Let me start off by saying I am not a vegetarian, nor have I ever been. Being a bodybuilder, especially when I am in a bulking phase, I simply cannot get enough quality protein daily without meat. This is just my opinion, and what works for me. I do try and pick the healthiest options when buying meat though, and I limit my amount of red meat intake. Beef that comes from grass fed cows (not corn fed), chicken and turkey that is free range, with no hormones or added preservatives if prepackaged (usually in the form of nitrates/nitrites), wild caught fish (not farm raised), and eggs that come from free range chickens. I did however, grow up in a home with parents who were vegetarians and/or vegans for many years, and my wife is also a vegetarian, consuming only seafood but no meat or dairy products at the moment.
Being in households with family members that only ate organic, all natural, and/or vegetarian/vegan foods, I do have a great deal of experience with options for non animal product consumers. Lets talk about a few options, so you know they are out there! These days, there is practically a non meat substitute for most kinds of meat, i.e. beef, turkey, chicken, etc. Simply look in the organic refrigerated foods section of your supermarket and you will find them. As for dairy, there are a slew of choices; soy milk, almond milk, and rice milk to name a few. You can also find dairy free cheese. Then there are good meatless protein options such as tofu and tempeh. Chick peas are also a great option. Most products with nutrition labels will say at the bottom if they contain any type of dairy ingredients, so if you are trying to stay away from all animal by products, this is also something to look for. The point is, there are so many great options out there, and with more people becoming food conscious, the variety and choices will only increase.
One last thing I wanted to include in the Grocery List that I mentioned I would get to is complex carbohydrates vs. simple carbohydrates. Basically, a simple carbohydrate is going to give you an energy burst sooner (but a short one), and cause a spike in blood sugar release. Usually when we eat these items (many of them referred to as "comfort foods"), we feel pretty good after wards. Here is the problem though- when these foods are digested, and a surge of blood sugar is released into the body, this sugar likes to store itself in the form of fat when it is not burned off. Another downside of simple carbs, from a nutrient stand point, is that simple carbs have the important nutrients stripped from them before you eat them! Complex carbs provide the body with short amounts of sustained energy, without the heavy blood sugar spike, so the body can make better use of these carbs, and gains more from a nutrient stand point.
Stick with complex carbs such as sweet potato, brown rice, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, etc., and avoid simple carbs such as white bread, white rice, white pasta, white potatoes, etc. Your body will thank you in the long run! Until next time, thanks for tuning in...
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