Vegetarian life 

                             The word "vegetarian" comes from the Latin word vegetus meaning healthy,fresh, alive.  Vegetarianism according to ancient scriptures has been around for thousands of years, it is without a doubt the best way to live!  Scriptures define vegetarianism as the exclusion of meat, fish,  poultry, and eggs, a diet consisting of cereals, fruit, vegetables, and in some cases cheese!   Western vegetarianism has a long history stretching back to Pythagoras ('Pythagorean' was both a term of abuse and a badge of honour for vegetarians). Pythagoras's doctrine of etempsychosis, or transmigration of the soul, meant that it was unwise to kill animals because who knows who could be trapped inside. Though St Clement of Alexandria favoured abstinence from meat, vegetarianism was quelled by the early church fathers, and many Renaissance clerics on both sides of the Reformation divide viewed it as heresy.  Western encounter with India provided crucial weight to pro-vegetarian arguments. Here was a civil, peaceful, enlightened society successfully fuelled by vegetables, pulses and grains. Such a diet seemed an escape from the corruption, debauchery, pollution and strife in the West. Many conservative Christians mocked the Hindus' quaint belief in transmigration, but the doctrine of non-violence is a guiding ethical principle that manifests itself through abstention from meat.
The story of the reverence and awe in which India was held in certain streams of Western thought is a notable corrective to those who see the history of imperialism as solely the high-handed and brutal imposition of Occidental values on indigenous populations. John Zephaniah Holwell, a survivor of the Black Hole of Calcutta, governor of Bengal and a passionate vegetarian, effectively converted to Hinduism.
There are, broadly, three phases of vegetarianism . In 17th-century England, eschewing meat was a means of religious dissent by those who saw the church as corrupt. It was an attempt to purify religion. Isaac Newton, who tried to prove the unity of all religions, viewed 'being merciful to all animals' as one of the cross-cultural ethical imperatives. The second phase, which began in France, was scientific. Was man naturally carnivorous or herbivorous? The penitent Dr George Cheyne, whose weight rose to 34 stone due to indulgence, transformed his life by eating only vegetables and milk. He become an assiduous evangelistof such a diet among the metropolitan classes in London.

The final phase is revolutionary and climaxes with the French Revolution. Meat signified social inequality - only the rich could afford it - as more and more land was enclosed for pasture so the privileged could indulge themselves. Seditious circles in Paris and London were crammed with vegetarians. Underlying it all, philosophers and scientists, savants and rabble-rousers searched for the perfect religion, health and society.

                                                               Meat eater to Vegetarian    

From a lifetime of flesh eating, you may first need to take one step back before plunging into the really healthy zone! For this purpose there are, of course processed substitutes like processed soy etc. which can help your transition to a meat free diet. Remember that processed usually means that the product is full of additives and flavours. Natural and artificial flavours are similarly added to both meat based dishes and meat-like dishes. It's therefore likely that if somebody replaced meat lasagne with a Soya alternative without you knowing, you wouldn't notice the difference!
Flavours constitute a satisfying eating experience as well as the texture. Herbs and spices compliment the texture rather than the actual flavour of meat itself. You normally identify meat through texture. So, as long as meat substitutes have almost an identical texture, you should have no trouble feeling comfortable about eating it, as it will no doubt be flavoured with your usual sauces, spices and gravies.

Alternatively, a careful balance of natural flavours can produce a magical meal... all from selective proportions of vegetables and spices. So once you have eliminated the need to consider "substitutes" as a centre feature, then you can take your "veggie-morphosis" one step further. You can begin to prepare non-processed foods that are balanced in natural texture, wonderful natural flavour and nutritional value...

