Get the basic nutritional needs.
Proteins: Sources include, beans, legumes, nuts and grains. Dairy
and egg products can also be a good source of protein. Quinoa is a
complete protein, meaning it has all 8 amino acids the body needs. Other
sources like beans and lentils can be paired with brown rice to make
complete protein.
Meat Substitutes: Tofu, textured vegetable protein, tempeh, seitan and other soy-based meat substitutes are available and can be used in place of the meat in some common omnivorous recipes. Using the same spices and seasonings used on a meat-based dish is an easy way to mimic the intended flavor of the original dish.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is commonly found in meat and other animal products and often needs to be supplemented in a vegetarian diet. Vitamin D fortified tofu, soy milk and basic cow's milk are all good sources.
Calcium: Calcium can be derived from cow's milk and cheese, but if he or she abstains from these--or prefers other sources--there are calcium fortified milk alternatives available. These include rice milk, almond milk and coconut milk. In addition, nuts and seeds such as sesame seeds are high in calcium.
Iron: Iron is commonly found in meat and is essential to good health. Sources include potatoes, spinach, tofu, watermelon, pinto beans and cashews. You should consume more vitamin C to increase the absorption of iron. Oranges and other citrus fruits can provide you with adequate amounts.
Vitamin B12: This vitamin is essential to healthy brain function and is mainly derived from animal products. Dairy products provide adequate amounts and additional sources include nutritional yeast and fortified milk alternatives.
Omega fatty-acids: Vegetarians commonly have lower fat intake than meat eaters, unless cheese and milk are a large portion of their diets. Omega fatty-acids are essential to healthy joints and brain function. Fish are traditional sources of this type of fat, but are not usually included in a vegetarian diet. Flax seeds, flax oil and walnuts can be incorporated into a recipe to provide adequate amounts of omega fatty-acids.
Meat Substitutes: Tofu, textured vegetable protein, tempeh, seitan and other soy-based meat substitutes are available and can be used in place of the meat in some common omnivorous recipes. Using the same spices and seasonings used on a meat-based dish is an easy way to mimic the intended flavor of the original dish.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is commonly found in meat and other animal products and often needs to be supplemented in a vegetarian diet. Vitamin D fortified tofu, soy milk and basic cow's milk are all good sources.
Calcium: Calcium can be derived from cow's milk and cheese, but if he or she abstains from these--or prefers other sources--there are calcium fortified milk alternatives available. These include rice milk, almond milk and coconut milk. In addition, nuts and seeds such as sesame seeds are high in calcium.
Iron: Iron is commonly found in meat and is essential to good health. Sources include potatoes, spinach, tofu, watermelon, pinto beans and cashews. You should consume more vitamin C to increase the absorption of iron. Oranges and other citrus fruits can provide you with adequate amounts.
Vitamin B12: This vitamin is essential to healthy brain function and is mainly derived from animal products. Dairy products provide adequate amounts and additional sources include nutritional yeast and fortified milk alternatives.
Omega fatty-acids: Vegetarians commonly have lower fat intake than meat eaters, unless cheese and milk are a large portion of their diets. Omega fatty-acids are essential to healthy joints and brain function. Fish are traditional sources of this type of fat, but are not usually included in a vegetarian diet. Flax seeds, flax oil and walnuts can be incorporated into a recipe to provide adequate amounts of omega fatty-acids.
How to Eat Vegetarian At Fast Food Restaurants
The phrase "fast food" tends to conjure up
images of hamburgers, fries, hot dogs, or fried chicken. Going out to
places like Burger King, McDonald's, or Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)
with family or friends may seem like a big challenge if you're a
vegetarian. However, if you know what to look for, you may well be
surprised that there are lots of options of what you can eat.
