Vegetarian Meal Plan
Whatever your reason may be for opting vegetarian diet, weight-loss or humanly concerns, you are at the right place. A vegetarian meal plan is associated with an increase in the consumption of folic acid, fiber, magnesium, unsaturated fats, phytochemicals, and vitamins C and E. It is a healthy way of life and supports you to lose weight and keep yourself fit without even feeling that you are dieting. However, you need to find veggie alternatives of meat to make sure that your body receives its required nutrients in order to keep yourself healthy. A vegetarian meal plan includes no animal flesh and sometimes also cuts out dairy products or eggs.
Types of Vegetarian Meal Plans
Vegetarian meal plans are classified based upon the inclusion or exclusion of dairy products or eggs with plant foods. There are four basic types of vegetarian meal plans:
- Lacto-Ovovegetarian diet – consists of plant foods, dairy products, and eggs
- Lacto-vegetarian diet – consists of plant foods and dairy products (no eggs)
- Ovo-vegetarian diet – consists of plant foods and eggs (no dairy)
- Vegan diet – only plant foods
All of these meal plans are beneficial for weight-loss and helps you to maintain your body. However, Lacto-Ovo vegetarians need to keep a check on their intake of dairy products and avoid full-fat dairy and baked products made with eggs and butter.
What to Eat?
A vegetarian meal plan is composed of lesser saturated fat and more folate, antioxidants, and fiber. It usually consists of all of the food items except for animal flesh. Here’s the list of the food items which make up a vegetarian meal plan:
- Grains
- Bread
- Rice
- Legumes
- Pulses
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Dairy products
- Eggs
Foods to Avoid
As for the food which you are supposed to avoid, it is just animal flesh, and in some cases, it may also include dairy products and eggs if you are opting for purely vegan diet.
Benefits of Vegetarian Meal Plan
If you are following your vegetarian meat plan properly and providing your body with the required nutrients, then you are on the path to a healthy lifestyle. It results in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Vegetarian diet has the following health benefits:
- Reduces cholesterol
- Reduces the risk of obesity and helps with weight-loss
- Reduces risk of stroke and heart diseases
- Lesser risk of developing a kidney stone
- Reduces the risk of cataract development
- Lesser chances of diabetes
Is vegan nutrition safe?
Vegan meals lack some minerals which are essential for your body, and their insufficient consumption can lead to major health risks. Some of these nutrients are calcium, iron, vitamin D, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin B-12. In order to make up for these, you need to consume them in the form of tablets or supplements.