Healthy eating for vegetarians and vegans

To ensure you have a balanced and varied diet, read our advice on healthy eating for vegetarians and vegans.

To have a healthy, balanced diet which includes all the nutrients your body needs, make sure you eat a wide variety of foods.

Vegetarians and vegans eat a diet of:

• grains
• pulses
• nuts and seeds
• fruit and vegetables

Vegetarians (but not vegans) also eat:

• dairy products
• eggs

Vegetarians and vegans don't eat:

• meat
• poultry
• game
• fish or shellfish (such as crab or lobster)
• animal by-products (such as gelatine)

In addition, vegans don't eat eggs and dairy products.

Some people who call themselves vegetarians may eat different combinations of these foods. For example, some may consume milk but not eggs, while some may eat fish but not meat.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians

Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat both dairy products and eggs. This is the most common type of vegetarian diet.

Lacto vegetarians

Lacto vegetarians eat dairy products, but not eggs.

Ovo vegetarians

Ovo vegetarians eat eggs but not dairy products.

Vegans

Vegans don't eat dairy products, eggs or any other animal product.

More information

It's estimated that around 2% of the UK population is vegetarian, which is more than 1.2 million people. Teenagers make up the highest proportion. Vegans are thought to make up less than 1% of the population, according to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. 

A vegetarian or vegan diet can be suitable for everyone, regardless of their age. However, you may need to consider specific needs at different stages of life – for example, if you're pregnant.

Resource:nhs.uk

12 Frequently Asked Questions About the Vegetarian Diet

1. What does a “vegetarian diet” mean?

The term “vegetarian” is really a misnomer, since vegetarians eat more than just vegetables. Vegetarian simply means a plant-based diet. There are several kinds of vegetarian diets, defined by what types of foods are consumed.

• A strict vegetarian, a vegan, avoids all foods of animal origin, including meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and eggs.
• Lacto-vegetarians include dairy products in their diet. Lacto-ovo- vegetarians also eat dairy products and eggs.
• Pesco-vegetarians eat fish, dairy products, and eggs along with plant foods. (We believe this is the healthiest diet for most people).
• Finally, there are semi-vegetarians, who cheat a little and eat a little poultry along with fish, as well as dairy products and eggs. Most veggie lovers are not strict vegans.

2. Is the vegetarian diet automatically the healthiest way to eat?

Yes and no. Yes, a vegetarian diet is excellent for good health when you follow the general rules of a nutritionally-balanced diet and be sure you get the nutrients from vegetables that you miss by giving up animal foods. On the other hand, avoiding meat won’t keep you healthy if instead you consume a lot of high- fat, nutrient-empty, junk foods. Vegetarians must also have an otherwise healthy lifestyle to harvest the full benefits of their plant eating. It does little good to eat a tomato and sprout sandwich on whole wheat bread if you also plant yourself on the couch in front of the TV set and smoke cigarettes several hours a day. The vegetarian who piles on the chips soaked in hydrogenated oil, along with high-fat cheese, and artificially-sweetened or highly-sugared beverages would be better off nutritionally if he had less of a sweet tooth, cut down on fat, and indulged in a little animal flesh.

3. What’s so good about a vegetarian diet?

Here are six reasons:

1. Vegetarian cuisine is naturally low in saturated fats, and foods of plant origin contain little or no cholesterol.
2. Plant foods are also much higher in fiber than animal foods.
3. Many plant foods contain significant amounts of vital B-vitamins, and folic acid: and fruits and vegetables are powerful sources of phytochemicals – nutrients that help every organ of the body work better.
4. Vegetarians tend to eat fewer calories, since grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables, volume-for-volume, tend to be lower in calories than meat and poultry. Studies have shown that as long as their diet is balanced and nutritious, the people who consume fewer total daily calories live longer and healthier lives.
5. Veggie lovers believe that foods from plant sources, which are lower on the food chain, are safer than animal foods, since pollutants tend to concentrate in fatty tissues. While raw fruits and vegetables can carry harmful bacteria and pesticide residues just like meat, you can remove many of these pollutants by washing the plant foods. Trimming the fat from meat or chicken is less effective. Meat, poultry, and seafood are also more frequent carriers of foodborne illnesses than plant sources.
6. Environmental conservationists believe that having more plant-based diets is healthier for the planet. It takes less energy and less farmland to feed a vegetarian than it does to feed livestock.

4. Are vegetarians really healthier in the long-run?

Absolutely, positively, yes! Even though nutritionists seem to disagree on many topics, all agree that plant-eaters and fish-eaters tend to live longer and healthier lives than do animal eaters. In every way, the brocolli-munchers tend to be healthier than the beef-eaters:

• Vegetarians have a lower incidence of cancer, especially colon, stomach, mouth, esophagus, lung, prostate, bladder, and breast cancers. The protection against intestinal cancers is probably due to the fiber in a plant-based diet. In fact, vegetarians have a lower incidence of nearly all intestinal diseases and discomforts, especially constipation and diverticulosis. The phytonutrients in plant foods, especially antioxidants, flavanoids, and carotenoids, may also contribute to protection against cancer.
• Plant food is better for your heart, since it is low in cholesterol and saturated fat, and high in fiber. Vegetarians have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, namely heart attacks and stroke. A study of 25,000 Seventh-Day Adventists showed that these vegetarians had one-third the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than a comparable meat-eating population. Another study showed that death from cardiovascular disease was fifty percent less in vegetarians. These statistics may be the result of more than just diet; vegetarians tend to have healthier overall lifestyles.
• Plant eaters are much less likely to get diabetes than animal eaters.
• Vegetarians tend to see better.
• An eye disease called macular degeneration, which is deterioration of the retina leading to blindness, occurs less frequently in vegetarians.
• Vegetarians tend to be leaner than meat eaters, even those who skin their chicken and trim the fat off their steak; and, in general, leaner persons tend to be healthier. Being lean does not mean being skinny. It means having a low percentage of body fat. Muscular weight-lifters tend to be lean, though no one would call them skinny. You don’t have to “beef up” at the dinner table to make muscle. Even the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s dietary guidelines recommend eating more vegetables and grains and less meat, despite pressure from the politically-connected meat industry to promote meat.

5. Does it cost more or less to eat vegetarian?

Except for a few delicacies, pound-for-pound plant foods tend to be more of a bargain. Of course, iceberg lettuce, sugary ketchup, and french fries – the typical fast food fare – do not qualify as healthy, vegetarian foods, even though they are cheap.

6. I worry about getting enough iron.

Aren’t vegetarian diets low in iron? Not necessarily. Some vegans we know seem so thin and pale that we want to treat them to a 16-ounce sirloin. Yet, studies have shown that vegetarians who eat a balanced diet don’t seem to have any more iron-deficiency anemia than meat eaters. Even though the iron in plant foods is not as well absorbed as the iron in animal foods, vegetarians usually eat a higher volume of iron-containing foods. Also, many plant foods naturally contain vitamin C, which aids the absorption of the iron. You don’t have to eat red meat to make red blood cells.

BEST PLANT FOOD SOURCES OF IRON

• Milligrams of Iron Tofu (1/2 cup): 7
• Iron-fortified cereals (1 oz): 4-8
• Cream of wheat (1/2 cup, cooked): 5
• Blackstrap molasses (one tablespoon): 3.5
• Pumpkin seeds (two tablespoons): 3
• Lentils (1/2 cup, cooked): 3
• Prune juice (8 oz): 3
• Chick peas (1/2 cup, canned): 2
• Swiss chard (1/2 cup): 2
• Dried fruits: apricots, peaches (3 oz): 2
• Beans: black, kidney (1/2 cup): 2
• Tomato paste (2 oz): 2
• Figs (5): 2
• Jerusalem artichoke (1/2 cup, raw): 2

The average adult woman needs around 15 milligrams of iron per day. Men and post-menopausal woman need around 10 milligrams. Children and pregnant and lactating women need more.

NUTRITIP: Iron Binders Coffee and tea lovers beware. Chemicals known as “polyphenols” in coffee and tea can lessen the absorption of iron in plant foods by up to 70 percent. If you’re eating a vegetarian diet with marginal amounts of iron, avoid drinking coffee or tea within an hour-and-a-half of eating iron-rich foods.

7. Do vegetarian diets contain enough calcium?

Yes. Dairy products are still the easiest available source of calcium, there are plenty of foods that are calcium-rich that don’t come from a cow. Since so many foods are now fortified with calcium, even vegans are likely to get their daily requirement of this important mineral.

8. Can vegetarian diets lead to some nutritional deficiencies?

Only strict vegans are at risk of deficiencies in some nutrients. Lacto-ovo vegetarians and pesco vegetarians (who also eat eggs and dairy products) are unlikely to suffer from nutrient deficiencies, as long as they have a balanced diet, since there are no essential nutrients in meat that are not also found in eggs, dairy, and fish. Yet these are the nutrients at risk: Vitamin B-12 deficiency (which can lead to loss of peripheral nerve function) is of some concern for vegans, since animal foods are still the best source of vitamin B-12. Plant foods do not naturally contain B- 12. Soy foods, such as some forms of tempeh, may contain vitamin B-12, but soy B-12 is not as biologically active as the vitamin B-12 in animal foods. Check the B-12 content of soy products on the package label. Vegans need to consume foods fortified with vitamin B-12, such as tempeh, cereals, or brewer’s yeast, or take B-12 supplements.

Don’t worry about suddenly developing a vitamin B-12 deficiency after becoming a vegan. The liver stores so much B-12 that it would take years to become deficient in this vitamin. However, vegan infants and children do not have such rich stores and are prone to vitamin B-12 deficiency unless they get supplements.

Zinc deficiency is another possibility for vegans, yet a deficiency of this mineral can be made up by eating grains, wheatgerm, seeds, soy foods, dairy products, and multi-mineral supplements.

NUTRITIP Red Tomato Makes Red blood Cells Ounce for ounce, tomato paste contains four times the amount of iron as tomato sauce.