Note: This article is based on being a vegetarian in the United States. It can be harder or easier in different countries to find vegetarian fast food options, depending on factors such as strength of the vegetarian movement or willingness to cater to vegetarians. And while this article has some tips for vegans, it will be harder for a vegan to find fast food options due to the greater food restrictions
Be prepared to help the servers. If you're aware beforehand of what can be done to turn a normally non-vegetarian food into a vegetarian option, don't be afraid to speak up and describe how this is possible. The server or waiter may take a little convincing but explain clearly, stay polite, and make it easier with your suggestions. One excellent option is to ask for a vegetarian appetizer accompanied by side portions like steamed vegetables or wedges. Asking for a special appetizer doesn't seem like such a huge ask compared to an entree (main meal) size.
Keep your fast food options broad. Fast food isn't only located in the major franchises like McDonald's and Burger King. Diners, take-out places, and fried food outlets are also fast food possibilities, ranging from Chinese to Mexican options. And if it's your local joint and they get to know you well, they'll often be happy to go out of their way to cook up something special whenever you turn up, so make good friends with the owners!
Be aware of what you need to be careful about. Knowing what to avoid when eating fast food is very important. In the realm of fast food, here are some of the things you need to be careful of:
Fried foods – what was used to fry the food? If it's beef tallow, chicken fat, or other animal derived fat, then you won't be able to eat it. And this affects everything from fries to donuts.
Jelly, Jello, and gelled type foods. Watch out for gelatin in food products, from cheesecake to your milkshake. Some condiments also contain gelatin.
Baked goodies. Was the margarine or fat used vegetable-based or animal-derived? Cheap food will often use animal-derived margarine or fat because it keeps down the costs. This impacts a lot of items including pizza bases, pastries, and cakes.
Drink bases. If you're not able to consume milk or dairy products and prefer to have soy drinks, bear in mind that some powdered bases and drink mixes may contain dairy products.
Where the item is cooked. If the food is cooked on the same grill, in the same wok, or anywhere else where there is meat, then there is a huge risk of cross-contamination. For instance, it can be very hard to keep bits of flesh out of a veggie stir-fry where meat has also been stirred.
Bread and buns. These may appear vegetarian but again, they may contain animal fat or by-products. This can be an even bigger issue for vegans, as a lot of bread has milk and sugar added to it (most sugar is not vegan).
Meat or fish flavorings in sauces and dressings. A range of condiments may contain fat, oil, flavoring, or even small flesh pieces all derived from animal sources. Avoid salad dressings and other condiments if you're not sure about them.
Enjoy breakfast food. A lot of fast food menus cater for hearty and healthy breakfasts in which there are definite vegetarian options. This time of the day isn't as easy for vegans though, as eggs and dairy will feature strongly, so you'll need to look for fruit and oatmeal options instead. Some of the options for breakfast include:
Fruit parfaits, hash browns (as long as you know they are of vegetable fat origin), baked beans, egg and cheese biscuit sandwiches, pancakes, or even small muffins.
If you consume dairy products, you will find this an easier time of day for choosing a range of food. Therefore, if you're on the road, eat a hearty breakfast!
Take advantage of the "healthier" possibilities on the main menu. Look beyond the commonplace vegetable salads and scoop out other items that might be on offer. Some of the examples you might be able to go with include:
Burger King in the United States offers a BK Veggie Burger that uses Morningstar veggie patties or you can request a regular burger/whopper with no meat (only vegetables, bun, and condiments).
Taco Bell Mexican pizza can be ordered without the meat, to be substituted with more beans. They also have a seven layer burrito, which is vegetarian, but has cheese and sour cream.
Pasta and breadsticks, along with cheese pizza can leave you with a full stomach. Vegans need to know whether or not the pasta contains egg.
Starbucks offers pita sandwiches, bagels, muffins, and parfaits that are available throughout the United States.
Most Dunkin' Donut donuts are vegetarian, though not vegan; just be sure to check which ones when choosing. Their bagels contain an ingredient derived from Duck Feathers. The protein L-Cysteine is the ingredient that makes these bagels inedible. So be sure that if you’re vegan/vegetarian, you stay away from this protein.
Subway and Quizno's are a huge "thumbs-up" for vegetarians. Pack sandwiches with all sorts of vegetables to your liking.
