Healthy on The Net

Surprisingly, being a vegetarian bodybuilder isn’t really as difficult as many people automatically assume it is. In some ways it may be easier because adhering to a real vegetarian diet takes a lot of focus and discipline, two things that will greatly help you in the gym.

First, we should define our terms because there are three basic groups of people who consider themselves “vegetarians.” I refer to these three groups as pseudo-vegetarians, meat vegetarians and vegetarians. The pseudo vegetarian avoids beef, chicken and poultry but will sometimes eat fish and has no problem with other animal products. A meat vegetarian avoids all meat. A vegetarian avoids any foods (or products in general) that contain any amount of animal product.

This article is aimed directly at the true vegetarians, who avoid all animal products. The meat-vegetarians and pseudo-vegetarians will gain useful information as well, but true vegetarians have very specialized needs during bodybuilding.

Since there is no difference in biological manner in which a vegetarian and a carnivore actually build muscles, we don’t need to go into any specific exercise differences. Instead, we’ll be focusing on dietary issues.

The first challenge goes back to the way muscles build in our bodies. We exercise our muscles, which does microscopic damage to the tissue and then our bodies repair the damage with bigger and stronger tissue while we recuperate. To effectively do this, our bodies need to use protein in massive amounts, which is why bodybuilders increase their protein intake.

Vegetarians face a challenge here because the most common source of protein is meat. Okay, so it’s not actually that much of a challenge. According to the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score, soy is equal to whey and superior to beef in protein content. Soy provides all 8 essential amino acids required by your body for growing and repairing muscles. Vegetarians would be well-advised to consider soy as a primary protein source.

The really good news is that soy is also a fantastic source of glutamine which many bodybuilders already take in supplemental form. Soy is available in many different forms such as tofu, miso, soy powder and soy milk. Soy milk is definitely something to have on hand as it can be used to replace cow’s milk in recipes, which will help expand your basic food options.

Almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and pistachio nuts are all excellent sources of both protein and fat; the vegetarian needs to work on getting enough good fats as well, so with the above examples you can go nuts…was that a pun?

You can also add a tablespoon or so of flaxseed oil, as flax seed is one of the very best sources for the essential fatty acid alpha linolenic acid.

Finally, vegetarians need to ensure that they get enough vitamins and minerals. This can be done in multivitamin form although most of the meal-replacement shakes which are so popular among bodybuilders already contain vitamins and minerals galore. The only additional vitamin to look for is B12, which is generally an animal product based vitamin.

Like I said in the beginning, it isn’t nearly as hard to be a vegetarian bodybuilder as many people would think. You’ve got the discipline part down and, by following the guidelines listed above, you will be set up nutritionally to build massive amounts of muscle!

A vegetarian is defined as one who does not eat any kind of meat, including poultry and fish. Are you considering being a vegetarian? It means a change in lifestyle as well as knowing how to be healthy while keeping faithful to this diet.

There are three major types of lifestyles and eating habits that vegetarians may include in a diet.

The first type is a lacto-vegetarian. These devotes exclude all types of meat and eggs, but will include dairy products as part of their meals.

The second type of vegetarian is a vegan, or a strict vegetarian. This group does not eat any type of meat or dairy products, such as milk. There are also some vegans that will not eat honey.

The third type of vegetarian is known as a lacto-ovovegetarian. This is the major form of vegetarian lifestyle that many take part in. It includes excluding meats only, but including eggs as well as dairy products.

The type of vegetarian you decide to become will be determined by knowing what types of nutrients you need.

There are several reasons why one may decide to become a vegetarian. Vegetarians are known to have fewer health problems than others. They suffer from fewer heart disease and cancer problems, including lower instances of colorectal, ovarian and breast cancer. High blood pressure and diabetes are also lower amongst vegetarians.

A vegetarian diet includes most of the nutrients one needs for good health. Vegetarian diets exclude most types of fats that are not healthy for you. These diets also add fiber to the diet, which helps in circulation and functioning as well nutritional balance.

Despite this balance and these benefits, there are several extra nutrients that vegetarians have to make sure they get in of their diet. Vegetarians need to insure that they get enough protein. It’s important to make sure that enough protein is eaten. Grains, beans, tofu, nuts, eggs or peas can contribute to adequate protein consumption. Without protein, you will not have enough energy for the day.

