Animals are my Friends and I don't eat my Friends -

George Bernard Shaw

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Health and Diet

Types of Vegetarian

Lacto-ovo-vegetarian. Eats both dairy products and eggs. This is the most common type of vegetarian diet.

Lacto-vegetarian. Eats dairy products but not eggs.

Ovo-vegetarian. Eats eggs but not dairy products. Vegan. Does not eat dairy products, eggs, or any other animal product.

Being a vegetarian isn't easy

Some find it difficult giving up bacon sandwiches, others crave haddock with their chips and even when the body is finally declared a meat-free zone, you could be chomping Babe without knowing it. Now vegetarians are demanding food that's not been contaminated by animal products and caterers are starting to pay attention. Although 94% of food outlets claim to be vegetarian-friendly, the percentage that actually are is far lower. The hearty vegetable soup in the local pub may have been made with chicken stock, the "vegetarian" breakfast at the greasy spoon will probably have been cooked with your mate's bacon sandwich and even a bag of cheese and onion crisps can be flavoured with meat-derived additives. A recent analysis showed that of five flavours of potato crisp tested, only the roast-beef flavour was 100% meat-free and even toothpastes, mints and red Smarties are on the banned list. Cheese is only truly vegetarian if an alternative to rennet (which comes from the stomachs of cattle) is used to sour the milk. Although most high-street pizza outlets use vegetarian cheeses, how many cafés and bars bother? As a rule, unless the word "vegetarian" is used (preferably in conjunction with the Vegetarian Society), you can bet your last tofu and tomato sandwich, it's not.

Stumbling Blocks

Many foods contain ingredients derived from the slaughter of animals. Gelatine is made from animal ligaments, tendons, bones etc. which have been boiled in water. It is often found in confectionery, ice cream, and other dairy products. Animal fats refer to carcass fats and may be present in a wide range of foods, including biscuits, cakes, and margarines. Suet and lard are types of animal fats. Certain food additives (E numbers) may be derived from animal sources. Cheese is generally made with rennet extracted from the stomach lining of slaughtered calves. Vegetarian cheese is made with rennet from a microbial source. For a complete list see here

Vegetarian Foods

A well balanced vegetarian diet can provide all the nutrients your body needs and there is much scientific evidence to indicate vegetarians may be healthier than meat-eaters. A vegetarian diet is healthy because it is typically low in saturated and total fat, high in dietary fibre and complex carbohydrate, and high in protective minerals and vitamins present in fresh fruit and vegetables. Vegetarian food groups are:

Cereals/grains - wheat (bread & pasta), oats, maize, barley, rye, rice, etc. Potatoes are a useful cereal alternative.

Pulses - kidney beans, baked beans, chick peas, lentils, etc.

Nuts & Seeds - almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.

Fruit & vegetables.

Dairy products or Soya products - tofu, tempeh, soya protein etc.

Vegetable oils and fats - margarine or butter

Useful Tips on Going and Staying Vegetarian

Treat yourself to a vegetarian cookbook for inspiration and advice. Th ere are a wide range covering recipes for beginners, advanced cooks, slimmers, diabetics. Most also give dietary advice Start gradually. Adapt familiar meals such as lasagne and shepherd's pie by using textured vegetable protein (TVP). Although fully vegetarian, it has the look, taste and texture of mince or meat chunks, according to which variety you buy. It is available from health food stores. If you don't buy the flavoured variety, be aware that you need to add seasoning of some kind or it will remain bland and uninteresting. Buy vegetarian cheese. It's not an unfamiliar product as cheese is probably already on your shopping list. But whereas some cheeses are made with an ingredient from the stomachs of slaughtered calves, vegetarian cheese uses vegetable-derived rennet. Every supermarket now stocks at least one kind of vegetarian cheese, and many of the more unusual varieties such as Stilton and Brie are also now available in vegetarian versions. Buy free-range eggs. Again, eggs are another staple ingredient in many people's diets so it won't take much effort to pick up the free-range variety instead of the Battery Produced. Read the labels. Although you may get the odd shock when you realise that a food product that seems vegetarian in fact contains something such as gelatine or animal fat, there are plenty of others you'd be surprised and pleased to find out are suitable for you. Look for The Vegetarian Society's V Symbol on food products. It tells you at a glance that the product is suitable for vegetarians. Pulses. Forget the dried variety if you find them difficult to prepare - go for the tinned variety of kidney beans, chick peas, etc. Adapt familiar dishes. If you're the only vegetarian in your family and it's too difficult or expensive to cook totally separate meals, adapt a meat dish. A casserole, for instance, can be made with beans and vegetables in one pan. Then the meat can be cooked separately and given just to the meat eaters. Or use TVP and see if anyone notices the difference. Don't be put off by unfamiliar foods. Tofu, for instance, is a boon to vegetarians, especially new ones. This by-product of soya beans is incredibly versatile and easy to use. And if you use the plain variety, don't think that you've done something wrong when it appears tasteless in the finished recipe - it's meant to absorb the flavour of other ingredients. Or you can buy the smoked or marinated versions. Explore health food stores. They'll have vegetarian products you haven't seen before, and the assistants will be able to answer your questions about products suitable for your new lifestyle.