Rapid Fat Loss Diets

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Low Carb Vegetarian Diet Could Be The Best Option For You

By Alexis Martin

There has been much more coverage in the media in the past few years of all the health benefits that can be gained from having a low carb vegetarian diet. Some of these positive health outcomes include lower risk of type II diabetes, less chance of many kinds of cancer, reduced chance of heart disease and cholesterol and blood pressure issues. Vegetarians also consume a diet lower in saturated fats, which means that it is unusual to see an obese vegetarian.

There are a few different types of vegetarian weight loss diets. Vegans do not consume any type of meat or animal products at all and will often not wear animal products either. Lactovegetarians still eat dairy products; ovovegetarians will eat eggs, and flexitarians refrain from red meat, but sometimes eat chicken or fish.

One of the downsides to being vegetarian is that you need to monitor your diet more closely to ensure you are getting enough of certain vitamins and minerals for healthy body function. Some of the nutrients that can be lacking in a vegetarian diet include iron, calcium, zinc and protein. Vitamins that may be low in vegetarians include B12 and vitamin D.

An alternative to animal protein is legumes. This can be kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas and so on and these should be a part of a vegetarian diet several times a week. Whole grain foods are also able to provide a certain amount of protein in the diet. Vegetarian iron sources include spinach, dried fruit and Brewer's Yeast, which can be added as a supplement in food. There are some cereals that are enriched with iron as well.

Zinc is an important mineral for maintaining a strong immune system. To ensure you are getting enough you can eat lots of nuts and wheat germ. Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products, so you can either look for cereals that are fortified with B12, or take a vitamin B supplement.

Calcium is responsible for building strong bones and healthy teeth. You may be putting yourself at risk of osteoporosis if your diet lacks calcium and vitamin D. To make sure you are getting enough calcium in your diet you should eat calcium-enriched soy products and lots of green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and kale.

Vitamin D can be obtained from cereals that are enriched with the vitamin and also sunlight. Most sources of vitamin D from food are found in fish products or milk. Alternatively you can easily find calcium plus vitamin D supplements at the pharmacy. - 17273

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