If you don't have enough reasons to love President Bush...

There was another case of mad cow disease and how does our country respond? In the interest of saving money, of course!

US on Mad Cow: Don't Test All Cattle http://buzzflash.net/%20story.php?id=33366

"The Bush administration said Tuesday it will fight to keep meatpackers from testing all their animals for mad cow disease. The Agriculture Department tests less than 1 percent of slaughtered cows for the disease, which can be fatal to humans who eat tainted beef. But Kansas-based Creekstone Farms Premium Beef wants to test all of its cows. Larger meat companies feared that move because, if Creekstone tested its meat and advertised it as safe, they might have to perform the expensive test, too."

Why would they want to fight to have more illnesses in our country?

I love my "veggie" hamburger! I made the meat-loving boyfriend a taco with it the other night and he swallowed it whole! It microwaves in 1 1/2 minutes and there's no nasty grease to drain. Give it a try, it's a lot safer!

Don't eat the poor cows!

Food Allergies

I've never had any food allergies in the past. Now that I've changed my diet drastically, I've been trying many new things. The other day I was shopping at a grocery store that my boyfriend's cousin works at. He was throwing in weird stuff every time I wasn't looking: baby food, wrapping paper, wine, you name it. I got most of it, except for this package of pita-like tortilla wraps - my boyfriend eats a lot of wraps so I figured he had put them in the cart. Since I had already paid for them I made one for lunch...

My face and neck broke out! I was bright red and not to mention ready to scratch my face off! Then my palms started itching to the point I wanted to cut them off. After checking the package, the only "odd" ingredient was wheat gluten which was in bold print, I guess for a reason. I decided to look some things up about it to share with fellow new vegheads.

Gluten allergy is also sometimes called coeliac disease. The symptoms of the allergy are not at all similar to what I experienced though. The actual disease is related to many abdominal and bowel problems. So was it the gluten I had a problem with? I found on mayoclinic.com that you can have reactions without the disease,

"Signs and symptoms of wheat allergy range from mild to severe and can include skin reactions, congestion and digestive issues. Rarely, wheat allergy can cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction." It's one of the top eight food allergies as well.

Many people are aware of allergic reactions to nuts, soy, etc., but does anyone have further knowledge on gluten?

Jennifer Love Hewitt Bikini Pics

There is a huge ordeal about pictures taken of Jennifer Love Hewitt on the beach celebrating her new engagement. They say the fact that she is being called fat is a sign of problems in how society causes body image problems.
While I think its a sign of a problem, I don't think its body image.
Its America's diet. There is no way she could be eating healthy and exercising and look like that. America is probably near the fattest, laziest, and most unhealthy country in the world.
Honestly - I think she looks awful in those pictures.
While you should take pride in your body, I don't think eating whatever you want and fooling yourself into thinking its fine and normal is not healthy. It will lead to huge problems later in life. I'd like to see her go vegetarian or even vegan and go to a gym two to three times a week and see how much better she not only looks but feels. My guess would be she wouldn't be eager to go back to how she was because she loves her body no matter what it looks like.
She says she is a size two, which is not fat. While a size two, four, six, eight, ten, twelve, or fourteen is not fat in my opinion, I think she is a liar. I'm a size four and could not see the woman in those pictures getting into my clothes. You can be a larger size but still be healthy. If your adult frame is capable of a size two but suddenly you've become a size ten without having children, you are not healthy.
Maybe I'm being too insensitve here but I just don't think being fat should be any more okay than it is already - not because of appearance and vanity but because of the health of the entire country. Should we really raise kids to think that being fat is okay or is that just setting them up for self-destruction? If superficial reasons are the only reason people will take care of themselves, then maybe they're doing some good.

I did stand up for Britney; I didn't feel she looked fat on the vma's. We know she isn't very healthy with all of the drive-thru photo ops we see of her. Then again we also know about her liposuction and other work. Regardless of what is fat, which I guess is in the eye of the beholder - I think healthy should be the main point of discussion.
What do you think about body image and health in the United States?

Are vanity and envy sins or do they serve an evolutionary function?

Oh, Nuts! and seeds, and legumes!