9. Do vegetarians get enough protein?

It’s a nutritional myth that you have to eat muscle to make muscle. Vegetarians who eat fish, dairy products, and/or eggs get plenty of protein, and even a strict vegan can get enough protein by eating enough grains and legumes, which provide a feeling of fullness, along with the necessary quantity and quality of protein. There’s no need to worry about vegetarian children getting enough protein. Each day, for example, preteens can get all the protein they need from an egg, a peanut butter sandwich, a couple glasses of milk, a cup of yogurt, or a black bean burrito.

NUTRITIP Completing the Protein Puzzle It used to be thought that different kinds of plant foods had to be eaten together at the same meal in order to get a “complete protein” (meaning all the essential amino acids; see protein terms). This turned being a vegetarian into a nutritional jigsaw puzzle. Which pieces fit together? Nutritionists have now decided that the body is smart enough to combine proteins on its own. The body takes in all the plant proteins consumed in a day and puts the amino acid puzzle together to build the complete proteins that it needs.

10. Do vegetarians get enough fat?

If you eat eggs, dairy products, and/or fish, you get enough fat. Plant-based food is thought to be deficient in fats, but actually the richest sources of the fats that are good for you – unsaturated fats and essential fatty acids – are plant foods, such as nuts, seeds, and oils. There is no essential fatty acid that can only be found in animal-based foods. Yet, strict vegans must guard against deficiency of some fatty acids, especially DHA. Because vegetables provide no pre-formed DHA, some vegans take supplements of DHA, since some people are not able to convert the essential fatty acid ALA in food to DHA in their bodies. Some vegans may have low blood levels of DHA. Seafood is the only food source of pre-formed DHA, which is another reason we believe a seafood plus vegetarian diet is the most healthy for most people.

NUTRITIP Best Meatless Sub – Tofu Tofu can be disguised in sauces, pasta, chili, and stirfrys, because it is close in texture to meat and a rich source of nearly all the nutrients that vegetarian diets need, such as calcium, iron, and zinc (though not vitamin B-12.). Since the calcium content of tofu varies considerably, depending on how it was manufactured, check the package label.

11. As a confirmed meat lover, how can I learn to like vegetable dishes?

Don’t vegetarians eat weird food?You’ll be amazed at the variety of foods – some familiar and some new – that can be a part of a vegetarian diet. Ethnic food is a wonderful source of flavorful, appealing vegetarian dishes. Try Middle Eastern, Greek, or Asian restaurants to learn about tasty vegetarian cooking. Spices accent the flavor and the mixture of vegetables and grains adds fullness and crunchiness that can win over even the most confirmed meat eater. Even Italian restaurants have meatless pasta and other dishes on the menu. There are also many excellent vegetarian cookbooks available at the library or bookstore. You may find that you’ve missed a lot as a meatlover.

Meatless Substitute Ideas

If you are trying to wean your family off meat as a main course, do so gradually by preparing dishes that emphasize vegetables and grains, but still include small amounts of beef or poultry. The meat becomes an accent, not the centerpiece of the meal. Or, make meatless dishes that look like they might have meat in them but really don’t, such as:

• stir-fried vegetables with tofu cubes
• tofu in spaghetti sauce over pasta
• meatless chili with texturized vegetable protein (a “meaty” processed soy product)
• lasagna with eggplant and chunks of soy “sausage”
• garden burgers instead of beef burgers
• black bean burritos (black beans have an almost meaty texture)
• vegetable pizza with minced mushrooms, basil, tomato paste, garlic, and cheese

NUTRITIP The Spice of Veggie Life A variety of seasonings can give veggie dishes more taste appeal, including basil, tomato sauce, garlic, cumin, cayenne, coriander, Dijon mustard, onion, parsley, cilantro, leeks, and shallots.

12. Is it safe to feed children a vegetarian diet?

Yes, you can raise a healthy vegetarian. It’s relatively easy if your child’s diet includes eggs, fish, and dairy products. Raising a little vegan requires more planning and nutritional know-how to insure that the child gets enough calcium, vitamin D, iron, vitamin B-12, and some of the other B-vitamins. Yes, children can grow normally on a diet of grains, legumes, and greens, yet it’s a bit risky. A wise parent should seek periodic advice from a nutritionist experienced in vegan diets and practice these precautions:

• Protein is not a problem, children can get all the proteins they need from plant foods only; especially whole grains, soy products, legumes, and nuts.
• Calcium may present a challenge, since traditional plant sources of calcium are not big favorites with children. (Good luck getting your child to eat kale and collards.) But many foods today are fortified with calcium, including calcium-fortified soy milk and orange juice, so a vegan child can get enough calcium without relying on supplements. Fortified foods, such as cereals and soy beverages, can also be a dietary source of vitamin B-12.
• Getting enough calories may be another challenge in vegan diets. Veggies have a lot of nutrients per calorie, but not a lot of calories per cup. Tiny tummies fill up faster on lots of fiber, but fewer calories. One way to overcome this problem is to encourage your child to graze on small, frequent feedings that include higher-calorie foods, such as nutbutter sandwiches, California avocados, nuts and seeds (for children over four years of age who can eat them safely), pasta, dried fruits, and smoothies.
• Vegetarian children should get the nutrients they need from foods rather than pills, since pills don’t provide calories, and the nutrients in foods, through the process of synergy, are better for the body. The growth of some vegan children may appear to be slower because vegetarian children, like vegetarian adults, tend to be leaner. A child’s position on the growth chart is not an accurate measure of the state of health. Actually, where a child fits on the chart is influenced more by genes than by diet.