Other places that cater for vegetarians include Hard Rock Café, Denny's, Chili's, Johnny Rockets, Ruby Tuesday, and Red Robin
Choose from the side menu. You don't necessarily need an entire combo meal to satisfy your trip. Find an array of menu items such as corn, mashed potatoes, biscuits, or fruit packages. If you're creative enough, you can probably combine several things together to make a complete vegetarian meal.
Note: This article is based on being a vegetarian in the United States. It can be harder or easier in different countries to find vegetarian fast food options, depending on factors such as strength of the vegetarian movement or willingness to cater to vegetarians. And while this article has some tips for vegans, it will be harder for a vegan to find fast food options due to the greater food restrictions
Be prepared to help the servers. If you're aware beforehand of what can be done to turn a normally non-vegetarian food into a vegetarian option, don't be afraid to speak up and describe how this is possible. The server or waiter may take a little convincing but explain clearly, stay polite, and make it easier with your suggestions. One excellent option is to ask for a vegetarian appetizer accompanied by side portions like steamed vegetables or wedges. Asking for a special appetizer doesn't seem like such a huge ask compared to an entree (main meal) size.
Keep your fast food options broad. Fast food isn't only located in the major franchises like McDonald's and Burger King. Diners, take-out places, and fried food outlets are also fast food possibilities, ranging from Chinese to Mexican options. And if it's your local joint and they get to know you well, they'll often be happy to go out of their way to cook up something special whenever you turn up, so make good friends with the owners!
Be aware of what you need to be careful about. Knowing what to avoid when eating fast food is very important. In the realm of fast food, here are some of the things you need to be careful of:
Fried foods – what was used to fry the food? If it's beef tallow, chicken fat, or other animal derived fat, then you won't be able to eat it. And this affects everything from fries to donuts.
Jelly, Jello, and gelled type foods. Watch out for gelatin in food products, from cheesecake to your milkshake. Some condiments also contain gelatin.
Baked goodies. Was the margarine or fat used vegetable-based or animal-derived? Cheap food will often use animal-derived margarine or fat because it keeps down the costs. This impacts a lot of items including pizza bases, pastries, and cakes.
Drink bases. If you're not able to consume milk or dairy products and prefer to have soy drinks, bear in mind that some powdered bases and drink mixes may contain dairy products.
Where the item is cooked. If the food is cooked on the same grill, in the same wok, or anywhere else where there is meat, then there is a huge risk of cross-contamination. For instance, it can be very hard to keep bits of flesh out of a veggie stir-fry where meat has also been stirred.
Bread and buns. These may appear vegetarian but again, they may contain animal fat or by-products. This can be an even bigger issue for vegans, as a lot of bread has milk and sugar added to it (most sugar is not vegan).
Meat or fish flavorings in sauces and dressings. A range of condiments may contain fat, oil, flavoring, or even small flesh pieces all derived from animal sources. Avoid salad dressings and other condiments if you're not sure about them.
Enjoy breakfast food. A lot of fast food menus cater for hearty and healthy breakfasts in which there are definite vegetarian options. This time of the day isn't as easy for vegans though, as eggs and dairy will feature strongly, so you'll need to look for fruit and oatmeal options instead. Some of the options for breakfast include:
Fruit parfaits, hash browns (as long as you know they are of vegetable fat origin), baked beans, egg and cheese biscuit sandwiches, pancakes, or even small muffins.
If you consume dairy products, you will find this an easier time of day for choosing a range of food. Therefore, if you're on the road, eat a hearty breakfast!
Take advantage of the "healthier" possibilities on the main menu. Look beyond the commonplace vegetable salads and scoop out other items that might be on offer. Some of the examples you might be able to go with include:
Burger King in the United States offers a BK Veggie Burger that uses Morningstar veggie patties or you can request a regular burger/whopper with no meat (only vegetables, bun, and condiments).
Taco Bell Mexican pizza can be ordered without the meat, to be substituted with more beans. They also have a seven layer burrito, which is vegetarian, but has cheese and sour cream.