Since becoming vegetarian, nuts have become my new best friend. Like I have mentioned before, I keep some on my desk and eat a few handfuls a day. Besides being a great protein substitute for meat, they have many great nutritional benefits. Hey, they're even in the meat group on many food pyramids.


They do have some fat, which is sometimes called "good fat." What does that mean?
Almonds and walnuts, my two personal favorites, have recently been show to lower your bad cholesterol (a benefit of monounsaturated and polyunsatured fats). Thus, they may reduce the risk of heart disease and related problems as well as colon and lung cancer (American Heart Association.) The fat in nuts gives you needed energy and calories and can help you curb cravings for more unhealthy snacks. Looking at my jar, I also see that they have Zero mg. of cholesterol.


What nutrients do they contain? Fiber, iron, vitamin E, potassium, niacin, zinc, phosphorous, biotin, riboflavin, and selenium to name a few. My current jar of vanilla bean almonds have 20% of your daily magnesium (helps you absorb calcium, prevents abnormal blood clotting, helps maintain blood pressure); which leads to something else great about them - they don't get boring. You can get different flavors, textures, healthy and semi-sinful - but chocolate has many benefits, too - so I say go for it. They go great in salads, side dishes, main dishes - there are lots of ways to cook with them, have them in "butters," or just plain.


There are so many different kinds, too - in case you're not a fan of some.
Almonds, Cashews, Hazel Nuts, Macadamia Nuts, Peanuts (a legume), Pecans, Pistachios, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Walnuts, that's all that come to mind right now but I'm sure there are many more.


Eat an ounce or two a day for health!

Thanksgiving

Well it's that time of year. I can't wait to go to my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian and hear everyone talk about me like I'm a freak of nature. Even though me not eating turkey isn't going to spare any of them, as they'll be cooked regardless, I can't even think about having any. There are so many delicious things to enjoy at Thanksgiving anyways. If you absolutely love the taste, there are many substitutes, but I can do without those, too.

Here is the newly released video of the practices at a Butterball slaughterhouse from a PETA undercover investigation. Absolutely awful! The workers have to be messed up in the head BIG time! They're enjoying torturing them. PETA has filed charges for them to be charged with cruelty, but I think we're still a long way away from "humane" slaughtering - as the factory farm animals are treated just as poorly.


Not to be a total downer - Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
I can't wait for the homemade bread, pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes, candied carrots, mmmm :) . Rather than just being thanksful for your nourishment though, be sure to give thanks for the special time with your loved ones!

There are tons and tons of vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes that I will be making next year, my first year in my own place!

My Progress

Going vegetarian can be confusing. Several people have asked me to post more examples of what I eat in a day. This is what I have kind of gravitated to:

Breakfast: a bowl of cereal or two, two Eggos, or two packages of oatmeal. I have fortified orange juice or chocolate soy milk to go with it. I take a supplement with all of the B vitamins with breakfast.

Morning Snack: Then to stick with my several small meals a day, I have an apple w/ peanut butter, banana, orange, or whatever type of fruit I have at the time . I try to drink a glass of water in between breakfast and lunch.

Lunch: I try to eat a lot of my carbohydrates and calories here, as they will likely be burned off before the end of the day. This means pasta, rice with veggies, veggie sandwiches, vegetarian soup or chili with crackers, etc.

Afternoon snack: I usually cut up different veggies like carrots, cucumbers, green peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms and eat them with some type of veggie dip or salad dressing. Again I try to drink a full glass of water in between lunch and dinner, too.

I keep a jar of sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, cashews, and walnuts at my desk. I usually eat a handful or two a day for some added protein and energy.

Dinner: I will usually have a meat substitute at dinner and go a little easier on the carbs since I tend to eat later than most people.

Boca makes great crumbled 'hamburger' that comes in individual packages - great for tacos or other beef dishes.

Another great one is Morning Star corn dogs. They taste like the real thing without the ground up rejected animal parts and rat droppings.

I will usually accompany it with a big salad or steamed vegetables. Steamed vegetables are made so easy now. You throw the whole bag in the microwave for two minutes and that's it!