      If you are a meat eater still contemplating the idea of becoming vegetarian, then you may wish to consider this final thought to help you with your decision.    Many vegetarians may have eaten meat themselves once ... perhaps even stuffing themselves with dead animals and overcooked vegetables smothered with mountains of salt, followed by sugary puddings ... all full of chemical additives! But, as every veggie will tell you, it's really never too late for change and the positive effects in many people can be seen and felt very quickly. In fact, the morals, ethics and health benefits can all tie together effortlessly. Once you are a healthy veggie you will probably end up hiding looks of horror when you, yourself have to sit at a table with meaties gorging on flesh and gelatine filled puddings. It's a kind of an epiphany you can only truly relate to when that moment arrives. And when it does, wisdom should dictate how you deal with that "clear-conscience" feeling without coming across to others as self-righteous. If you strike the right social balance with others regarding your move to a vegetarian lifestyle, you may even find others following your example. Everyone benefits for health reasons, and of course, so do the animals !                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                    Delicious Vegetarian Cuisine                   

Try to forget the concept of always needing meat-like substitutes to fill the gap. Consider that meat, and therefore meat substitutes don't fall into your dietary equation. Re-evaluate the ways you view and prepare natural foods. It may be that various textures of food on your plate are important to feeling essentially fulfilled ... The same goes for flavours. There are many chewy like textures that are pleasing to the palate like mushrooms and other fungi, some pastas, tofu, dough bases, sundried tomatoes etc.

It's unfortunate that textures and flavours of food are more important to many people than its nutritional value. But if you stay off artificially flavoured and chemically treated foods for a length of time, the flavours of natural foods will eventually become far more intense. In fact, you may find artificially enhanced foods quite repulsive after a couple years ... and, in many cases, if you tried such foods again you can actually taste the added chemicals ... Even the unpleasant effects of pesticides on fruits etc. can be easily felt.

                             vegetarian feast at Shaktydome

                     Each year 1,000 species are eliminated due to destruction of tropical rainforests for cattle grazing, and the rate is growing yearly. About half the world's grain is consumed by animals that are later slaughtered for meat. This is a very inefficient process. It takes 16 pounds of grain and soyabeans to produce 1 pound of feedlot beef.

          If people were to subsist on grains and other vegetarian foods alone, this would put far less  strain  on the Earth's agricultural lands. About 20 vegetarians can be fed from the land it takes to feed 1 meat-eater!   If all the soybeans  and grain fed yearly to US livestock were set aside for human consumption, it would feed 1.3 billion people. Overgrazing and the intensive production of  feed grains for cattle and other meat animals results in high levels of soil erosion. One pound of beef from cattle raised from feedlots represents the loss of 35 pounds of topsoil.

   In Australia, cattle grazing and feed-crop production has contributed greatly to desertification. Burning of oil in the production of feed grain results in air pollution, including carbon dioxide, the main cause of global warming. Another major source of air pollution is the burning of tropical forests to clear land for cattle grazing. About 50% of the water pollution in the United States is linked to livestock. Pesticides and fertilizers used in helping grow feed grains run off lakes and rivers, and pollute ground water. Organic contaminants from huge concentrations of animal excrement and urine  at feedlots and stockyards also pollute water. This waste is hundreds of times more concentrated than raw sewage !

     All around the World, the beef industry is wasting the diminishing supplies of fresh water. For example, the livestock industry in the United States takes about 50% of the water consumed each year. Feeding the average meat-eater requires about 4,200 gallons of water per day, versus 1,200 gallons per day for a person following a lacto-vegetarian diet! And, while it takes only 25 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat, it takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat.

   In conclusion, reducing or eliminating meat consumption would have substantial positive effects on the environment. Fewer trees would be cut, less soil eroded, and desertification would be substantially slowed. A major source of air pollution would be removed, and scarce fresh water would be conserved!   A diet rich in fruits and vegetables plays a role in reducing the risk of all the major causes of illness and death," says Walter Willet, Head of the Nutrition Department at the Harvard School of Public Health. To many people, vegetarian is a loaded word. It typically refers to people who never eat meat, fish or poultry for ethical, religious or health reasons.   Vegans also avoid all dairy products and eggs. But scientists are more interested in how often - not whether - people eat animal foods. And much of their research points to the same conclusion: people should eat fewer animal foods and more plant foods, especially fruits and vegetables. Why? Here are 10 reasons - some related to health, some not.

