Vegetarian Information

A major point for vegetarianism is that the animals we eat got their protein from plants. So, why not just go to the source for your nutrition? An important concern is that you need to be conscious of your protein consumption. But it isn’t a hard thing to do.

I’ve just read a little book provided by a local Buddhist temple, Why Medical Doctors are Vegetarian. It raises some interesting points about vegetarianism.

I’m not a vegetarian. I like meat. But I’m looking at it.

In vegetarianism, it is most important that the eater enjoys the food and believes that it is good for them. The mental state is almost as important as the physical eating.

A variety of protein, ingredients, tastes and textures should all contribute to feeling satisfied about a meal. Both the care by the cook and the interests of the eater are important.

So why is meat bad? And what proof do they have? Does it affect aging and weight loss?

Aging is seen as the cells wearing out. The main processes of the cell are to get nutrition, remove waste and take in oxygen. Kind of like the whole body. When there is a lot of waste to be removed, it puts more wear and aging on the cells. Meat eating creates more waste than vegetarian diets and that may lead to aging.

During the Second World War, Denmark was blockaded and the entire country adopted a meatless diet for one year. The national death rate reduced by 34%. Unfortunately, it returned to pre-diet levels the following year with the resumption of their standard fare.

Weight loss is about proper nutrition. You will need to be conscious of your activity levels, calories and fat intake levels. But according to this little book I just read, Vegetarianism is worth a look. At least for health and maybe with weight loss.

Stephanie Mundle is the managing editor of http://www.SlimClean.com an informational site for health, well being and weight loss. Please come take a look.

Look at her blogs:
http://fast-weight-los.blogspot.com

http://slim-clean.blogspot.com

Tags: Aging, nutrition, protein, vegetarian, vegetarianism, Waste, weight lossAging, nutrition, protein, vegetarian, vegetarianism, Waste, weight loss

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Lentil soup (dal) is a staple item for East Indian and other cultures’ diets. Dal can be made like a smooth soup, or it can be made into a thick vegetable stew. Here is a recipe for a very basic dal, which will be the basis for future recipes.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp cumin seed
• 1 tsp whole mustard
• 1 tsp whole coriander seed
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flake [optional]
• 1 cup lentils
• 1 tbsp turmeric
• 2-3 tbsp cooking oil (canola or vegetable)
• 1/4 cup diced cooking onion [optional]
• 4 cups water
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation

• In a spice/coffee grinder, grind the cumin seed, mustard, coriander seed, and red pepper flake. Remove the mix and set aside. [It’s okay if you are missing some of these items, but try to at least have cumin.]
• In the same grinder, grind up the lentils in one or more batches and set aside. NOTE: Some imported lentils must be washed to remove stones, husks and other inedibles. In this case, you should either completely dry the lentils before grinding, or use a blender with a cup of water.
• Heat cooking oil on high in a medium sauce pan or a ceramic cookpot, if possible.
• Turn the heat down to medium high. Add turmeric and the freshly ground spice mixture. Roast the spices for about a minute.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the ground lentils and roast for about 2 minutes.
• If using, add the onions and saute for about 1 minute.
• Reduce the heat to just above low. Add the water, stir and cover partially. Let simmer for 30 - 45 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to prevent burning on the bottom. Add extra water a little at a time if the consistency is too thick, then simmer for a few more minutes. Lentils can burn very easily and ruin your pots - not to mention stink up your place because of the high protein content. So watch the dal carefully.
• Normally, you would not grind the lentils. However, I tried this to speed up the cooking time and it actually worked rather well. If you do not have a coffee/spice grinder, you can still use this recipe. In which case, turn the heat down to low, add an extra cup of water, and let the dal cook an extra 10-15 minutes, uncovered.
• Whether you use ground lentils or not, if you find the dal getting too thick but the individual lentils are still hard (uncooked), add another cup of water, stir gently, and let simmer. With lentils, until you get the hang of them, keep tasting a spoonful at different times until you find it has a satisfying texture. I like a very smooth dal, while others like to use non-ground lentils that do not fully dissolve.
• When you are satisfied with the texture of the dal, remove the pot from the heat and sprinkle on salt and black pepper to taste.