Maintaining a vegetarian diet can be more challenging during periods in a person’s life when there are extra nutritional needs, such as pregnancy, lactation, childhood, and adolescence. Once the person reaches adulthood, nutritional deficiencies are less of a concern. Even if your children do not remain vegetarians for life, by getting their little bodies accustomed to the taste and feel of a vegetarian diet you have programmed them with a healthy eating pattern that will benefit them throughout life. Vegetarian children, because they get used to the comfortable, after-dinner feeling of a vegetarian meal, tend to shun, or at least don’t overdose on junk meats, such as hot dogs and fast-food burgers. Yet, don’t expect your child to go meatless all his life. Give your children a vegetarian start and, as they grow away from your nest, let them decide what eating pattern they will follow. They may find reasons, such as concern for cruelty to animals, that keep them on the veggie tract. Model your excitement about eating a wide variety of plant-based foods, serve them tastefully, and the rest is up to your child.

Resource: askdrsears.com

Becoming a vegetarian

Avoiding meat is only one part of the picture. A healthy vegetarian diet should be chock-full of foods with known benefits.

People become vegetarians for many reasons, including health, religious convictions, concerns about animal welfare or the use of antibiotics and hormones in livestock, or a desire to eat in a way that avoids excessive use of environmental resources. Some people follow a largely vegetarian diet because they can't afford to eat meat. Vegetarianism has become more appealing and accessible, thanks to the year-round availability of fresh produce, more vegetarian dining options, and the growing culinary influence of cultures with largely plant-based diets.

Approximately six to eight million adults in the United States eat no meat, fish, or poultry, according to a Harris Interactive poll commissioned by the Vegetarian Resource Group, a nonprofit organization that disseminates information about vegetarianism. Several million more have eliminated red meat but still eat chicken or fish. About two million have become vegans, forgoing not only animal flesh but also animal-based products such as milk, cheese, eggs, and gelatin.

Traditionally, research into vegetarianism focused mainly on potential nutritional deficiencies, but in recent years, the pendulum has swung the other way, and studies are confirming the health benefits of meat-free eating. Nowadays, plant-based eating is recognized as not only nutritionally sufficient but also as a way to reduce the risk for many chronic illnesses. According to the American Dietetic Association, "appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases."

"Appropriately planned" is the operative term. Unless you follow recommended guidelines on nutrition, fat consumption, and weight control, becoming a vegetarian won't necessarily be good for you. A diet of soda, cheese pizza, and candy, after all, is technically "vegetarian." For health, it's important to make sure that you eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It's also vital to replace saturated and trans fats with good fats, such as those found in nuts, olive oil, and canola oil. And always keep in mind that if you eat too many calories, even from nutritious, low-fat, plant-based foods, you'll gain weight. So it's also important to practice portion control, read food labels, and engage in regular physical activity.

You can get many of the health benefits of vegetarianism without going all the way. For example, a Mediterranean eating pattern — known to be associated with longer life and reduced risk of several chronic illnesses — features an emphasis on plant foods with a sparing use of meat. Even if you don't want to become a complete vegetarian, you can steer your diet in that direction with a few simple substitutions, such as plant-based sources of protein — beans or tofu, for example — or fish instead of meat a couple of times a week.

Only you can decide whether a vegetarian diet is right for you. If better health is your goal, here are some things to consider.

Varieties of vegetarians Strictly speaking, vegetarians are people who don't eat meat, poultry, or seafood. But people with many different dietary patterns call themselves vegetarians, including the following: Vegans (total vegetarians): Do not eat meat, poultry, fish, or any products derived from animals, including eggs, dairy products, and gelatin. Lacto-ovo vegetarians: Do not eat meat, poultry, or fish, but do eat eggs and dairy products. Lacto vegetarians: Eat no meat, poultry, fish, or eggs, but do consume dairy products. Ovo vegetarians: Eat no meat, poultry, fish, or dairy products, but do eat eggs. Partial vegetarians: Avoid meat but may eat fish (pesco-vegetarian, pescatarian) or poultry (pollo-vegetarian).

Can vegetarianism protect you against major diseases?

Maybe. Compared with meat eaters, vegetarians tend to consume less saturated fat and cholesterol and more vitamins C and E, dietary fiber, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and phytochemicals (plant chemicals), such as carotenoids and flavonoids. As a result, they're likely to have lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and lower body mass index (BMI), all of which are associated with longevity and a reduced risk for many chronic diseases.

But there still aren't enough data to say exactly how a vegetarian diet influences long-term health. It's difficult to tease out the influence of vegetarianism from other practices that vegetarians are more likely to follow, such as not smoking, not drinking excessively, and getting adequate exercise. But here's what some of the research has shown so far:

Heart disease. There's some evidence that vegetarians have a lower risk for cardiac events (such as a heart attack) and death from cardiac causes. In one of the largest studies — a combined analysis of data from five prospective studies involving more than 76,000 participants published several years ago — vegetarians were, on average, 25% less likely to die of heart disease. This result confirmed earlier findings from studies comparing vegetarian and nonvegetarian Seventh-day Adventists (members of this religious group avoid caffeine and don't drink or smoke; about 40% are vegetarians). In another study involving 65,000 people in the Oxford cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Oxford), researchers found a 19% lower risk of death from heart disease among vegetarians. However, there were few deaths in either group, so the observed differences may have been due to chance.