1. Cancer

"The scientific base is very strong suggesting that fruits and vegetables are protective elements for all gastrointestinal cancers and all smoking-related cancers," says Tim Byers, professor of Preventive Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. That includes cancers of the lung, colon, stomach, mouth, larynx, esophagus and bladder. And a recent study found that lycopene - a carotenoid in tomatoes and tomato sauce - may protect against prostate cancer. It's not clear how fruits and vegetables may reduce cancer risk. It could be their phytochemicals - things like carotenoids, vitamins C and E, selenium, indoles, flavonoids, phenols and limonene.  There is also evidence that high-fibre grains like wheat bran can reduce cancer risk. "Fibre has a beneficial effect in preventing colon cancer," says David Jenkins, a fibre expert at the University of  Toronto. And pasta, rice and other grains can replace the animal foods
- red meat, in particular - that may increase the risks of some cancers.  "Men who eat red meat as a main dish five or more times a week have four times the risk of colon cancer of men who eat red meats less than once a month," says Edward Giovannucci of Harvard Medical School.  Heavy red-meat eaters were also twice as likely to get prostate cancer
in his study of 50,000 male health professionals.  That's just one study. Looking at others, says Lawrence Kushi of the
University of Minnesota, "the evidence is quite consistent that red meat is associated with a higher risk of colon -possibly prostate - cancer". But even lean red meat seems to increase the risk of colon cancer. "It could be the carcinogens created when meat is cooked or meat's highly available iron, or something else in meat" .

2.Heart disease

A plant-based diet with lots of fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of heart disease. For the last 20 years, heart experts have emphasised cutting saturated fat and cholesterol intake, but plants may protect the heart in other ways. Among them: * Soluble Fibre: "To reduce your risk of heart disease, you may want to eat more beans, peas, oats, and barley," says Jenkins, because their "sticky" soluble fibre seems to help lower blood cholesterol.  * Folic Acid: "The evidence that folic acid reduces the risk of heart disease is pretty strong," says Willet. Folic acid, a B-vitamin, lowers blood levels of a harmful amino acid called homocysteine. "And fruits and vegetables are a major source of folic acid," he adds. * Antioxidants: a growing body of evidence suggests that LDL ("bad") cholesterol damages arteries only when it has been oxidised (combined with oxygen). That's why researchers believe that antioxidants like vitamin E may protect the heart. And many of the phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables are antioxidants.  * Squeezing Out Saturates: if you eat lots of plant foods, there's simply less room for the saturated animal fats that clog arteries.

3. Stroke

There's a lot of evidence showing that fruits and vegetables are beneficial for reducing the risk of stroke," says Willet. For example, in a 20-year study of 832 middle-aged men, the risk of stroke was 22 per cent lower for every three servings of fruits and vegetables the men ate each day. Again, no one's sure if it's the potassium, magnesium, fibre or other components of fruits and vegetables that prevent arteries from clogging in the brain.

4. Diverticulosis & Constipation

High-fibre grains - especially wheat bran - can help prevent constipation. That's not trivial in a country like the US that spends millions a year on laxatives.  Diverticulosis is also common. About 30 to 40 per cent of people over
50 have it, though most have no symptoms. Others experience bleeding, constipation, diarrhea, flatulence, pain, or diverticulitis (that's when the pouches - or diverticula - that form in the walls of the colon get inflamed).  "In our studies, it's clear that fibre both from bran and from fruits and vegetables is protective," says Willet. Men who ate the least
fibre (13 grams or less a day) were almost twice as likely to get diverticulosis as men who ate the most fibre (at least 32 grams of fibre a day).

