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A study published in the journal PLOS ONE in 2014 discovered that vegetarians had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Studies in Western countries have produced similar results.

In recent years, the vegetarian diet has gained widespread popularity. The traditional Indian diet, also emphasises the consumption of plant-based foods. Vegetables, fruits, grains, and lentils are examples. Aside from environmental benefits, a planned vegetarian diet lowers the risk of chronic diseases. It also improves gut health and supports weight loss.

However, there are a few misleading notions about the merits and demerits of a vegetarian diet.

Let’s first delve into what really constitutes a vegetarian diet.

What is Your Typical Vegetarian Diet?

The foods that vegetarian diets include and exclude can vary. The various types of vegetarian diets are as follows:

• Vegan Diets: This is the purest form of vegetarian diet. Someone following this type of a diet can eat anything coming in from plants, meaning, vegetables, grains, pulses, nuts, seeds and fruits, but avoid dairy, eggs and anythign else coming form animals.
  
  
• Lacto-vegetarian diets: The word ‘prefix ‘Lacto’ means dairy but no other animal products or products derived from animals are allowed in this diet. Dairy products, such as milk are ok to consume, but eggs are not a part of this diet style.

• Ovo-vegetarian diets: These diets are similar to Lacto-vegetarian but also permit eggs.

• Lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets: This type forgoes meat, fish, and poultry. They do, however, permit dairy and eggs.

• Pescatarian diets: These allow fish, eggs, dairy products, and plants but forbid other types of meat and poultry.

Why Choose Vegetarian Diet For Weight Loss?

Due to its high-fibre and low-calorie content, a vegetarian diet can aid in weight loss. This kind of diet is also loaded with antioxidants, Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. A vegetarian diet also typically contains less unhealthy fats like cholesterol and less saturated fat than an omnivorous diet.

Thus, someone following a vegetarian diet need not worry about calorie counting or macro counting. As long as you are eating fiber rich foods, you will lose weight and see an improvement in your health parameters.

A vegetarian meal plan frequently includes plenty of plant sources, healthy fats like avocado's and nuts, and balanced amounts of carbohydrates like whole grains instead of simple sugar's, in addition to plenty of fruits such as papaya, mango, pomegranate, guava, lychee, oranges, tamarind, apples, melon, pears, plums, bananas and vegetables, legumes like lentils or kidney beans, nuts, seeds, and spices.

Myths About High Protein Vegetarian Diet.

Even though a high-protein vegetarian diet may be gaining popularity, there are a lot of misconceptions about it. Here is more on the topic:

It is virtually impossible to consume 'less proteins' on a vegetarian diet as long as you are eating sufficient calories.

Protein deficiency is rather unheard of, but diseases born out of over consumtion of proteins, such as kidney stones, gall bladder stones and even certain types of cancer are far too common.

Let's see some myths surrounding this issue:

Myth 1: Vegans Don’t Get Enough Protein

Given how plentiful protein is in the plant kingdom, vegetarians don't have any trouble getting enough of it.

Checkout this remarkable cross- sectional study done on over 70,000 people. The study compares the protein intake of non- vegetarian's to vegetarians and even vegans.

Turn's out, that vegetarians get 70% more protein than the required daily intake!

Supplemental industries have gone over and beyond to drive the point to you that you are not getting enough proteins, but you really are.

So much so, that you do not even have to consciously think about what you are eating daily or whether it is a 'protein source'. As long as you eat enough to survive, you are getting enough proteins.

Myth 2: Plant-based diet is insufficient for muscle gain.

The protein myth is followed by this one. If this were true, top athletes in the world including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Venus William, Lewis Hamilton, Novak Djokovic, Nate Diaz etc would not have been at the top of their game.

Plants are a great source of protein. The protein we get from animal sources comes from plant itself. Plant based protein sources are also nutritionally dense and contain co- enzymes to help you wiht protein synthesis (uptake) in the body. Animals lack this.

Besides this, plant- based protein sources are not high in cholesterol, sex and growth hormones, protecting you from heart diseases and cancers.

Cooked lentils have 18 grams of protein per cup, while cooked black beans have 16 grams. Foods made from soy are rich in protein. Tofu has 20 grams of protein per cup, and the highest of them all is tempeh, with 32 grams in one cup.

Myth 3: Dairy Is Necessary For Healthy Bones.

Calcium is more important for healthy bones than dairy. In fact, calcium is essential for many bodily processes, including blood clotting, muscle contraction, blood pressure regulation, and signal transmission along nerves.

Dairy, on the contrary, is not the best for calcium. Now ideally, for the best calcium absorption, you want a calcium- to- magnesium ratio of 2:1. But dairy, has a ratio of 10:1, making it very low in magnesium, and thus, less bioavailable.

Other plant- based sources like leafy greens, chia and soy products make for a much better source of calcium.

This could also be the reason that nations with the highest consumption of dairy products actually show the weakest body health and increase cases of hip fractures.

