Going
Vegetarian

For Your Health and the Health of Our Planet

After growing up overweight, I finally took steps to drop the extra pounds during my college years, some 25 years ago. I discovered that “secret” formula for weight loss: eat smaller portions of healthier foods, and get off the couch and exercise. To cut calories, I eliminated red meat from my diet.

One year later and 50 pounds lighter, I decided to treat myself to a roast beef sandwich. Unaccustomed to red meat, my body rebelled. I got so physically ill that I never touched beef again.

It wasn’t until my early thirties that I went whole hog (excuse the pun) giving up poultry, pork and fish—becoming a true vegetarian. The inspiration: Watching the adorable baby chickens walk across the driveway at my local organic poultry farm. “Tonight,” I thought, “I might be eating their Mommy.” I decided then and there that I did not want to eat animals of any kind ever again. But you don’t need to share any concerns about the ethics of eating animals to have plenty of reasons to become a vegetarian.

The Benefits

“The medical and health benefits of a vegetarian diet are undeniable,” says Bob DiBenedetto, president/executive director of HealthyPlanet, a non-profit group whose mission is to promote food choices and lifestyles that respect our bodies and our shared environment. DiBenedetto cites the opinion of the American Dietetic Association, the nation’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, which has reported that a healthy vegetarian diet reduces obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, adult-onset diabetes and some forms of cancer.

“The evidence is so overwhelming, there’s simply no debate about it anymore,” he says.

Barbara Ann Grova, a holistic health and nutrition counselor, advises her clients with auto-immune diseases, including lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic fatigue, to remove meat from their diets. “Meat is loaded with toxins, including antibiotics, hormones and pesticides,” says Grova. “People begin feeling better, both physically and emotionally when they eliminate it from their systems.”

And the benefits don’t stop at your personal health. By following a vegetarian diet—or reducing your meat consumption dramatically—you’re helping to create a healthier world for everyone. “The resources that go into raising animals for meat consumption are extremely harmful to the planet,” says DiBenedetto. In fact, a report by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization called animal farming a “major threat to the environment.”

Why? “It takes 16 pounds of grain to create one pound of animal flesh, plus an enormous amount of water and pesticides,” says DiBenedetto. “It’s a huge waste of resources.” In addition, a third of our fossil fuel use goes to raising animals for food, making the industry a huge contributing factor in global warming. “The best thing we can do for our environment is moved toward a plant-based diet.”

Popeye Was Right

Contrary to popular opinion, following a vegetarian diet doesn’t mean sacrificing important vitamins. Even an esteemed source such as the National Institutes of Health maintains that people who follow vegetarian diets can get all the nutrients they need.

While virtually all vegetarian diets include fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, seeds and nuts, there are variations. The three basic types of vegetarians are:

1. Lacto-vegetarians who drink milk and eat dairy products, but no eggs, red meat, fish or poultry.
2. Lacto-ovo vegetarians who drink milk, eat eggs and dairy products, but no red meat, fish or poultry.
3. Vegans who eat only plant-based foods, with no meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, cheese, or any other foods, such as honey, that originate from animals. Many also consider veganism as a lifestyle approach, and reject the use of all animal-based products such as leather.

DiBenedetto follows a vegan diet for both health and philosophical reasons. “Dairy farming contributes to environmental degradation, just as meat production does,” he says. And dairy is loaded with hormones and other unhealthy substances, he adds.

Even Oprah Winfrey recently adopted a 21-day vegan diet, both as a method of cleansing her system and to protect animals. (It’s unclear as of this writing if she’ll decide to stick with it for good.)

Veggies & Vitamins

Any of these approaches to vegetarianism are viable, says Robyn Cotler, a registered dietitian in Woodbury, as long as you make sure you’re getting the necessary amounts of protein, iron, calcium, zinc and other essential nutrients.

“Although eating a varied diet that includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and whole grains will cover most of your needs, it’s a good idea to take a multivitamin containing enough B12 [50 micrograms],” Cotler adds. “It helps increase the absorption of iron, which is especially important to people who aren’t eating animal products.”

Another common myth is that vegetarians must be lacking in sufficient protein. “Beans, nuts, seeds, grains, vegetables and soy products such as tofu are great sources of protein,” says Grova. She is also a fan of quinoa, a grain containing more protein and iron than other grains, along with potassium, riboflavin, magnesium and zinc.

It’s All In Store

With so many people moving away from a meat-heavy diet, finding vegetarian fare is easier than ever. Mary Fiteni, a 70-year-old Huntington resident, became a vegetarian 15 years ago. “I’m a diabetic, and everything I read said that it was better for me to stop eating meat,” she says. “After I made the switch, I felt more energetic and ‘cleaner’ inside.”