5. Other diseases

Plant-rich diets may prevent other illnesses: * Macular Degeneration: a carotenoid called lutein - which is found mostly in leafy greens - may help prevent the deterioration of the retina that causes blindness in older people. "In our study, people
who ate spinach or collard greens two to four times a week had half the estimated risk of macular degeneration compared with those who ate them less than once a month," says Johanna Seddon of Harvard Medical School.  * Neural Tube Defects: folic acid supplements can reduce the risk of spina bifida and other neural tube birth defects. Folic acid from
foods (mostly fruits and vegetables) may also cut the risk.  * Diabetes: "We found a lower risk of adult-onset diabetes in people who ate more whole grains," says Willet.

                                        Tabouli
6. Safer food

Some of the deadliest food-borne illnesses enter the body via animal foods. "Ground beef is the most likely source of E. Coli 0157:H7. Poultry carry Salmonella and Campylobacter, and the consumption of raw shellfish has caused infection with Vibrio vulnificus," says David Swerdlow of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.  Any raw food - including fruits or vegetables - can carry harmful bacteria. "For example, recent outbreaks of Salmonella have been associated with cantaloupe, tomatoes and alfalfa sprouts," says Swerdlow. But meat, seafood and poultry are the most likely culprits
in food-borne illness.

7.The environment

"Our eating habits have a tremendous effect on the planet," says Jenkins. "Eating animals wouldn't harm the environment if it were done on a much smaller scale," explains Alan Durning, Director of North-west Environment Watch in Seattle.  "Modern meat production involves intensive use - and often misuse - of grain, water, energy and grazing areas," says Durning. He cites the following examples:  * Water pollution: the manure and sewage from stockyards, chicken factories, and other feeding facilities can pollute water supplies.  * Air pollution: thirty million tons of methane - a gas that contributes to global warning - comes from manure in sewage ponds or heaps.  * Soil erosion: nearly 40 per cent of the world's - and more than 70 per cent of US - grain production is fed to livestock. For each pound
of meat, poultry, eggs and milk we produce, farm fields lose about five pounds of topsoil.  * Water depletion: an estimated half of the grain and hay that's fed to beef cattle is grown on irrigated land. It takes about 390 gallons
of water to produce a pound of beef. * Energy Use: it takes almost ten times more energy to produce and transport livestock than vegetables. * Overgrazing: about 10 per cent of the arid West of the US has been turned into a desert by livestock. But some of that land couldn't be used for much else. "That's why my argument isn't for vegetarianism,
but for people to reduce the consumption of animal products," maintains Durning.

8. Cost

Sure, you can spend $7.99 a pound on mesclun or other gourmet foods. But from squash to sweet potatoes, most plants are a downright bargain. And the lower price of plants shows up when you eat out. On Chinese, Indian, and most other restaurant menus, the vegetarian selections are usually cheaper than the meat, seafood and poultry.

9.Animal welfare                                                       
It's unpleasant to think about, but before we slaughter them, the animals we eat are often raised and transported under inhumane conditions.

10. Taste

The number-one reason for eating a plant-rich diet is that it tastes  good. The five vegetables that Americans eat most are French fries, tomatoes (mostly as sauce or ketchup), onions, iceberg lettuce, and other potatoes.  

