Vegetarian Information

Being a vegetarian is still something of a conversation killer even in today’s health conscious society. “What do you eat then?” is muttered quietly whilst images of the gourmet meat pies are tossed aside for green salads at the next dinner party.

Vegetarianism has actually shown a slight decline over the last decade although statistics have shown that many people have been a vegetarian at one period in their life. But overall, the vegetarian lifestyle is still as popular as ever as shown by the ever increasing range of vegetarian products and meat substitutes entering the market.

Whilst the vegetarian terms may seem confusing at first - the concept behind the terms are actually quiet easy to follow.

Lacto-Ovo - Most people when they hear the term vegetarian would think of a lacto-ovo. The term refers to people who do not eat any fish or meat but who do eat dairy products and eggs.

Ovo - This term refers to vegetarians who will eat eggs but will not eat any dairy products in their diet.

Lacto - Refers to a person who will not eat any meat or eggs in their diet but who will eat dairy products.

Vegan - Vegans are the strictest form of vegetarians as they do not eat any form of animal product or by-product.

Semi - The term semi-vegetarian has become increasingly popular with the rise of the so called “fad diet”. This category is set aside for people who want to try the vegetarian lifestyle but who still enjoy the occasional hamburger.

Many vegetarians choose this lifestyle not only for the health benefits associated with it but also for their belief against animal cruelty and associations such as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) now champion animal rights.

Before the advantages of the vegetarian lifestyle were well documented we assumed that vegetarians were insipid, thin, pale creatures but with the number of famous celebrities such as Pamela Anderson, Paul McCartney and Alicia Silverstone touting the benefits, the attitude has been given a more positive makeover.

Vegetarians can run the risk of suffering from a lack of iron, protein, Vitamin B and calcium if they do not balance their diets. But a little bit of education and knowledge of vegetarian sources should ensure that this does not occur. Protein can easily be found by eating nuts, seeds, tofu, veggie burgers and grains. Vitamin B2 can be found by eating leafy green vegetables, almonds and mushrooms and many vegetarian products are now fortified with Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D as an aid against any deficiency which may occur. Calcium can be found in tofu, leafy green vegetables, dried fruit, watercress and many of the soy milks found on the markets are calcium fortified.

Dining out can also pose a problem as many restaurants still have few vegetarian options and some vegetarian products may be more expensive than their meat counterparts.

The upside about being a vegetarian is that you do not have to worry about raising cholesterol levels by eating too much red meat. Research has also shown that many vegetarians suffer less from obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, diet related cancers, constipation and gall stones.

Even if you don’t embrace the vegetarian lifestyle wholeheartedly, trying a veggie meal once in a while certainly can’t do you any harm.

Recommended Vegetarian Recipe Websites:

http://www.sanitarium.com.au/recipe/recipes.do?cat-id=312
http://www.vnv.org.au/Recipes.htm
http://www.vegsoc.org.au/recipes.asp
http://www.annabella.net/vegetarian.html

Michelle Sweeney is a self confessed vegetarian of over 12 years. She is also the owner of the online gift store - http://www.tonicgifts.com.au. Tonic Gifts registered as a business in October 2004 with an aim to provide quality and affordable gifts to online shoppers both in Australia and overseas and to make the whole experience as simple and enjoyable as possible.

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I had a dream last night where I was planning our dinner for the night. First off, it was sad that I was dreaming about planning dinner. Secondly, in my dream, my child was small again and to my surprise was asking for hummus. What is hummus? It spurred me to do a little research on the subject and it all started with a simple definition.

After “Googling” the word hummus (also spelled houmous, hommus, or humus), I have found that hummus is a dip made up mostly of sesame seed paste and chickpea paste. Common flavoring additives include lemon juice, paprika, garlic and olive oil. Mostly a accepted food in the Middle East, hummus’ popularity is quickly spreading throughout the world.

Being frugal, I was also astounded at how cheap this versatile dip can be! You can make your own hummus by soaking dried chickpeas overnight and then simmering them for about an hour. After they are cooked, you grind them in a food processor or hand mixer with a little olive oil and lemon juice. You may also add some of the chickpea broth until you have the desired “dip-like” consistency. Add garlic, salt, parsley, onion, cumin, or chili powder to taste. You can use hummus as a dip for vegetables, tortilla chips or flatbread making this an incredibly versatile staple!

