The Differences Between Vegan, Vegetarian & Flexitarian Diets

Vegan
Veganism is the personal practice of eliminating the use of non-human animal products. In terms of diet, it means refraining from eating any and all animal products including meats, fish, eggs and dairy products.

Dietary vegans eat an entirely plant-based diet. As a vegan, one must be strategic about planning food consumption to get proper nutrition. A poorly planned vegan diet has a tendency to lack vitamin B12, iron, vitamin D, calcium, iodine and omega-3 fatty acids.

Many vegans make veganism an entire lifestyle, where they no longer use animal products at all.

Vegetarian
Vegetarianism is the practice of consuming plant-based products. For some, this may also include refraining from animal by-products, but there are a few varieties of vegetarianism.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians include dairy and eggs into their diets but no meats Lacto vegetarians include dairy products Ovo vegetarians included eggs into their diets

Pescetarians include fish and seafood into their diets, and usually eggs and dairy too. Basically, these vegetarians only cut out red meats and poultry.

Flexitarian? Huh? What does that mean? And no, it is not another name for a contortionist. All joking aside, flexitarian is a relatively new term. It combines “flexible” and “vegetarian” and some people used to call it semi-vegetarianism. Long story short, a flexitarian is someone who has more plant-based meals and less meat.

Flexitarians still allow themselves freedom to have meat occasionally. Research shows that this is beneficial and healthier for the body because of all of the fruits and vegetables, legumes and whole grains, even with the random steak here and there.

Why Plant-Based Diets? Plant foods offer a lot of nutrition and is less expensive than meats. There is evidence that vegetarians live 3.6 years longer than those who are not. Research also shows that vegetarians weigh about 15% less than regular meat eaters.

Fruits and vegetables offer a great source of nutrition with fewer calories and with fiber. Here are a couple of my favorite tips to give vegetarians and vegans: To make a complete protein with plant-based foods, combine whole grains and legumes at the same meal.

For example, red beans with brown rice or black beans in a whole wheat tortilla. To help increase iron, try cooking soups, stews, sauces or chili in an iron clad pot. This will increase the iron in these foods. Also pair iron rich foods with vitamin C-rich foods. Vitamin C naturally helps the body absorb iron more efficiently.

Are you a vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian? I would love to hear about it and how you practice your dietary habits. Do you have any favorite vegan or vegetarian meals? Share them with me please, I love learning about new meatless meals.

By Grace Derocha
http://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/2011/09/22/vegan-vegetarian-and-flexitarian...

Get Well With Veggie Chycken Soup

Chicken & Rice Soup, à la Laura, WebMistress of Veg Web:

What You Need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 quart veggie broth
2 cups vegan chicken or seitan, diced (I use Gardein chicken strips)
3 cups rice, cooked (I like a wild rice blend)
1/2 cup soy creamer
1/4 cup red wine
4 slices of vegan bacon (I like to make my own with tempeh)

What You Do:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the onions are tender and translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the veggie broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Uncover and stir in veggie chicken and rice. Continue to cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in soy creamer and wine and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with veggie bacon. Enjoy!

For more delicious recipes from Veg Web, go here: http://www.VegWeb.com

Get Well With Veggie Chycken Soup

Chicken & Rice Soup, à la Laura, WebMistress of Veg Web:

What You Need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 quart veggie broth
2 cups vegan chicken or seitan, diced (I use Gardein chicken strips)
3 cups rice, cooked (I like a wild rice blend)
1/2 cup soy creamer
1/4 cup red wine
4 slices of vegan bacon (I like to make my own with tempeh)

What You Do:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the onions are tender and translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the veggie broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Uncover and stir in veggie chicken and rice. Continue to cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in soy creamer and wine and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with veggie bacon. Enjoy!

For more delicious recipes from Veg Web, go here: http://www.VegWeb.com

Get Well With Veggie Chycken Soup

Chicken & Rice Soup, à la Laura, WebMistress of Veg Web:

What You Need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 quart veggie broth
2 cups vegan chicken or seitan, diced (I use Gardein chicken strips)
3 cups rice, cooked (I like a wild rice blend)
1/2 cup soy creamer
1/4 cup red wine
4 slices of vegan bacon (I like to make my own with tempeh)

What You Do:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the onions are tender and translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the veggie broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Uncover and stir in veggie chicken and rice. Continue to cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in soy creamer and wine and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with veggie bacon. Enjoy!

For more delicious recipes from Veg Web, go here: http://www.VegWeb.com

Get Well With Veggie Chycken Soup

Chicken & Rice Soup, à la Laura, WebMistress of Veg Web:

What You Need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 quart veggie broth
2 cups vegan chicken or seitan, diced (I use Gardein chicken strips)
3 cups rice, cooked (I like a wild rice blend)
1/2 cup soy creamer
1/4 cup red wine
4 slices of vegan bacon (I like to make my own with tempeh)

What You Do:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the onions are tender and translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the veggie broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Uncover and stir in veggie chicken and rice. Continue to cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in soy creamer and wine and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with veggie bacon. Enjoy!

For more delicious recipes from Veg Web, go here: http://www.VegWeb.com

Get Well With Veggie Chycken Soup

Chicken & Rice Soup, à la Laura, WebMistress of Veg Web:

What You Need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 quart veggie broth
2 cups vegan chicken or seitan, diced (I use Gardein chicken strips)
3 cups rice, cooked (I like a wild rice blend)
1/2 cup soy creamer
1/4 cup red wine
4 slices of vegan bacon (I like to make my own with tempeh)

What You Do:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the onions are tender and translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the veggie broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Uncover and stir in veggie chicken and rice. Continue to cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in soy creamer and wine and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with veggie bacon. Enjoy!

For more delicious recipes from Veg Web, go here: http://www.VegWeb.com

Which 7 Countries Have The Most Vegetarian Options?

from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/16/vegetarian-travel-7-count_n_966074.html

Just because someone enjoys a meat-free diet, doesn’t mean they can’t indulge in local delicacies while on the road. In some countries vegetarian or veg-friendly eating has been historically en vogue.

Thus, a delicious tradition of meat-free cuisine exists around the globe for vegetarian foodies to enjoy. In places like India and Ethiopia, religious traditions that shun animal consumption required people to get creative with meatless dishes. And, in countries around the Mediterranean, a rich produce harvest lent itself to centuries of high veggie consumption.

Look for places with a lot of beans, rice and vegetables in their diets, recommends Andrea Giancoli, a registered dietitian and American Dietetic Association spokesperson. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines are rich in this area, she said — think things like falafel, baba ganoush, hummus and grains like bulgur and faro.

Whether it comes to traveling abroad or stateside, Giancoli warns vegetarians not to fall into unhealthy habits. “You still have to be conscious of getting a balanced diet [when traveling,]” she said. “It’s easy to get caught up eating nothing but tortillas, pasta and cheese.”

Look to the soup, salad and sides sections on a menu to find vegetables. She also recommends scanning the entrée section for vegetarian sides that might not be listed elsewhere.

If all else fails, take a stroll through the local market to put together a meal heavy on produce. Read on to learn about countries with historically vegetarian or veg-friendly cuisines. For this list we use a lacto-ovo vegetarian approach, but there are nods to vegans as well.

Read the rest of this story on Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/16/vegetarian-travel-7-count_n_966074.html