The Importance of Vegetarian Diet

Hathayoga Pradipika (section 58), the main classical Hatha Yoga textbook, recommends avoiding " alcohol, fish, meat..." In the Mahabharata, which the Gita comes from, the importance of not eating meat is emphasized. The body, emotions, mind and spirit and even our hereditary expressions are significantly affected by what we eat. Sensory inputs from numerous objects disturb us in many ways consciously and unconsciously. The yogic terminology for this disturbed condition of awareness is called vyutthita chitta or the disturbed (literally 'provoked') mind. Through proper vegetarian diet, meditation, and other sattvic activities we can reduce this state of disturbed awareness and experience a state of undisturbed awareness or equilibrium termed as, Samahita chitta or the concentrated (collected) mind in which body, senses, prana and mind all function in harmony. The key element to the sattvic diet is vegetarianism. Flesh food (meat, fish and poultry) increases the animal frequency in the body and it brings more animal-like tendencies into operation such as the vibrations of anger, lust, fear and murderous impulses. The energy of a flesh food diet adds to the impurities of the mind and the nervous system. It communicates the energy of destruction to the cells and brings the energy of death into our auric fields reducing the flow of higher prana into the body. The lives of the creatures we've eaten weigh down our astral body with their negative feelings of fear at their time of death. Some people claim that flesh food is part of their natural diet and so should not interfere with the unfoldment of their higher nature. As Sri Yukteswar, the guru of Paramahansa Yogananda, states in his Holy Science, "Can flesh be considered the natural food of man, when both
his eyes and his nose are so much against it, unless deceived by flavors of spices, salt and sugar. On the other hand, how delighted do we find the fragrance of fruits, the very sight of which often makes the mouth water." Flesh food creates a tamasic (dull and heavy) effect on the physical body and mind. It clogs the channels of the subtle body, the 72,000
nadis through which the Kundalini needs to move freely to do its spiritualizing work, and tends to make the mind insensitive. Even western historians such as Herodotus have suggested that not only violence and crime, but also religious intolerance is more common among meat-eating groups. Many spiritual teachings support this. The Manusmirti (5.49), an ancient law code of Hindu society, states, "Having well considered the origin of flesh foods, and the cruelty of
fettering and slaying of sentient beings, a person should abstain from eating flesh." It also states (6.60), "By not killing any living being one becomes fit for liberation." It also states The Yajur Veda (12.32) states, "You must not use your God-given body for killing God's  creatures whether a human, animal, or whatever." Buddhism was originally vegetarian and, according to the Dalai Lama, Buddhism should return to vegetarianism. The Mahaparinirvana Sutra sums it up, "The eating of meat extinguishes the seed of great compassion!

Ahimsa

A key component for creating a sattvic mind is the practice of Ahimsa. In the book, Ahimsa written by Nathaniel Altman, the Buddha is quoted saying, "Him I call Brahman who is free from anger, who gladly endures reproach and even stripes and bonds inflicted upon him without cause. Him I call Brahman who slays no creatures, who does not kill, or cause to be killed, any living thing."  A vegetarian way of life actively creates six aspects of Ahimsa: (1) compassion and non-cruelty toward animals; (2) preserving the earth and its ecology; (3) feeding the hungry; (4) preserving human life; (5) preservation of personal health; (6) and inspiring peace.

Violence to the Environmental of Meat-Eating

In this age of overpopulation, meat eating is an attack on the entire natural world and one of the main causes of environmental degradation and destruction. Livestock use approximately half of the water used in the United States. A flesh-centered diet creates need for about  4,500 gallons per day,  per meat-eater, as compared to 300 gallons per day for a vegan (a diet of no flesh or dairy). A flesh-centered diet  requires approximately eighteen times more energy to sustain than a vegan diet. The destruction of the rainforest for grazing land and the resultant greenhouse effect is another example of the deleterious effects of a flesh-centered diet on our ecosystem. Neither our land, water, atmosphere, or animal and human populations are safe from the resource intensive destruction that results in the meat-centered diet.
We simply cannot escape the fact that raising animals for meat and dairy at this point in history has a devastating effect on our entire ecosystem.                                                     

                                                                Sojaburger  (tofu)

