| Vegetarian cooking becomes more and more | | | | dairy products and eggs are consumed in |
| popular, be it for health reasons, religious or ethical | | | | moderation as the healthy food pyramid |
| reasons. Vegetarians rarely suffer from diseases | | | | recommends, and that fat is added to the food |
| like overweight and heart attacks, so this kind of | | | | only sparingly. Vegetables are often prepared with |
| diet does seem to have a positive impact on our | | | | less fat than meat, or even without any added |
| health. But which one? | | | | fat. Cooking, stewing and oven-baking are very |
| There are actually three reasons why vegetarian | | | | popular methods to prepare vegetables with a |
| cooking is so healthy: | | | | minimum of fat. |
| - the high amount of fruit, vegetables and grains | | | | Reason #3: Domination of healthier fats |
| - the lower fat consumption | | | | Since vegetarians consume less animal fats than |
| - the domination of healthier fats | | | | meat eaters, they consume less of the unhealthy |
| Reason #1: High amount of fruit, vegetables and | | | | saturated fat that causes the building up of a |
| grains | | | | blockage of the arteries, resulting in heart attacks |
| The main foods of the vegetarian diet are | | | | or strokes. Vegetable fats are mainly unsaturated, |
| vegetables, grains and fruit. These are foods that | | | | and this kind of fat is much healthier for our body. |
| are packed with nutrients whilst containing rather | | | | Especially olive oil reduces the harmful cholesterol |
| few calories. It's not easy to eat too much of | | | | level and raises the good cholesterol level. For this |
| these food groups, since their high fiber content | | | | reason, a vegetarian diet can be a good option |
| makes you feel full sooner. They also keep you | | | | for people with high cholesterol problems, since |
| filled for longer, especially whole grain products. | | | | high cholesterol is mainly caused by saturated fat. |
| That's the reason why these three food groups | | | | These are only three ways how your health could |
| are recommended to be the main food groups of | | | | benefit from a vegetarian diet. Vegetarian cooking |
| every kind of diet - and since vegetarians need to | | | | can boost your immune system, lower your |
| make up for the missing meat, they eat more of | | | | cholesterol, and if you use fat sparingly it's |
| these healthy foods than meat eaters. | | | | certainly a great option if you want to lose |
| Another big bonus is that because of eating more | | | | weight. A vegetarian diet, adding only little fat to |
| fruit and vegetables than meat eaters vegetarians | | | | foods and using low-fat dairy products, would give |
| also consume more vitamins which strengthen | | | | you the chance to eat meal portions that really fill |
| their immune system, and more fiber which helps | | | | you instead of depriving you of certain food |
| the digestive system to work smoothly at all | | | | groups and making you starve on tiny portions. |
| times. | | | | If you want to enjoy the health benefits of a |
| Reason #2: Lower fat consumption | | | | vegetarian diet but you also love your meat, then |
| Since meat, one of the main fat providing food | | | | you can even try a "mixed" diet: For example, |
| groups, is off the agenda in vegetarian cooking, | | | | have five vegetarian and two meat days in the |
| vegetarians consume less fat in general (especially | | | | week. It's not about a diet or cooking concept, it's |
| less animal fats) than people who eat meat and | | | | all about the way of eating that works best for |
| meat products on a daily basis - provided that | | | | you! |