How can I have a healthier vegetarian diet?

I feel tired and grumpy all the time and my family say it's because I don't eat meat. How can I get all the nutrients from meat without actually eating it?



Don't tell me stop being a vegetarian - I have been for about 6 years now and I will never go back.



I just want to know how I can have a healthier diet without meat. I've lived off junk food for the last 6 years.



Thanks.How can I have a healthier vegetarian diet?
As a vegetarian, and especially as a lady, you need to make sure you're getting enough iron. Most people get their quota of iron from meat, and we vegetarians just have to make a mental note to eat some iron-rich foods every day. Examples are spinach, beans, nuts, lentils, peanut butter, tofu, soy, broccoli, seeds, and other things. If you want to know for sure what you're lacking in your diet, have a doctor run a blood test on you. Are you eating a lot of pasta and white bread and cheese and fried food? Those will fill you up on empty calories and they are typically low in nutrition. Try eating more fruits and veggies, use whole grain products instead of white (rice, bread, pasta, etc.) and eat more beans and nuts.
Hi,



The first year I was a vegetarian I lived on junk food. Now I eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains etc.



I think one of the best things is to cook your own meals. Buy a vegetarian cookbook, they have really good healthy recipes that are packed with nutrients.



http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-books-cookbo…



There are some good cookbooks there^ I had that page bookmarked so maybe you would like to look at it. They are vegan but that makes them automaticaly vegetarian.How can I have a healthier vegetarian diet?
Excluding meat from your diet excludes protein.

Peanuts, almonds, walnuts, (all nuts) have protein. There's that nutrient.

Junk food= big no no. It's good every now and then, and to snack on, but that's why you feel grumpy: you're body is saying 'Hey! Enough with the junk food!'

Eat less junk food, and more fruits and veggies. And maybe even try the signature vegetarian piece and go green: a salad. :]



Good luck, fellow veggie.
dang..junk food? that really is probably why.



The following are pretty useful and necessary:

-flax seed, walnuts, or eggs. (omega-3s)

-leafy green veggies, milk (iron and calcium)

-beans, nuts, legumes, grains, milk, eggs (protein)

-sunlight, milk (vitamin D)

-sunflower seed, pumpkin seed, milk, egg (methionine - amino acid)



Notice I put the vegan foods first. They're better for you than milk and egg. However, it's easier to get necessary nutrients from milk and egg. Also, milk is found to steal calcium from your bones as well as add to it.



If you have problems with the flavors of healthy food, then try using some good sauces. A touch of vinegar, sugar, and salt with any sauce usually makes it taste better. Soy sauce and black bean sauce are my favorite! Yumm.How can I have a healthier vegetarian diet?
Well, anyone who eats junk food is gonna be tired and cranky regardless of eating meat or not.

It's quite simple improve a diet of junk food - if it doesn't come out of the ground then don't eat it. Eg. Oats, bananas, carrots, wheat etc all come from the ground, where as mars bars, quorn burgers and waffles did not - they are highly processed. So just try to eat things that resemble their original state closely.

Try to be inspired to get into cooking again, it doesn't have to expensive or time consuming.

Use tins of beans to add protein and fibre to meals, add a few veggies, some cheese on top, and then some seeds (pumpkin are good) on top and finish under the grill. It's a balanced meal with protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals and fatty acids.

I stopped eating processed 'veggie sausages' etc many years ago because they are full of rubbish. I just stick together some beans, chopped onion and cheese and grill it for five mins, serve with boiled green veg and carrots etc

Try to think of including protein with every meal - use nut butters instead of jam, have boiled eggs with a salad, add beans to everything, sprinkle nuts on your cereals.

The only thing you really cannot get from anything other than the animal source is the fatty acids DHA and EPA which are only found in fish. You can consume omega 3 in linseeds but your body doesn't convert these very well into DHA and EPA. Deficiency in these has been linked to mental health problems. In fact, I think I read that the bible links fish eating to improving mood! So you could take a fish oil supplement, or you could take an algae oil supplement which would be vegetarian and ethical, but shop around for a decent brand with proven levels of DHA and EPA.