Myth 4: Breast Cancer And Soy Are Correlated

Many fear soy consumption due to it's 'supposed' relation to cancer's. Read this for clarification:

• Soy and man- boobs?

When it comes to scientific research, the science is very clear. Soy consumption has been time and again linked to reduced risk of breast and prostate cancer and even an increase in the chances of survival for those diagnosed with cancer.

According to this study, soy reduces the risk of break cancer in Asian women by 30%. This can be attributed to the isoflavones, found in abundance in soy products that possess both estrogen-dependent and independent properties that potentially inhibit the development of breast cancer.

Myth 5: Plant-Based Protein Pales Compared to Animal Sources

Now this myth arised form the thinking that plant- based foods do not consume all the amino acids. Amino- acids are the building blocks of proteins. There are 11 different types of essential amino acids that can only be found in foods, mening, the body does not make them.

Surprise, all plant- based foods have all amino acids! See the above video for more details on this, with a table breaking down the humble potato.

Additionally, protein from plant-based sources is better for your general health, according to research from this study on asian women in the USA. This could be as a result of the low-fat, fiber, vitamin, mineral, and phytonutrient content.

5 Important Tips To Remember While Losing Weight On Vegetarian Diet.

A plant-based diet is indeed beneficially good for for your heart health but not restricted to just that. From muscle buillding to boosting brain health and overall longevity, it covers all the bases.

However, it is easy to go wrong with any nutritional program, hence it helps to factor in certain parameters to juice the maximum out of a well-balanced plant- forward diet.

Let’s now look at the five important tips in more detail that can help you stay ahead of the curve (pun intended) while attempting to lose weight on a vegetraian diet.

Fiber is essential.

Fiber is found in anything plants! Our bodies are unable to digest or break down. Thus, there is no question of it converting to calories and leading to weight gain. But fiber has many important roles in the body.

Fiber, which can also help lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels, and may help prevent intestinal cancer. But most of all, it helps trigger the release of your satiety hormone, helping you feel full, and leading to weight loss.

Dietary fiber softens and increases the weight and volume of your feces. Your likelihood of developing constipation is reduced by a large stool's ease of passage.

A high-fiber diet may reduce your risk of developing colon polyps and hemorrhoids (diverticular disease). A high-fiber diet is likely to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, according to studies. Try to get 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories to reap all the benefits provided by fibre.

Low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels may be decreased by soluble fiber found in beans, oats, flaxseed, and oat bran, which may help lower total blood cholesterol levels. High-fiber foods may also help your heart by lowering blood pressure and inflammation, according to studies.

Plan your meals.

Eat a variety of healthy plant-based foods to get the most out of your vegetarian diet. Whole fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts, and whole grains should all be included.

Planning is essential to keep you on track. You will end up eating foods you should not be eating only when it is your meal time and you do not have your meal prepared in advance.

Planning will also help you understand the essential food groups you might be missing out on and strategically add them to your diet.

It is easy to stay on track when you have your written plan ready and grocery list prepared in advance.

Eat in sync with your circadian rhythm.

Circadian rhythm serve an important purpose: it prepares your body for expected changes in the environment, such as the time for activity, sleep, and eating. Your hormones fluctuate on a daily basis based on your circadian rhythm.

Setting personal eating times too late in the day may result in a circadian rhythm misalignment. A circadian rhythm-incongruent eating schedule, according to multiple studies, can make someone more likely to gain weight or experience metabolic issues such as insulin resistance. Read this to understand more:

• Are We All Shift Workers?

In the circadian diet, you eat for 10 hours, usually from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and fast for the remaining 14. Breakfast is now the largest meal of the day, and dinner is now the smallest. The 14-hour nightly fast stops binge-eating, midnight & post-dinner snacking.

Such a way of eating when combined with a plant-based diet can go a long way into improving the overall quality of health and life.

The advantages of movement in daily life.

Exercise is one of the most important piece to the puzzle after nutrition and sleep.

From improving hearth health, clearing out toxins and reducing cortisol (stress hormone) in the long run. It is also linked to better quality of sleep which is an important determinant of long-term brain & heart health.

Exercise promotes better oxygen transportation, blood circulation and better muscle & joint health. This keeps you safe from Alzhimers and Dementia.

In fact, aerobic exercise promotes the secretion of BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) that has a positive impact on memory and learning.

Introduce atleast 20- 30 minutes of structured physical activity to your daily routine.

Importance of cutting down on oil & saturated fats.

Excessive consumption of saturated fats can raise "bad" LDL cholesterol levels, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Oil's also contribute to excess, unwanted calories in your daily nutrition. I have seen a lot of clients following a fantastic diet but not great results, due to over consumption of oil's.

People think oily food means fried food, but that is not true, even regular home- cooked meals could have excess oil's. Ideally, you want to limit your oil consumption to no more than 1 tbsp per day. If you can go oil- free, even better!

