Clean Eating: The 7 Top Vegetarian Diet Tips
Just over 7 million people in the United States consider themselves vegetarian, including those who stick to a strict vegan diet.
These people give vegetarianism a try for any number of reasons, including ethics, religious conviction, or environmental concerns. But no matter why they do it, many people benefit from the healthier lifestyle this diet can offer.
Of course, becoming a strict vegetarian isn’t always easy. If you’ve recently made the change or are considering it, here are some key vegetarian diet tips you’ll need to keep in mind.
1. Be Aware of your B12 Levels
Commonly found in animal products like meat, B12 is a vitamin that helps our bodies make food into energy. It also helps our brains to function. This critical vitamin can be hard to come by for some types of vegetarians, especially those leaning more toward a vegan diet. You can get your B12 from fortified breakfast cereals, energy bars, and grains, but you may also want to talk to a medical professional to see if a supplement would be better for your needs.
2. Don’t Assume Vegetarian Products Are Healthy
The label of your favorite cookies or chips may boast that the snack is vegetarian, but is that really what you want to be eating? Even seemingly healthy options may try to trick you by identifying their brand as vegetarian. Get into the habit of reading labels with care, and consider opting for whole, nutritious foods instead.
3. Keep the “Veg” in “Vegetarian”
It’s easy to stick to a vegetarian diet by only eating greasy or processed foods, but that likely isn’t why you decided to go vegetarian in the first place! Here’s one of the best tips for a healthy vegetarian diet: beware of swapping out meat products for calorie-laden foods. Pack your plate with healthy vegetables, nuts, beans, legumes, and fruits instead.
4. Choose Whole Grains
This is good advice for anyone, but it’s especially true for anyone on a vegetarian diet plan. Whole-grain foods offer additional nutrients vegetarians may be lacking, like iron and B vitamins. Also, healthy whole grains can help you feel full for longer.
5. Try More Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants
Becoming a vegetarian is a great excuse to get out and try all of your local haunts that offer vegetarian fare. When you support these eateries, you’re often supporting vegetarians like yourself—and you get a menu with more vegetarian-friendly options to boot! Don’t be afraid of checking out a vegan food restaurant or two as well.
6. Beware of Hidden Ingredients
Some surprising foods contain ingredients that aren’t veggie-friendly, and it’s worth paying attention to if you want to be a strict vegetarian. For example, gummy candies may include gelatin, chips may have animal-derived flavorings like animal fat, and cheeses may be made with animal-derived rennet. Even veteran vegetarians fall for these tricks, so don’t sweat it if you don’t catch them every time.
7. Go Easy on Yourself
This is one of the most important tips for starting a vegetarian diet.
You may get tempted and revert to eating a meal with meat, or you may make a mistake and miss an animal-based ingredient. You may only want to give up certain meats when starting, or you may want to eat vegetarian food on weekdays only.
Whatever you can do to reduce your meat consumption helps. Until you have it down as a habit, go easy on yourself!
Make the Most of These Vegetarian Diet Tips
As you take your first steps toward a healthy vegetarian diet, it will help to keep these key vegetarian diet tips in mind. With the right foundation, you’ll find it easier to choose more of the right foods, find more nutrition with every meal, and stick to your vegetarian diet over the long-term.
If you’re taking your first steps toward a healthier diet, don’t hesitate to check out our other blog posts for more insights into the healthy food options you need to know!