Hummus is also extremely rich in protein, fiber and iron which makes it a true vegetarian’s dream. Make a spicy hummus by adding chopped jalapenos and serve with chopped taco shells. Create an Italian hummus by adding fresh basil and chopped tomatoes. Stuff pita shells with hummus, add a little lettuce and create a tasty alternative to the normal peanut butter and jelly. The possibilities are endless!

I need to have more dreams like this one We may be having hummus for dinner tonight after all.

Tags: chickpea paste, hommus, hummus, humus, vegetarianchickpea paste, hommus, hummus, humus, vegetarian

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The word “Vegetarian” was coined by the Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom in about 1847. The word does not come from vegetable as is generally assumed: It is a derivation of the Latin word ‘vegetari’ which means to enliven.

The practice of vegetarianism, however, goes far back in history. Many noted philosophers and
religious teachers urged their followers to avoid a flesh diet. Brahminism, Jainism,
Zoraostrianism and Buddhism acknowledged the sacredness of life and the need to live without
causing suffering; so did many of the early Christians.

There are various types of vegetarians. “Vagans” are the strictest vegetarians who eat only
plant foods and exclude all animal by-products such as eggs, milk, cheese, curd, butter, ghee, and even honey. There are “lacto vegetarians” who eat plant foods as well as dairy products
and “lacto-avo vegetarians” who eat eggs besides plant foods and dairy products. There are
even fish-eating vegetarians. The common factor among them is that they do not eat the flesh of
warm- blooded animals.

Meat seems to have assumed an exaggerated importance nutritionally. It is generally mistakenly
believed that nutritional deficiences , especially of proteins and vitamin B12 and poor health may
result if animal foods are eliminated. Studies however, have indicated to health problems or
deficiency diseases for those on a vegetarian diet.

Of the 22 amino acids -the essential components of proteins - needed by the body for its normal
functioning, only nine need be supplied by the diet as the body synthesies the remaining 13. The
body can use 100 per cent of this protein if all ten amino acids are in ideal proportions. If,
however, one or more of the essential amino acids are present in less than the ideal amount, the
value of the entire protein is reduced in the same proportions. On a quality rating scale of 1 to
100, egg protein is 95, milk is 82, meat and poultry are 67, fish 80, grains are between 50 to 70
and legumes, nuts and seeds are between 40 and 60.

The so-called protein deficiency in a vegetarian diet is in fact more imaginary than real as the
contribution of the protein value of the green vegetables has been ignored and the true protein
requirement is less than that assumed. Green vegetable protein is as high in quality as milk
protein and thus makes a very valuable contribution to the vegetarian’s protein nutrition. The
high quality of protein balances the lower quality of other vegetarian proteins such as nuts and
beans. The recommended daily allowance of 70 value proteins is 44 grams per day for women
and 56 for men. Researchers have now discovered that the actual protein requirement is much
less, being 15 grams per day of 100 value protein or 21.5 grams of 70 value protein or 30 grams
of 50 value protein. A wholesome vegetarian diet can, therefore, easily meet the body’s protein
needs.

Moreover, it is possible to combine two low-value plant proteins to get a protein of higher quality.

Thus, wheat which has a deficiency in the amino-acid lysine but an abundance of sulphur
containing amino-acids can be combined with beans which have the opposite enrichment
combination. Taken together, they complement each other to form a complete protein.

As regards the adequacy of B12 nutrition, laco-avo vegetarians and lacto-vegetarians should not
feel concerned on this score, as the B12 needs can be easily supplied by dairy products and
eggs. A quarter litre of milk or 100 grams of cheese or 1 egg per day will supply the
recommended daily allowance. This vitamin once eaten is stored in the liver. Vagans, however,
do not get this vitamin in their food, yet reliable scientific studies have found no evidence of B12
deficiency diseases. It is therefore, presumed that this vitamin can be synthesised in the body.

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