Remember - think protein with each meal and lay off the sugar.
You've answered your own Question"I've lived of Junk Food..........."

Hardly Healthy.

Try Stir Fry, PLUS also depends how "Veggie" you are. Eggs are good. If it's just a meat thing, replace protein with Nuts,Cheese, tofu, all full of protein. All can be cooked quickly,
You say you feel tired all the time, I too am a vegetarian, and felt like this, so on a routine check at the doctors I asked about it, he did a blood test and told me that I'm anemic, which means you're lacking in iron in your blood. Iron comes from red meat, hence vegetarians (especially females) are very susceptible to it. So a trip to your doctor could be beneficial. You could however, simply eat other iron-rich foods such as dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, nuts, beans, apricots, prunes and raisins.

On my trip to the doctor I also found out that I'm malnourished, because I'm a very very picky eater, and too practically live off junk food. So you could be feeling grumpy and such because you don't have enough vitamins. So really try hard to eat as many fruit and vegetables a day. A good tip I was told was that you should eat different coloured fruit, as you get different vitamins.

I now try really hard to eat better, and I genuinely feel a lot better in myself because of it: I feel happier, I have more energy, I've lost weight (I was 123lbs and now I'm 115), my skin is clear and brighter.

cooldude or whoever it was who told you to eat meat is clearly now open to other lifestyles, and also did not read your question properly, if it is what you want stick with your vegetarianism, I'm so glad I have. Hope I helped :) xx
I you are living off junk food you need to learn how to eat.



You being grumpy or not having energy isn't because you are not eating meat, it is because you are eating crap.



Do you know how to cook?



If so plan a week of meals using fresh, whole foods. Talk to a nutriotionist or dietitian to guide you on what foods you should be eating.



Finally, cut out the crap!
A woman that I work with says her doctor says she is "addicted to carbohydrates" While this is not an issue for vegetarians, it suggests that certain foods can effect ones mood. I can't see why a vegetarian diet could effect your mood, so long as you get enough protein and enough overall calories. You might want to consider other factors.



Depending on your age and your specific body chemistry, the things you are experiencing could easily be explained by inadequate sleep. Do you sleep enough, and in an environment that does not wake you up too often.



While the issues you describe might be related to your diet, check out all possible other factors. If you conclude it is your diet, then try modifying it while remaining vegetarian.



I am a vegan, and I have been for over a decade. It is a bit more difficult for vegans, since dairy and eggs are such easy , available sources of protein



Good luck
Just be sure you're getting a balanced diet with all the nutrients you need. If you're tired, you are probably malnurished. In addition to what others before have said, be sure to get enough vitamin B12. This important vitamin is normally found in meat, but only because it forms on bacteria which grows on rotting flesh - which is what meat is. Just be sure you are eating all the vitamins and minerals you need and stop eating processed foods. You should be eating foods in their whole and natural form to be the healthiest you can be.



To find more information, just read books or listen to podcasts. A podcast that I recommend is "Vegetarian Food for Thought". (just search for it on iTunes)
make sure you have a salad a day, preferably spinach, to make sure your getting enough amino acids (protein). Instead of snacking on chips, have blueberries, instead of pop, juice your own fruit or have water (I know this can be hard to get used to). Once you get used to these foods and changing your habits you won't crave all that junk food anymore.
Well Spinach is reli good x Loadsa fruit and veg and vegey meat is reli nice too x♀ ♂
"I just want to know how I can have a healthier diet without meat. I've lived off junk food for the last 6 years."



Uh...stop...eating...junk food?

Start...uh...eating real food, like vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, and legumes?



I...I don't quite understand where the disconnect is here. It has nothing to do with you eating meat, let's just state that right now. The "nutrients from meat" are exceedingly easy to find in abundance provided you eat a well-rounded diet. You, instead, are living off of junk food.



So...stop.

Stop living off junk food. Get that crap out of your life. Eat delicious, healthy, actual food. If you don't understand what this is, email me.
You can start by enjoying the wholesome goodness of some carrot juice. Carrots are full of essential nutrients that will keep your body healthy.