With grocery store chains such as Whole Foods and Wild by Nature springing up across Long Island, Fiteni says it’s easy to find tasty and exciting vegetarian options. “I love the ‘fake’ chicken nuggets made from soy, and I eat veggie burgers all the time,” Fiteni says. “And I’ve always loved vegetables. I don’t feel like I’m missing anything by not eating meat.”

For women in their forties and beyond, turning to a vegetarian diet can help prevent the weight gain so common during menopause. “It helps balance out their hormones, because they’re not getting all the hormone interrupters, such as pesticides and antibiotics they’ve been eating for years in meat,” says Grova.

As with any food plan, it’s essential that you eat a varied, balanced diet, with frequent but small portions often the best choice. Too much of anything, even nuts and whole grains, can cause weight gain.

“Most Americans eat too much of everything,” says Cotler. “Vegetarians, like everyone, need to make sure they have healthy portions of healthy foods. Eating white rice and pasta all day won’t make you fit.”

The Raw Revolution

Last September, hoping to lose weight and get in better shape, 49-year-old Eileen Harrigan attended a lecture by Chris Califano, founder of The Best Weigh, a raw food and lifestyle program in Glen Cove.

Today, Harrigan, who battled breast cancer four years ago, is a complete convert. Not only has she lost 60 pounds, but she says she feels—and looks—at least 20 years younger.

Just what is a raw food diet? Though definitions vary, it’s typically a vegan-based plan that excludes all animal foods and foods cooked above 115 degrees.

“Cooking food above 115 completely destroys the enzymes, which are the number one nutrient,” says Califano, a licensed chef and member of the American Society of Nutrition and Dietary Consultants. “Most disease is caused by food choices and can be prevented by adopting a raw diet.”

Food choices include raw vegetables and fruits, nuts, seeds, grain and legume sprouts, and fresh juices. “While the diet should be 70 percent greens and fruits, most Americans consume only 7 percent,” says Califano. “For the greatest possible health benefits and physical performance, the best diet is 100 percent plant-based with high raw percentage.”

Harrigan’s typical day consists of fruit for breakfast, a green smoothie mid-morning, and a small salad for lunch. She has another smoothie in the afternoon, a piece of fruit, and a large salad for dinner. “The food is absolutely delicious!” she says. “And I know I’m never going to have to worry about breast cancer again.”

(Want to go vegetarian or vegan? Consult your physician before making a major change in your dietary program.)

Where To Eat

Although more and more Long Islanders are reducing or removing meat from their diets, there are still very few local restaurants catering to vegetarians. Of course, most restaurants do have vegetarian options, but for veggie-only locales, try these:

• Green Melody, Jericho
• House of Dosas, Hicksville
• Tiger Lily Café, Port Jefferson

VEGETARIAN RECIPES TO TRY AT HOME

Bob DiBenedetto’s Green Smoothie

The following are rough quantities that can be adapted to your taste and nutritional requirements. Initially, it's best to start with fewer greens. Add a bit more each week.

Ingredients

• Blueberries (roughly 1/4 cup or less frozen organic)
• Strawberries (1-2 frozen organic)
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 apple

Organic, fresh, green vegetables (enough to fill blender 3/4 of the way). Use the most nutrient dense vegetables (highest density at top of list). Choose from:

• Kale
• Collards
• Spinach
• Bok Choy
• Swiss Chard
• Romaine lettuce

1-2 tbsp. or a handful of some or all of the following:

• Walnuts
• Almonds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Cacao beans
• 2 tbsp. flax seeds (whole)
• 2 brazil nuts

Add water, oat, almond or rice milk for proper consistency.
Put all above ingredients into the power chopper or smoothie maker.

• 1 tbsp. Nutribiotic Vanilla Rice Protein Mix
• 2 tbsp. shredded cocoanut

Soaking of nuts: Put the nuts and seeds into the smoothie maker container with some of the above liquid the night before to make them easier to assimilate.

Barbara Ann Grova’s Quinoa and Aduki Health Salad

Ingredients:

Salad

• 1 2/3 cup dry quinoa
• 3 1/3 cups water
• 1 can or cup of aduki beans (rinsed or soaked)
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1⁄2 cup chopped broccoli 3⁄4 cup chopped parsley
• 1⁄2 cup chopped cucumber
• 1⁄2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄2 cup soaked arame, wakame or hijiki (seaweeds)

Dressing

Combine the following:

• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp Bragg’s liquid aminos
• 1⁄4 Tsp ground cumin
• 3⁄4 Tsp ground coriander

Place quinoa and water in pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add drained seaweed and let sit on low heat for five minutes. Toss with a fork and let cool then add veggies and mix. Pour dressing over the top. Enjoy! Serves 4.

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