1) Weight loss

The first and most obvious benefit of quitting meat and dairy products is weight loss. Without doing anything else you will most likely lose a little weight and over time, you will get back to your natural weight. It is not very often you see an overweight vegetarian.

2) More energy

When your meals consist of vegetables and fruit, your blood sugar will become much more stable. As a result, your energy level will be consistent and you will not get that fatigue feeling after meals.

3) Good conscience

You save many lives when you do not eat meat. A cow weighs about 1000 pounds. A pig weighs about 250 pounds when it is going to slaughterhouse. How many pounds of meat do you eat each week? In a lifetime, that is a lot of animals saved.

4) More money

The average vegetarian spends less money on food than non-vegetarians do. How much you can save depends on how much you eat. The average family saves $10-$15 a day, just by being vegetarians.

5) Helping the environment

Less farm animal means less pollution. Circle 4 Farms in Utah, which raises 2.5 million pigs every year, creates more waste than the entire city of Los Angeles. This is worth thinking about.

6) You will be healthier

More fruits and vegetables mean more vitamins for you. Less meat means fewer toxins and unwanted hormones in your body. Your immune system will greatly improve after replacing meat with more greens.

7) Avoid heart disease

Cardiovascular disease is often connected with a diet full of saturated fats and cholesterol from meat and dairy products. The average person eating a meat-based diet has 50% chance of dying from a heart disease. If he go vegetarian this decrease to 15%, furthermore if he also cuts out all dairy products this goes all the way down to 4%.

Your body will be built of quality

You are what you eat and your body creates your cells of whatever you are putting into your mouth. Fruits and vegetables are life. Becoming vegetarian “detox” your body naturally.

9) Your bones will last longer

At age 65, the average woman has a bone loss of 35%. A vegetarian woman has an average loss of 18%, at the age of 65. This is because a non-vegetarian gets excessively much protein. At overage, meat eaters get about 150% more protein each day than they need.

10) You will live longer

Now you know that living on a non-meat diet drastically decrease your chance for dying from heart failure and other obese connected diseases. However, did you know that it would reduce your risk of getting cancer? A recent study shows that red meat is associated with ****** cancer. Vegetarian’s immune systems are in much better shape than meat-eaters. Maybe this has something to do with it.

What we just learned, is that being vegetarian is a choice to be healthier. We now know that we do not need meat and that our bodies are not built to digest meat. The few disadvantages of being vegetarian are nothing compared with all the benefits.

By: Janice Green-Smith

About the Author:

marketing strategy business

This low fat, meatless chili recipe is packed with flavor and healthy beans.

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice, undrained

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

1 (12 oz.) can or bottle beer

4 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained

1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans

1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

In a 4-quart sized pot, saute the garlic in the olive oil.

Add in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, beer, chili powder, mustard powder, oregano, pepper, cumin and hot pepper sauce.

Stir in the black beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans and the corn. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and let chili simmer for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle cheese on top before serving.

=> Vegetarian Chili Recipes: Summer Vegetarian Chili

Here’s a deliciously light and healthy chili recipe that is full of flavor. This recipe features fresh vegetables, beans and seasonings. Serve over rice for a heartier meal.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup red onion, chopped

5 large cloves garlic, crushed or minced

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 (15 oz.) can no-salt-added black beans, drained

1 cup water (or red wine)

1 cup bell pepper, chopped

1 cup zucchini, chopped

1 cup corn

1 cup white or Portobello mushrooms, chopped

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

In a pot, heat up the oil and add in the onion, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the onion is tender. Add in the tomatoes, beans, water, belll pepper, zucchini, corn, mushrooms, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. You can add in more liquid if needed.

Garnish with fresh cilantro.

=> Vegetarian Chili Recipes: Red and Black Vegetarian Chili

Here’s a great low carb veggie chili recipe that’s not only healthy, but easy to make. This recipe makes a generous amount, so you may want to reduce the ingredients by half to suit your own needs.

1 (12 oz.) package frozen veggie burger crumbles

2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 (15 oz.) cans dark red kidney beans

1 (15 oz.) can light red kidney beans

1 (29 oz.) can tomatoes, diced

1 (12 oz.) can tomato juice

5 onions, chopped

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large pot, combine the veggie burger crumbles, black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, tomato juice, onions, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, bay leaves, salt and pepper.

Bring to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 1 hour.

