Friday, May 4, 2007

Health Benefits of Vegetarian Cooking



Many people are becoming concerned that meat, egg and dairy products are making people sick due to its cholesterol and fat content. Long-term results of eating meat could cause different health conditions such as cancer, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and other problems. For this reason, many people are switching to vegetarian cooking.

People who practice vegetarian cooking reduce their chances of obesity and other related diseases such as hypertension, arthritis, osteoporosis, kidney disorders and heart disease.

Vegetarian cooking provides people with an advantage against cancer. This is because vegetarian cooking uses only fiber-rich, vitamin-packed ingredients that can strengthen the immune system and prevent cancers (of the uterine, breast, prostate and digestive organs).

Another benefit of vegetarian cooking is that it protects people against the dangers of heart disease. Fiber-rich foods, complex carbohydrates and plant-based protein can trim down cholesterol levels and reduce the risks of heart disease.

For health conscious people, vegetarian cooking could prevent harmful food-borne illnesses from entering your kitchen. While majority of food-borne illnesses are related to meat contaminant, they can also be caused by salmonella, listera or e coli.

With vegetarian cooking, it's very hard to become fat because grains, soy, legumes and vegetables are very filling even with little fat content. Not only do these foods serve as an energy giver, they also keep the stomach full for several hours.

What You Need to Know About Vegetarian Cooking

Regardless of the reason why you choose to follow vegetarian cooking, you need to follow a few things to provide a nutritious and delicious meal for your family or friends.

If you're looking for a vegetarian recipe, be aware that there are different categories of vegetarianism. While vegans do not eat meal through their life, other vegetarians simply choose to eat healthy, while cooking chicken or fish occasionally. Some vegetarians eat dairy products, but never meat itself.

When you're starting out and experimenting on vegetarian cooking, simply copy a meat-based recipe of your favorite dish and look for substitutes for the main ingredient or the meat. However, never alter the recipe too much for it may ruin the taste of your meal. For instance, if you like to cook meatball spaghetti, simply substitute the meat by using organic meat.

The key to vegetarian cooking is by using healthy variations of oil and sea salt to give the meal flavor. Not only can these ingredients increase metabolism, they also serve as extra quality and flavor to the meal.