The second nutrient that is needed in a vegetarian diet is calcium. If you eat dairy, this will be easier to consume. However, if not, you can find calcium in darker greens. Vitamin D, Iron and Vitamin B-12 are the other three nutrients that may be lacking in this diet.

Being a vegetarian is an option for maintaining a different type of lifestyle and diet. As long as one recognizes the need for additional nutrients, it is a very healthy diet.

If you really set your mind to it, what would be your reason for becoming vegetarian? Would you become vegetarian to:

Reduce Cruelty to Animals – Improve Your Health? – Improve the Environment?

Medical evidence to support the belief that meat is bad for you is persuasive. However, there are natural vegetarian alternatives, that will be delicious alternatives to the meat that is unnecessary in a vegetarian diet.

Vegetarians are far less prone to get cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, or diabetes.

Vegetarians are far less prone to be overweight, or classed as obese.

Vegetarians don’t consume germs carried by dead animals, or remnants of the drugs that were perversely used to keep them alive.

Food scandals have been evidenced in lots of countries, but the bigger scandal is when they are covered up. There was a senior government official, who was required to resign and discredited, for stating the truth about salmonella and eggs. Can’t really say whether the person concerned is vegetarian or not! Nevertheless, it’s not only the eggs that can cause the illness, but the chickens as well. We are advised about not allowing them to come into contact with other foods, to avoid cross contamination. Vegetarians don’t buy the chickens, so they avoid the risk.

There are other reasons for converting to being a vegetarian, than protecting yourself from disease. Consider the animals themselves? Were we really put on this earth to cram chickens into cages, with hardly any space to move about? Then debeak them to stop them pecking one another, and fill them full of drugs, to try to stop them from becoming diseased, from the foul situation imposed on them.

Vegetarians are aware that it is not just poultry, but lots of other animals that are subjected to the horrors of factory farming. We should be grateful for the publicity of the media, because they do occasionally bring consideration to these matters, and point attention to problems that governments would much prefer to hush up.

There has been a good deal of thought to draw attention to global warming, which is undoubtedly of significant concern, as much to vegetarians as anyone else. However, it is not always understood that animal waste is a substantial factor. There are reports that US livestock produce 250,000 pounds of waste per second. That is twenty times as much as humans. The waste is a gaseous substance, that adds to the methane dispersing into the air from both ends of these animals. Obviously if more people were vegetarian, fewer animals would be required. It is apparent that there are environmental reasons – as well as humane reasons – as well as health reasons – for being a vegetarian.

For the planet’s sake, For the animal’s sake, For your own sake – Remain a Vegetarian.

This article is only for general information and is not intended for use as a medical source of information. Please use your personal judgement with regard to whether a vegetarian lifestyle is suitable for you. Those who are uncertain about taking a particular food or preparation, be it vegetarian or otherwise, should obtain the advice of their doctor, or other suitably qualified professional person.

The author does not accept any liability whatsoever, for any consequences arising from or thought to be arising from using this article.

Vegetarianism certainly has its rewards but there are risks involved if you’re not careful. It all depends on the kind of diet you follow.

There are three types of vegetarian diets, namely, vegan (the rare and true type) where no animal flesh or byproducts like eggs or dairy products are eaten; the ovolactovegetarian, where no animal flesh is eaten but animal products are allowed; and the semi-vegetarian, where no red meat is eaten but poultry and fish may be taken once in a while.

What are the advantages of vegetarianism? Dr. Jack Yetiv, a well-known nutrition expert, said this diet can give you:

1) Decreased risk of heart disease. Vegetarians have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease than non-vegetarians. The reason behind this is that vegetarians normally have low cholesterol levels than other people. They are also less likely to be overweight and suffer from high blood pressure.

2) Better management of diabetes. Experts say a high carbohydrate intake improves diabetic control. Combined with a high fiber diet that vegetarians enjoy greatly eliminates the need for drugs in some people.

3) Decreased severity of colonic disease. Since they are high in fiber, vegetarian diets can be useful in diverticulosis (the presence of small, saclike swellings in the wall of the colon), constipation, and other colonic diseases.

4) Decreased obesity. Vegetarians are less overweight than their non-vegetarian counterparts. That’s because they eat a lot of fiber which is filling but not fattening.

And now the bad news. While all three vegetarian diets have health benefits, the more restrictive vegan diet may spell trouble for some people.

