| u are thinking of following vegetarian diet for | | | | requirements from vegetarian foods. In terms of |
| certain causes - religious belief, health reason, | | | | nutrition, a vegetarian diet is even superior to |
| economic reason, animal rights - you will face a | | | | diets with meat. There is less fat and bacteria |
| barrage of uninformed arguments from skeptical | | | | that enter the body which can cause heart |
| relatives and friends. A common argument about | | | | diseases and infections. You can watch meat |
| vegetarianism is the difficulty of preparing | | | | lover bloat and get fat while maintaining your own |
| vegetarian meals. Don't get swayed or | | | | healthy body with vegetarianism. |
| discouraged by this argument because there is a | | | | After proclaiming that you are eating healthier |
| lot of choice for vegetarians. A vegetarian diet | | | | with vegetarianism, you'd think that the |
| consists of ordinary everyday foods like grains, | | | | non-believers will stop bugging you. But no, they're |
| vegetables, nuts, and fruits. Legumes and | | | | back and possibly bearing the most difficult |
| starches like potatoes and rice are also part of | | | | question for hedonists. They'll ask if you're not |
| the diet. Fish, poultry, and dairy products can also | | | | depriving yourself of the hearty pleasure and |
| be incorporated depending on what type of | | | | satisfaction only the flavor of meat can give. Fret |
| vegetarianism you follow. These are all available in | | | | not because vegetarianism has an answer to that. |
| your average grocery store. Also, there is a | | | | When vegetarians state that there are easy |
| variety of easy vegetarian recipes available in | | | | vegetarian recipes, they don't just mean easy to |
| many sources. Books, magazines, newsletters, | | | | prepare but also easy on the palate. Contrary to |
| and even TV shows are veritable sources of | | | | what the skeptics are thinking about vegetarian |
| healthy vegetarian recipes. You will not miss | | | | meals (you know, limp lettuce and carrot sticks), |
| anything because the choices are limitless. | | | | vegetarian meals are flavorful and varied. Recipes |
| Vegetarian meals do not deviate much from a | | | | range from curries, soups, burgers, steaks, |
| regular diet except for the absence of meat. | | | | hotdogs, casseroles, pasta, and delicious desserts |
| Skeptics argue that this could mean missing out | | | | all made with true vegetarian goodness. In fact, |
| on essential proteins. But this is hardly true nor | | | | vegetarian meals are more flavorful because they |
| correct. All healthy vegetarian recipes are | | | | make full use of herbs and natural flavors unlike |
| well-balanced. They have the required amounts of | | | | meats which use a lot of salt. |
| essential vitamins, minerals, and protein. Examples | | | | If your friends and relatives still won't stop |
| of protein choices are legumes, nuts, beans, fish, | | | | bugging you about your vegetarian diet, get a load |
| poultry, dairy, and the popular tofu. Calcium, a | | | | of healthy vegetarian recipes and cook them a |
| mineral often associated with milk, is not missed | | | | feast. When they see that you didn't even break |
| either. Middle Easterners and native Africans are | | | | a sweat preparing the delicious feast, they'll be |
| known to have strong teeth and bones but their | | | | convinced of the ease of vegetarianism. Give |
| diets rarely contain dairy or meat. They get their | | | | them copies of easy vegetarian recipes and don't |
| calcium from vegetables and root crops. So there | | | | be surprised if they'll ask you to go |
| is no reason you couldn't get your calcium | | | | produce-shopping in the following days. |