I take a multi-vitamin with a small snack before before bed and try to drink another glass of water. Drinking a lot of water is kind of pain for me. Do we really need eight glasses? How much of the 64 ounce recommendation do we probably get from food? I will have to look that up when I get a chance.

I hope this was some help to you newbie or aspiring vegetarians. For those of you experienced veg*ns, is there anything I could change or do better?

Daylight Come and Me Wanna Go Home - Foot Cramps :(

I was about to eat dinner last night and on my way to my chair I started screaming. Both of my feet cramped up at the same time for about five minutes. It's happened a few times lately, but never so extreme or in both feet simultaneously. So, I had to look up why that would happen. The only answer I found - lack of potassium. It plays a big role in muscle contraction and nerve stimulation. It also helps you keep a normal water balance and keeps your brain functioning, but that is besides my current dilemma.

I checked my vitamins with 80+ ingredients and potassium wasn't one. Something as basic as that is not in there but random, never heard-of things are.

How do you get potassium besides the obvious, bananas?

Cantaloupe, Grapefruit, Oranges, Tomatoes, Tangerines, Prune Juice, Potatoes, Honeydew Melons, Lentils, Dry Beans, and Raisins to name a few.

I've eaten several of those items in the last week, so I'm a little confused as to whether potassium is really the culprit or not. I still felt it was important to cover potassium, as it is a vital mineral but not sure if I can attribute my foot cramps to it. With it being in so many fruits and vegetables, it seems I should be getting my RDA easily, even without vitamins. As my research seems to be failing me, does anyone else have any ideas why I'd be having frequent foot cramps?

Live from New York!

Oh how I miss Kevin Nealon on Saturday Night Live! He is another surprising vegetarian. Rather than just adding him to the list of celebrity vegetarians, I wanted to do a separate post. I had to include his quote. I found it on a few sites but I guess I should credit goveg.com because they had the most complete information. I'm sure the main story is on PETA but I didn't read it on their site.

He said:
"I can't wait for meal time when I can chow down on the decomposing corpse of a tortured animal," he says. "I like knowing that eating meat makes me four times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke."

I have been wondering... Many people say they are veg bc something serious happened to them - heart attack, stroke, cancer, etc. Why wait? Doctors obviously know how bad meat is for you so why not prevent those things now instead of risking your future health?

More interesting, he became veg 18 years ago for the same reason that I did.

"I became a vegetarian after I became aware of factory farming and slaughterhouses and the torture and inhumane handling of all these animals."

Those are awful! So many people think the cows just roam around in a peaceful pasture living a great life. If you see how these precious little piggies, cows, etc. are treated, you won't have much trouble keeping meat off of your plate! It has been going on for over two decades?! I thought factory farming was probably a much newer thing from companies pushing for progress; I guess it isn't that new though.

Watch the video of Kevin Nealon here and let me know what you think!

If Oprah approves, it must be good!

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a great food for new veg*ns to try. If you haven't frequented natural food stores, you may not have come across it before. It is gluten-free if you have allergies. It contains lysine, making it a complete protein - good news for us VegHeads! It made Oprah's Top 10 Superfoods list, too!

1 cup has:
22 grams or protein
(approx. 50% of RDA) More than a 1/4 lb. Hamburger!
87% of your iron!
10% of your calcium
(peertrainer.com)

There are many other nutrients in this cross between a cereal and a grain, too. It looks similar to sesame seeds. One cup has about 15% of you daily fat and 40% of your carbs, so you may want to adjust your carb intake on days you eat this. (It is worth 3 points).

See the complete nutritional label on nutritiondata.com.

I wanted it to be the next 'food of the week' but there's too much to say, I doubt it would fit in the right column. Here are the nutritional benefits:

Lower Type II Diabetes risk
Eases altitude sickness
Protection against heart disease
High fiber content prevents gallstones
Cardiovascular health
Magnesium and Riboflavin can ease headaches and cause them to occur less.

You can find many recipes featuring quinoa! VegWeb has a great collection!

vegparadise.com suggests raw quinoa in salads, cooking the leaves like spinach, or including it in soups or rice pudding

Trick-Or-Treat

Sign the petition against Mars, Inc.
They still do testing on animals for their candy.