For heart protection, it's best to choose high-fiber whole grains and legumes, which are digested slowly and have a low glycemic index — that is, they help keep blood sugar levels steady. Soluble fiber also helps reduce cholesterol levels. Refined carbohydrates and starches like potatoes, white rice, and white-flour products cause a rapid rise in blood sugar, which increases the risk of heart attack and diabetes (a risk factor for heart disease).

Nuts are also heart-protective. They have a low glycemic index and contain many antioxidants, vegetable protein, fiber, minerals, and healthy fatty acids. The downside: nuts pack a lot of calories, so restrict your daily intake to a small handful (about an ounce). The upside: because of their fat content, even a small amount of nuts can satisfy the appetite.

Walnuts, in particular, are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have many health benefits. Even so, fish are the best source of omega-3s, and it's not clear whether plant-derived omega-3s are an adequate substitute for fish in the diet. One study suggests that omega-3s from walnuts and fish both work to lower heart disease risk, but by different routes. Walnut omega-3s (alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA) help reduce total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol, while omega-3s from fish (eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA) lower triglycerides and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

Cancer. Hundreds of studies suggest that eating lots of fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of developing certain cancers, and there's evidence that vegetarians have a lower incidence of cancer than nonvegetarians do. But the differences aren't large. A vegetarian diet can make it easier to get the recommended minimum of five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, but a purely vegetarian diet is not necessarily better than a plant-based diet that also includes fish or poultry. For example, in a pooled analysis of data from the Oxford Vegetarian Study and EPIC-Oxford, fish-eaters had a lower risk of certain cancers than vegetarians.

If you stop eating red meat (whether or not you become a vegetarian), you'll eliminate a risk factor for colon cancer. It's not clear whether avoiding all animal products reduces the risk further. Vegetarians usually have lower levels of potentially carcinogenic substances in their colons, but studies comparing cancer rates in vegetarians and nonvegetarians have shown inconsistent results.

Type 2 diabetes. Research suggests that a predominantly plant-based diet can reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes. In studies of Seventh-day Adventists, vegetarians' risk of developing diabetes was half that of nonvegetarians, even after taking BMI into account. The Harvard-based Women's Health Study found a similar correlation between eating red meat (especially processed meats, such as bacon and hot dogs) and diabetes risk, after adjusting for BMI, total calorie intake, and exercise.

What about bone health?

Some women are reluctant to try a vegetarian diet — especially one that doesn't include calcium-rich dairy products — because they're concerned about osteoporosis. Lacto-ovo vegetarians (see "Varieties of vegetarians") consume at least as much calcium as meat-eaters, but vegans typically consume less. In the EPIC-Oxford study, 75% of vegans got less than the recommended daily amount of calcium, and vegans in general had a relatively high rate of fractures. But vegans who consumed at least 525 milligrams of calcium per day were not especially vulnerable to fractures.

Certain vegetables can supply calcium, including bok choy, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, collards, and kale. (Spinach and Swiss chard, which also contain calcium, are not such good choices, because along with the calcium they have oxalates, which make it harder for the body to absorb calcium.) Moreover, the high potassium and magnesium content of fruits and vegetables reduces blood acidity, lowering the urinary excretion of calcium. Some research suggests that eating too much protein (in particular, animal protein) is bad for bones because it has the opposite effect.

People who follow a vegetarian and especially a vegan diet may be at risk of getting insufficient vitamin D and vitamin K, both needed for bone health. Although green leafy vegetables contain some vitamin K, vegans may also need to rely on fortified foods, including some types of soy milk, rice milk, organic orange juice, and breakfast cereals. They may also want to consider taking a vitamin D2 supplement (vitamin D3 comes from animals).

Resource: health.harvard.edu

Why Are Staying Active and Eating Well So Important?

Because the results are amazing:

A HEALTHY HEART

Regular physical activity and a healthy diet can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels and can reduce the risk of illnesses such as type 2 diabetes or heart disease.

STRONG BONES

Exercise, combined with fat-free or low-fat dairy products and other foods rich in calcium, is necessary to build strong, healthy bones and can help slow the bone loss associated with getting older.

A SENSE OF WELL-BEING

Being in good shape can give you more energy, reduce anxiety and depression, improve self-esteem, and help you better manage stress.

A GOOD SOCIAL LIFE

Staying active is a great way to have fun, make new friends, and spend quality time with family.

LOOKING AND FEELING BETTER

You look better when you’re in shape and eating right. Staying active helps you tone muscles and improve your posture. Both moving more and eating healthy are important to maintaining a healthy weight.

Get Started—Right Now!

If you’re reading this, you’re already on your way to a healthier you. Now, just do a little follow-through. Create an account with the President’s Challenge, and thenchoose a challenge. It doesn’t matter if you’re new to physical activity or an Ironman competitor—we have a program for you.