Carotenes, the famous ingredient in carrots, is an anti-oxidant that has powerful healing virtues for many diseases. Drinking a glass of carrot juice daily will do much more for you than many bottles of supplement tablets. Here are some disorders that can be helped by drinking carrot juice regularly:



Acidosis: The vital organic alkaline elements in carrots help balance the blood acidity and blood sugar.



Acne: Its powerful cleansing properties are effective in detoxifying the liver, thus overall effective for acne which are caused by toxicity of the blood.



Anemia: Carrot's molecules are closest to human's hemoglobin molecules, making it very beneficial in blood-building.



Atherosclerosis: The highly cleansing power of this miracle juice scrubs away even the old build-up of arterial deposits, reducing the risks of heart diseases and stroke.



Asthma: The anti-oxidants effectively protects the respiratory system from infections and free-radical attacks.



Cancer: Studies show that adding one carrot per day in our diet significantly reduces cancer risks.



Cholesterol: Pectin in carrots lowers the serum cholesterol levels.



Congestion: Carrot juice is very effective in dispelling mucus from the ear, nose and throat area, easing nasal congestion, sinusitis, phlegm and mucus in the throat and other similar disorders.



Constipation: Take five parts of carrot juice with one part of spinach juice regularly to regulate chronic constipation problems.



Emphysema: If you smoke or are exposed to second-hand smoke, taking carrot juice regularly may well save your life.



Eyes: Beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin are some of the finest nourishment that help keep the optic system in tip-top condition, with special protection against astigmatism, macular degeneration and cataracts.



Fertility: One of the reasons for infertility is lack of nutrients and enzymes in your dietary. Carrot juice taken regularly, is able to nourish your body back to fertility.



Inflammations: Its anti-inflammatory effect greatly helps reduce arthritis, rheumatism, gout and other inflammations.



Immune systems: It does wonders for boosting the immune system by increasing the production and performance of white blood cells; building resistant to various kinds of infections.



Nursing mothers: Carrot juice helps enhance the quality and quantity of a mother's breast milk.



Pregnancy: Drinking carrot juice regularly during pregnancy, especially during the last few months, will reduce the chances of jaundice in baby. No, you won't get an orange baby!



Skin problems: The high quality vitamin C and other rich nutrients in carrot juice efficiently nourish the skin, preventing dry skin, psoriasis and other skin blemishes.



Thread worms: One small cup of carrot juice in the morning taken daily for a week can help clear up thread worms in children.



Ulcers: The abundance of nutrient present in carrots help nourish cells that have been starved of nutrients which result in ulcers.



Water retention: Carrot juice is diuretic and helps to eliminate excess fluids from the body, reducing water retention, especially for women during their monthly menstruation cycle and in pregnant women.
sip orange juice with dinner. it helps absorb iron better. grumpiness could be helped with a lunch of just complex carbs. like just brown rice and soy sauce, sesame seeds. or a meal of just protein like peanut butter. either way it helps your mood.



try 6 small meals a day instead of 3. take a multivitamin or have more raw fruits, vegetables, nuts. soak some raw sunflower seeds in water overnight and drain them. you will really feel good after eating them.
Whole grain rice, whole grain pasta, beans and eggs are a good source of protein. Lentils have a high percentage of protein. Progresso makes a great lentil soup.



Of course vegetables are essential. They don't have to be boring or bland. You can add spices, herbs, pasta, etc...to make veggies more appealing.
Once you decided to become absolutely vegan, you must stick to it with great determination.



Then, follow these simple rules:



Initially, add lots of fruits in your servings, so that you start cherishing plant sources.

Include sweet corns, nuts, light vegetables like sweet potato, carrots, cucumber in your diet.

Try veg pizza, tofu, soy milk, nut butter for energy sources.

Slowly and gradually experiment with variety of vegetables, pulses, cereals..you will become fan of vegetarianism.
try foods such as nuts because of the protein and fat content also try a meat substitute such as Quorn lots of beans , it's not meat that make you happy vegetables are much better for increasing your mood and lots of fresh fruit , you could also try good quality supplements.
Eat more regularly and eat sweeter things and EAT MORE MEAT.... WHY ARE YOU A VEGITARIAN ANYWAY????
meat