Vegetarian Diet and Health

Yoga teaches that vegetarian diet is not only essential for the spiritual life, but is also the basis for good health. Not only do vegetarians live longer and actually have (according to at least 10 research reports) two to three times the endurance than meat-eaters, they are less subject to the health problems that meat-eaters experience. The eating of flesh foods significantly increases major chronic diseases like heart disease, hypertension, cancer, kidney disease, and osteoporosis  People who eat meat are also at a higher risk of various viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitical infections. Toxoplasmosis is one of these There is now the possibility of Mad Cow Disease. Flesh food being at the top of the food chain has about 15 times more pesticides and herbicides than vegetable food. Dairy products have about 5 times more pesticides and herbicides than vegetarian food. A vegetarian mother has 1% the amount of pesticides in her breast milk as a meat-eating mother. The ill-effects of a meat centered diet is clarified by the enlightened being Swami Prakashanada Saraswati in 1987 when he said, "Every animal that is slaughtered for human consumption brings the pain of death into your body. Think about it. The animal is killed with violence. That violence causes the animal to experience very intense pain as it dies. That pain remains in the meat even after you've prepared and cooked it. When you eat the meat, then you eat pain. That pain becomes lodged in your body, heart, and mind. That violence and pain which you consume will also eat you also. It
consumes you so that you must experience the same pain in your life also."
                                                        
The Place of Dairy Products

Traditionally, a sattvic diet in India includes dairy products. This however, depended on good quality milk from cows treated well and raised naturally. Such dairy products are very hard to get in this country (though some organic farms are making a movement in this direction and should be encouraged in their efforts). The formula is simple: good cow's milk is pure rasa dhatu or pure plasma. Bad cows  milk is pure ama or toxins! The milk itself is pasteurized and homogenized which further weakens its prana. Such milk is a degenerated food filled with fear, the pain of death and enslavement.
There is very little prana in it, very little love and little true nourishment. Therefore, very little dairy in today is a sattvic food. Instead it is more a tamasic food, which reflects cruelty, pain and lack of consciousness.

The optimal sattvic diet?

The equivalent of a traditional sattvic diet today consists of organic, whole, natural fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains. A modern sattvic diet emphasizes foods grown in harmony with nature by organic farmers, on good soils, ripened naturally and prepared with an attitude of love. Such foods carry the highest prana and consciousness. A modern sattvic diet does not include junk food, excessively spicy or salty foods, fried food, white flour, white sugar, and other forms of food that unnaturally stimulate your blood sugar or your mind. It avoids meat, fish and alcohol, and often garlic, onions and eggs as well. It is careful about but not necessarily exclusive about dairy (as per the comments above). It does not include genetically engineered foods, irradiated foods, microwaved foods, foods that have been cooked more than 24 hours previously or stale foods. We should remember that the sattvic yogic diet is a special type of spiritual vegetarian diet aimed at helping us transcend body consciousness and calm the vrittis of the mind and increase a higher type of Prana. For this reason, the yogic diet is more disciplined than a regular vegetarian diet, generally lighter,and includes fasting and the taking of live-foods (uncooked roots, leafy vegetables and fruit, which are called specifically the food of the rishis or the food of the yogis). Raw foods are rich in prana, which brings the prana force not only into the body, but also into the mind helping to purify the 72,000 nadis. Raw foods are the most powerful foods for enhancing the flow of Kundalini energy and cleansing the nadis through which the Kundalini flows on the subtle plane. A yogic sattvic diet
helps us become superconductors of prana. As the prana in our body increases, these nadis naturally open, affording us deeper perceptions of truth, reality and universality.

                                                                                                  Macro

Variety and Abundance of Plant Foods

                      Vegetarian diets can meet all the
recommendations for nutrients. The key is to consume a variety of
foods and the right amount of foods to meet your calorie needs. Follow
the food group recommendations for your age, sex, and activity level
to get the right amount of food and the variety of foods needed for
nutrient adequacy. Nutrients that vegetarians may need to focus on
include protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12.