The time is now. You’ll notice the difference right away, in your body and your mind.

Resource: presidentschallenge.org

6 teas to help you live a healthier life

The right cuppa can relieve stress, full you with energy and even help burn fat, so put down that mug of builders’ tea and try these health-boosting brews instead.

Do you know what teas to drink to boost health and fitness levels? Chinalife Tea Master, Don Mei, talks us through what teas to add to your daily diet for all-round health.

Meet the new breed of teas that do much more than just give you something to do during the ad breaks…

The mood enhancer

Gabalong teas are the best choice for when you’re feeling down and stressed. GABA is a chemical that your body produces to keep the brain calm, control blood pressure and manage stress.

High levels of GABA prevent an over-active nervous system by blocking excessive levels of nerve signal transmissions that cause anxiety-related health issues.

The workout wonder

Forget sugar packed energy drinks - start sipping green tea before a workout.

Green tea has the highest levels of caffeine compared with other teas, and helps to produce stable energy and improve physical performance.

One study showed a 4% increase of energy expenditure when a green tea extract was added to a healthy diet.

The caffeine in green tea allows the body to adapt to the stress caused by physical exercise, improving the time before exhaustion during prolonged high-intensity exercise.

[Related story: 7 reasons to have a cup of tea]

The belly blaster

Hate the word diet? Pu’Erh is a remarkable fermented green tea, amazing at reducing weight, reducing cholesterol and soothing indigestion – even Victoria Beckham is said to be a fan.

Pu'Erh tea helps weight loss by reducing the absorption of fat during meals through the inhibition of lipase. It increases metabolic rates to burn more fat and is anti-angiogenic, reducing the ability of fat to deposit on your body.

The immune booster

For an instant immune boost, grab a cup of Amachazuru tea.

A powerful immunity-boosting adaptogenic and antioxidant herb, Amachazuru is known in China as simply the immortality herb.

This tea contains an impressive 50 kinds of panaxoside and 20 different amino acids and trace elements.

The skin saviour

Lack of sleep, a poor diet, harsh weather and toxic overload are all things we are guilty of and they all take their toll on your skin.

It is important to have a diet rich in antioxidants which soak up the free radicals in the body before they can react with your skin cells.

One of the most potent forms of antioxidant is the catechin, which is found in tea.White tea is the closest to the natural state of the leaf and contains high amounts of anti-ageing antioxidants.

In China, it is drunk to prevent skin ageing and maintain youthful looks.

The ultimate all-rounder

If you’re looking for a cuppa that ticks all boxes, then light green oolongs are the way to go.

What’s great about green oolong teas is that they combine the antioxidant effects of green tea with the digestive effect of black.

Resource: http://home.bt.com/

5 Tips for a Super-Healthy Smoothie

Smoothies are an easy and tasty way to incorporate more produce and other healthful ingredients into your diet, and they offer a lot of benefits that trendy juices don’t. By blending whole fruits and vegetables rather than extracting the juice, you get the full dose of heart-healthy fiber, and you waste less of your pricey produce. If you choose your ingredients carefully, smoothies can deliver a balanced blend of protein, fat, and carbs, making them a suitable substitute for meals. Juices, on the other hand, are mostly carbohydrate, and if they’re primarily fruit-based, they can be a concentrated source of sugar.

That said, smoothies aren’t always a healthy choice. Store-bought smoothies can contain more than 15 teaspoons of sugar from syrups and juices, and homemade smoothies can trip you up, too. It’s easy to get carried away when you’re dumping a little of this and a little of that into a pitcher-sized blender (I fall into this trap myself). Even if you’re being careful to use onlynutritious, whole food ingredients, the calories can be excessive. To create a well-balanced beverage that won’t weigh you down, consider these suggestions.

1. Limit added sweeteners. I recommend using whole fruit as the only sweetener in smoothies if at all possible. Unlike added sweeteners like maple syrup and honey, which supply only sugar, fruit provides fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial phytonutrients along with natural sweetness.Try using about a cup of fresh or frozen fruit as the base of your smoothie. Incorporate bananas, mango, pineapple, or orange slices for a sweeter profile, but steer clear of fruit juice, which is more concentrated in sugar and calories than whole fruit. To keep added sugar under control, you’ll also want to choose plain, unsweetened yogurt and milks (many non-dairy milks like almond and coconut contain added sweeteners). When you’re finished blending, taste the final product. If — and only if — it’s still not sweet enough for your liking, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of your preferred sweetener (or, add 1 to 2 dates in place of sweetener).
2. Add some veggies to the mix. For an extra shot of vitamins and minerals, try to incorporate a vegetable into your drink. My go-to is a handful of baby spinach leaves, but you can also blend in carrots, beets, or canned pureed pumpkin. Celery and cucumbers are also smoothie-friendly, but they aren’t as nutrient-dense as deeply colored varieties. I like to combine leafy greens with berries, since the purple and blue hues mask the green color best.
3. Puree in protein. Adding at least one protein-rich ingredient makes your smoothie more filling and substantial, which is especially important you’re relying on it to stand in as a complete breakfast. Good options include plain low-fat yogurt, skim or 1% milk, soy milk, and silken tofu. Keep in mind that many non-dairy milks, including almond and coconut, provide minimal protein.   
4. Watch the extras. You can enhance your drink’s nutritional profile by adding nuts and nut butters, avocado, chia or flax seeds, cocoa powder or cacao nibs, wheat germ, oats, and other healthful ingredients, but you’ll also be increasing the calorie count. For example, each tablespoon of nut butter tacks on another 100 calories, and you could easily add 2 to 3 times that amount if you’re scooping freehand from the jar. With high-cal ingredients, you may need to get out the measuring spoons to make sure you’re not going overboard with portions. Which brings us to tip #5…
5. Do a rough calorie count. I recommend doing some quick math to make sure you’re not sipping more calories than you think, especially if you’re watching your weight. If you’re drinking a smoothie as your breakfast meal, 400 calories is a reasonable limit (men and active women can be more liberal). For a snack-sized smoothie, stick to around 200 calories.

