Balanced Vegetarin Diet

There is a general consensus among doctors advocating a plant based diet. They are convinced that diets high in animal fats such as the American diet are detrimental to health. At the same time, a vegan diet high in carbohydrates much like an Indian diet can increase cholesterol, triglycerides and heart disease. There is loads of information available on the internet about, how carbohydrates are converted to triglycerides, which are in turn converted to VLDL and it is a plaque causing mechanism. I am a meat eater and I have followed a no carbohydrate diet myself and seen all my lipid profile numbers improve.

It is difficult for a vegetarian to follow a no-carb diet for too long. But to maintain a healthy lifestyle all you need is a well balanced diet, low in carbohydrates. Poorly planned vegan diets may be low in vitamin B₁₂, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, iron, zinc, riboflavin (vitamin B₂), and iodine. I have some easy to follow suggestions for Indians, on how to maintain a healthy vegetarian lifestyle.

What are the key foods that should be included in every Indian vegetarian’s diet and how to include them? I have carefully made a list of foods that are readily available in modern India and crucial to maintaining healthy levels of Vitamins and minerals that really fuel our body.

Walnuts, Almonds, Peanut, Chia seeds(Sabja), ground Flax seeds, sesame seeds, cilantro, beans,  Yoghurt, Milk, millets,(jowar/bajra), sprouts, leafy green vegetables, soya products, citrus fruits, broccoli, cabbage, balanced mix of all fruits and vegetables and a mix of different healthy oils.

Consuming a small portion of all these foods in your daily diet can give you all the required nutrients that a difficult to get from a vegetarian diet as compared to a non vegetarian. I would like to share with you how I have personally incorporated these. I have a salad for lunch, but this is not any ordinary salad. I call it a SUPER SALAD. The reason behind this is, I cover almost all my essential foods in this one meal. And it is a high fiber, high nutrient, low carb like meal.

Eat your fruits for a snack or along with breakfast. I eat them with sprouted beans and some cheese. You can eat them as is.

I make a blend of:

Lettuce

Cucumber, zucchini

Green peppers (Capsicum)

Red and yellow peppers (Roasted and peeled)

Lightly boiled Cauliflower, Broccoli, carrots, French beans

Cherry or plum tomatoes

Wedges of Citrus fruits

Loads of chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons of beans (soaked and cooked/canned)

To this I add my Nuts:

2 Walnuts

2 Almonds (soaked overnight)

4 Peanuts (soaked overnight)

1 teaspoon of chia seeds / sabja(soaked overnight)

1 dry fig chopped smaller

1 teaspoon ground flaxseed

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

 For the dressing, I use whichever dressing I like. It is important that it tastes good to you, if not; you will discontinue eating it. I love plain mayonnaise with an occasional hot sauce or ¼ spoon of some jelly or jam. That way you can flavor it differently every day. A good balsamic vinegar and olive oil is another of my favorites. It is a hearty wholesome salad like no other. Add your own twists with sautéed mushrooms and onions, jalapeños and olives. Add as many vegetables that you can, but try to add all the nuts and seeds. This needs some planning once a week, but it is well worth it. I have separate containers for all my nuts, seeds and dry fruits. With some prep work the night before, you can have a healthy salad every day of the week.

In this salad I have almost covered 70% of the required foods. The rest are covered in snacks and dinner. I take a salted lassi (yogurt+ water + salt + jeera powder). If you don’t like leafy vegetables, here is what you can do. Boil and puree spinach. Mix it with the jowar (millet) flour, without adding additional water. Add some seasonings, turmeric, ajwain, chilli powder and salt. Roll rotis and roast them until they are nice and crisp. I add a dash of olive oil and eat it as a snack or with dinner. Here you got your leafy veggies in.

For dinner, make a tofu or paneer or a bean burger, without the bun. They are hearty and taste really good. There are tons of recipes available on the net. Eat it with onions lettuce and tomatoes, with or without the bun. Or a healthy traditional meal made of 1 Jowar roti, dal and a vegetable.

There are loads of oils, other than olive oil, that are heart healthy. But the key is to not heat them to their smoking point or they go rancid and can clog your arteries. Use a blend of oils like mustard, Olive, peanut, Rice bran and sesame. For Indian cooking I recommend that you use a minimal amount of oil to make the tadka (tempering) and then add more later, for flavor.

This covers almost all my foods. Last but not the least is Vitamins D, D2 and B12. A good 10 min soak in the sun between 10am-4pm. If you hate the tan cover your face or take a supplement. It has been found that Vitamin D has been ignored since long, and there is a host of diseases that it can help you fight. Vitamin B12 deficiency is potentially dangerous and the most serious side effect of a vegetarian diet. Vitamin B12 is not found naturally in plant foods and therefore, milk products such as 1 cup of yogurt, and 1 cup of milk and some sprinkling of cheese should be taken daily. Get your Vitamin B12 and D levels tested. If they are low then consult the doctor about supplements.

If a vegetarian diet is followed diligently, keeping all the nutrients in mind, it has been believed to be a healthy choice.