Vegetarianism Part 3
Outline:
Conclusions
Practical applications
Vegetarian recipes
Eating out
References
Bibliography
Conclusions
Becoming a vegetarian is a reasonable alternative for health if intelligent practices are followed and if certain principles of healthy eating and lifestyle are adhered to. Be sure to undertake any major change with careful consideration of the health benefits and risks. It is often helpful to make changes in diet gradually. You can minimize the problems associated with any drastic change by becoming informed on all the advantages and the wide variety of healthful products available.
Practical Applications
How to get started. Many people think it is quite difficult to become a vegetarian. In fact it is quite easy.
Start by using some dishes that you already use regularly so that you and your family will not feel that the meal is so "different."
Use salads without adding the chicken or beef strips. If you wish, substitute imitation chicken, etc.
Add more fruits, vegetables, nuts, and salads to your diet. As these are added, meat products will be easier to decrease.
Eat more legumes. Experiment with new products that you might not have tried such as lentils.
Utilize vegetable dishes without the bacon, adding a favorite seasoning or sauce instead.
For entrees, start with pastas that you like, and gradually begin experimenting with main dishes.
Many vegetarian recipe books are available, and many ethnic recipe books contain a wide variety of vegetarian entrees.
Soups and stews can be made without a beef or chicken stock Add to the nutritional value of the soup by adding brown rice or barley and a legume such as lentils or beans.
Many meat substitutes may be used in meat-based recipes. These are made of textured soy products that are close in flavor to some meats. Many meat-substitute products may be found in the frozen food sections of most supermarkets. For something that looks familiar, try the vegetarian corn dogs. Try a meatless burger (Garden Burger is one brand name), and add all the trimmings. A wide variety of meat-substitute products can also be found in many health food stores, and in Asian and other ethnic markets.
Learn to eat easy-to-prepare meals. Many who have become vegetarians have discovered the joy of eating very simply but nutritiously. A hearty home-made soup and salad, a simple dinner of beans, rice, and whole wheat bread are not only tasty, but are easy to make, and very nutritious.
Buy at least one good vegetarian cookbook, and at least one book that tells you about the nutritional content of various foods. Explore where to buy fresh produce and some healthful, ready-to-eat vegetarian products so that you can avoid getting discouraged from spending too much time on food preparation.
Subscribe to a newsletter that is recognized by nutritionists as scientifically reliable. Loma Linda University's Vegetarian Nutrition & Health Letter is considered the leader among publications on vegetarianism. This newsletter updates you on the latest research and information for vegetarians and those who want to know more about the studies being done to show the benefits of a vegetarian diet.
Visit an Adventist Book Center for health and nutrition books, vegetarian recipe books, and vegetarian meat and cheese substitutes. If you do not live near one, books can be purchased via the internet. (Click here.) Look under "Browse our books", and select either cookbooks or health and nutrition books.
Ask your local supermarket to order more vegetarian products for you and your friends.
Vegetarian Recipes
See our collection of recipes. More are being added frequently.
Learning to eat out and enjoy healthy vegetarian meals
Eating out as a vegetarian has become easier in recent years in the United States. Nearly all large restaurants, and many fast-food restaurants now have a number of vegetarian choices. Learn to choose wisely from a variety of vegetable and pasta dishes, and salads. Ask to have more vegetarian entrees on the menu. It is a fact that as more people have become vegetarian more choices have become available.
References
1. Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, 2nd Edition, Simon & Schuster, New York
2. Wardlaw, G., Insel, P., Perspectives in Nutrition, Mosby-Year Book Inc., 1996, pp181-2.
3. Vegetarian Nutrition & Health Newsletter, Loma Linda, CA,
4. Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 27th Edition, W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia
Bibliography; Books by Ellen White, an early Adventist leader and writer
Available from any Adventist Book Center store
Spiritual Gifts
Counsels on Diet and Foods
Diets and Foods
Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene
Medical Ministry
The Ministry of Healing
[www.Power4Health.org. Last revised: 3/3/02]
