{"id":84157,"date":"2013-01-16T11:24:42","date_gmt":"2013-01-16T16:24:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/?p=84157"},"modified":"2013-06-18T15:02:40","modified_gmt":"2013-06-18T20:02:40","slug":"go-meatless-the-perks-of-adopting-a-vegetarian-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/01\/go-meatless-the-perks-of-adopting-a-vegetarian-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"Go Meatless: The Perks of Adopting a Vegetarian Diet"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Team Best Life – TheBestLife.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Thinking about going vegetarian, or at least cutting back on your intake of meat, poultry and fish? There are some serious perks to adapting a plant-based diet<\/a><\/strong>\u2014these foods supply minerals and vitamins while remaining low in fat and calories. They\u2019re easy to digest and help keep your cholesterol low. (High cholesterol levels contribute to heart disease and other health issues.)<\/p>\n

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\nPhytochemicals and fiber found in plant foods can also help fight disease. In fact, compared to meat eaters, vegetarians are less likely to suffer from a variety of ailments, from diabetes to obesity to hypertension. A few more benefits: Going vegetarian can help protect the environment and may even lighten your wallet.<\/p>\n

Before you go meat-free, there are a few things you should know:<\/p>\n

There are many variations of vegetarianism<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

A vegetarian diet consists of mainly plant-based foods, including vegetables, beans, grains, fruits, nuts and seeds. Within this category, there are a few different options. For instance, you could be a lacto-ovo vegetarian, someone who eats plant-based foods, dairy and eggs, or a lacto vegetarian, someone who eats dairy products but no eggs. If you find a vegetarian diet too limiting, you can try a semi-vegetarian diet, and eat meat, poultry and fish once in a while. Not strict enough? You can follow a vegan diet<\/a><\/strong>, and avoid anything that comes from an animal, including eggs, milk and cheese.<\/p>\n

There are plenty of non-animal sources of important nutrients<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Meat, poultry and fish provide a lot of key nutrients, including protein, iron and zinc. But if you choose wisely, you can find these nutrients in non-animal foods. For instance, beans and soy are good sources of protein.<\/p>\n