Healthy vegetarian eating: 12 essential tips!

1. More and more Dutch people eat less meat. In principle a good thing, because a plant-based diet is healthy and better for the environment. But then it is of course important to take a balanced approach. If you just omit meat everywhere, you won't end up with a healthy diet.

2. More and more Dutch people eat less meat. In principle a good thing, because a plant-based diet is healthy and better for the environment. But then it is of course important to take a balanced approach. If you just omit the meat everywhere, you won't end up with a healthy diet.

1. Luckily, healthy vegetarian food doesn't have to be complicated. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. We explain how to prevent deficiencies, and we give you 4 extra tips for a healthy vegetarian diet!

2. Luckily, healthy vegetarian food doesn't have to be complicated. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. We will explain how to prevent deficiencies, and we will give you 4 extra tips for a healthy vegetarian diet!

What does vegetarian food mean?

1. For most vegetarians, they do not eat food for which animals have to be killed. Meat, fish and poultry are therefore removed from the menu. However, other animal products are still consumed by most vegetarians. The logic behind this is that no animals need to be killed for eggs and dairy, for example.

1. Because vegetarians do eat milk and eggs, they are also referred to as lacto-ovo vegetarians. For example, they can be distinguished from people who eat milk but not eggs (lacto-vegetarians) and vice versa (ovo-vegetarians). In general, however, that addition is unnecessary: ​​most people know very well what you mean when you say that you eat a vegetarian diet.

2. Because vegetarians do eat milk and eggs, they are also referred to as lacto-ovo vegetarians. For example, they can be distinguished from people who eat milk but not eggs (lacto-vegetarians) and vice versa (ovo-vegetarians). In general, however, that addition is unnecessary: ​​most people know very well what you mean when you say you eat a vegetarian diet.

Vegetarian â € Doubtsâ € ™

1. Then there are some â € instinkersâ € ™ that not all vegetarians think the same about. Examples are gelatin or cheese in which animal rennets are used. Those foods contain ingredients that animals are killed for. Yet there are also plenty of vegetarians who are not too concerned about this.

1. Some vegetarian recipes make a distinction between these to keep things clear. The Allerhande, for example, has a label â € œwithout meat / fish â € and a label â € œvegetarianâ €. The second is only used if there are no hidden animal ingredients in the dish.

2. Some vegetarian recipes make a distinction between these to keep things clear. The Allerhande, for example, has a label â € œwithout meat / fishâ € and a label â € œvegetarianâ €. The second is only used if there are no hidden animal ingredients in the dish.

What does vegan food mean?

1. Vegans are a bit stricter than vegetarians when it comes to restricting their diet. After all, they no longer eat animal products at all, and therefore no products that animals can survive on. The clearest examples are of course dairy and eggs, but there are more products that are excluded from a vegan diet.

1. For example, honey is also not part of a vegan diet, just like animal protein powders such as whey protein. Some vegans also don't eat E numbers and animal-derived additives. Consider, for example, red dyes, which are often made from red aphids. Also omega-3 supplements often have an animal origin and are therefore out of the question.

2. For example, honey is also not part of a vegan diet, just like animal protein powders such as whey protein. Some vegans also don't eat E numbers and additives of animal origin. Consider, for example, red dyes, which are often made from red aphids. Omega-3 supplements also often have an animal origin and are therefore out of the question.

Is vegetarian or vegan food healthy?

1. But why do people do that, remove meat or all animal products from their diet? There are several reasons for this. One is that it is simply healthy. Research shows that a (largely) plant-based diet reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity.

2. But why do people do that, remove meat or all animal products from their diet? There are several reasons for this. One is that it is simply healthy. Research shows that a (largely) vegetable diet reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity.

1. In addition, eating meat has a significant impact on the environment. For example, to grow a whole cow, huge amounts of water and soil have to be used. Vegetable products do not have that effect.

2. In addition, eating meat has a significant impact on the environment. For example, to grow an entire cow, enormous amounts of water and soil must be used. Vegetable products do not have that effect.

Healthy vegetarian food: tips

1. But that does not mean that you will automatically be healthy if you eat less animal food. Meat and other animal products also provide a lot of useful nutrients. If they disappear, you run the risk of deficiencies with an unbalanced diet.

1. Fortunately, it is perfectly possible to get all the nutrients with a vegetarian diet. Below we give you eight tips on how to eat healthy for the most important â € ˜risksâ € ™.