"Mars has funded cruel experiments in which mice were fed a candy ingredient and forced to swim in a pool of paint and water. The mice had to find a platform to try to avoid drowning, only to be killed and dissected later. In another experiment supported by Mars, rats were fed cocoa and anesthetized with carbon dioxide so that their blood could be collected by cardiac puncture, a procedure that can lead to internal bleeding and other deadly complications. Mars also supported an experiment that involved cramming baby mice into small Plexiglas chambers and then submerging the chambers for nearly five hours in a chilled water bath to determine whether or not a chocolate ingredient affected the mice's breathing rates. In the second phase of this test, experimenters shoved tubes down mice's throats to force-feed them an ingredient in chocolate, deprived them of all other food, and finally killed them and cut them up for analysis.
Mars' top competitor, Hershey's, has pledged to PETA that it will not fund or conduct experiments on animals."

Please urge Mars to follow Hershey's lead and immediately end all support for animal tests!

Live Long and Prosper

Being a vegetarian is hard work. It requires a lot of thoughtful planning and discipline. Is it worth it? I think so. Keep your heads up and stick with it! Here are some of the benefits that you get from being a VegHead:

The most common benefits I hear about are a decrease in blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood lipid (fat) levels, meaning a lower risk of heart disease.

Marie-Louise Meilleur, who lived to be the world's oldest person at age 122, was a vegetarian. She lived a vegetarian diet with small amounts of wine, chocolate, and olive oil.

(theage.com)

Johanna Dwyer (registered dietition) has shown that vegetarians are at less risk for:

Obesity

Type II diabetes

Hypertension

Coronary artery disease

and gall stones among other health problems.

(cnn.com)

Here are some healthy meal ideas I found on NCSU.edu's health website.

They're all things I like to eat regularly so I thought I'd pass the suggesions on.

(well, except for grits :) )

Breakfast
cereal and milk or soy milk, omelet, grits, oatmeal, bran muffin

Lunch
spinach salad with whole grain crackers, peanut butter and banana on whole-wheat bread, meatless chili and cornbread, split pea or lentil soup, bean burritos or tacos

Dinner
vegetable stir-fry with rice, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti with sauce, pasta and vegetables, caesar salad, meatless enchiladas

Snacks
trail mix, cheese (soy option) and crackers, fruit, frozen yogurt, sunflower seeds, veggies and dip, pudding, vegetable juice, peanuts, granola bar

Iron Deficiency in Veg*ns

One of the most important considerations in a veg*n diet is whether or not you are getting enough iron.

Calcium and protein are much easier to substitute than iron, since the best source of iron is red meat.

A good supplement is probably the best way for veg*ns to get iron, but not the only.

It is important because not getting enough iron can cause you to become anemic, which can also be caused by blood loss. Basically, your red blood cells are not giving your body tissues enough oxygen (source: MedlinePlus).

I have been tested for anemia several times but have always had normal iron levels.

The side effects are commonly fatigue, always feeling tired, lack of stamina, shortness of breath, rapid heart beat, weakness, and lightheadedness. There are many more side effects that are not as common. If you have any of the major ones, you should consider reading all of them to see if you have more signs of iron deficiency.

According to wikipedia.org, 20% of adult women and 50% of pregnant women have iron deficiency, while only 2% of adult males do.

If you need to take an iron supplement with food, make sure you are not taking it with any milk products, it can hinder the absorption. Vitamin C can increase absorption.

On wisegeek.com, they suggest females over 18 and under 50 should be getting 18 mg. daily while males tend to only need around 8 mg.; apparently men store iron better.

According to the American Dietetic Association, recommended iron intakes for vegetarians are 1.8 times those of nonvegetarians because of lower bioavailability of iron from a vegetarian diet.

Too much iron can also cause problems, or iron poisoning. Not eating red meat can make it more difficult to get iron, but you still don't want excess intake. If you want to get iron through your diet, here are some sources I found on various websites upmc.com, McKinley Health Center, and cdc.gov. (These are all approximate, be sure to check your specific food labels of what you are consuming.)

Whole-grains

Almonds (.7 mg in about 1 dozen almonds)

Bagels (1.5 mg.)

