Vegetarian Diet to Gain Weight

e are all blessed enough to choose from a diverse range of food from various sources for our survival. Not only diverse, but a huge platter of choices is available. Get bored of one kind?? Well, there's always something else to choose from. Be it vegetarian or non-vegetarian, the list is never-ending. Time and again, there have been debates as to which diet is healthier. Vegetarian or Non- vegetarian. To be honest, both have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Non-vegetarian food helps us to strengthen our muscles and grow faster as it is rich in protein and vitamin B whereas vegetarian food is known to increase our longevity by lowering the risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and a few other diseases.

Nowadays we hear everyone talking about shifting to being vegetarian or vegan because of the health benefits it provides us. Be it our celebrities, models, or health enthusiasts, a vegetarian diet is gaining popularity these days. A vegetarian diet usually consists of three parts. Total vegetarian, Lacto Vegetarian, and Lacto-ovo vegetarian. A simple vegetarian diet includes vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and grains. The Lacto vegetarian diet consists of dairy products such as milk, cheese, and butter along with plant foods whereas the Lacto-ovovegetarian diet comprises of an egg along with other dairy products. All these three kinds of vegetarian diets are easy to plan and follow since they are rich in all nutrients and the body is not deprived of any component of nutrition. It is a known fact that the vegetarian diet is rich in minerals, fiber, magnesium, folic acid, and unsaturated fatty acids. A vegetarian diet is extremely helpful in not only preventing heart diseases and diabetes, but it also controls blood pressure, lowers cholesterol levels, and prevents diseases likecancer.

"Are you a vegetarian?? Oh, that's so sad, how do you get your nutrients? Don't you get bored eating the same kind of food always?? Is your body getting its share of proteins and vitamins regularly??” Vegetarians would be tired of hearing and answering these questions as well. A vegetarian diet has always been considered inferior and vegetarians are brutally trolled.

But here's some good news. A vegetarian diet is healthier than a non- vegetarian diet and people who consume vegetarian food end up living a long and healthy life. Yes!! This is true even though it's surprising, there area variety of facts which prove that a vegetarian diet leads to a much healthier life.

To begin with, the vegetarian diet is more balanced because it contains all the nutrients. Foods that come from plants consist of grains, fruits, vegetables, and pulses which are packed with nutrition and are free from saturated fats. Maintaining a vegetarian diet helps you get all the essential nutrients in place and you follow a more balanced diet. It keeps or cholesterol and blood pressure under check since the diet is high in fibers, vitamins, minerals, and low on saturated fats. As a result of this, vegetarians usually have a healthier BMI (body mass index). A vegetarian's life span is comparatively longer because of low cholesterol and blood pressure. But this entirely depends on the kind of food you consume. A vegetarian who eats a lot of junk all day won't reap any benefits out of it. It is very important to plan a proper and balanced diet. Last but not the least, since a plant-based diet, consisting of grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes, is rich in dietary fiber, it keeps our digestive system functioningnormally.

Now that we know the benefits of a vegetarian diet, let us see how it can be useful to gain weight. Well, it is very easy to gain weight in an unhealthy way by eating a lot of junk food. But it is incredibly difficult to gain weight by eating healthy as it involves a lot of changes in the diet andlifestyle.

Eliminating animal products can make it even more challenging. One has to have a wise and strategic approach to do this. Here are a few superfoods which can help you gain weight the healthy way.

• Nuts like cashews, almonds, and walnuts are a rich source of proteins and good fat. They are also high in calories. A handful of nuts every day can lead to healthy weightgain.

• Avocados are not only rich in healthy fats but also rich in a rangeof micronutrients, including vitamin C, folate, pantothenic acid, and potassium. So, pep up your day with an avocadosmoothie!!

• Quinoa is a healthy grain loaded with proteins, fibers, and other important nutrients such as magnesium, phosphorus, folate, etc. There is a wide range of recipes that can be made withquinoa.

• Sesame seeds are a rich source of good fat and protein. It’s good to include them in a roasted form in salads. Drizzle over some olive oil and you also get your share of monosaturatedfats.

• Legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, and beans are a rich source of protein and fibers. They help you gain healthy weight as they are rich incalories.

Apart from the above-mentioned foods, there are many others such as dried nuts, sweet potatoes and coconut oil which are all rich in good fats, fibers, minerals and are high in calories. So, make sure to include all these foods along with a lot of fruits, vegetables, and grains. The best part of gaining weight by a vegetarian diet is that it is perfectly healthy. The body is not getting deprived of any nutrition. It is getting all the required amount of fibers, proteins, good fat, and a wide range of minerals in the right quantity. It is more beneficial as the body gets only the good as compared to putting on weight by eating junk food. Choose wisely. Eat right, stay fit!!! Because remember, you are what you eat!! So, all those who are looking to put on a few more pounds, make your platter vibrant and colorful and get going!!!

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/high-calorie-vegan-foods#section7

https://www.ndtv.com/health/vegetarian-diet-top-5-reasons-why-vegetarian-diet-is-healthier-than-non-vegetarian-diet-1867562