I feel vegetarians always get a bad rap. Most carnivores have little good to say about a vegetarian diet. Carnivores always say that a vegetarian diet does not provide the sufficient amounts of protein and other essential minerals. This simply is NOT true. Vegetarian foods do contain amino acids (also found in meats). If you consume a wide variety of plant based food you will be just fine. You must consume whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and sprouts to get the protein you need. So you do not have to eat meat.
We must respect all types of eaters. Those who make unkind remarks to vegetarians are either ignorant or not well informed. This comes from someone who is NOT a vegetarian. I lean towards vegetarianism, but love quality eggs and fish. I do know that vegetarians eat more carbohydrates. This IS A PROBLEM. During my college and medical school years I was a vegetarian. I did eat more carbohydrates at that time in my life. It used to drive my family crazy that I would not eat meat.
Which contains more calcium - a cup of milk or a 1/4 cup of sesame seeds? The sesame seeds contain almost double the amount of calcium (580 mg compared to 288 mg respectively). The question is if cow's milk is healthy! Many Americans have a sensitivity or allergy to cow's dairy.
It always comes back to the plants! Plant foods contain a wide variety of phytochemicals that act to prevent free radical damage. Lignans found in plants act as phytoestrogens. They are estrogen like and can protect you against a variety of cancers. Research reveals that sesame seed lignans enhance the antioxidant effect of Vitamin E. I think this is important since Vitamin E is another topic that has a bad rap. The lignans in sesame seeds have been shown to protect against liver disease, heart disease and cancer in a variety of research studies.
I admire vegetarians who are really knowledgeable. There is always is a good discussion regarding soy protein. I love eating the many cruciferous vegetables whether or not I am a true vegetarian. These cruciferous vegetables should be part of every dietary lifestyle. These include kale, broccoli, wild broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, mustard greens , turnip root and so much more. Start to eat those cruciferous greens. Even though radishes, watercress and garden cress are not in the cruciferous family eat these too!
What is about the cruciferous vegetables that makes them beneficial? They have all vitamins , minerals and also contain fiber. You need to break the cell wall to release the essential compound glucosolinate.
Until tomorrow