Pumpkin seeds (4.3 mg in 1 oz.)and cashews (1.7 mg in 1 oz.)

Raisins (1.1 mg in a 1/3 cup serving)

Eggs (.7 mg in one yolk)

Bran (3.5 mg in 1/2 cup)

Baked beans (2 mg. in 1/2 cup)

Dried beans

Kidney beans (3 mg. in 1/2 cup)

Soy Beans (4.4 mg. in 1/2 cup cooked)

Fruits

Peas (1.3 mg. in 1/2 cup)

Dark, leafy vegetables (boiled spinach 1.7 mg. in 1/2 cup)

Raw spinach (2.7 mg. in 1/2 cup)

Peanut butter (.6 mg in 2 tbsp.)

Spaghetti noodles (1.6 mg. in 1 cup)

Things that are iron fortified like cereals, oatmeal, and cereal bars

Tofu

White rice (1.8 mg. in 1 cup)

Soymilk - the chocolate is great!

What do you do to get your iron? Does anyone have a multi-vitamin for veg*ns that they want to recommend?

J-E-L-L-O... It's Alive!

Remember those Jell-O commercials from Halloween, maybe they're even still around...? Well I had no idea that Jell-O actually did used to be alive. Am I the last to know where gelatin comes from? For a quarter per box, I wouldn't have guessed animals. I guess it comes from cows' and pigs' skin. Their tissues and bones are boiled to form the powder. What a weird concept.. I wonder who thought to do that and then flavor it with fruity flavors for a dessert. I'm sure they are millionaires though.

I am a beginner and learning and I'd like my site to be helpful to other beginners.

Does anyone else know of other items that are surprisingly from animals? I don't feel like everyone has to be petty and avoid any and every thing possibly from animals, it just has peaked my curiosity.

Famous Vegetarians

I've learned some people are vegetarian that really surprised me. I'd like to keep a list of all celebrities, or other people well-known today, that are vegetarian/vegan. Some pretty intelligent, revolutionary people were veg*n even long ago. If you have anyone to add, let me know!

Paula Abdul
Bryan Adams
Pamela Anderson
Susan B. Anthony
Fiona Apple
Christina Applegate
Alec Baldwin
Bob Barker
Drew Barrymore
Kim Basinger
Victoria Beckham
Linda Blair
Orlando Bloom
Michael Bolton
Brandy
Kirk Cameron
Johnny Cash
Jackie Chan
Chelsea Clinton
Elvis Costello
Ted Danson
Charles Darwin
Leonardo DaVinci
Ellen DeGeneres
Bob Dylan
Clint Eastwood
Albert Einstein
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Kevin Eubanks
Michael J. Fox
Benjamin Franklin
Woody Harrelson
Josh Hartnett
Davey Havok - AFI
Billy Idol
Jenna Jameson
Tony LaRussa
Lisa Loeb
Bob Marley
Billy Martin (of Good Charlotte)
Ricky Martin
Alyssa Milano
Dave Navarro
Kevin Nealon
Sir Isaac Newton
Jerry Seinfeld
Alicia Silverstone
Ringo Starr
Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Henry David Thoreau
Shania Twain
Liv Tyler
Carrie Underwood
Vincent VanGogh
Weird Al Yankovich
Rob Zombie!

Calcium Without Milk

Calcium is an essential nutrient, everyone knows you need it for strong teeth and bones among other things such as blood clotting, nerves, and the heart. Many people consume large amounts to prevent problems such as osteoporosis later on in life. Many people also think milk is the best source of calcium; we need it. In piecing together the facts though, milk and cheese have a lot of protein. Excess protein decreases calcium, so is it that great of a source?

I've talked about alternative sources of protein, now let's look at calcium sources.You can get your calcium in a healthier way, from plant sources such as dark green vegetables, legumes, and soy products. According to "The Herbal Collective," the calcium from these sources are absorbed better than from milk.