Serving

Serve on rice or with flatbread toast points

(c) Copyright 2006-present, Raj Kumar Dash

Raj Kumar Dash, also known as the very opinionated Elvis Parsley, the “Curry” Elvis, was taught cooking at his mother’s side. A trained cook, he writes about various world cuisines, the health-related aspects of food, food TV shows, and pretty much anything related to the food industry. You can find his new food site (still in revision) at http://www.curryelvis.com/, and four older cooking blog archives by starting http://curryelviscooks.blogspot.com

Tags: fusion cuisine, lentils, protein, soup, vegetarian, world cuisinefusion cuisine, lentils, protein, soup, vegetarian, world cuisine

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It is often taken as a given fact that soy is beneficial to our health, and that it is certainly a healthier alternative to dairy products and meat. However, it is rare that anyone actually either asks or informs us of what soy is or why we should consume it.

Soy - Where does it come from?

The origins of soy can be traced back to Japan from as early as 2800 B.C. Since then, it has been a prominent feature of the Asian diet and has been linked to the lower frequency of cancer in those native to this region (especially in comparison to the UK and the USA).

Soy was first introduced in Europe in the early 18th Century and has gone from being used almost exclusively as animal feed to a multi-billion dollar industry.

What is it?

Soy is a highly nutritious legume which has over a 40% protein content, omega3 fatty acids, high fibre content and contains ‘isoflavones’ which are known to imitate the effects of natural estrogens. Also known as glycine soja (wild soybean), soybeans are the world’s primary source of vegetable protein and contain all of the essential amino acids, which gives it the title of a ‘complete protein’.

Why Consume Soy?

Aside from the obvious benefits to consuming soy outlined above, there are several more specific reasons as to why soy would be a smart addition to any diet or lifestyle. Soy has been given more and more attention in terms of research over the past decade and the following have been the most prominent discoveries:

• Soy can help prevent heart disease;
• Soy has been shown to benefit those with, and prevent, Type 2 Diabetes;
• Soy can help prevent Cancer of the Breast, Colon, Uterus and Prostate;
• Soy can help to prevent osteoporosis;
• The high protein content of Soy can improve athletic performance;

Making Soy a Part of Your Diet

This is not as difficult as it sounds as soy products are becoming more and more readily available (in all shapes, sizes and flavours) and equipment such as soy milk makers, and tofu kits are now available for home use, as well as commercial.

Probably the biggest step towards increasing soy in your diet (and replacing dairy) is gained from converting to soy milk. Although some people find the taste of soy milk, ‘different’ to that of cow’s milk, by transitioning, this can easily be overcome.

By mixing soy with cow’s milk, in incremental steps over the period of a month or so, it can be relatively easy to transition.

Suggested Transition:

Weeks 1-2: Use 25% Soy, and 75% cow’s milk on cereals and for drinking ‘neat’. Use soy in coffee and tea, but with a splash of milk. Replace 25% of regular flour with soy flour when baking. Use soy milk in smoothies where the taste is much weaker than on cereals.

Weeks 2-4: Split 50-50 when using milk and flour. Use only soy in tea and coffee and have a scoop of soy-based ‘ice cream’ along with regular ice-cream.

Week 4+: Increase split to 25-75 in favour of soy milk and flour. Continue at this level until you feel accustomed to the taste of soy milk and other soy products.

It will not be long until your taste alters and you actual begin to prefer the taste of soy milk, especially in drinks such as smoothies, where soy gives a much more creamy taste.

Recommended Soy Products/Brands

At EFL we heartily recommend the following:

• ‘Winner’ Swedish Glace (tastes like Mr Whippy style ice-cream!)
• EasyGreen Sprouter (for sprouting Soy seeds)
• Provamel Yoghurts
• Innerlight SuperSoy
• Alpro/Provamel Unsweetened Soya Milk
• Trader Joes Soya Milk (if you can find it in the UK or Europe)
• SoyaFresh! Home Soya Milk Maker
• SoyaFresh! Home Tofu Kit
• Vogel’s Ultra Bran, Soya & Linseed Cereal

Energise for Life aims to bring you the very best in health and nutrition advice resources, news and articles as well as the products, equipment, supplements and superfoods you need to achieve optimal health and nutrition.

Tags: nutrition, protein, soy, soya, supplements, tofu, vegan, vegetariannutrition, protein, soy, soya, supplements, tofu, vegan, vegetarian

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