Eating Healthy For Vegetarians

The vegetarian way of eating can be a very healthy style of eating. The rules still apply with healthy eating, although you should add variety, balance, and moderation.

A vegetarian is someone who avoids all types of meat, whether it be hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, or even fish. Vegetarians are also sometimes classified by the type of food they are or aren’t willing to eat. For example, Lacto-ovo vegetarians will avoid animal flesh yet they will eat eggs and most dairy products. A Vegan on the other hand, will avoid all food that has any trace of animal origin.

Because they don’t eat meet, vegetarians will often wonder how they’ll get enough protein. Although you may not realize it, the average American actually consumes more protein than he actually needs. For the lacto-ovo vegetarian, dairy products are an excellent source of protein. Vegans on the other hand, get their protein from nuts, seeds, and soy products.

Along the lines of beans, there are several to choose from, including green or red lentils, peanuts, split peas, pinto, soy, kidney, and many more. Some of them you are already familiar, such as kidney beans in chili, refried beans in Mexican dishes, red beans and rice, and pinto beans. Although some beans taste good as they are, others are available with different flavors to help enhance their taste. Nuts are hihg in protein, although they deliver a lot more fat than beans, which means you should enjoy them in moderation. By having one cup of cooked beans, you’ll get the same amount of protein as eating two ounces of meat!

The nutrients of concern for vegans, who avoid all types of animal food, are vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D. In the average North American diet, the primary source for B12 is animals. To have an adequate intake of B12, vegans should reguarly consume vitamin B12 supplements or foods, which contain vitamin B12, such as soy products or milk.

For calcium, vegans can rely on orange juice or soy milk, as they are fortified with calcium. Beans and leafy green vegetables will also contain some calcium as well.

Although all types of vegetarians rely on simple food groups, controlling your vitamins and calcium intake is something you should always do. This is very important for eating healthy, as well as staying healthy. If you control what you eat, you’ll have many years of healthy eating ahead of you.

Eating Healthy On A Budget

If you have problems serving healthy foods because of the prices, you’ll find these tips to be just what you need to eat healthy on a budget.

1. Eliminate junk food

Doing your shopping on your own is the easiest way to shop, as children and sometimes spouses are usually the ones requesting junk food. Shopping alone will prevent this, and ensure that you only buy the foods you need.

2. Water or milk instead of soft drinks

You can still enjoy your favorite drinks at a sporting event or night out, although you should stick with the smallest size when shopping to save money and calories. Children and even adults need milk or milk products on a daily basis. Milk will also help you get strong and provides calcium for healthy bones and healthy teeth.

3. Buy fruits in quantity

When they are in season, buy fruits in quantity and freeze any extras. You can buy several pounds this way, and freeze extras to have them when the fruit goes out of season. Wash the fruit well, remove any spoiled pieces, dry thoroughly, then freeze in plastic zipper bags.

4. Meats and beans

Meats and beans are the best sources for protein. Lean meat is more expensive than meats with a lot of fat. Canned beans are a great deal as well, as they give you protein at a great price.

5. Beans as a substitute

You should use beans a substitute for meat on a frequent occasion. There are several varieties, so you can prepare them in a crock pot, so when you return home they are ready to consume.
The USDA recommends eating beans at least 4 times per week. If you experience gas after eating beans you should try washing them, covering them with water, bringing the water to a boil, then draining it off and refilling the pot.

6. When fish are around

If you live in a coastal area or an area where fish are around, make that an integral part of your diet. You can catch them from the lakes or rivers, saving money in the process.

7. Peanut butter

Peanut butter is great for those on a budget as it’s popular with almost everyone. You can use it for sandwiches instead of eating hot dogs. It does need to be refrigerated, although bigger jars can last you for weeks.

8. Eat more water 😉

You should fill up with foods that have a high content of water. Watermelon, salads, and even sugar free gelatin are all great examples.

Eating healthy is always something you can’t go wrong with. You can eat healthy for just a few bucks, which makes it perfect for those on a budget. Now, you don’t need a lot of money to have the lifestyle and health you’ve always wanted.

Weight loss isn’t the only reason to lead a healthier lifestyle. By building healthy eating habits, you’ll be lowering your risk of heart disease and diabetes while making your body feel stronger and more alert. Many people have a naturally high metabolism and don’t need to watch their weight, but this doesn’t mean they should live off chips, cookies, and chocolate milk every day.

Heart Health

Thin people can be at risk for heart disease as well. Just because you don’t have a spare tire around your midsection doesn’t mean you shouldn’t worry about health issues such as diabetes and high cholesterol. Especially if you don’t get any exercise, healthy eating is something that should be kept in mind for people of all shapes, weights, and sizes.

Brain Food

Healthy eating habits aren’t just good for your body, they’re good for your brain as well. Eating properly will help you to be more alert while giving you increased mental and physical energy. Not only will you have a clearer mind, getting the proper nutrition will help your mood as well. Healthy eating can fight depression and will prevent you from suffering from insomnia and irregular sleep patterns.

Skin, Hair, and Nails

Being properly hydrated and getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs will help to give your skin a healthy glow and will strengthen your hair and nails. Even if eating healthy is something you do for aesthetic purposes only, your weight still isn’t the only appearance orientated factor it can affect.

Digestive System

By eating healthy and getting the proper grains and fiber, you’re ensuring your digestive system stays in proper working order. A clean digestive system will allow you to absorb nutrients properly and will lower your risks of diseases such as colon cancer.

