There are many different ways to plan a healthy vegetarian diet. The most important rule is to include a wide variety of whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits in different meals. Nuts and seeds may be included also. As a student of the meditation teacher Sri Chinmoy I have been a vegetarian for last fourteen years. In the beginning I felt that I would need to take a daily multi- vitamin tablet to help me balance any imbalance in the period of transition away meat, chicken and seafood. That lasted only 2 weeks, since then I have run thousands of kilometres in preparation for 12 marathons, four 12 hour walks and four 47 mile runs. So if you are one who feels that vegetarians are sickly looking, pale and weak I can assure you that this not the case, if you follow some basic and sound advice.

There are many different ways to plan a healthy vegetarian diet. The most important rule is to include a wide variety of whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits in different meals. Nuts and seeds may be included also. Vegetarians may also choose to include eggs and low-fat dairy products in their diet.

Vegetarian diets may include familiar foods—such as cereals, bean soup, potatoes, peanut butter sandwiches and spaghetti—as well as the less familiar—such as bulgur, adzuki beans, TVP (textured vegetable protein, derived from soy), Indian herbs, chutneys and curry mixes and soy /rice milk, or coconut milk. Experimentation with new foods can provide nutritional benefits as well as enhance your eating enjoyment. There are many wonderful cook books available, it helps to follow some recipes in the beginning if you are not very creative, or unfamiliar with ingredient combinations.

Some people decide to trade in their usual diet for a vegetarian plan all at once. Others prefer a more gradual approach. This allows a comfortable transition and allows time to find plenty of new ways to meet nutrient needs. The goal is to make changes that you can live with and which are nutritionally sound.

Many vegetarian meals can be made without a recipe or without much time invested in the kitchen. Try seasoned rice mixes, spaghetti with sauce from a jar, vegetable chow mien, burritos with canned refried beans, vegetarian baked beans with rice. Try various brands of veggie burgers and meatless hot dogs, but always remember fresh is best. You will probably find a couple of dishes that are your favourites, repeat these throughout the week then introduce a new recipe each weekend.

Calcium is found in a wide variety of plant foods. It is easy to obtain adequate calcium without including dairy foods. If you choose to eliminate dairy from your diet, it is a good idea to first identify other foods that provide calcium and to start including them in meals. Some good choices are calcium-fortified soymilk, calcium-fortified cereals, calcium-fortified orange juice, tofu, tempeh, TVP, leafy green vegetables, broccoli, Chinese cabbage (bok choy), vegetarian baked beans, almond butter, figs, and tahini.

Most people think of meat first when it comes to menu planning. Instead of thinking about a “meat replacement” think in terms of a wide variety of entrees. The centre of a meal can be a favourite soup, sandwich or casserole. Grains should play the biggest role in the diet so consider grain-based entrees as often as possible, such as soup with macaroni, barley or rice, a noodle casserole, or herb-flavoured rice or pasta. Then add vegetables, fruits, beans (and nuts or seeds if desired) to complete the meal.

Variety is the best insurance that your diet will be healthy.

Accentuate the positive. Focus more on healthy foods that fit into a vegetarian plan instead of foods to avoid.

Base your diet on plant foods. Eating too much milk, cheese and yoghurt may raise the fat content of the diet and displace fibre-rich foods. Once you are past the initial transition phase and have made the change to vegetarianism, use dairy foods in moderation, not as the centre of meals.

Be relaxed about protein. As long as calories are sufficient and the diet is varied, vegetarians easily meet protein needs. Grains, beans, vegetables, and nuts all provide protein. It isn’t necessary to have a “high-protein” food like cheese, soy, beans, or meat analogues at each meal. Vegetarians do not need to eat special combinations of foods to meet protein needs.

Be aware of fat. Even vegetarians can get too much fat if the diet contains large amounts of nuts, oils, processed foods, sweets, dairy products, or eggs.

So as you can see it’s all very easy, the benefits far outweigh any negatives that people may say. Besides there can be bigger issues like land sustainability that helped you decide to become vegetarian. So whether it’s personal, spiritual or medical your decision will only see a positive change in your health and overall well-being.

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