 Nutrients to focus on for vegetarians

   * ProteinsProtein has many important functions in the body and is
essential for growth and maintenance. Protein needs can easily be met
by eating a variety of plant-based foods. Combining different protein
sources in the same meal is not necessary. Sources of protein for
vegetarians include beans, nuts, nut butters, peas, and soy products
(tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers). Milk products and eggs are also good
protein sources for lacto-ovo vegetarians.
   * Iron functions primarily as a carrier of oxygen in the blood.
Iron sources for vegetarians include iron-fortified breakfast cereals,
spinach, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, turnip greens,
molasses, whole wheat breads, peas, and some dried fruits (dried
apricots, prunes, raisins).
   * Calcium is used for building bones and teeth and in maintaining
bone strength. Sources of calcium for vegetarians include fortified
breakfast cereals, soy products (tofu, soy-based beverages),
calcium-fortified orange juice, and some dark green leafy vegetables
(collard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, mustard greens). Milk
products are excellent calcium sources for lacto vegetarians.
   * Zinc is necessary for many biochemical reactions and also helps
the immune system function properly. Sources of zinc for vegetarians
include many types of beans (white beans, kidney beans, and
chickpeas), zinc-fortified breakfast cereals, wheat germ, and pumpkin
seeds. Milk products are a zinc source for lacto vegetarians.
   * Vitamin B 12Vitamin B12 is found in animal products and some
fortified foods. Sources of vitamin B12 for vegetarians include milk
products, eggs, and foods that have been fortified with vitamin B12.
These include breakfast cereals, soy-based beverages, veggie burgers,
and nutritional yeast.

Tips for Vegetarians

   * Build meals around protein sources that are naturally low in
fat, such as beans, lentils, and rice. Don’t overload meals with
high-fat cheeses to replace the meat.
   * Calcium-fortified soy-based beverages can provide calcium in
amounts similar to milk. They are usually low in fat and do not
contain cholesterol.
   * Many foods that typically contain meat or poultry can be made
vegetarian. This can increase vegetable intake and cut saturated fat
and cholesterol intake
Although vegetarian diets are typically defined by the exclusion of
meat and other flesh foods, a healthy vegetarian diet is one in which
a variety and abundance of plant-based foods are primarily consumed.
Animal products such as dairy and eggs may be selectively consumed in
varying amounts or not at all. Plant foods include: grains, legumes
(including soy foods), vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, plant oils,
herbs and spices, and plant-based beverages. A variety of foods from
all plant food groups consumed daily in adequate quantities will
provide all of the recommended nutrients (except for vitamin B12),
fiber, and other substances needed.

Unrefined and Minimally Processed Foods

In the past, unrefined foods have been emphasized because they
contained more vitamins and minerals. The food industry has
effectively refined and processed foods to the point where some foods
must be enriched or fortified in order to replace some of the lost
nutrients. While these foods are part of most diets, lesser-refined
plant foods provide additional micronutrients, fiber, and various
antioxidants and phytochemicals. More and more is being discovered
concerning the importance of these food substances to physiological
function, as well as the amount and balance needed for optimal health.

Although vegetables, fruits, nuts, and legumes are often consumed with
minimal refinement, this is not the case for foods made from grains.
However, whole-grain foods are more likely to decrease risk of heart
disease, some cancers, and diabetes, while refined-grain foods do not
appear to carry these same benefits. A diet based on unrefined and
minimally processed foods is more likely to supply the quantities and
proportions of substances deemed safe and adequate that will also
promote optimal health.

Optional Use of Dairy Products and/or Eggs

Vegetarians who base their diets entirely on plant foods should take
care in selecting foods to meet their nutritional needs. This is
especially true for growing children, pregnant and lactating women,
and the elderly. Vegetarian diets which include dairy foods and/or
eggs provide all the nutrients needed, and have been shown to be
healthful in a variety of populations. Since some dairy products are
high in saturated fat, it is preferable to consume small amounts of
these and to emphasize nonfat and low-fat products.

Plant foods are naturally devoid of vitamin B12, and individuals who
avoid dairy products and/or eggs need a regular and reliable source of
this vitamin, such as B12-fortified breakfast cereals, vegetable
protein products and milk alternatives, or a vitamin preparation.

Although leafy and green vegetables are rich sources of calcium,
consuming these foods in amounts adequate to meet the needs of some
individuals may present a problem. Other calcium-rich plant food items
which may be emphasized are tofu (made with calcium sulfate),
calcium-fortified fruit juices and milk alternatives, some nuts, and
dried fruits.