By: Brandy Summers

About the Author:

Marketing Strategies

If you are a vegetarian and a parent, you have probably thought about putting your child on a vegetarian diet. Not only would it save time by making meal planning easier, but for ethical reasons, you feel it is a better choice for your kids.

Or, you might not be a vegetarian yourself, but live with a child who is going through a vegetarian “phase,” where she rejects meat, but doesn’t consume enough healthy foods to make up for the nutritional gap.

No matter the reason, you have wondered whether a vegetarian diet is maintainable, and a healthy choice for your kids. You may have heard that putting your child on a vegetarian diet could potentially retard her growth.

These concerns probably stopped you from putting your child on a vegetarian diet up to now.

All of these concerns have merit. Obviously, if a vegetarian diet is not well planned, it can create serious short and long term health problems, especially for children, who are still developing–and who don’t yet have sufficient stores of vitamins.

If you are not prepared to put your family on a vegetarian diet plan, you probably shouldn’t. However, if you have done due diligence and you’re familiar with the nutritional detriments of vegetarians, then you are aware that these problems can easily be fixed with meal planning strategies.

You may also know that having your child on a healthy vegetarian diet could improve her health greatly in the short term and down the road. It would also reduce her consumption of animal products which contain hormones and preservatives, which are associated with cancer and various developmental problems.

Even if you haven’t finished researching vegetarian diets, but are ready to start your child on one now, you must begin by ensuring that you plan meals to increase amounts of the following nutrients (that most vegetarians lack):

1. Protein: Make sure your family is consuming enough protein by adding additional sources, such as wheat, soy beans, isolated soy protein, and nuts.

2. Calcium: Ensure your child is getting plenty of calcium by adding leafy green vegetables and calcium-fortified processed foods to his diet.

3. Iron: Make more iron part of your family’s diet by increasing servings of tofu and cereals, pinto and soy beans.

4. Zinc: Enhance your child’s zinc intake by increasing his servings of almonds, peanut butter, and mushrooms.

If you work on compensating for these common nutritional deficiencies, you absolutely can place your child on a vegetarian diet without any negative consequences.

Disregard the mythology on vegetarian diets and focus instead on research and meal-planning.

By: Kalynn Amadio

About the Author:

Coupon Organizer

Ever seen vegetarians running problem with weight loss? Are you one of them?

It’s no surprise nowadays seeing vegetarians becoming as fat as meat-eaters. You can see them carrying a big fat belly in their mid-section while they walk down the street, watch them grossly wolfing down colorful sugary ice-cream at Swensen, crushing down cheesy vegetarian pizza at Pizza Hut and so forth. They also develop diseases such as colon cancer, cardiovascular disease and raise their risk to high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke.

Vegetarians are supposed to be slimmer and healthier, aren’t they? Thanks to the modern processed vegetarian diet which has caused weight loss to become near impossible for vegetarians.

Truth is, a healthy vegetarian weight loss diet comes from your home. If you get the raw ingredients from outside and prepare the food yourself, you’ll eat very much lesser processed stuff. And your health will improve. Your size will shrink. Your skin will become smoother and bouncier. You’ll look younger and more vibrant.

More importantly, you’ll lose weight and become a real slim vegetarian in good health. That’s what you can do to help yourself. Otherwise, it’s simply pointless to eat vegetarian yet ended up exposing yourself to as much health risks as meat-eater. Agree?

Your intention to go vegetarian could stem from your heart to save the world, minimize global warming impact and promote eco-friendliness. Of course, you’d also wish to convert your friends, family and others to be like you – eating vegetarian diet. But studies show that fat people project negative image.

So when you cannot lose weight as a vegetarian and display such negative presence, how on earth are you going to positively influence others to follow suit?

I learn from a friend this – “Either you do your best, or you don’t do at all”. In this context, it means – if you want to become a vegetarian, do your best to be the slimmest and healthiest vegetarian on earth.

Don’t say “I want to go vegetarian and make the world a better place” but yet on the other hand you’re scoffing unhealthy processed food that turn you into a green fat monster who could die of some gross diseases that normally only occur to meat-eaters.

So, my friend, I do care for you, your shape, and your health. I also want to make this a better world. So, let’s eat a healthy vegetarian weight loss diet and be the slimmest vegetarians on earth that will make all meat-eaters feel jealous of our excellent health and attractive shape. Remember, we always have a choice.

