A healthy diet


Studies in different parts of the world have shown that people who mainly feed on non-refined foods that are high in fibre and low in sugar and fat, are less likely to be affected by certain diseases such as high blood pressure, heart conditions, diverticulosis, cancer of the bowel and diabetes. Experts agree that a healthy diet has to be rich in fibre and low in fat, sugar and salt. This was mostly the case in Europe before industrialisation and the mass production of foods. Meat actually didn't play the role many people would think it did, the dietary basis were different cereals and vegetables. Thus a vegetarian diet based on cereals, pulses and vegetables is not too far from what our ancestors ate.


Proteine
Every cell of the human body contains proteine. It is necessary for the regeneration and renewal of cells and protection against infections. The recommended daily intake is not high and even for a vegetarian it is not difficult to get enough proteine. The main sources of proteine for vegetarians are:
- dairy products and eggs: milk, cheese, dairies (e.g. yoghurt); eggs...or egg and dairy substitues for that matter.
- nuts and seeds: almonds, cashews, hazel- brazil- walnuts, pine kernals, pecans, peanuts; sunflower seeds, sesame and pumpkin seeds...
- pulses: peas, beans, lentils, soy beans and soy foods...
- cereal and cereal products: rice, oatmeal, whole wheat flour, pasta...
Combining proteine
Proteines consist of approximately 20 different chemical substances, the socalled amino acids. Eight of those are particularely important because our body cannot produce them on its own. Those are called essential amino acids. Some foods, such as eggs and oatmeal, contain these amino acids in the right proportion, so that our body can use them directly. Other foods like beans and lentils or most cereals don't. This is not really a disadvantage. In the digestion process the amino acids of all the food consumed at the same time mix and the body puts them into the needed proportion. Thus, if a protein is not balanced concerning the amino acids, the body can overcome this lack by combining the amino acids with others from different foods.
The proteines from the four groups mentioned before can be combined to give the body the amino acids needed. You can combine e.g. a lentil soup with whole wheat bread. This is not difficult and even if you don't combine proteines in that way you're hardly running the risk of not taking in enough protein unless you're on a very strict diet.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are needed to produce energy. They are found in starch and sugar - both contained in cereal, flour, flour products like bread, biscuits,

More information you will find in the Vegetarian Society's Information Sheets.

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