One last tip: If you end up making more smoothie than you bargained for, pour the leftover mixture into ice pop molds. Your breakfast becomes a fruity frozen dessert to enjoy later in the week!

Resource: everydayhealth.com

Change Your Ways, Reduce Your Risk: 7 Tips for Preventing Diabetes

Piggybacking the obesity epidemic, diabetes rates continue to surge. On June 10, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new and alarming statistics on diabetes. An estimated 29 million Americans have the disease, a nearly 12 percent increase from the 26 million diabetics in 2010.

One-fourth of people don’t know they have diabetes—a scary fact, given the complications of chronically high blood sugar: heart attack, stroke, sight-robbing eye disease, kidney failure, foot amputation. Worse, another 86 million adults have prediabetes, a condition of elevated blood sugar just below the threshold for diabetes.

The vast majority of cases are type 2 diabetes, a condition characterized by insulin resistance, meaning cells fail to respond to insulin. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin.

The good news is type 2 diabetes is largely preventable. A seminal 2006 study demonstrated that intensive lifestyle modification reduced the risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent, as compared to a 31 percent risk reduction achieved with the antidiabetes drug metformin.

7 tips to help reduce your risk:

• Lose excess body fat. Being overweight is a big risk factor for diabetes.  In contrast, every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of weight lost reduces diabetes risk by 16 percent.
• Follow a plant-based, low-calorie diet. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables—a dietary pattern studies show reduces diabetes risk. Foods to avoid are those rich in trans fats (also called hydrogenated fat), saturated fat, and sugar.
• Drink water. Studies link sugar-sweetened beverages with obesity and diabetes.  Cut them out of your diet and the risk of both conditions falls.
• Move your body. Physical inactivity raises the risk of diabetes. Exercise renders cells more sensitive to insulin. The aforementioned 2006 study had volunteers exercising moderately 150 minutes a week. Brisk walking does the trick.
• Stress less. The stress response triggers the release of several hormones that increase blood sugar. Studies show that mindfulness meditation improves the ability to cope with stress. Physical activity and social support also help relieve stress.
• Sleep well. Chronic sleep deprivation and poor quality sleep increase the risk for diabetes and obesity. For tips on sleeping better, see this Remedy Chick’s blog. If you have continued problems sleeping, contact your doctor.
• Keep medical appointments. Warning signs of type 2 diabetes are less dramatic than those of type 1 diabetes.  That’s why it’s important to see your doctor regularly.

As part of a healthy diet, try out this recipe from 500 Time-Tested Home Remedies and the Science Behind Them.

California Cactus Salad

Ingredients:

2 medium cactus pads (also called nopales)

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

4 tablespoons green onions, chopped

4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon dried chipotle powder (or about 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper minced in adobo)

2 medium tomatoes, diced

6 cups leaves lettuce, shredded

Note: You can find nopales at Hispanic food markets, if not at your own supermarket.

Preparation and Use: Carefully trim off the eyes from the cactus pad with a vegetable peeler or knife and remove any spines from the green skin; rinse the fruit thoroughly. Cut cactus pads into thin strips.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the cactus and garlic, sauté 7 to 8 minutes or until cactus is tender. Combine the cactus mixture, and the next eight ingredients (beans through tomatoes).

Arrange 1½ cups lettuce on each of 4 plates, top each with ½ cup cactus mixture.

How it Works: Prickly pear cactus has both fiber and pectin. Studies show that the fruit can help lower blood glucose by lowering the absorption of sugar in the stomach and intestines.

Resource: everydayhealth.com

4 Ways to Plan a Healthy Lifestyle for Your Family

Are your kids always running around? Now is the time to take advantage of their energy and talk with them about the benefits of lifelong fitness and good nutrition.

Help your children develop positive attitudes toward healthy lifestyles now, and they'll be more likely to carry healthy habits with them into adulthood.

Getting Started

Identify Different Types of Fun Physical Activities

According to the document 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, children and adults should engage in physical activities for 60 minutes each day. This is especially important for young children and adolescents--to ensure they continue to build strong bones and muscles.