“A vegetarian or fruit diet is safe as long as it provides some protein from dairy products such as cheese and milk or from fish or eggs. The reason for this is that eggs, milk, and animal flesh contain complete protein but most plant foods do not,” according to Theodore Berland in Consumer Guide’s “Rating the Diets.”

Vegans are also more likely to suffer from a vitamin B12 (cobalamine) deficiency since this is found in animal foods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Lack of this important vitamin may cause neurological and gastrointestinal problems.

Strict vegetarians likewise lack vitamin D which is found in fortified milk and eggs. To remedy this, they should expose themselves to sunlight for about 20 to 30 minutes daily. If not, the use of supplements is advised.

Rickets, another deficiency disease that causes deformed bones and a curved spine, has been observed in vegans. So have calcium and iron deficiencies. Children who adhere to vegetarianism tend to be smaller than omnivorous kids, Yetiv revealed.

“If you are considering vegetarianism, think twice. We human beings change habits slowly. We resist giving up the high calorie foods we have eaten all our lives. Becoming a vegetarian may take a year or so or even a decade. The speed with which you change lifelong habits depends on your motivation, your environment, and other factors over which you have some but not total control,” Berland concluded.

While vegetarianism can help you lose weight, there’s no need to become one if you want to shed those extra pounds. All it takes is a good diet and exercise program. The use of supplements can also help. One popular brand is Zylorin, a safe and natural fat burner that will reshape your future. Go to http://www.zylorin.com for details.

Whatever your reasons are, you have decided to explore the interesting and exciting world of vegetarianism. If you have been a vegetarian for a while or have been researching about vegetarianism, you might already have some idea of what kind of vegetarian you are or want to be.

Many people think of vegetarians as one homogeneous group that just doesn’t eat meat. But nothing could be further from the truth. There are different categories of vegetarians as diverse as the reasons for going vegetarian in the first place.

A vegetarian is generally defined as someone who doesn’t eat meat. But someone who is vegetarian could conceivably eat dairy products such as milk, eggs and cheese. A lacto ovo vegetarian doesn’t eat meat, fish or poultry, but does consume eggs, milk or cheese. A lacto vegetarian consumes milk and cheese products, but doesn’t consume eggs.

A vegan is someone who doesn’t consume any animal product or by-product, including dairy food. They eat only vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and legumes. They also don’t use animal products, such as leather. Vegans also don’t use white sugar because it’s often processed with a substance derived from animal bones that whitens the sugar.

There are other categories within the vegetarian community. Fruitarians, for example, eat only fruit. Their rationale is that fruits, including fruits such as tomatoes, are self-perpetuating and don’t need to be planted to create the food source. They consider it a way of eating that’s most in balance and harmony with the earth, the most natural.

All of the above will eat cooked vegetables, fruits and legumes. There is also a growing movement towards eating only raw or living foods. This based on the assumption that cooking food processes most of the nutrients out of it, and to get all the nutritional value, vitamins and amino acids from food, it’s best consumed raw, or juiced. If cooked at all, it should only be cooked to slightly over 100 degrees, so the nutrients are still retained.

The more restrictive you become with your diet, however, the more educated you need to become to be sure you’re getting all the necessary proteins and vitamins that you need to maintain good health, especially muscle and heart health.

Here are 4 types af vegetarianism

1. Lacto vegetarians- Their diet consists of no animal products, or eggs, but do include dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.

2. Ovo-Vegetarians- Their diet consists of no animal or diary products but will eat eggs.

3. Lacto-ovo vegetarians- As you may have already guessed; don’t include any animal products in their diet but will include dairy products and eggs.

4. Vegan- Their diet consists of only plant-based foods, which means it excludes everything that has come from an animal, such as meat, dairy, eggs, honey, etc.

If you haven’t decided what kind of vegetarian you would like to be don’t worry! Not everyone knows exactly what kind they want to be at first (I didn’t), but by experimenting and trying different recipes you will figure out what you need and want or don’t need and want.

In many family budgets, one of the biggest food expenses is often meat.So in theory at least becoming a vegetarian should be an outstanding financial maneuver. In theory, if all you ate was rice and vegetables, you should be able to live for very little.

But theory and reality are often far apart from each other.Because the culture of vegetarian living has developed so many high quality foods to fill the gap left behind by a good steak or a plate of barbeque ribs, you can spend as much or more on your vegetarian lifestyle as you did when you were a meat eater.The high cost of living as a vegetarian is not entire attributable to gourmet foods however.