By: Laura Ng

About the Author:

Marketing Strategies

Many people think low calorie and vegetarian recipes are probably boring and bland. But, truth is, they can be tasty, healthy alternatives to some of your favorite dishes. This article is going to share with you two examples of such recipes.

1. Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers

For this recipe, you will need

* 1 can of black beans

* 1/2 of an onion

* 1/2 cup of flour

* 2 slices of bread

* 1 teaspoon of garlic powder

* 1 teaspoon of onion powder

* 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

* salt and pepper

To prepare, follow the steps below:

a). Dice the onion, then saute it for about 4 or 5 minutes until soft.

b) Pour the black beans into a large bowl and mash them until they are almost smooth.

c) Add the sauteed onions, garlic powder, onion powder, and seasoned salt to the black beans.

d) Crumble up the slices of bread and add them to the mix.

e) Add the flour to the mixture a few tablespoons at a time, stirring after each addition.

f) Pour a small amount of oil into a frying pan, and let it heat up.

g) Using your hands, scoop some of the beef mixture out of the bowl, and shape it into a pattie that is about 1/2 thick.

h) Fry the patties until they are firm.

You will be surprised how good these burgers taste.

2. Tofu Scramble

Have you ever tried tofu? Well, you really should. Tofu is used as a substitute for meat in many vegetarian dishes. And tofu scramble is a great alternative to scrambled eggs.

You will need:

* 1 block of tofu, drained and press

* 1/2 yellow onion

* 1/2 green pepper

* 1 teaspoon garlic powder

* 1 teaspoon onion powder

* 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

* 1 tablespoon soy sauce

* 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

* 2 teaspoons oil or margarine

Here are the steps for cooking:

a) Cut the tofu into one inch cubes, and then use a fork to slightly crumble it.

b) Dice your onion and bell pepper.

c) Add some oil or margarine to a skillet set to medium-high.

d). Add the onion, green pepper and tofu to the skillet and cook for 4 or 5 minutes.

e) Add garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, soy sauce, and nutritional yeast to the skillet.

f) Cook the tofu scramble for 6 or 7 minutes, stirring frequently. When it is done, pour onto a plate and enjoy.

You can treat a tofu scramble like what you would do with scramble eggs, adding vegetables of your choice, like tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, and carrots.

If you just give a try to these two recipes, you will be convinced that low calorie and vegetarian recipes do not have to be bland or boring. In fact, there are thousands of vegetarian dishes out there that are tasty, easy to make, and good for your health.

By: Kelly Limpert

About the Author:

Business Marketing

What is a vegetarian?

There are roughly three types of vegetarian.

Vegans or strict vegetarians exclude all animal products (e.g. meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, and other dairy products). Many vegans also do not eat honey.

Lactovegetarians exclude meat, poultry, fish, and eggs but include dairy products.

Lacto-ovovegetarians exclude meat, poultry, and fish but include dairy products and eggs. Most vegetarians in the US are lacto-ovovegetarians.

My story:

In 2002 I “converted” to a full blood vegetarian. I did live like most other teenagers back then; loads of junk food, pizzas and cola.

One of my good friends and I made a bet after a discussion one night, about meat. We agreed that I should be a vegetarian for one month. I completed that one month, and after that another and another. I was sold.

Its almost six years ago I started my new life, and boy, do I recommend vegetarianism to others. It’s probably the best choice I had ever made. But enough said about me…

Why do people become vegetarian?

There are several reasons for someone becoming vegetarian. The most common are

Sympathy for animals. Health reason. Weight problems. A combination of the above.
What are the benefits of becoming a vegetarian?

Depending on how strict your vegetarian diet will be, there are many benefits on cutting out meat and dairy product.

You will most likely discover that your weight will drop down (or up) to your ideal weight. And this will happen without you thinking about it. It is very hard to eat to much calories when you cut out meat, milk and many types of candy (which contains dairy products and galantine).

You will very soon begin to feel more energetic and less full after meals. My own experience was that I felt that the foods gave me energy instead of taking it away. I had less ups and downs coming from the bloodsuckers raise and fall.

Are there any disadvantages of being vegetarian?

I would say that there are any real disadvantages of becoming a vegetarian. But you really have to watch your protein intake. But don’t worry; there is protein in lots of natural food besides meat.

