POWERFUL REASONS TO GO VEGGIE
Whether you are looking to go full vego or just incorporate a wider variety of healthy foods into your diet, making changes to your diet is not always an easy thing to do, especially when you are used to eating a certain way.
The greatest hurdle for those choosing to include more vegetarian style meals into their diet, can be ensuring that they are consuming enough protein on a daily basis. For those who consume meat regularly, obtaining plenty of protein from their diet is simple, as all animal sources are rich in protein.
When substituting animal based proteins for a plant based diet, it is essential to pack each of these meals with a variety of plant based sources such as beans, legumes and nuts.
The digestion time increases for plant based protein sources vs animal sources. This slower digestion rate means you are kept satiated for longer – leading to a natural reduction in appetite, and therefore supporting your fat loss goals.
Although we should not turn to a vegetarian diet for the sole reason of losing weight, incorporating vegetarian meals into your diet on a regular basis can naturally aid in weight loss, as the foods tend to be lower in calorie density than animal products.
It really is vital, despite your goals, that you are eating enough good quality foods to keep your body fuelled and moving all day. A typical vegetarian diet can actually consist of much greater quantities of these high quality foods, so you don’t feel as though you are depriving yourself!
A common misconception is that by decreasing the meat components of your diet it can compromise on building and maintaining lean muscle mass. However, plant based proteins can be equally as effective as animal proteins at building and maintaining muscle. For example, nuts, such as cashews contain nitrates which work to widen blood vessels, enabling more oxygen to reach the muscles, aiding an effective workout session; whilst adding hemp which contains magnesium to a post workout smoothie works to relax tired muscles and aid recovery.
Therefore, the benefits of increasing the vegetarian meals in our diet means we are able to maintain a lower body weight without losing lean muscle definition. What’s more is by reducing the quantity of meat on your plate, there is more room to pack your meals full of colourful vegetables, providing you with essential micronutrients you need to ensure healthy body functioning.
Micronutrients are needed only in small quantities in the body, by eating a varied diet of whole foods and multi-coloured vegetables you should be able to consume all that your body requires. Particular ones to watch out for if you are reducing meat consumption are B12, zinc, iron and omega-3. These can be found in meat free alternatives, for example B12 from consuming small amounts of dairy, zinc within seeds and whole grains, and iron from fresh leafy greens and lentils.
Fruits, vegetables and whole grains also contain important phyto-chemicals which work together to reduce the risk factors which may lead to chronic diseases.
Whether it’s just a couple of meals per week, or a permanent lifestyle change, by incorporating vegetarian meals into your diet you can be sure to boost your health, improve on the risk factors which lead to disease and add variety and flavour to your life.
