Vegetarian Diet is Cheap and Good for You

Nowadays we are more aware about eating better quality but more expensive meat- and how following a vegetarian diet can be a good cost-effective alternative.  Vegetarians can eat well and in some cases better than many meat eaters. It just requires a bit of planning.

To be a true vegetarian means no meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacea, or slaughter by-products such as gelatin.  Others choose to eat no dairy products or eggs, enjoying a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits.  People mainly become vegetarians for moral reasons; other people become vegetarians on religious grounds, such as Hindus, Buddhists and Taoists, or just for taste reasons- they just don’t like the texture of meat.  Vegans go the next step and eat no animal products at all-  no meat, fish, dairy, honey or eggs.  They also do not wear or use anything made from an animal; e.g., leather, wool, silk, etc.

If you are thinking about going vegetarian, the key thing is to make sure you get enough protein in your diet.  The body needs protein for main tissue building such as muscles, internal organs, skin, hair and nails.  Protein also regulates enzymes, hormones and blood plasma, energy, water balance and the metabolism.  It is made up of amino acids, which are a major component of enzymes, hormones, body tissues, the immune system and virtually every cell and fluid in the body.  There are hundreds of amino acids and most of them can be made in the body, but there are eight which are called essential amino acids, which can only be obtained from food.

All kinds of foods are rich in protein. We have been conditioned to think that all protein must come from animals, but it can be found in grains, pulses, and vegetables and fruits, though in small amounts.  The proteins found in plants and some grains are incomplete proteins as they don’t have the full complement of eight amino acids.  Plant proteins tend to be limited to one or more essential amino acids. The simple rule of thumb is if you combine a grain such as brown rice with a pulse such as chickpeas, you will get the full complement of the essential eight amino acids.  As long as you eat a variety of plant foods, such as brown rice, corn, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and pulses within each 24-hour period, you’ll get all the protein you need.

Green and yellow vegetables also help the liver synthesise proteins, so it is also good to include these in a meal.  Other good vegetarian options for accessing complete proteins include soy and its derivatives- soya beans, which you cook like peas, tempeh, miso, tofu and soymilk.

The body also needs B12, which is only produced by microorganisms, so meat and fish eaters automatically get B12, which is essential for red blood cell formation, normal growth, fertility and immunity.  Vegetarians can get B12 from fermented food algae, fermented soy products and yeasts, or from food supplements.