The truth is if you are going to live in day in day out and month in month out on a vegetarian diet, not only do you need some high quality foods to substitute for taking a whole food group out of your diet, you need variety.The quality is needed because its your health on the line if you don’t get the proper nutrients.The diversity is needed because if you get bored with the vegetarian lifestyle, you may quit and give up. And nobody wants that.

Another reason that the cost of vegetarian eating is often higher than a “normal” diet comes from the fact that vegetarians are still in the minority.So prepared vegetarian foods and vegetarian only restaurants are rare.And to be able to make a profit, these specialty stores must charge a lot because they are specialty stores.Unfortunately, even though we see the vegetarian community as a supportive one, if you are going to be able to afford the vegetarian lifestyle, you are going to have to learn to cut costs.

Cutting costs means eliminating shopping at “boutique” vegetarian markets and no more eating out. Or at least it means cutting down on the eating out significantly.You can buy fresh vegetables and fruits at farmers markets or grocery stores that are just as valid as vegetarian options as any you get as a specialty store.Using a good food processor and other means, you can chop, dice, boil and puree just about any kind of vegetarian meal that you might be able to imagine getting in a restaurant. And at a much lower cost.Not only that but the leftovers can go into a compost pile to make fertilizer for your garden when you can grow your own vegetables next spring.

That “grower to consumer” market that often surfaces as a farmer’s market is a great way to save lots of money also because you are buying your produce directly from the farmer and you cut the grocery store out of the loop entirely.One way to make sure you capitalize on every opportunity to buy inexpensive produce is to work as a community.Get about a dozen vegetarian families working together to always be on the lookout for a great buy.One might find a small farmer’s market or roadside stand that is selling produce far below grocery store prices.Another might find a farmer who will basically give his food away just to clear the field. With some coordination, you could field an army of vegetarians to grab those bargains while they are fresh and stock everybody’s kitchen with low cost fresh produce.

These are just a few of many ways you can find to save money on your vegetarian groceries and still have just as much quality but without as much cost.By shopping smart and shopping for bargains, you can live the vegetarian life and feel good about it because you are not only healthy, you are smart.

Copyright (c) 2008 Charles Carter

Proteins are very necessary for human’s health. The muscles of the body, hair, fingernails and many other body parts are made up of partially or wholly of protein. It is the common belief of the person that that the main source of proteins are only the non-vegetarian food substances. They think that vegetarian food normally lacks in protein. Now the question emerges, is their belief right? Well you can get the answer of this question by your own while reading this article on vegetarian protein food.

It is a fact that vegetarian food stuffs are also best in providing proteins and that too in high quantity. It is even revealed out of several surveys that those who are vegetarian are more healthy and fit as compared to those who are not. The only important thing to keep in mind is that the healthy vegetarian should take care to have adequate amount of protein in his diet for sure. It is worth to state that vegans require having more sensitivity regarding their body’s protein requirements.

Here is a list of pure vegetarian protein food stuffs for vegans:

Spirulina:

It is rare and pure vegetarian complete protein that contains all essential amino-acids. It is 85-95 percent digestible and easy for body to assimilate and digest. You can enjoy spirulina in dressing or smoothies.

Bee pollen:

Bee pollen has approximately 40 percent of proteins and packed with vital vitamins and minerals. It is count as nature’s super nourishing vegetarian protein food. Bee pollen has more proteins as compared to any other animal sources like beef, eggs, meat etc.

Soy products:

Cooked soybeans (1/2 cup) have 10 grams of proteins and tofu (1/4 cup) also contains same quantity of proteins. Soy products are involved in small quantum in Asian diets while they are completely new for west. Select best quality of organic tofu as well as unsweetened soy milks. Fermented products of soy are very easy to digest.

Legumes and Beans:

Cooked chickpeas (2/3 cup) have 10 grams proteins. Incomplete proteins are present in beans. This means you can make them healthier by cooking them with other protein rich vegetables. Eating grains and beans together is classic combination that provides complete proteins.

Dairy:

Dairy products are very rich in proteins. Raw milk straight from the cow has very high content of proteins. Thus, raw organic as well as fermented milk food products are far better than homogenized and pasteurized milk.

Process of homogenization breaks milk into very smaller particles. These particles cause lactose intolerance. Pasteurization mainly sanitizes milk but also kills its goodness too. The enzymes present in raw milk help in digestion.