Oil or fats are energy-dense, hence, a small amount can increase the calories of a given meal. This decides whether you will remain on a caloric-deficit diet or a caloric-surplus one.

Explore oil- free cooking, it really is not very hard and tastes pretty much the same as food cooked with oil.

10 Healthy Vegetarian Breakfast Ideas For Weight Loss.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so if you wake up romanticising breakfast, here are a few great options for you.

These meals are not only delicious, but they will also help you continue your weight loss efforts. Here are ten delectable vegetarian breakfast ideas to try in the coming days.

Millet idli with a protein- packed chutney:

Replacing the white rice in the Idly batter with millets, reduces the glycemic index of the meal and adds more fiber. This also reduces the overall caloric load on the dish, making it filling and wholesome, but not dense in calories.

Idly's are also fermented, thus, making your gut microbiome happy. The protein packed chutney on the side instead of coconut chutney also boosts proteins in your meal and reduces fats.

Soybean Sundal:

Sundal's are a south Indian favourite! What basically is just sautéed pulses finds a healthy twist in this recipe by using soy beans. Soy beans not only contain a tad bit more essential fat's than other pulses, but they are also a great source of phytonutrients.

This dish is easy- to- make, warm and wholesome. Grab a bowl with your favourite cup of herbal tea and a bowl of fruits to have yourself a delicious breakfast.

Millet Upma:

I am a lover of South Indian breakfast, can you tell :) But another healthy twist here and an opportunity for you to start your day with a whole bunch of vegetables.

I also personally love to add leafy greens like cilantro, spinach and amaranth to my upma. These greens take up the flavour of the spices you cook them in and add so much nutrition to my dish!

Quinoa Bisi Bele:

I disliked quinoa untill I tried this recipe! This recipe is a true game- changer. Now ofcourse I would use no more than 1 tbsp of oil (from a serving size of two people) and not add any Ghee to the recipe.

But beside that, nothing can beat this tangy- sweet- sour breakfast dish! It is also packed with micronutrients from the lentils and vegetables. Make a big batch of this over the weekend and have it as a left- over for a few days later too.

French Toast:

If you are craving something international and yet healthy, this this delicious recipe. Now it does satisfy your sweet cravings for the day, while still keeping your breakfast free of artificial sugars.

This recipe is my weekend brunch with a lot of fruits and coffee! Makes me want to make some as I am even typing this :)

Vegan oats and banana smoothie.

People associate banana's with being high- fat, but they are really not. They in fact do not have much fats at all! Banana's are a low- calorie, nutrient rich superfood. Banana's are loaded in fiber, keeping you full for longer and even high in potassium, keeping your heart healthy!

Now this is a liquid meal, meaning, it is easy to go overboard on calories if you are not watchful. So stick to the measurements in this given recipe, or use it as a refreshing post workout breakfast meal.

The oats added to this dish only makes it higher in resistance starch, adding to its weight loss benefits.

Vegan Mock Tuna Salad

This humble recipe is rich in iodine, calcium and even proteins. Does not require a lot of ingredients, can be prepared in seconds and can be eaten as a left- over too! Feel free to add seasonal spices like cilantro, chives, mint leaves or even oregano. Spices only enhance the micro- nutrient load of the dish.

I personally enjoy this with a few slices of toasted whole grain or sourdough bread and a cup of fruits on the side. Try it, and you will thank me!

Tempeh Stir- fry with brown rice.

If you are a firm believer that breakfast must be your heaviest meal, then you are in for a treat with this recipe. A fermented protein- source, tempeh, is an Indonesian classic.

Tempeh is now globally accessible and mostly takes up the flavour of the sauces it is cooked with. Now it is a developed taste, but oh- so- healthy for you! Cooking it with bold Asian spices and serving it on a bed of bland brown rice makes this dish even more appealing.

Fun fact, did you know tempeh has more proteins that meat itself! If you are. a protein-o-holic, then make this your protein of choice.

The ultimate Green Smoothie.

How can we talk about breakfast without talking about the power packed leafy green smoothie. This is a great way to get your greens in and make sure you start the day right.

If you have kids at home who just wont eat greens, try this fantastic recipe to help them reach their daily nutrition. Adding a handful of berries or even cherries to the smoothie will change the colour to a bright purple/ red, masking the green's well enough for you to not even notice that they are in there.

Vegan Greek Chickpea on Toast.

If there is one food group you MUST include for all three meals, it is pulses/ lentils. Pulses and lentils are literally good for your healthy gut microbiome. They help with weight loss by reducing insulin resistance, are loaded with fiber, boosting your satiety hormones and are even rich in micro- nutrients.

Pair this with an ezikial toast, whole wheat sourdough toast or even whole- grain bread for a wholesome breakfast. This is a great low fat meal for breakfast lovers.

Just going on a plant- forward meal plan is enough to see fantastic results in your health. Couple that with even minimum exercise per day and adopting healthy recipes can be a game changer.

Reach out to me for a customised meal plan to help you reach your goals faster.