While I am still drinking milk and consuming milk products, I am slowly reducing my consumption of them. I found an interesting fact in the book, "Being Vegetarian for Dummies." To sum it up, it says that humans don't even need milk after they're done nursing. Most people can't even digest cow's milk. People of Northern European descent have developed the ability because of the history of the tradition to do so. Lactose intolerance is becoming increasingly more widespread. I found supporting facts from the Harvard School of Public Health: "Certain groups are much more likely to have lactose intolerance. For example, 90 percent of Asians, 70 percent of blacks and Native Americans, and 50 percent of Hispanics are lactose-intolerant, compared to only about 15 percent of people of Northern European descent."

Here is the calcium content of some common foods:
(The RDA is about 1,000 - 1,200 mg./day) source: calciuminfo.com

1 cup of oranges has over 70 mg. of calcium.
1/4 cup of almonds has over 80 mg. of calcium.
1 cup of broccoli or peas has over 90 mg.
1 cup of baked beans has 150 mg.
1 cup of the average trail mix has over 160 mg.
1 cup of spinach has over 200 mg.
Some calcium-enriched products such as orange juice can give you around 300 mg. You can also find a variety of other calcium-enriched items such as soy milk, oatmeal, snacks, and my favorite - Goldfish crackers :) .
1 oz. of cereal can contain 200 - 1,000 mg.
1/2 cup of tofu can have over 250 mg.

Even if you're not concerned about the treatment of animals or the environmental effects, cutting out cow's milk products can save you from unnecessary cholesterol and fat, and prevent a harmful excessive protein intake. There are many tasty alternatives! :)

6 Reasons for 6 Small Meals

I've heard from many articles that you should eat five, sometimes six small meals a day instead of three large ones. I have never enjoyed eating a lot at one sitting so i wanted to know why it is better for you to spread your food consumption out.
The answers I found were:

One - that eating a large meal causes blood sugar and your insulin levels to rise very high, then during the hours of fasting before the next meal, to drop extremely low. Eating small meals can lower the effects/symptoms of hypoglycemia, which I had previously been tested for because of my constant need for something in my stomach.

Two - It helps prevent overeating and binging. Have you ever noticed if you have a large variety of foods to choose from you stuff yourself a lot more than if you just had two or three? You won't be quite as hungry when you eat so you won't be tempted to stuff your face. Also, being vegetarian, I found it helpful because you don't have to eat large portions of the same food, which is boring. Once your body gets used to smaller meals, it will likely shrink, and you will need less food to feel full.

Three - fat storage. If you don't eat regularly throughout your day, you will naturally store up what you eat as fat. Your body needs to learn that more food will be coming shortly, slowly teaching it to burn food as calories rather than storing it as fat.

"Eating the same calories spread out over smaller meals four to six times during
the day is supposed to raise the body's thermic effect, resulting in 10%
more calories being burned, according to Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of
sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center."

Four - Energy. If you have a set eating pattern without hours of fasting, some studies indicate your general metabolic rate goes up. This gives you more energy and can decrease your cravings. When you try to go hungry, you will likely start to crave high calorie, fatty foods which also is detrimental to weight loss.

Five - Cholesterol - "Smaller, more frequent meals appear to lower LDL-C primarily by reducing cholesterol synthesis in the liver." I found this on foodandhealth.com. Your body will start to absorb and store less cholesterol if you are eating more frequently.

Six - Cardiovascular Disease - Many articles state that increasing the number of meals (but eating smaller portions) improves blood lipids, which decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association states that after eating a large meal, your risk of a heart attack goes up by 400% for up to two hours.

So feel better about snacking while feeling better! Just make sure you choose healthy, high-fiber snacks.

Try and apple and peanut butter or veggies with low-fat Ranch dressing. Try not to indulge in potato chips and chocolate bars as your mini-meals though.

Food of the Week Archive

#1 - Tomatoes

One of my favorites... tomatoes. I chose them as my first food of the week because I love the taste and they're very good for you. They're an excellent source of lycopene, which helps prevent many types of cancer, heart conditions, and diseases of the eye by neutralizing free radicals. They are a great source of many other vitamins and fiber, and are of course, low-calorie. There are many ways to prepare them and many dishes to add them to.

