Why Vegetarian Food Leaves a 'Bad Taste' in Some People's Mouths
Vegetarian food seems to get a bad rap from those who don't know how to prepare it. My friend and co-worker used to tease me about my diet all the time. He cannot (or does not) cook, so he might have done this to cover up his handicap.
However, anyone can tap into the advantages of a healthier diet by consuming more plant-based foods nowadays. Even the fast food chains are catching on.
There are veggie burgers, vegetable salad dishes, and vegan delights everywhere. Only thing is, they make you pay more for these items than for the less healthful stuff - like white bread and gooey cholesterol-laden beef burgers!
Check out these topics related to diabetic diets:
- American diabetes diet
- Anti-diabetes diet
- Best diabetes diet
- Diet recommendations
- Diabetic meal plan
- Diabetic vegetarian diet
- Glycemic index list
- Healing foods pyramid
- Healthy eating pyramid
- Low glycemic food
- Meal planning
- New food pyramid
- No-carb food
- Vegetarian diets
- Vegetarian food
- Weight control diet
- Whole food market
Even though some people try hard to prepare vegetarian food to taste like meat, it is the nutritional superiority that matters. When preparing your non-meat dishes, be careful to use methods that preserve the food value you want in the first place.
Avoid over-cooking, and cut down on the spices and heavy fat (or oils) used for frying. Use lots of fresh fruits and vegetables on your menu.
Why some people don't like it
People continue to pass the vegetarian food aisle in the supermarket because of ignorance. This ignorance is fuelled partly by advertising from the food market.
The message in popular ads continues to be that the vegetarian lifestyle is bad for the economy. That is why the price of a loaf of 100% whole wheat bread costs much more than a loaf of white bread. Have you ever wondered why?
Vegetarian food is not
only nutritious, it can be attractive
and
appetizing as well.
Well, it costs more to produce the white bread because of the extra refining and processing. But the wheat bread is more filling and helps decrease the number of times the consumer will have to go to the doctor. The fiber-rich wheat bread helps to prevent colon cancer; it is, in general, a better choice. Science proves it.
I think of the ad showing a lady struggling to push a supermarket cart full of broccoli. It then showed another lady mockingly holding up a bottle of calcium supplements. The message? "Why eat your vegetables when you can get your nutrients from a pill?"
Einstein preferred vegetarian food...
"Nothing will benefit human health or increase the chances for survival of life on earth as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." - Albert Einstein
Research shows benefits of vegetarian food
Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, investigated whether patients with type 2 diabetes benefit from low fat vegetarian food. The results showed that this diet has a significant effect in lowering blood glucose levels, independent of physical exercise.
In this, as well as in other similar studies, additional benefits were found. The vegan diet is usually associated with good cholesterol control and weight control.
Imagine the health benefits of vegetarian food, regular physical exercise, and adequate rest. This could help avert many of today's lifestyle conditions. But the scientific community realizes there is a negative push on getting this message out. How do I know this?
In an article published in 2002 that shows how type 2 diabetics benefit from a vegetarian diet coupled with exercise, the author made this conclusion:
"The vegan diet/exercise strategy represents a safe, 'low-tech' approach to managing diabetes that deserves far greater attention from medical researchers and practitioners."
For many doctors, advising their patients to eat more vegetarian food and exercise more means more work (and a pay-cut) when their patients general health improve.
You can find the article about vegetarian food and physical exercise here. Patients have to be proactive and take the responsibility for their own health personally. It's all in the choices we make.
References
Nicholson A. S., Sklar M., Barnard N. D., Gore S., Sullivan R., Browning S. (1999). Toward improved management of NIDDM: A randomized, controlled, pilot intervention using a low fat, vegetarian diet. Prev Med. 1999 Aug;29(2):87-91.
McCarty M. F. (2002). Favorable impact of a vegan diet with exercise on hemorheology: implications for control of diabetic neuropathy. Med Hypotheses. 2002 Jun;58(6):476-86.