Balanced Vegetarian Diet: Foods and Recipes, Results, Pros and Cons of a Vegetarian Diet
Such nutrition gives excellent results, helps rid the body of toxins and normalize bowel function. In addition, all people who lose weight on a vegetarian diet note lightness throughout the body and a noticeable improvement in overall well-being, which is quite a rarity in the world of nutrition.
How to lose weight on a strict vegan diet?
Lose weight and feel great – only a few nutrition systems can give such a result.
Of course, this food system has both fans and opponents who argue that following a strict vegetarian diet can strike at many body systems. However, nutritionists tend to attribute the different perceptions of a vegetarian diet to the peculiarities of the body, which, as you know, is individual. Therefore, it is worth figuring out how to lose weight on a vegetarian diet, and what advantages this food system has.
Benefits of a Balanced Vegetarian Diet for Weight Loss
The main principle of a vegetarian diet for weight loss, a balanced menu of which allows you to lose weight and not experience a painful feeling of hunger, is the complete absence of salt, meat and absolutely all its derivatives in the diet. Currently, in addition to the so-called vegetarians, there are also several of its subspecies. Vegetarian food systems also include a raw diet, veganism, lacto vegetarianism, fruitarianism, etc. There is also a vegetarian diet that allows, in addition to vegetables and fruits, the use of fish and seafood.
A vegan diet has pros and cons, just like any other diet.
The positive aspects of its implementation include:
- normalization of the digestion process, cleansing the body of toxins and toxins, occurring due to the significant content of fiber in the daily diet;
- The possibility of eating foods in large quantities, which appears in a losing weight person due to the fact that most of the dishes are of plant origin and contain a minimum of fat;
- Effective cleansing of blood vessels, normalization of blood pressure and blood sugar levels, which is very useful for people living with a diagnosis of diabetes.
Also among the advantages of following a balanced vegetarian diet is the enrichment of the body with a mass of useful vitamins and minerals contained in vegetables and fruits.
Cons of a vegetarian low-salt and protein diet for weight loss
As for the disadvantages of a vegetarian salt-free diet, they are there, since plant foods are not able to fully replace meat dishes. Doctors recognize the disadvantage of vegetarianism as essential essential amino acids that are not received by the body, the independent synthesis of which is impossible.
That is why official medicine recommends considering protein vegetarian diets for weight loss solely as a short-term change in diet aimed at losing weight or improving the condition in the treatment of any disease. Such diets are contraindicated for children during the growth period, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women and the elderly.
Why does my stomach swell with a vegetarian diet?
Many people who have tried a vegetarian diet have noted such an unpleasant symptom as increased intestinal flatulence and diarrhea. Why does the stomach swell with a vegetarian diet and suffer from diarrhea? The thing is that the abundance of fiber and fruit dietary fiber contributes to a more active removal of "all unnecessary" from the body. This process is often accompanied by increased gas formation and intestinal upset.
For many people, a vegetarian detox diet is not only a simple way to shed extra pounds, but also a way of life. However, for those who do not yet feel ready to switch to a completely non-meat menu, a diet based on the principles of vegetarianism is suitable as an experiment.
A purely vegetarian diet for weight loss will help to lose weight and cleanse the body, the menu of which is designed for a week and is very diverse, healthy, but does not contain animal products at all. The volume of one serving of porridge or soup cannot be more than 150 gr., And salad or cottage cheese – 100 gr., Juice and tea – 200 ml.
It looks like this:
| Days of meals | For breakfast | For lunch | For dinner |
| one | buckwheat porridge, herbal tea | vegetable salad, soy soup and bran bun | boiled rice, grilled eggplant zucchini. |
| 2 | fruit salad with fresh berries | borsch with beans, or soybeans, 2 apples, vinaigrette. | vegetable casserole, compote |
| 3 | boiled “wild” rice, apple, tea without sugar | boiled rice with green peas, 2 apples | cabbage stewed with mushrooms, tomato, two loaves |
| four | tomato wedge sandwich, herbal tea, apple | salad of celery, apples and pears dressed with lemon juice and olive oil | boiled potatoes, green bean salad with tomatoes |
| 5 | a sandwich of grain bread, cucumber and herbs, a glass of tea | soup with lentils and vegetables, carrot and cabbage salad, 2 kiwis | vegetable juice, mushroom stew |
| 6 | oatmeal, banana, a glass of water with honey. | vegetable broth, fresh vegetables, grapefruit, a slice of whole grain bread | baked potatoes, zucchini, a slice of rye bread |
On the seventh day, you can repeat the menu of any of the six days or make your own combination of vegetarian dishes.
How much can you lose on a vegetarian diet in a post?
How much can you lose on a vegetarian diet? Experts and people who have already tried its effectiveness on themselves, argue that thanks to its observance in 7 days, you can say goodbye to 3-7 kilos of excess weight.
Foods for a vegetarian diet must be selected very carefully. It is important that all of them are fresh as natural as possible, without harmful additives. Fresh vegetables should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days, so it is better to stock up on her products for the future.
As you can see from the menu above, the products can be very diverse, the most important thing is not to eat meat. Very often a vegetarian diet is used in fasting, when before the great feast of Easter, the laity try to cleanse their bodies.
For a person who is confident in his stamina, who can withstand a longer time without meat and its derivatives, a longer diet, designed for 30 days, is suitable. We are talking about a lacto-vegetarian diet, the menu of which, in addition to vegetables, fruits, cereals and herbs, also contains eggs and dairy products.
