What is the Best Diet for Vegetarians – A Meatless Mindset

As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchase at NO cost to you

If you are on the fence about incorporating a vegetarian lifestyle, you must realize that it is more than abstaining from meat. Making a choice to go vegetarian is not a crash diet, for a week or a month. It is more like a lifetime commitment. So, what is the best diet for vegetarians?

What is the Best Diet for Vegetarians?

Reasons to adapt to a vegetarian lifestyle is wide are varied. The pervading question for people new to a plant-based diet is – what is the best diet for vegetarians. In simple terms, it is a diet replete with nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, nuts, seeds, and other protein-rich sustenance. 

Reason for Choosing a Vegetarian Diet

While some individuals want to improve their dietary health or want to lose weight, others have a different strategy. Some folks want to stop the cruelty of animals and/or seek to help save the environment. On the other hand, many people are vegetarians purely for spiritual reasons. So, why is plant-based lifestyle going viral?

Why is Plant-Based so Popular?

Celebrities are ditching meat, dairy, and eggs for a few reasons. Better health and appearance are the top two reasons. Vegetarian entertainers are sprouting up all over. Whether for health, wellness, or ethics – popular celebrities are transitioning their lifestyles. They are rising to the meatless occasion in record droves. Link

It is no surprise these icons are using their meatless diets to improve their appearance, fuel their bodies, and take charge of their health. Even a plant-based snack is a healthy benefit. For the rest of us, we become vegetarians because it is a nice way to avoid health complications. Even though the vegetarian diet is not for everyone, there are several variations to choose from.

Variations of a Vegetarian Diet

Being a vegetarian is not a one-stop shop. Not everyone can tolerant certain foods. Some people are allergic to eggs or milk or lactose intolerant. Others choose to add fish and seafood to their diet instead of meat. However, these people are still classified as vegetarians- a specific type of vegetarian. At any rate, all these vegetarian variations prove to be a healthier addition to diet.

Is it Unhealthy to Become a Vegetarian

According to the American Dietetic Association, “appropriately planned diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthy, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits.” Vegetarian lifestyles are also equated with less sickness, disease, and longevity.

Is it worth being a Vegetarian?

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, an evidence-based review, vegetarians have lower risks of death from ischemic heart disease. In fact, vegetarianism is known to be one of the healthiest ways to eat. Mostly because plant foods are loaded with nutrients to protect our health. Excluding meat is a game-changer. However, studies show that a meatless diet can induce health problems. 

Mental Health Risks of Going Meatless

Some studies report that vegetarian or vegans have an increased risk of depression and other mental illnesses. In fact, one study found that people who exclude meat from their diets had twice as many depressive episodes as omnivores (Journal of Affective Disorders (JAD), Oct. 2022). In addition, they are more prone to mental health challenges. This is one of the reasons people fear this lifestyle.

What is the Fear of Becoming a Vegetarian?

The term Vegaphobia or Vegephobia is people who fear becoming a vegetarian. The JAD Brazilian study found that those who skip meat entirely had profound side effects. The Brazilian adults experienced “depressive disorders” about twice as much as their meat-eating peers.

Data gathered from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, found that this low mood decreased interest in or joy from daily activities. If this lasts for two weeks or more, it’s defined as a “major depressive episode,” the National Institute of Mental Health explains.

Are You on the Vegetarian Diet Fence?

This is clearly understandable with all the hundreds of diets out there. As far as which one is the best, it all depends on your specific lifestyle and needs. Even though the vegetarian diet is regarded as one of the healthiest diets, there are many variations to consider.

Here’s a Few Options

We all want to have a choice about what we are eating. You can take a traditional diet and make it your own. The best of both worlds, right? Of course, it is sometimes confusing. Let’s put these diets under the spotlight. 

Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian

Lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet is one of the most popular, traditional forms of vegetarianism. On this diet, you avoid meat, fish, and poultry, but you are allowed to eat animal products like eggs and dairy. This appeals to someone who wants to be primarily vegetarian but not full-on vegan.

Lacto-Vegetarian

One step beyond lacto-ovo-vegetarians are the lacto-vegetarians, who eat a plant-based diet and dairy products but avoid meat, seafood, and eggs. However, you can enjoy plenty of milk, cheese, butter, and ice cream on the lacto-vegetarian diet. Yummy, right?

Ovo-vegetarian

While ovo-vegetarians don’t eat meat, seafood, or dairy products, they do eat eggs and products that contain eggs. Even the ovo-vegetarian diet is not as popular as lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, this dietary pattern does offer some flexibility.

Pescatarian

Guess what is the main dish for this group pf vegetarians? You got it! Pescatarians choose to eat mostly plant-based, but who also incorporate seafood as a source of protein instead of meat. Many pescatarians also choose to eat dairy and eggs. So, at least you other options.

The pescatarian lifestyle is excellent for those who want to be primarily vegetarian buts still wants the nutritional benefits of fish (Omega-3 fatty acids).

Flexitarian

This is known as the safest version of vegetarianism because it offers the most flexibility. This means that a significant portion of the diet is plant-based. This type of diet is also called semi-vegetarian. It allows dieters to eat meat and other animal products here and there when desired. It’s great for beginner vegetarians who are not reader to become full-fledged vegetarians. It is also great for super busy dieters who don’t have time or resources to plan meals ahead of time. 

Vegan

The least flexible of the vegetarian diets is veganism. The whole diet is plant-based. Vegans don’t eat any animal products, including meat, fish, poultry, dairy, and eggs. Vegan diets tend to be high in fiber, low in saturated fat, and they also support heart health.

However, a vegan diet is restrictive and requires more planning than other forms of vegetarianism. It may be harder to feel satisfied, initially, if you have been eating animal products. It will take some time getting used to this type of diet.

Conclusion

As a vegetarian, you are used to the concept of care. Whether it is concern for nutrition, the planet, the animal world, or another reason. The caveat is to be sure to care for your body as well as your food choices. Careful planning ensures that a diet will support not only your general health, but also your oral health (calcium for bones and teeth). Vegetarianism offers a lifetime of excellent health and wellness.

Thank You

I appreciate you stopping by to share this vegetarian diet with me and hope you found this article useful as you plan out your diet of choice. Also, feel free to share this information with your friends and family members. We are all in this together. Please leave any questions you may have in the comment section below and I will gladly respond at my earliest convenience. 

Rachele, Founder 

Web: mybluegenes.com

Email: rachele@mybluegenes.com