Try activities such as jumping rope and dancing to keep your family excited about exercise. Every family is different so work with yours to create a list of physical activities everyone enjoys doing together, then brainstorm a list of new activities to try, such as bicycling, gardening, hiking, or kicking a soccer ball in the park. As your family thinks of new activities, keep adding them to the list.

Decide When to Play Together

Choose one or two activities to participate in each day. One simple activity you can do together is to take a walk after dinner. Walking is an excellent way to help digest a meal and strengthen muscles, and it provides an opportunity to share about each other's day. List the activities on your calendar and mark off each day's activities together so everyone can look forward to the next day's activities.

Determine Your Fitness Goals and Keep Track of Them

As with any type of exercise you begin, it's important to consider the ages and current fitness levels of all participants. Then you can work toward increasing the intensity and duration of different activities. For example, during the first week, your family might take 30-minute walks each night after dinner, followed by dancing to your child's favorite CD in the living room. The next week, increase the time spent walking and pick up the dancing pace a bit.

One way to track your family's fitness goals is to write them down and put them on the refrigerator or in some other highly visible location. Review your goals periodically. After a goal has been met, set a new goal to work toward. Remember: The most important goal is for all family members to participate in physical activities regularly, so it's important that any goals you set are attainable and that everyone is motivated to work toward them.

Discuss the Importance of Good Nutrition and Healthy Eating Habits

Children need adults to teach them about foods that are healthy for their bodies as well as to model eating healthy foods. Talking about good nutrition with children can be as simple as explaining the need to eat foods from different food groups to ensure their bodies receive the different vitamins and minerals needed to stay healthy. Create menus with your kids that include foods that are healthy and that everyone enjoys. Then, take your kids shopping and let them locate different foods and teach them how to read food labels.

Maintaining Your Plan

• Get active. Remember to participate in some type of physical activity or activities for a total of at least 60 minutes each day.
• Have fun. Your kids are much more likely to participate in physical activities that are fun, so make sure everyone enjoys the time spent together.
• Eat healthy. Eat fewer foods that are high in fat and calories, and more foods that benefit the body, such as fruits and vegetables. Involve the entire family in selecting and preparing meals so everyone understands how to make healthy food choices.

One of the best things you can do for your children today is to help them develop the knowledge and lifestyle habits that will help them live happy and healthy lives tomorrow.

Resource: active.com

10 tips for a healthy lifestyle

1. Let it beet

It sounds bizarre, but beetroot could be a secret weapon against high blood pressure. The condition is a major cause of heart disease and stroke, but many people aren't aware they have it as it has no symptoms. Now, researchers from Barts and the London School of Medicine say drinking 500ml of beetroot juice could dramatically reduce blood pressure after just one hour. So drink up the pink stuff.

2. Think outside the box

Us lazy Brits will spend 17 years of our lives on the sofa, with seven years of that devoted to watching TV. Next time you hear yourself say, "I haven't got time to go to the gym" or you opt for ready meals because you're too busy to cook fresh food, think about switching off the box and doing something healthy instead.

3. don't take the biscuit

It may be a good idea to steer clear of the biscuit tin before you go shopping. A team from the University of Singapore recently discovered that the smell of chocolate chip cookies could make women splurge on unnecessary clothes when they hit the shops. The smell activates the part of your brain that wants instant gratification, although that's no excuse for maxing out your credit cards.

4 . Embracing good health

Giving your partner a hug doesn't just warm the heart, it can protect it too. A study by the University of North Carolina in 2005 found that hugging your other half for 20 seconds could lower blood pressure and reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol have been linked to heart disease and other conditions such as diabetes.

5. Pouring salt on the wound

We eat around 9.5g of salt a day, but the Government wants us to cut this to no more than 6g, as high levels of salt can push up your blood pressure, raising your risk of cardiovascular conditions. Many food labels only list salt as sodium however, but you can do a simple sum to work out their real salt content; just multiply by 2.5. So 0.8g of sodium becomes 2g of salt.

6. Sunny side up

Get outside in the sunshine for a natural boost. The sun's rays on the skin help your body produce vitamin D, which has been shown to fight heart disease, depression, osteoporosis and even some types of cancer. There's not a lot of sun around at this time of year, so make the most of it when it does appear!

7. One is the magic number

One of the largest studies into diet and cancer – the Europe-wide EPIC study – found that eating just one extra portion of fruit and vegetables a day could cut your risk of dying early from any cause by 20 per cent.

8. Holding back the years

Add 14 years to your life by following four very easy principles; don't smoke, take regular exercise, drink sensibly and eat five portions of fruit and veg a day. These simple steps can have a huge impact on your life expectancy, say scientists from Cambridge University. If you only manage one thing, give up smoking as the study found this had the biggest impact on your health.

9. A step in the right direction

Previously, experts thought taking 10,000 steps a day was enough to control your weight, but a world-wide study has just established that women up to the age of 40 and men up to 50 need 12,000 steps a day to help shift that middle jiggle. Invest in a pedometer to make sure you're hitting your target.

10. Laughter is the best medicine

Become a glass-half-full person! Studies have found that those with a positive attitude suffer less from conditions such as heart disease. Find something to laugh at every day to give your feel-good hormones a boost.

Resource: independent.co.uk