However, if you have treated organic-milk as a last option then do not worry. Here are some guidelines to make proteins present in homogenized and pasteurized milk more digestible.

Eat yoghurt.

Warm the milk with some digestive spices like cinnamon, ginger and cardamom.

Cottage cheese would become more digestible when it added with little yoghurt.

Try sheep and goat products.

Protein powder:

Whey protein-powders are processed proteins. However, smoothie protein-powder is very fine to take as occasional snack or in breakfast. Quality is key factor for complete health. So, from above vegetarian protein food stuffs you can get high quality protein. If you require more proteins then switch towards several other things available as well. It is not that the above mentioned are only the protein rich vegetarian food. In addition there are several other sorts of vegetarian foods available that can provide you with right quantity of protein. Some other sorts of choices that are available for you are bee pollen, legumes, spirulina etc. Hence, from the above food stuffs you can have rich protein diet without any non-vegetarian food.

In addition, if you are concerned with the cost aspect, then too you need not to worry at all. It is so because if you would go for such sorts of foods then the best part is that you would get vegetarian food cheaper as compared to the non vegetarian food. So what’s the deal in not going for vegetarian protein food? Also you are not required to worry about various problems or diseases than can happen because of eating poor quality non vegetarian food.

Being vegan is itself a special and better choice. Thus, take high protein containing vegetables and fruits in your diet with other vegetarian protein food in order to have protein as per your physical requirements.

Vegetarian eating is a healthy alternative but only if you eat in a healthy and balanced way. Yes, there are many health benefits to eating this way. Eating vegetarian makes sense from a good health and nutritional point of view.

Vegetarians eat plant foods like vegetables, fruits, and grain although some do not include onions, garlic and chives. Generally there are three styles of vegetarianism based on other foods allowed as listed below:

• Vegans are the strictest – they abstain from all animal foods, dairy products and eggs.
• Lacto vegetarians consume dairy products.
• Ovolacto vegetarians supplements with eggs and dairy products

Prudent vegetarianism is highly beneficial. Studies show that vegetarians live longer, have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and register lower incidents of obesity, heart diseases, certain cancers, stroke and diabetes. These are not surprising as vegetarian diet contain less saturated fat, fewer calories, less sugar and more fibers.

Now before anybody starts it is important to understand how to plan a well balanced vegetarian diet. Pregnant women, teenagers and young children should seek proper nutritional guidance before embarking on it.

The main concern in a vegetarian diet is protein. It is needed to build body tissues and consists of units called amino acids. Compared to animal protein like meat, plant foods generally lack certain amino acids. Hence, vegetarians, especially vegans, must eat a variety of plant proteins to get a complete set of amino acids. Soyabeans, a high quality protein, and its products like tofu and soya milk may feature frequently in vegetarian meals.

Vitamin B12 also needs monitoring for its deficiency causes anemia. As animal foods are the only reliable sources of vitamin B12 substitutes like vitamin B12 enriched breakfast cereals are ideal. Furthermore, these cereals are also fortified with iron absorption; one must ensure an adequate supply of vitamin C in diet. Other good sources of iron are spinach, raisins and pulses. For non-dairy product eaters, calcium intake may be obtained from alternatives like sawi, spinach and kalian. If seafood is omitted, zinc required for the immune system is obtainable from whole grains, nuts and soyabeans.

Sprouts contain reproductive power that is of vital importance to human lives and their health. Germinated seeds enormously increase the nutritional value and digestibility. There is an amazing increase the nutritional value and digestibility. There is an amazing increase in nutrients in sprouted pulses as compared to their dried form. In the process of germination the vitamins, minerals and protein increase substantially with corresponding decrease in carbohydrate content. Cooked sprouts (steamed) are best to digest and avail maximum proteins.

Sprouts help in the growth of muscles and tissue of the body. They increase the resistance to diseases and play an important role in rejuvenation of cells.

Benefits of Vegetarian Eating

• Overweight people who have tried a vegetarian diet have lost weight and kept is off.
• Diabetes achieves normal blood sugar levels, reducing insulin requirements.
• People with high BP, diminished or eliminated their BP medications because BP was normalized.
• People with high cholesterol showed lowered cholesterol levels.
• In a majority of people with elevated homocyteine, levels were reduced, which is an improvement without the use of medication.
• Overall endurance, strength, stamina, energy and sense of well-being achieved.