1. Meat provides proteins. In fact, many people see meat as the supplier of protein. However, there are enough vegetarian sources to get enough protein too! Dairy and eggs are examples of vegetarian animal products. Vegetable sources include legumes, soy (tofu, tempeh), nuts and whole grains.

1. Note: if you mainly eat vegetable proteins, it is important to combine different sources. Many vegetable proteins do not contain all nine essential amino acids. By alternating, you ensure that you still get everything.

1. Meat is rich in B vitamins. Many of these are also common in vegetarian products, with others it is important to be careful. B2 falls into the latter category.

1. If you do eat dairy, then there is nothing wrong: vitamin B2 is often found in milk and milk products. Do you eat vegan? Make sure that you regularly drink vegetable milk with added vitamins, for example. Vitamin B2 is also found to a lesser extent in green vegetables and fruit.

1. Vitamin B12 is the infamous â € meat vitaminâ € ™. This is often warned if you are going to eat vegetarian. This vitamin is only found in animal products. (The story that there are also vegetable seaweeds with B12 is a myth: that was a measurement error caused by the animal algae in that seaweed…)

1. If you eat eggs and dairy, you can still get enough B12 with a vegetarian diet. However, for vegans this is a vitamin where a supplement is the best solution.

1. Vitamin D, the â € sunvitaminâ € ™ is a fat-soluble vitamin that is mainly found in fatty fish and eggs. Finally, it is often added to fatty products such as butter and shortening. Are you not eating fish or using processed baked goods? Then you can still get enough vitamin D by simply sitting in the sun enough.

1. However, this can cause problems in the winter, and the elderly and people with dark skin often produce too little vitamin D as a result. In that case, a supplement may also be advisable. This also applies to people who do not eat vegetarian food: they also often have a vitamin D deficiency!

1. Zinc is a mineral that occurs mainly in fish and meat. Fortunately, many vegetarian protein sources are also relatively rich in zinc. This applies, for example, to legumes, nuts and brown rice. It is also found in leafy vegetables and cabbage, for example.

1. Because iron from meat is easier to absorb than iron from vegetable sources, vegetarians run the risk of iron deficiency. The best sources are eggs, whole grains and legumes, and green vegetables. Apple syrup is also an excellent source of iron, especially in combination with wholemeal bread.

1. Vitamin C improves iron absorption. Therefore, you can eat fruit or vegetables (such as broccoli or bell pepper) with your iron sources to get more benefits.

1. Meat contains more calcium than many people think. If you still use milk and other dairy products, that's no problem. With a large glass of milk and a container of yogurt a day, you will soon have your calcium requirement.

1. If you do not eat or drink dairy, legumes and soy are a good source of calcium. Some nuts and seeds (especially sesame seeds) are also very rich in it.

1. The main source of omega 3 fats is oily fish. Nowadays almost all of the Netherlands eats too little of it, but for vegetarians that problem is just a bit more fundamental.

1. There are also vegetable products with omega 3, such as linseed, walnuts and (in small quantities) soy. However, that is about ALA acids that are less easily absorbed, and not about EPA and DHA. Therefore, for anyone who does not fish regularly, an omega 3 supplement may be a good choice.

Easy vegetarian food

1. Healthy vegetarian food may sound complicated. However, you can already solve most problems by eating enough legumes, whole grains and nuts and seeds. Add a lot of vegetables and your diet is already healthier than that of the average meat eater.

1. Four more general tips that can make healthy vegetarian eating easier:

1. As always applies here: variety is necessary. It is best to eat two eggs every day instead of a piece of meat, but that will quickly lead to shortages. Alternate between (different) legumes, eggs, soy, possibly ready-to-eat meat substitutes, and so on. This way you get the widest possible range of nutrients.

1. With its AGVs, the Dutch kitchen is not very geared towards healthy vegetarian food. Elsewhere in the world, however, it is often very different! Highly recommended are Asian cuisine (especially Indian, Thai and Vietnamese) and Middle Eastern cuisine. By delving into that, you will soon find many more ways to alternate vegetarian cooking.

1. Many people are used to planning their meals around the meat. The first thing you think about is that you're going to eat chicken, and then the rest follows. If you eat vegetarian, it is better to work from vegetables. The rest of the meal then follows around it.

1. Especially when you are just starting out with vegetarian food, it can be difficult to find good meals. With a good cookbook to inspire you, that becomes a lot easier. Of course there are also thousands of delicious recipes online, so even if you don't want to buy anything you have enough information at hand!