Dec

17

Is A Vegetarian Diet Healthy?

Filed Under Eating Healthy, Nutrition, Protein | 3 Comments

As long time readers of 60 in 3 know, I’m vegetarian.  To be a bit more specific, I’m a lacto-ovo vegetarian, which means I still eat eggs and dairy products.  Over the past year, I’ve had a few questions from readers about why I chose this diet and do I recommend it for health reasons.  So I wanted to review a few things that readers might find useful.

Is a vegetarian diet healthy?

Not necessarily.  After all, a vegetarian diet could mean nothing but soda and potato chips with a few twinkies thrown in.  That qualifies as vegetarian and yet it’s definitely not healthy.  Being vegetarian does not automatically mean being health,  you still need to try and balance your diet and you still need to make an effort and look for healthy foods.

Is a vegetarian diet unhealthy?

Again, not necessarily.  As long as you put in a bit of effort to balance your diet, a vegetarian diets can be very healthy.

I heard vegetarians are missing some nutrients like protein or b12

Incorrect.  A balanced vegetarian diet has all the nutrients you need.  I get plenty of protein even without any protein supplements.  As for B12, there are many vegetarian items like soy milk which are fortified with it.  Vegetarians also get plenty of iron.

Vegetarians eat a lot of soy, which I hear is bad for you

Some vegetarians eat a lot of soy products, and there are a few rumors about soy which make it sound unhealthy.  Thus far, I haven’t seen any real studies to indicate it’s a bad food item.  Even if it was, I’m not that concerned.  Since I eat a balanced diet, soy isn’t really my main food staple.

So is a vegetarian diet healthier than a diet that includes meat?

Not necessarily.  In fact, a diet that includes some meat is probably healthier than a purely vegetarian diet.  Lean meats like venison, fish and so on are healthy and, in combinations with plenty of fruit and vegetables, make for a very healthy diet.   This type of diet is just as healthy if not more so, than a balanced vegetarian diet.

So are you saying most meat eaters are healthier than vegetarian?

Unfortunately no.  Most people who include meat in their diets, especially in the US, eat way too much meat.  In addition, the meat they consume is unhealthy.  If you want a healthy diet that includes meat then you need to stay away from fast food meats, most beef and most pork.  Stick to things like lean fish, some turkey and wilder game like venison or rabbit.  Commercially raised meat is too full of fat and other crap to be healthy.

Do I have to give up steaks to be healthy?

No.  I eat a healthy and balanced vegetarian diet but even I occasionally indulge in unhealthy items.  For example, that chocolate mousse I ate last night certainly wasn’t #1 on the vegetarians top 10 healthy items list.  So yes, you can occasionally indulge.  However, unhealthy meat should not be a part of every single meal as it is today.  Try to eat meat once per day, limit your quantity and pick out healthier meats.  If on occasion you choose to indulge in a unhealthy steak, that’s fine, just don’t make a habit of it.

So why did you choose to be vegetarian?

Three reasons.  First, vegetarian diets are generally healthier for the environment.  Second, it was easier for me to explain to my family and friends that I won’t eat any meat rather than start explaining to them which meats I will or won’t eat.  Oddly enough, being vegetarian is far more acceptable than being a healthy meat eater.  Tell people you eat no meat and they’re fine, tell people that you only eat turkey and venison and they think you’re some survivalist nut.  Finally, it’s just easier for me to look for healthy vegetarian options than it is to find healthy meat options.  Again, odd but true.  It’s a lot faster to find a healthy option among the nonmeat options than it is in most restaurants’ selection of meat dishes.

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To be honest, if it was easier to find healthy meat sources that were easy on the environment, I probably would still be eating meat.  I have no moral issue with it and I did find it quite tasty.  Unfortunately, our society is set up around cheap, factory farmed beef, chicken and pork and those I simply won’t touch.  So yes, you can be just as healthy eating meat as you can being a vegetarian.  However, you still need to balance your diet and you definitely need to make smart choices in what you choose to eat.

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Nov

12

What is the right amount of protein per day?

Filed Under Eating Healthy, Nutrition, Protein | Leave a Comment

A few weeks ago we talked about how to construct a balanced meal and I’ve gotten some email since then about the specifics of a balanced meal.  Here’s the most common one I’ve seen.

How much protein should I eat?

The right amount of protein is about .8grams for each 2.2lbs of body weight.  For you metric oriented folks in the audience, that’s about .8grams per 1kg of body weight.  If you’re an athlete or exercise a lot, you should increase that to about 1gram or protein for every 2.2lb (1kg) of body weight.  You may also want to increase that very slightly if you get most of your protein from plant sources.

Where do I get that?

Protein can come from a variety of sources.  Meat is the most common one in the western world, but we can also find a lot of protein in dairy products as well as some plants like soy.

What are healthy sources of protein?

Lean unprocessed meats are great.  That means staying away from factory farmed beef and pork and sticking to things like wild caught fish, organic turkey and some more exotic meats like venison or buffalo.  Other great sources are eggs, low fat dairy products and soy products.  You can also find protein in many beans and legumes.  For example, 8oz (225g) of baked beans will have 11.5 grams of protein.

Am I getting enough protein?

Unless you’re a vegetarian, you probably have nothing to worry about.  A 4oz piece of chicken has 31grams of protein in it.  A 4oz steak has 35grams.  So a single meal with a good sized meat portion probably gives you all the protein you need.

Is protein good or bad for me?

Protein is a vital part of any healthy diet.  Building muscles is just one of the many benefits of protein.  It also keeps us satiated and prevents overeating.  Just remember, it’s a part of a BALANCED diet.  That means you shouldn’t eat too much of it.

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