Healthy eating affects every aspect of your body, not just your waistline. If you’re one of the naturally thinner people out there, keep in mind that fuelling your body with trans fats and refined sugars will catch up with you down the road. You may not always see the effects junk food can have on your body, but once you start practicing healthy eating habits, you’ll notice the difference and your organs will thank you later.

Too often people eat to make themselves feel better rather than to satisfy their hunger. When you eat for this reason, the foods you crave are usually those loaded with sugar or fat rather than healthy fruits and veggies. In order to develop healthy eating habits, the reliance on comfort foods needs to be reduced or eliminated completely.

Reflect On Why You Eat

Before reaching for a candy bar when you’re in line at the grocery store, ask yourself if you really need some chocolate and why. If you’ve had a stressful day at work or you’ve been under emotional strain, put the candy back and try to find a healthier way to make yourself feel better. Replacing exercise with eating will not only maximize any weight loss goals, it will increase your endorphins and give you a huge self esteem boost.

Healthy Choice Tips For Dessert

A delicious dessert at the end of a hard day can be the highlight of the evening for a lot of people. Rather than eating a piece of cake or bowl of ice cream, have a fresh bowl fruit salad or some low-fat frozen yogurt. Substituting your high calorie desserts for something a little healthier can be a guilt free way to finish your day.

Clear Out Your Cupboards

Keeping chips and cookies in the cupboards is too tempting for most people, especially after a rough day. Throw out all your junk food and when a craving hits you, you won’t be tempted by fatty snack foods and you’ll be more likely to munch on something much better for you. Willpower can only take you so far in your healthy eating goals, so avoid the candy aisles and don’t even look in the vending machines you walk past until you’ve trained yourself to resist your junk food cravings.

Don’t Negotiate

It’s easy to talk yourself into having just one piece of cake or thinking that because you’ve had a rough day you deserve it. After eating that one piece it’s pretty likely that you’ll feel guilty for doing so and you may end up feeling worse than you did before. By just being strict and laying down the law, you’ll probably feel much prouder of yourself for choosing the apple instead of the cookie.

With any good healthy eating plan, snacking can throw a wrench into your best efforts. You can have the healthiest meals planned out, but when you can’t make it from lunch to dinner and have to grab something to tide you over, be sure you aren’t eating something that will sabotage you.

Satisfy Your Cravings

Always have a snack alternative for every craving. When you want a salty bag of chips, eat a handful of nuts instead. For that sweet tooth, grab an apple or banana rather than a pack of candy. Substituting a healthy choice for your hot, cold, crunchy, and creamy cravings will keep you feeling full and satisfied without out all the guilt.

Eat Smaller Meals

If you feel like you have to snack quite a few times a day and just can’t wait for your main meals, split your three large meals up into six smaller ones. This will keep you feeling full all day while giving your body time to properly digest a smaller amount of food. Eating this way may also encourage you to plan out healthier meals rather than grabbing something quick between meals that may not be as good for you.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can make you feel hungry when you’re actually just thirsty. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day to fight these feelings. Caffeine and drinks with artificial sweeteners can sometimes cause you to feel hungrier, so sticking to water and low calories juices are usually your best bet.

TV Snacking

Either completely cut out the snack sessions while watching television or switch to something that isn’t loaded with calories. Plain popcorn without the extra butter, sunflower seeds, or a bowl of grapes are all healthier options than a bag of chips or pretzels and they will still take quiet awhile to eat.

You don’t have to give up your afternoon snack times in order to practice healthy eating habits, just choose your snacks more wisely. Picking the lower calorie or lower fat varieties of your favourite snack can be the first step in eating healthier. Changing to a different type of food altogether or cutting down on how many snacks you have throughout the day can be your next step. Start off slowly and gradually switch to healthier foods for long term success in healthy eating habits.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to stick to a healthy diet. While you may decide to buy those expensive organic crackers or keep your fridge stocked with pricey imported vegetables, but it isn’t necessary to spend that much on healthy eating. In fact, some of the healthiest meals can be the cheapest if you take the time to put together the right recipes and meal plans.

Convenience Foods

Pre-packaged snack foods and ready made meals are often more expensive than making your own meals and are usually loaded with extra sugars, fats, and preservatives. Preparing veggies and low fat dip as a snack is not only one of the healthiest things to munch on, it’s incredibly inexpensive. Instead of grabbing a breakfast burrito from your local drive-thru, making one at home will cost a fraction of the price and you can cut back on the oils you use while packing it full with more veggies.

Fruits and Veggies

Sometimes our favourite produce isn’t in season and trying to get that basket of berries we love to snack on can be very expensive. Frozen fruits and vegetables keep all their nutrients so shop in the frozen section and stock up when your favourites are on sale. When those fruits and vegetables are in season, buy a large quantity and store them in your freezer if it’s an item that freezes well.

Create a Menu

Plan your meals in advance and keep ready made snacks and meals on hand for times when you think you’ll be too busy or tired to cook. Quite often, after a long day of work and school when everyone’s wiped out, it can be all too tempting to just order a pizza rather than preparing a meal. If you have it already made or at least partially prepared the day before, you’ll save money on fast food while enjoying a healthier meal than that greasy fast-food burger and fries.

Buying non-perishable foods in bulk that can be stored or frozen can save you quite a bit of money as well. Keeping a good supply of meats, veggies, and whole grain bread products in the house will encourage you to cook a healthy, homemade meal rather than buying something more expensive that can just be heated up in the microwave.