

Pescetarianism

This is one of the options used as an initial phase toward strict vegetarianism or veganism. In this case, the only contribution of animal protein is obtained from fish.

Vegetarian Advantages and Disadvantages

Benefits of being a vegetarian

The vegetarian diet is not something new, in fact, it has been carried out since ancient times. But what are the benefits? It all depends on the level of vegetarianism that the person reaches. The following are the advantages of being a vegetarian:

1. Lighter digestions.
2. Reduction of constipation thanks to the richness in fiber and cellulose.
3. Fight against obesity and overweight problems.
4. Reduces the risk of diabetes, colon cancer, and breast cancer.
5. Low blood pressure.
6. Improve eyesight.
7. Increase the number of antioxidants in the body.
8. Reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
9. Less toxicity in the body.
10. Longer life expectancy.
11. Help maintain the welfare of animal species.

Disadvantages of following a vegetarian diet

Keep in mind that following a vegetarian diet also has its drawbacks. Not only looking at the advantages of a vegetarian diet, but it is also necessary to consider the disadvantages before deciding to try a vegetarian diet.

It all depends on a healthy and regular diet. For good health, it is important to eat a balanced diet to get the proper intake of nutrients. Being a vegetarian, although it has its advantages, also hides some disadvantages, such as:

• A low intake of animal protein is necessary for muscles.
• Vitamin B12 deficiency is important for neurodevelopment.
• Vitamin D deficiency is essential for calcium absorption.
• Bone health is weakened due to a lack of animal protein.
• Weight gain in people who do not know how to control the intake of bread, pasta, rice, cheese, or crackers.
• The high fiber content of a vegetarian diet prevents the absorption of other minerals essential for overall health.
• Discomfort eating together, meeting other people for a family meal or with friends.

Vegan Advantages and Disadvantages

Vegan Benefits

Just like being a vegetarian, veganism also brings important health benefits. Vegans tend to be idealistic and generally animal lovers, of course, it will have a positive impact on health and also on the environment. The vegan diet and its refusal to consume any product of animal origin help:

• Lose weight easily in a healthy and controlled way.
• Easy to control cholesterol.
• Control diabetes.
• It cleanses the body naturally thanks to the consumption of fiber.
• Reduces the risk of breast, colon, prostate, stomach, and lung cancer.
• Fight anemia thanks to the high consumption of iron in foods such as beans, broccoli, raisins, wheat, or tofu.
• It floods the body with antioxidants, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and D.
• Reduces the effects of depression and anxiety. A study has shown that vegans and vegetarians, compared to meat-eaters, have lower scores on tests related to mood.
• Reduce the risk of contracting diseases transmitted by animals. Bacteria, parasites such as worms, and toxins are most abundant in animal meat and fish.
• Fight migraines thanks to the high consumption of organic products. These foods are much purer and therefore less likely to trigger bothersome headaches.
• Improve sports performance. Contrary to what many people think, a vegan diet is rich in healthy carbohydrates, as well as fats, vitamins, and minerals. This means higher sports performance and consequently an increase in the number of vegetarian and vegan athletes.
• Sharpens the sense of sight thanks to the consumption of vitamin C.
• The skin looks much healthier.
• It has been overwhelmingly proven that vegans can enjoy longer and healthier lives than those who abuse animal products.

Vegan Disadvantages

When doctors talk about eating a healthy and balanced diet, they mean that people must find harmony in their diet. In other words, it is not good to abuse products of animal origin, nor is it good to eat only vegetables, our body needs balance. Why? Because we will always suffer from a lack of nutrients that are not consumed. Here below are the downsides of being vegan on the body:

In a vegan diet, which does not consume meat, protein contains essential amino acids for the body. Because none of these contributions come from animals, sources of vitamin B12 are greatly reduced, which can lead to red blood cell deficiency anemia. To avoid this, it is recommended to take this vitamin supplement in other ways to cover the amino acid deficiency.

A vegan diet that does not consume cow’s milk or other types of animal milk. This can lead to a calcium deficiency which can affect the health of your bones. The various options for vegan milk, and soy milk come out as the winner. It has 8 grams of protein, 50% of your daily B12 requirement, 30% of your calcium intake, and 30% of your vitamin D intake.

People following a vegan diet initially experience fatigue. This is because your body may not be ready and is used to eating meat as its main source of energy. Therefore, it is never advisable to go to extremes or radically embark on a vegan diet. In other words, the most appropriate thing is to start to stop consuming products of animal origin in a progressive, gradual and controlled way.

According to experts, veganism is not always healthy. For pregnant women and children, eating a complete diet following a vegan diet is not recommended, because they need all the food to support the development of babies and the nutritional needs for the growth of children. The nutrients contained in meat are also responsible for the creation of various body structures such as blood, skin, and muscles.

The WHO recommends reducing the consumption of meat in the diet, but not its total elimination. It is important to stop abusing red meat and processed meat without eliminating them from the diet.

Humans are omnivores, so we need a variety of foods according to the needs of our bodies. Therefore, it is best to consume foods of all kinds in the right way.