Know how to use Calorie Shifting Diet Plan to lose weight in a healthier way. Read information on Colon Cleansing and Weight Loss. Also know useful Home Remedies for Weight Loss to lose weight naturally.

So often when people say they are vegetarian they mean that they do not eat meat. But being a vegetarian is about more than just not eating meat. It is possible to be a vegetarian in the sense of not eating meat and eat a very unhealthy diet indeed.

A vegetarian diet may by high in cholesterol if it relies too much on cheese and eggs. It may be low in fibre if it is based on refined grain products like white bread, white pasta and white rice. If it lacks fresh vegetables you diet will be deficient in vitamins and minerals. You may vegetarian but you may not be eating a healthful vegetarian diet.

Going vegetarian is about more than just not eating meat. It means taking a positive decision to eat a wide range of foods that provide a balanced mixture of nutrients.

It is important to plan the change to a vegetarian diet. This may mean buying some new equipment for your kitchen. If you are used to eating convenience foods you may need to buy some basic items.

The next step is to plan your meals. Not all vegetarian meals rely on cheese, eggs and milk for protein. These are useful ingredients in a vegetarian diet but not by any means essential. It is perfectly possible to get enough protein by combining grains with pulse such as peas, beans and lentils. A bowl of lentil soup with a slice of bread provides all the essential amino you need. Chilli beans and rice combine in the same way to create what is called a complete protein.

A diet based on pulses and whole grains has the immense of advantage of providing you with enough fibre. This is important to maintain colon health. Cancer of the colon is most common among people who eat a diet based on over-refined processed foods. Fibre is one of the key ingredients in a healthful vegetarian diet.

Switching to a high fibre diet takes a little time. Your body needs to adjust. So take things slowly at first.

A healthful vegetarian diet based on wholegrains, pulses, nuts, fruits,and vegetables will also be good for your heart as it is low in fat. The fats you use in vegetarian cooking should be vegetable fats and oils such as olive oil, coconut oil or groundnut oil. There is no reason to exclude butter from a vegetarian diet especially if most of the fat you are consuming is of vegetable origin.

One of the great things about a healthful vegetarian diet is that it helps to mantain you weight at the right level. You will still pile on the pounds if you binge on ice cream but a really healthful vegetarian diet leaves you feeling safisfied so that you are less likely to overindulge in sweet things.

Variety is not only good for vegetarians because the same old food can become boring but it is also necessary. Making sure that your vegetarian diet is varied is the best way to ensure that your get enough of the right nutrients.

You should never stick to one or two recipes and never be tempted to confine yourself to a few commercial products because they seem easy to prepare. If you do that you simply will not get a balanced diet and you will become bored. That is why so many vegetarians give up after a short time.

When you visit the supermarket spend time in the fresh produce section. If your ususal store does not carry fresh produce go to another one or find a local supplier. Fresh fruit and vegetables are the main stay of a healthy and varied vegetarian diet.

Get to know what is in season and how to prepare it. A vegetarian should learn what fresh fruit and vegtables look like, feel like and smell like. Vegetarians who can shop in farmers’ markets have an advantage. But many supermarkets are improving the range of fruit and vegetables they stock.

If you choose a variety of colours of fruit and vegetables you will automatically have a range of nutrients. Vegetarian meals should not be colourless.

The look of food is often underestimated by vegetarians. But we eat with our eyes. The sight of a plate of beautiful food sets out mouth salivating as much as the smell of new baked bread.

Speaking of new baked bread, vegetarians should learn to bake bread. A sourdough rye loaf fresh from the oven or a crusty wholemeal with poppy seeds can make a simple vegetarian meal into a gourmet feast. A simple vegetarian sald or a bowl of lentil can become a complete meal with good bread.

If eating butter is a problem because you are watching your cholesterol levels then dip your bread in olive oil. When you try this with quality home made bread you will see how delicious it is. Vegetarians have respect for vegetables so find the best olive you can. It will be worth it. The varied taste of olive oil from different countries or even different estates wil in itself add variety to you vegetarian diet.

Beans, lentils and grains are the staples of vegetarian diet. But they can become boring. Never be afraid to try new types or pulse and grain. if you have never eaten quinoa then you should. It is quick to cook and makes a change from rice. Try using barley instead of rice. Even the vegetarian staples need not be dull.