Many people are turning to a low carb vegetarian diet as they become aware of the potential health benefits from a diet devoid of, or low in, animal products. Among the benefits of being vegetarian are reduced risk from some kinds of cancer, lower risk of becoming obese or developing type II diabetes, and less chance of heart disease and high blood pressure. Nowadays there are more vegetarian options available in restaurants and people have a better understanding of what being vegetarian means.
There are a few different types of low carb vegetarian diets. Vegans do not consume any type of meat or animal products at all and will often not wear animal products either. Lactovegetarians still eat dairy products; ovovegetarians will eat eggs, and flexitarians refrain from red meat, but sometimes eat chicken or fish.
One of the downsides to being vegetarian is that you need to monitor your diet more closely to ensure you are getting enough of certain vitamins and minerals for healthy body function. Some of the nutrients that can be lacking in a vegetarian diet include iron, calcium, zinc and protein. Vitamins that may be low in vegetarians include B12 and vitamin D.
To aid in getting enough protein, you should plan to eat legumes such as garbanzo beans, lentils, and kidney beans and so on several times a week. Some whole grain cereals are also infused with protein. Foods such as spinach, dried fruit, and iron-enriched cereals can be good sources of iron for vegetarians. A dietary supplement such as Brewer’s Yeast can also boost iron levels.
Zinc is an important mineral for maintaining a strong immune system. To ensure you are getting enough you can eat lots of nuts and wheat germ. Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products, so you can either look for cereals that are fortified with B12, or take a vitamin B supplement.
People need good amounts of calcium to have strong bones and teeth. If you do not have enough calcium and vitamin D, your bones may become brittle and you could develop osteoporosis. Calcium rich foods such as soy and tofu and spinach, broccoli and kale can ensure that you will have strong bones and healthy teeth.
We get a lot of our vitamin D levels from sunlight, but it can also be found in milk and fish. Since strict vegetarians do not tend to eat these, it may be essential to take a supplement. You can buy calcium and vitamin D combinations at your pharmacy or health store that will boost your levels of these nutrients significantly.
If you plan a low fat vegetarian diet properly, there is no reason to lack nutrients. When following a balanced vegetarian weight loss diet, you will have good nutrition.