In the United States, the principal dietary source of vitamin D is
milk, fortified with this vitamin. Diets which exclude milk, including
those that are based entirely on plant foods, may require a
supplementary source of vitamin D in the absence of adequate sunlight
exposure. This is likely to occur in latitudes farther from the
equator and during the winter months. Examples of vitamin D-fortified
plant foods are some breakfast cereals and milk alternatives.

A Wide Range of Total Fat Intake

Many equate vegetarian diets with low-fat diets. Very low-fat
vegetarian diets have proven helpful in therapeutic approaches to
several disease conditions; thus, some individuals advocate low-fat
vegetarian diets for everyone. Although it is easier to design a diet
very low in both total and saturated fat in the context of a
vegetarian diet, this should not imply that most vegetarians consume a
low-fat diet. The average total fat intake of vegetarians varies
widely (15 to 40 percent of daily energy) and the whole range of fat
intake is compatible with excellent health.

Unrefined plant sources of fat, such as nuts, seeds, avocados, and
olives are generously consumed by some vegetarians and not as much by
others. These foods are sources of unsaturated fats, as well as
antioxidants, phytochemicals, and dietary fiber. According to surveys,
vegetarians consume more nuts more frequently than non-vegetarians.
This is not a recent or local phenomenon. In India, with a millennium
of vegetarian tradition, peanuts and peanut oils are a prominent part
of the diet. Studies of vegetarians in the West during the first half
of this century show that nuts provided 6 to 15 percent of the daily
calories. Vegetarian Seventh-day Adventists in California eat nuts
more frequently than their non-vegetarian counterparts, and much more
than the general population.

The Adventist Health Study reports that men and women consuming nuts
four or more times a week lowered their risk of heart disease by 50
percent and increased life expectancy by several years, as compared to
those who hardly ever ate nuts. Experimental trials show that specific
nuts lower blood lipids, and similar beneficial effects have been
described for olive oil, avocados, and other unrefined plant-fat
sources. Incorporating these foods in the diet may increase fat in the
diet, but also contributes texture, aroma, and flavor.

Hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as are contained in margarines,
shortening, and many commercial bakery products and snack foods, may
have detrimental health effects and should be avoided. Tropical oils
(coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils) are high in saturated fat and
should be limited.

Currently, public health recommendations for total fat in the diet
suggest keeping fat intake below 30 percent of the total energy
(calories), based on data from Western populations where a major
portion of dietary fat comes from eating animal foods and fat, as well
as highly processed snack-type fatty foods. It is not clear if the
same recommendations apply to vegetarians whose dietary fat comes
mostly from unrefined plant food sources.

Generous Intake of Water and Other Fluids

Fluid intake among vegetarians is higher than the general population.
Some vegetarians drink as much as two to three liters of fluid a day,
including water, freshly prepared fruit and vegetable juices, a
variety of hot teas, and soups. Excluding water, these examples may
represent an additional source of micronutrients and phytochemicals in
the diet. A generous fluid intake is useful in treating several
diseases and there is some research on the health-promoting effects
and specific disease prevention of such a lifestyle characteristic.

Lifestyle Factors

Individuals choosing to follow a vegetarian diet often choose
additional healthy lifestyle habits such as regular physical exercise,
frequent exposure to sunlight, and fresh air. These are all factors
considered essential to achieving and maintaining optimal nutrition
and a healthy body weight.

Sufficient skin exposure to sunlight produces an adequate amount of
vitamin D. In the absence of frequent sunlight exposure, vitamin D
becomes an important nutritional factor and a dietary requirement.
Nutrition sources include fortified foods such as cereals and dairy.

Daily exposure to fresh air and outdoor activities is also desirable
and may have an added mental--as well as physical-- benefit. The
Surgeon General recommends that all adults participate in regular,
aily physical activity that is aerobic in nature and promotes fitness
and well-being. Physical activity should be balanced with energy
intake to ensure a healthy body weight.
          

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