A lacto-vegetarian diet should consist of the following foods:
| Options | Morning | Dinner | Evening |
| one | freshly squeezed fruit juice, 2 slices of rye bread, grapefruit or orange | asparagus, 150 gr. stewed beans, herbal tea | 250 gr. baked potatoes with asparagus, tomatoes, zucchini and mushrooms |
| 2 | 140 gr. cottage cheese or cottage cheese casserole, yogurt 150 ml, orange | 200 gr. carrot salad with cabbage, fresh herbs and green beans casserole, any fruit of your choice | banana, sandwich with vegetable pate, compote |
| 3 | pineapple juice, fruit salad, cereal | baked potatoes with vegetables, fresh cucumber salad, apple, juice | pear, chicken egg, a glass of 1% kefir |
| four | coffee without sugar, 100 gr. carrot casserole, banana, bran toast | 2 slices of rye bread, fresh vegetable salad with vegetable oil | pilaf with fruits and berries, tea with honey |
| 5 | tea, oatmeal seasoned with kefir | 150 gr. rice, carrot cutlet, grapefruit | buckwheat on the water, 70 gr. stewed mushrooms |
| 6 | coffee, 2 toasts, up to 150 gr. any berries (strawberries, raspberries, currants or blueberries) | 100 gr. stewed vegetables, 70-100 gr. boiled rice, pear. | 120 gr. oatmeal, 2 egg omelet with seaweed, green tea |
| 7 | glass of milk, bran bun | casserole with rice and broccoli, cucumber, carrot, tomato, olive, pepper salad dressed with olive oil, orange juice or sour cream | a glass of tomato juice, 150 gr. cottage cheese |
If three meals a day of such a milk-vegetarian diet seems too scarce, 100 gr can be used as a snack between main meals. any fruit, and before going to bed, drink 200 ml of low-fat yogurt.
Unlike adults, for children, such a vegetarian diet can be used as a therapeutic diet if there are problems with the digestion of animal protein, but not longer than 1 week with a repeat after 14 days.
Vegetarian Diet Products for Athletes
For many, such concepts as sports and vegetarianism will seem incompatible, because it is difficult to imagine a trained body without eating meat, which contains protein – the building material of muscle fibers. And how much energy can you get from vegetables and fruits? However, modern studies by American scientists have proven that vegetarians are very hardy athletes and may well lead a sports lifestyle.
Moreover, in the world of sports, diets based on the principles of vegetarianism are used very widely, since potatoes, dried fruits and cereals, which are present in abundance in the menu of vegetarians, contribute to the accumulation of a special glycogen substance in all muscles. It is glycogen that helps to train longer and not feel tired.
Vegetarian diet for athletes involves the use of the following products:
- all kinds of vegetables in raw, steam, boiled and baked form;
- all fruits in raw form;
- any plant food, i.e. greens, leafy salads, etc.;
- legumes – beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, etc.;
- brown rice, buckwheat, millet, wheat, flaxseed, chia and hemp seeds;
- pasta and whole grain bread;
- sunflower, rapeseed, olive, coconut, grape, hemp and linseed oils;
- nuts and oils from them (peanut, almond, walnut);
- hummus and agave nectar;
- Tea and coffee in strictly limited quantities.
This list includes the most common products, but in fact it is much larger and "capacious".
Prohibited foods include sweets, pastries other than whole grain bread, sugary soda, chocolate, and other high-calorie and low-health foods. If you really want meat, you can cook any mushroom dish, you can also add mushrooms to vegetable salads.
It makes no sense to paint a specific menu for each day, since it is not much different from the usual vegetarian diet. In order not to overeat, before eating, you need to drink a glass of clean water.
Vegetarian Diet Products for Gaining Muscle Mass
There is also a vegetarian diet for gaining muscle mass, which is successfully used by both beginners and experienced athletes. It goes without saying that eating only champignons, cucumbers and lettuce leaves will not work to get enough protein.
Experts have calculated the rate of protein intake needed to gain muscle mass. It is 0.7-11 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, i.e. for a person weighing 85 kg, about 150 grams should be consumed daily to gain muscle mass. squirrel. After the desired mass is gained, 120 g will be required to maintain it. protein daily. It goes without saying that protein intake must be combined with physical activity.
In order for a vegetarian diet to give results and muscle mass to grow in the right amount, the following foods must be present in the athlete's diet:
- linseed, almond, coconut and olive oils;
- walnuts, almonds, green peas and avocados;
- black beans, quinoa seeds, lentils and brown rice are sources of valuable amino acids;
- rice and soy protein shakes.
Positive changes will become noticeable after a week of following a diet combined with intensive training.
Soup recipes for a vegetarian diet No. 5: cabbage soup and borscht
Recipes for a vegetarian diet are very diverse. Among them you can find both first and second courses, salads and even desserts. Particularly popular among people who are losing weight are recipes for vegetarian soups, which, when dieting, help to significantly diversify the menu.
So the recipe for vegetarian cabbage soup according to diet number 5 is as follows.
For the soup you will need the following ingredients:
- 500 ml of water;
- 100 gr. cabbage;
- 1 pc. potatoes, tomatoes, carrots and onions;
- 1 s. a spoonful of butter 72.5% butter and the same amount of sour cream 15%.
Wash all ingredients and peel. Cut onions and carrots into medium cubes and stew for a couple of 5-7 minutes with butter, add chopped and peeled tomato and stew for another 10 minutes. Grate the cabbage, place in a saucepan with water, boil, reduce the heat, add the onions, carrots and diced potatoes and cook for another 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream, chopped dill and rye croutons.
The recipe for a vegetarian borscht for a diet is slightly different from the one below, although the ingredients for its preparation are practically the same. Only for borscht you will also need beets, which are stewed with onions and carrots. In addition, it is important to remember that when cooking borscht, cabbage is put in the very last place.