Protein in vegetarian diets.

These are the top five very best sources for protein;

***** Peas (8 grams of protein pr. 100 gram) Baked Beans (5 grams of protein pr. 100 gram) Tofu (7,5 grams of protein pr. 100 gram) Lentils (7,5 grams of protein pr. 100 gram) Soya milk (8 grams pr.

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Many people follow vegetarian diet but there is no definite diet pattern. People who follow vegetarian diet are distinguished into following categories.

o Vegans or totally vegetarians
o Lacto vegetarians
o Ovo lacto vegetarians and
o Semi vegetarians

The vegans follow diets that include food only from plants like fruits vegetables, seeds, legumes, grains, and nuts. The diet of lacto vegetarians consists of plant food along with cheese and dairy products. The ovo lacto vegetarian diet can contain eggs. Semi vegetarians consume plant foods, eggs, dairy products, fish and chicken but exclude red meat.

Nutritional aspect of vegetarian diet

Vegetarian diets are either low or totally free from animal products. So they are low in saturated fats and cholesterol, and reduce the risk of obesity and many diseases like diabetes mellitus, blood pressure, certain types of cancer and coronary heart diseases. However there is a lack of certain minerals and vitamins in this type of diet for which one needs to properly and carefully plan the diet. If essential nutrients are included in the vegetarian diet then it can be made healthy and nutritionally good. However one should not include too much calories and saturated fat in the diet, otherwise it may have a negative effect on our health.

Nutrients that should be included in vegetarian diet

A vegetarian diet should include an array of nutrients for optimum result. It should include proper amount of proteins, minerals and calcium

Protein: For vegetarian diet adequate amount of protein can be derived from plant sources. Plant protein can alone provide the necessary amount of amino acid that is needed by your body. Vegetables, whole grains, seeds, legumes and nuts contain nonessential and essential amino acid. Soy protein is also a good source of protein that can be considered as an equivalent to the animal source and can alone supplement the protein requirement of the body.

Iron: Red meat, egg yolk, liver are the richest source of iron and cholesterol. So vegetarians can be low in iron intake. To supplement this deficiency you need to consume lots of beans and spinach. Dried fruits and brewer’s yeast can also be taken as they are good source of protein derived from plants.

Zinc : Zinc is required for growth and development of your body. Plant sources of zinc are nut, legumes and grains. Supplements should not be taken more than 15 to 18 mg. if supplements are taken more than 50 mg then it can lower the HDL cholesterol in man.

Vitamin B-12: vitamin B-12 is mainly found in animal source. In vegetarian diet it is found in fortified breakfast cereals, in some brands of brewer’s yeast, fortified beverages of soy, and from vitamin supplements.

Vitamin D: vegetarians are generally devoid of vitamin D as there are no convenient sources. However exposure to sunlight, milk fortified with vitamin d, some fortified soy milk provide little amount of it.

Calcium: Vegetarians can absorb more calcium than non vegetarians. Some convenient sources are spinach, broccoli, legume, soyabean products and kale

Vegetarians consume fewer calories than non vegetarians. So they are needed to consume different kinds of foods and adequate calories to fulfill the energy demand. They should lay stress on consumption of unrefined grains and fortified cereals. Vitamin A and vitamin C rich foods are also of great importance. Consumption of dairy products should be limited to fat free or low fat products and consumption of cholesterol should also be limited within 300 mg per day.

By: Oey Piu Hian

About the Author:

Marketing Strategies

Weight loss tips for vegetarians are surprisingly similar to tips for any other kind of weight loss journey. There are three main types of vegetarians. “Vegans” eat no animal products at all. Vegan diets consist mainly of fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds, and nuts. “Lacto-vegetarians” add dairy products to their diets and “lacto-ovo vegetarians” include both dairy products and eggs.

Consider these facts about a vegetarian diet:
A typical vegetarian consumes 500 less calories a day than their meat-eating peers, while consuming more food. Vegetarians tend to be slimmer with less medical problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Evidence indicates that a vegetarian diet causes calories to burn long after meals, which means that foods from plants are being used as fuel instead of being stored as fat. 6% of the vegetarian population is considered “obese” compared to 45% of the meat-eating population.

