Bangkok--28 Sep--Francom Asia
Nowadays, people tend to practice healthy habits to stay fit and active. Apart from regular physical activity, they also commit to healthy eating, including vegetarian diets which are gaining in popularity among young Thais. According to www.medicalnewstoday.com, studies indicate that going vegetarian can provide benefits such as lowering body weight, improving cholesterol levels, lowering the risks of cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and in general, living longer.
Nutrition expert Susan Bowerman, Director of Nutrition Training at Herbalife, says that a healthy vegetarian diet is like any other well-thought out plan that consists of a balance of important food groups – fruits, vegetables, proteins and grains. The main difference is that vegetarians get their protein from plant-based sources rather than animals.
One of the biggest dietary challenges – especially for strict vegans who exclude milk, eggs and honey – is getting adequate protein from plant sources. Proteins are made up of small units called amino acids, which your body uses to manufacture body proteins like hormones, enzymes and muscle tissue. Your body can make some amino acids, but others are called essential – because your body can't make them, so they have to come from the diet.
All animal products – from meat, poultry and fish to milk and eggs – are called?complete proteins because they contain?all the essential amino acids,?and?in the right proportions. The challenge for vegetarians is that – with the exception of soybeans – most plant foods lack one or more essential amino acid, so they're considered incomplete.
Fortunately, there's a fairly easy work-around – and that's to combine plant sources in such a way as to provide all the building blocks that the body needs. The essential amino acid that is lacking in beans, peas or lentils, for example, is abundant in grains – and, conveniently, what grains lack, beans can provide. So, when you pair black beans with rice, or a bowl of lentil soup with whole grain bread, you can provide your body with all the essential amino acids it needs.
Herbalife nutrition expert also shares 5 tips to help you design a healthy, nutritious vegetarian diet.
5 Tips for a Healthy Vegetarian Diet
Have a fruit or veggie with every meal and snack
We should aim to consume at least 3 fruits a day, and at least two servings of vegetables at lunch and another two servings at dinner. (1 serving equals 1 cup of raw vegetable or ½ cup of cooked vegetable)
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Get whole grains and beans to complete your protein needs
Whole grains – They provide some (although not all) essential amino acids, which make them an important component of a vegetarian plan. The amount you need to eat each day will depend on your calorie and protein needs, but you'll need a minimum of two daily servings. (1 serving equals 1/2 cup)
Beans, peas and lentils - The amino acids found in beans, peas and lentils (and products made from them like tofu or protein powders made with soy or pea protein) complement those found in grain foods, which is why these foods are so important. You don't necessarily have to eat beans and grains at the same meal, but you should make it a point to have some of each throughout the day. Again, the amount you need will depend on your calorie and protein needs, but as with any other plan, you should aim to have some protein during each meal or snack to meet your nutritional needs and help with hunger control.
Remember dairy and eggs are great protein sources
It's somewhat easier to meet protein needs if you're vegetarian (not vegan) and include dairy products and eggs in diet. These foods provide high quality protein at a relatively low calorie cost.
Think of protein powders that help meet protein targets
Protein powders made from plant proteins – like soy, or rice and pea – are great for people who need to avoid animal meat or animal-based food, since they help boost your protein intake at a relatively low calorie cost. They're easy to add to foods like protein shakes, cooked oatmeal and even soups to boost protein– and, you can tailor the amount you use to your individual needs.
Be aware of the protein content in vegetarian foods
Pay attention to the calorie cost of some of these foods. Some foods provide?some?protein, but the calorie cost is relatively high. So you should check the calories provided from the food compared to the amount of calories you need per day to avoid unnecessary weight gaining. For example, 250 ml of nonfat milk provides 10 g of protein and 90 calories; while the same amount of rice milk provides only 1 g protein with 120 calories.
One egg has 85 calories with 6 g of protein, while nut butter has 200 calories with 7 g of protein. Containing high protein and less calories, 24 grams of Herbalife Personalized Protein Powder blended from Soy and Whey protein provides 20 g of protein with only 80 calories.
If you decide to go on a vegetarian diet to stay healthy or to make merit, do follow Susan's great tips to get the best results. You can discover many interesting stories about health and fitness prepared by Herbalife via www.discovergoodnutrition.com.
*This article is brought to you by Herbalife in line with its mission of providing nutrition for a better life and promoting healthy, active lifestyles.
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