#2 - Pomegranate

The pomegranate is a large fruit with glistening red seeds that account for over half of its weight. It has very thick, leathery skin. It is typically available in the US only around October or November, so I wanted to make sure I got it in soon. This fruit can help sustain healthy cholesterol levels, help with osteoarthritis, and improve prostate health. Besides having more antioxidants than most fruits have; it has polyphenols, which are anti-viral and cause anti-tumor activity. Some studies show it prevents hardening of the arteries, and can reverse damage already done. You can get your dose from juice, jams, or fresh fruit. They smell wonderful, too. I love my pomegranate shower gel.

#3 Spinach

Spinach is a great way to add nutrition, but not calories, to your diet. I mainly chose this to tie in with my iron post, since spinach is rich in iron. A source of Vitamin K, it helps with the absorption and regulation of calcium, a second major benefit for vegetarians. (It also has zing to "mineralize" calcium into the bone.)

It contains lutein, beta-carotene, and quercetin. These may help fight prostate cancer and heart disease. They could also prevent macular degeneration. The lipoic acid in spinach helps regulate blood sugar. It is also a good source of vitamin C and folic acid, important for women!

Spinach can be prepared many different ways but be sure to thoroughly wash it! (I'm sure you remember the recalls).

# 4 - Cherries - My favorite fruit :)

There is a long list of the benefits of cherries. For a full explanation, visit NutriCoach. Here are the major beneficial contents:

Ellagic acid: part of cancer preventing drugs

Perillyl Alcohol: anti-tumor

Beta sitosterol: lowers blood cholesterol levels

Quercetin: reduces risk of heart attack and stroke

They have high fiber content

They are of course, fat free, sodium free, and cholesterol free!

#5 - Alfalfa Sprouts

Going vegetarian encourages you to try new foods you never opened yourself up to before. One of my new favorites is alfalfa sprouts. I add them to salads and even include them in my veggie quesadillas. They add a great texture!

Here are some of the nutrients found in alfalfa sprouts:Vitamins A, B, C, E and KCalcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, ZincCarotene, Chlorophyll, and Amino Acidsand even a few grams of protein.

Another great addition to the vegetarian diet - they are also relatively inexpensive. One package of them for $3.50 lasted me over two weeks.They have a shelf life of 4 to 6 weeks as well, another plus.

Pasta Salad Recipe

This is one of my favorite things to make. It is easy and nutritious. I looked at about five or six recipes and combined them into something I'd like because I am picky. I think it's a great combination though.

Ingredients:

1 medium tomato, diced
1 large cucumber, sliced and cut into fourths
3/4 cup green peppers, diced
2 tbsp. chopped onion - most of them call for 1/2 cup or more, but that is too much for me.
3/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 1/4 cup Wishbone Italian dressing
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (optional) I leave it out and let everyone put their own on.
1 lb. penne or rigatoni pasta

Cook pasta as directed. Rinse with cold water. Add dressing, vegetables, and seasoning. Toss. Refrigerate before serving.

Easy and healthy! If you try it out, let me know how it goes :) .

Protein

Of course everybody needs protein, it is important for tissue growth and repair, hormone production, and immunity among other things.

My first thought when I was considering becoming a vegetarian was, "how would I get enough protein?" Many people have the misconception that meat is primarily the only way to meet your protein needs. Not true. Plants have protein, too.

The general rule is that if you're getting enough calories for your activity level, you are most likely getting enough protein anyway.

Here's how to figure out how much protein you need on a daily basis:

.36 grams X your body weight in pounds.
So, for a 130 lb. person, he/she needs about 46.

Here are the approximate protein values of some common foods:

1 serving of kidney beans = 24 grams
1 serving of lima beans = 22 grams
1 serving of tempeh = 18 grams
1 cup of lentils = 17 grams
1 cup of peas = 16 grams
1 serving of tofu = 15 grams
1 cup of rice = 13 grams
South Beach Diet cereal bar = 10 grams
1 oz. of pumpkin seeds = 9 grams
1 serving of chunky peanut butter = 7 grams
1 cup of cooked spaghetti noodles = 7 grams
1 oz. of almonds = 6 grams
1 cup of spinach = 6 grams
1 cup of corn = 5 grams
1 oz. of peanuts = 5 grams

Too much protein has actually been linked to many health problems. Many Americans, meat-eaters, probably are consuming too much. Which of course, increases fat and cholesterol, but the amino acids also make your body more acidic. Calcium from your bones is then taken to neutralize your blood. Excessive protein is also linked with diabetes, kidney disease, and prostate cancer.