Pasta and breadsticks, along with cheese pizza can leave you with a full stomach. Vegans need to know whether or not the pasta contains egg.
Starbucks offers pita sandwiches, bagels, muffins, and parfaits that are available throughout the United States.
Most Dunkin' Donut donuts are vegetarian, though not vegan; just be sure to check which ones when choosing. Their bagels contain an ingredient derived from Duck Feathers. The protein L-Cysteine is the ingredient that makes these bagels inedible. So be sure that if you’re vegan/vegetarian, you stay away from this protein.
Subway and Quizno's are a huge "thumbs-up" for vegetarians. Pack sandwiches with all sorts of vegetables to your liking.
Other places that cater for vegetarians include Hard Rock Café, Denny's, Chili's, Johnny Rockets, Ruby Tuesday, and Red Robin
Choose from the side menu. You don't necessarily need an entire combo meal to satisfy your trip. Find an array of menu items such as corn, mashed potatoes, biscuits, or fruit packages. If you're creative enough, you can probably combine several things together to make a complete vegetarian meal.
Dig into the kid's menu. A standard kid's menu will often contain several vegetarian-friendly options, such as macaroni and cheese,
tomato sauce pasta, and grilled cheese sandwiches. Even the combo meals
for kids offers either vegetable or fruit packages (sliced apples) and
choice of drinks (apple juice, milk, or water).
How to Live a Healthy Lifestyle
Choose food that contains minimal amounts of unhealthy fats.
Unhealthy fats include both trans fats and saturated fats. These fats
will raise your LDL cholesterol, and elevated LDL cholesterol often
correlates with an increased risk for heart disease.
Eat healthy fats in moderation. Poly-unsaturated,
mono-unsaturated and omega-3 fats are all good lifestyle choices.These
good fats lower your LDL cholesterol and raise your HDL cholesterol,
which correlates with decreased risk for heart disease.
Select foods that are low in both sugar and highly refined carbohydrates.
Minimize your consumption of sweets, soft drinks, sugary fruit juices
and white bread. Choose whole fruits, freshly-squeezed juices and whole
grain bread instead.
Eat a variety of different whole foods instead of eating processed foods.
- Eat fruits and vegetables for their high vitamin and mineral content.
- Choose lean meat, beans and tofu for their protein content.
- Enjoy whole grains such as whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice and quinoa.
- Eat low-fat dairy products. Skim milk and reduced fat cheeses will reduce your fat intake while ensuring that you receive enough calcium
- Incorporate organic foods. Shop at a natural food store or buy food from your local farmer's market.
- Start and finish your workout with stretching. Gentle stretching will warm up your muscles before you work out and will relax your muscles after you work out.
- Go to the gym 3 to 5 times per week. Work out for half an hour to an hour, combining both cardio and strength training programs.
- Exercise in your neighborhood. Go for a jog or take your dog for a walk. Make sure that you move at a moderate pace for at least 30 minutes.
- Enjoy rigorous daily activities. Both high-intensity gardening and housekeeping can exercise your body.
- Ditch your car. Walk or bike to your destination instead.
tips healthy
- If you're traveling or you know you're going to be with friends who won't budge their mind about where to eat, you can always take something along in your handbag or in a small carry bag. Chances are that fast food staff aren't going to much care that you're one soul eating something not purchased on the premises and if they do notice, you can loudly inform them that since they have failed to cater for your dietary needs, that you have taken the next best step. It helps if you do buy something, like a soda or a cup of coffee, which you can point out.
- Sites such as VegGuide.org can help you to research vegetarian restaurant options in advance, or even as you're looking for a place to eat (use your phone).
- If you get evasive, non-committal or confusing answers to your questions about the vegetarian nature of a dish, you can dash out to a mini-mart or similar and buy some fruit and nuts to fill yourself up with until the next meal rather than compromise your values through uncertainty.
- In situations where you seriously can't eat the food but you can't leave either because your pals are still going to eat there, it's usually polite to make other diners with you feel comfortable by having something, such as a cup of coffee or a juice. This is where having an energy bar hidden away comes in handy...
