A healthy balanced diet for vegetarians

Vegetarians enjoy a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruit with some also choosing to include dairy products and eggs. Studies suggest that a plant-based diet like this can be a healthier way to eat with fewer reported cases of obesity, heart disease and type II diabetes. Typically, a varied vegetarian diet contains less saturated fat and more folate, fibre and antioxidants, plus as a vegetarian you’re more likely to exceed the recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables.

Breakfast Time: Many people think vegetarians are at risk of being low in the mineral iron but there are plenty of plant foods that are good sources, including breakfast cereals, muesli, wholemeal bread as well as pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Enjoy any one of these with a small glass of vitamin C-rich fruit juice to optimise your body’s iron uptake. For those who avoid dairy, like milk and yogurt, choose an alternative that is fortified with vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, vitamin D and calcium.
Whatever you do, don’t skip breakfast as this sets your blood sugar off on a roller coaster, which means you’ll end up choosing the wrong foods later in the day. Remember breakfast makes an important contribution towards your daily intake and plays a key role in maintaining a healthy weight.

Mid-morning snack: Make every snack count with nourishing options that supply both the ‘pick-me-up’ you need while topping up your portions of fruit and veg, or deliver key nutrients like iron or vitamin D. Swap your morning biscuits for toast topped with slices of banana, bake a batch of fruit-packed muffins or blend up a fruit smoothie.

Lunch Time: aim for a mix of protein from beans, peas, nuts, grains or dairy products, combined with starchy carbs. You need carb-rich
foods because without them you’re likely to suffer that classic mid-afternoon slump. The key is to choose carbs that produce a steady rise in blood sugar, which means passing on the sugary ‘white’ foods and going for high fibre whole grains that help you manage those afternoon munchies.

Know your Healthy Fats: We need some fats in our diet, but it’s important we don’t eat too much and the focus should be on the right type of fat. Fat is not only a source of energy it helps us absorb fat-soluble vitamins including vitamins A, D, E and K.Vegetarian diets tend to be lower in saturated fat but keep in mind that full-fat dairy, as well as some plant foods like coconut and palm oils, are high in these saturates. Heart-friendly mono-unsaturated fats are found in plant foods like avocado, olive and rapeseed oils, whilst nuts and seeds supply the heart-friendly poly-unsaturates, including the omega-3 variety. It’s these unsaturated fats that we should be eating more of, so include a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds or two tablespoons of oil, or the equivalent of unsalted nuts, daily.

Dinner Time: Don’t curfew carbs – they’re low in fat, fibre-rich and help you relax in the evening, plus they’re filling, which means they’ll
get you through to breakfast. Combine them with some healthy essential fats, such as the ones you find in nuts, especially walnuts as well as seeds like pumpkin and som protein from tofu, eggs or dairy. During the night your body will use the protein and these healthy fats for regeneration and repair, which is important for maintaining healthy skin and hair.

The Healthy Vegetarian Cookbook has 90 recipes all with natural healthy ingredients to make sure you never run out of ideas.

So I’ve made my very own Healthy Vegetarian Cookbook, packed with 90 nutritious, healthy & clean meals. If you’re looking to lose weight, entertain guests with delicious veggie meals, make a special meal for two or simply enjoy tasty meals with your family then my healthy vegetarian cookbook is perfect for you, with 90 mixed variety of dishes to tantalise your tastebuds.

This cookbook benefits from

• 30 Breakfasts
• 30 Lunch recipes
• 30 Main Meals recipes

All my vegetarian recipes are designed to have a healthy balance of ingredients that include Super foods, antioxidants, vital vitamins and minerals and all made with real natural foods for that balanced and varied diet.

Simple to follow Step by Step instructions from start to finish.

*This is a PDF ebook that can be viewed on all iPads, tablets, computers, laptops and phones.