A vegetable stir-fry with rice, a little pasta for lunch, a handful of nuts, and a salad a day - you should be able to easily meet your protein needs.

Veggie Food Pyramid

Following this pyramid will create a healthy, nutritious diet for you. As long as you are getting the recommended servings and getting enough calories for your physical activity level, you will feel great!

You usually eat more than one serving with each portion you eat. Here are some examples of what exactly constitutes a serving:

Whole Grains: 6 - 11 servings
1 slice of bread
1/2 of a bagel
1/2 cup of cooked rice, cereal, or pasta
5 - 6 crackers
1 tortilla
1/2 of a muffin or bun
1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal

Fruits: 2 -4 servings
1 apple, orange, or banana
1/2 of a grapefruit
1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
1/4 cup dried fruit
3/4 cup of fruit juice

Vegetables: 3 - 5 servings
1 cup of raw, leafy vegetables
1/2 cup of other vegetables, cooked or raw
3/4 cup vegetable juice

Nuts, Seeds, Legumes, and Meat Alternatives: 2 - 3 servings
2 tablespoons of any nut or seed
1/2 cup cooked dry beans or peas
1/4 cup tofu or tempeh
2 tablespoons of peanut butter

Vegetable Oils: 4 - 7 servings
3 - 5 tablespoons of plant oils

Dairy and dairy alternatives: 2 - 3 servings
1 cup of milk or yogurt
1 1/2 - 2 oz. of cheese

Getting all of your daily protein without meat is easier than most people think! I will go into more detail about protein requirements in the next post.

Why become Vegetarian?

Vegetarianism is becoming more and more common. A rough estimate is that approximately 7% of Americans are vegetarians or vegans. There are many reasons people decide to adopt a vegetarian diet.

Some do it to lose weight, as there are many health benefits. Some do it to help the environment. Others, such as myself, do it to prevent animal cruelty and protect animal rights. Some religious people do so out of their interpretation of the Bible.

I will expand on these individually in later posts, but here is a summary:

Health Benefits of a Meatless Diet:

You can meet your protein and calcium requirements but avoid the cholesterol and fat that comes along with meet. The foods are high in fiber and low in fat. You are encouraged to eat more fruits and vegetables, which have a protective quality and prevent free radicals which cause cancer. Many studies show vegetarians have a reduced rate of coronary artery disease, obesity, and hypertension. Of course you must keep your diet balanced. Eating all twinkies and cheesecake is not a healthy diet.

See the next post for the vegetarian food pyramid.

Benefits to the Environment:

It takes a lot of water and grain feed to produce beef, which is very inefficient. One hamburger takes up more water than approximately 40 showers. People are also destroying forests and rainforests in Central and South America to raise beef. It is a weird fact but I read a statistic a couple of times that said livestock flatulence is responsible for 25% of global warming emissions. Meat production also causes an extreme amount of soil erosion.

Animal Rights:

Ever seen a video of modern-day farms and slaughterhouses? I have. The animals are treated very inhumanely and even abused. Most of them don't get to roam large pastures like they used to. They're crammed into spaces so small they can barely move in order to produce bigger quantities at cheaper rates. You can find these on many websites if you think you can handle watching one. Why should animals be bred to suffer through life and killed in painful ways so we can eat greasy, cholesterol-filled meat?

Religious Reasons:

This was a topic I came across on accident. I had no idea this was a reason for vegetarianism. Apparently in the Bible, it says in Genesis 1:29 "…God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be for meat." It never mentions animals for food.

Isaiah: "He that slayeth an ox is as he that killeth a human."

Hindus are commonly vegetarian. They believe what they do to animals will end up happening to them. Buddhism also reflects that belief, of karma, and doesn't think any life should have to endure suffering. Many Islam followers are vegetarians because they can not eat meat that is improperly slaughtered, which is hard to come by.

Buddha: "To become vegetarian is to step into the stream which leads to nirvana."

Why did you become a vegetarian or vegan?