Image courtesy of 24/7 Moms.While some people choose to be either completely vegetarian or vegan as a lifestyle, most people don’t and for those people, the key to optimum healthy is to have a largely vegetarian diet with some meat.
National Jewish Health, a non-profit hospital specializing in cardiac, respiratory, immune, and related disorders, published an article last week saying that, “Recent research has shown that plant-based diets are associated with lower incidence of stroke, heart attack, and many forms of cancer as well as increased life expectancy and fertility.”
National Jewish says on average that plant-based diets are lower in calories and more dense in nutrients, with the bulk of calories comimg from grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes (beans, lentils, peanuts, etc.).
Dr. Andrew Freeman, a cardiologist at National Jewish, made some suggestions about a heart healthy diet, saying one idea is to occasionally choose the vegetarian option in your workplace cafeteria, if it has one.
Freeman also recommended, “Go for a meatless Monday. Many people are doing meatless Mondays, where they’re having no meat whatsoever on Mondays, and by eating less animal products, your cholesterol, blood pressure, and salt will improve.”
National Jewish was very cautious though in recommending a vegetarian diet, saying that an exclusively vegetarian diet can “often lack the B12 vitamin, but most soy and almond milks are supplemented with B12.”
Vitamin B12 is naturally found in animal products such as meat, shellfish, milk, cheese, and eggs.
An article by WebMD says that, “Most people who eat meat are not likely to develop a vitamin B12 deficiency. There is normally enough vitamin B12 stored in a person’s liver to last a year, even if the person does not eat any foods that contain the vitamin during that time.”
“Vitamin B12 is important in the formation of all cells in the body, especially red blood cells and the covering of nerve cells (myelin). The body needs myelin for nerves to function properly. Strict vegetarians (vegans) who do not eat meat, milk, cheese, or eggs are at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency. They need a vitamin supplement containing vitamin B12,” WebMD adds.
Freeman recommended “doing your research and checking with your physician before jumping into any plant-based diet. Make sure you understand how to get the right mix of vitamins and nutrients as well as adequate amounts of protein.”
National Jewish has a great list of healthy red meat-free recipes, including: Baked Halibut with Tomato and Cucumber Salad, Garlic Grilled Shrimp, and Carmelized Vegetables and Tofu Stir-Fry.
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