Before you decide you want to become a vegetarian and throw out all the meat in your house, understand that becoming a vegetarian doesn’t automatically mean that you will lose weight! You can just imagine the calories packed into cheese, nuts, peanut butter, oils, creamy salad dressings, and sweets that can create havoc when you jump on the scale. Some vegetarian meals can be way too high in both fat and sugar. It’s all about making healthy choices.

As in all diets, you must be diligent about reading nutrition fact labels and knowing exactly what you are putting into your mouth.

Easy tips to help you lose weight on a vegetarian diet:
Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Choose lower-fat dairy products that are fortified with calcium and vitamins. Eat nutrient-dense foods that will provide the vitamins and minerals that you need daily. Take a multi-vitamin daily. Broil, steam, roast, or saut

http://www.veganbulletin.com/2010/09/2-delicious-low-calorie-and-vegetarian-recipes-for-an-awesome-lunch/ http://www.veganbulletin.com/2010/09/2-delicious-low-calorie-and-vegetarian-recipes-for-an-awesome-lunch/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:15:14 +0000 admin http://www.veganbulletin.com/2010/09/2-delicious-low-calorie-and-vegetarian-recipes-for-an-awesome-lunch/

Vegetarian Pastitsio

vegetable cooking spray 12oz Morningstar Farms Recipe Crumbles or similar product 1cup chopped onion 8oztomato paste 1/3cupwater up to 1/2 cup Salt and pepper to taste 1cup elbow macaroni 6tbl grated Parmesan cheese divided 1/2tsp cinnamon or more to taste 1/4tsp nutmeg optional 12oz evaporated skim milk 1 can 4tsp light butter or margarine 2x eggs lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9″ x 7″ or similar deep 11 cup casserole dish with vegetable cooking spray. Put a pot of water up to boil.

Spray a 9″ or 10″ nonstick skillet with vegetable cooking spray. Saute onion for 1 or 2 minutes; add the vegetable protein crumbles and saute for another 5 minutes or so. Add the tomato paste, water, salt, pepper and some nutmeg and cinnamon. Cook for another minute or two. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions for the minimum amount of time to become just *barely* al dente. Drain under cold running water to stop cooking, then drain again. Return to pasta cooking pot and toss with 1 teaspoon of butter and 1 or 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.

Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Layer 1/2 of the macaroni evenly in the bottom of the casserole. Spread the vegetable protein crumbles over the macaroni layer. Sprinkle with just a touch more cinnamon and 1 or 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan. Cover with the remaining macaroni.

In a bowl, beat the eggs lightly. In a small saucepan, heat the evaporated skim milk with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Whisk half of the warm milk/butter mixture into the eggs, then return the eggs mixture to the saucepan and whisk with the rest of the milk.

Pour the milk/butter/egg mixture evenly over the entire casserole; it will not lay on top but will sink down – this is just fine. Dust the top of the casserole evenly with the remaining 1 – 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan.

Bake the casserole for 1 hour, or until egg mixture is set and top is crusty and golden. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 – 15 minutes before serving.

Note: I used regular, not fat-free, parmesan; Land O’Lakes light butter; Morningstar Farms brand vegetable protein crumbles (which, by the way, I thought were *much much much* better than the Green Giant Harvest Burgers for Recipes kind).

This recipe was *great* and not too much of a hassle to make, not even on a weeknight. I will definitely make it again; can see it becoming a family standard. It is also something I would make for company – vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

I must say that with a big old mound of spinach and some French bread with roasted red peppers, this made quite a filling and satisfying feast. And it was a *lot* more food for not many more calories than a _Lean Cuisine_ or similar type frozen entree.

NOTES : Serve with French bread and steamed spinach.

I found the original recipe in Sue Spitler’s 1001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes_. But I made a few changes, both in ingredients and in preparation. Mostly, I wanted to make the casserole in a smaller, deeper pan so make it thicker, and once I did that I figured I could get by with less of the custardy topping.

I was very pleased with the results, and the whole family enjoyed it. I am posting both the original recipe and my adaptation here.

Low Calorie French Fries

2 medium potatoes, unpeeled and scrubbed 3 sprays vegetable cooking spray paprika — optional salt pepper celery salt — optional

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Slice each half into lengthwise wedges with some peel on each piece. Soak in cold water for 20 minutes. Drain and dry potatoes. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place potatoes into plastic bag or large plastic bowl with tight fitting lid.

Add oil and shake to coat the potatoes. Arrange potatoes in single layer on cooking sheet. Bake in preheated 450