Exploring The Vegetarian Diet – Benefits And Substitutes

If there’s anything positive that the pandemic has done, it’s the attention it brought to maintaining optimum health, both mental and physical. As the pandemic and the lockdown raged on, many people struggled to manage their time since they had never experienced such a restriction before. Some people used it to get in shape while others took on activities like gardening or meditation, which are soothing for mental health.

Whichever group you were a part of, it is undeniable that health should be everyone’s number one priority.

Pexels | And this includes making sure your children consume all things good for their healthy growth and wellbeing

What to Choose?

When it comes to physical health, many people have different approaches. Some opt for the vegan lifestyle, others opt for a flexitarian diet, and some solely rely on meat and adopt a carnivorous diet. While there’s a lot of debate regarding the morality of each diet and how it affects the world, every person is entitled to their preference.

But if you are someone who is looking to change their diet, the vegetarian diet could be the one for you.

What is a Vegetarian Diet?

“Vegetarian” is rather an umbrella term for many other strict diets like the vegan diet which only consists of eating fruits, vegetables, and plant-based foods. Vegans refrain from eating meat, eggs, fish, milk, or using any by-product that comes from animals. Then there are Lacto vegetarians who eat plant-based foods and consume dairy products like eggs and butter. There are also pescatarians who usually only consume plant-based food with the exception of fish.

Pexels | Vegetarian diets have become increasingly popular in recent years

Talking Substitutes

Now that the vegetarian diet is more popular and celebrated, substitutes are easy to find. You can literally find a substitute for any ingredient on your list. For example, if you want cheese, you can get vegan cheese or if you want a meat substitute you can get tofu or plant-based meat. Yes, there is a substitute for everything.

Benefits of Vegetarian Diet

There are numerous benefits to a vegetarian diet which include getting adequate nutrition, vitamins, and minerals that you usually miss out on. Since it is only based on plants then it is full of antioxidants and low cholesterol. It can protect you and decrease your chances of developing diseases like hypertension, diabetes, cardiac issues, and even lower the chances of developing cancer.

Pexels | It is up to you to decide whether this diet is the one for you

Before making any significant changes, talk to your doctor and discuss whether it is good for you or not.