Vegetarianism and the gut

V is for Vegetarianism

Is it healthy and what are the common mistakes made on a vegan or vegetarian diet?

Generally, a vegetarian diet is a health diet and they suffer with less inflammatory problems and arthritis than meat eaters. But sometimes it can turn into a very unhealthy diet with lots of diary, refined sugar and flour and processed foods. They also tend to suffer with higher homocysteine levels due to the lack of B vitamins and iron so it is essential to supplement especially if vegan.

Vegetarians and vegans suffer with less ill health, less cancer and less heart disease as they eat a diet high in fibre and lower in saturated fat but it is important to make sure the diet is varied and supplemented with the right nutrients else leaky gut can occur with a highly refined diet.

Top 3 tips:

1.       Variety is key! Make sure you eat lots of plant protien, mix and match your sources to make sure you are getting a full complement of all 14 essential amino acids through the day, mix rice and beans, lentils and chickpeas, miso, tofu, nuts, quinoa, seeds, hemp or pea protien powder etc.

2.       Supplement with B vitamin in liquid methylated form (body ready form so the boy can absorb straight away).

3.       Use flax seed oil on salads, veg etc to get omega 3. Or take a vegetarian omega 3 supplement to balance naturally high omega 6 in diet (inflammation).