tHaving problems losing weight? Looking for the no-sweat way to good health? Want a cruelty-free diet? Or are you simply looking for a change of pace? Well, following a vegan diet is an easy – and tasty – way to achieve all these goals. Remember, the best thing that anyone can do to promote fitness and help animals is to refuse to eat meat or dairy foods! Today, we have so many choices that there's simply no reason to continue raising and slaughtering animals for food. The only truly humane alternative is to choose alternatives to meat, eggs and dairy products. Not only will you be helping animals, you'll also be helping yourself! A vegetarian diet more than adequately meets our nutritional needs – in fact, it's healthier than a meat-based diet. The American Dietetic Association and the Dietitians of Canada's joint position paper on vegetarianism states, “Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals.” Healthy vegetarian diets support a lifetime of good health and can provide protection against numerous diseases, including some of Egypt's top killers: heart disease, cancer, diabetes and strokes. A vegetarian diet has been shown to improve blood flow to the heart and cause a regression of coronary atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Low-fat diets, particularly those that do not include saturated fat (ie, vegan diets), have been instrumental in freeing many diabetics from their pills, shots and pumps. Colon cancer rates are highest in regions where meat consumption is high and lowest in regions where meat consumption is low. Similar patterns are evident with regard to breast, cervical, uterine, ovarian, prostate and lung cancer. According to Dr William Castelli, director of the Framingham Heart Study (the longest-running epidemiological study in medical history), “Vegetarians have the best diet. They have the lowest rates of coronary disease of any group …. [T]hey have a fraction of our heart attack rate and they only have 40 percent of our cancer rate. They outlive other men by about six years now”. Adopting a vegetarian diet is not as difficult as some people might think. In fact, with an explosion of vegetarian food options – from vegetarian kofta to vegan mahshi – going vegetarian has never been easier! Check out the following five tips for making the switch. Make vegetarian versions of your favorite meals. Substitute vegetables, faux meats and tofu for the meat in your favorite recipes. Replace the meat in koubeiba, pasta sauce, moussaqa'a and macaroni béchamel with beans, grilled vegetables or crumbled veggie burgers. Skip the pepperoni and cheese and pile your pizza with a mountain of veggie toppings. Get creative with different kinds of entrées, soups and salads. The possibilities are endless. There are vegetarian-friendly versions of almost every meal that you can think of (really!). Explore vegan recipes. There are thousands of kitchen-tested recipes to choose from at VegCooking.com. If you'd rather thumb through a cookbook, visit libraries and bookstores to delve into vegetarian cookbooks that can give you ideas for experimenting with new foods and recipes. Swap your favorite recipes with friends and family. Vegetarian cookbooks are available for gourmet chefs as well as for those who don't want to spend more than 10 minutes preparing dinner. So no matter how experienced a cook you are, it's easy to make great-tasting meatless meals. Go faux! Not only are mock meats and dairy-free delights delicious and cruelty-free, they are also high in healthy plant proteins and low in saturated fat (and they contain no cholesterol). You can find faux-meat products – including veggie burgers and veggie kofta as well as mock-chicken patties made from soya and other meatless ingredients – at health-food stores. Dairy alternatives such as soya and rice milks are also widely available. Explore vegan-friendly restaurants in your area. Regardless of what your budget is or where you live, you can enjoy great vegetarian meals. Locally owned restaurants around the country sell an exciting array of vegetarian meals to please every palate. If you're stuck at a behind-the-times restaurant that doesn't have many vegetarian options, ask if the chef can whip up a vegetarian entrée. Most restaurants will gladly accommodate special requests, and you'll be surprised at the creativity of some chefs! You can also usually find delicious vegetarian delights at most street stalls, and almost all restaurants offer a selection of vegan mezze. Explore ethnic eats. If you're in a large city, be sure to sample food from restaurants that make Chinese, Thai, Korean, Indian or other ethnic foods. These restaurants normally have several dishes that are both delicious and meat-free. Try sushi that's made with avocados, carrots or cucumbers instead of raw fish. You can also try Chinese spring rolls and tofu (sometimes called “bean curd” in Asian restaurants) noodle dishes. Tempt your taste buds with Thai coconut curry and tofu pad Thai. And don't forget to add spice to your life with delicious Indian dishes. Other Ideas for Making the Transition Easier A summertime barbecue with friends and family is healthy and fun if the menu includes veggie burgers and faux hot dogs. Or, better yet, try grilling slices of eggplant or tomato drizzled with your favourite marinade. Yum! One more thing: remember to eat a variety of “whole foods”, including plenty of beans, nuts, whole grains, fruit and vegetables, and avoid partially hydrogenated oils and deep-fried foods. And although a diet consisting of Coke and French fries is technically vegetarian, you can't be healthy if all you eat is junk food. ** Ashley Fruno is a senior campaigner for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia. To get involved with PETA's work in the Middle East, visit PETAAsiaPacific.com. BM
