The broad perception of the vegetarian way of eating necessitates its perception as he althy. However, very often this is not the case. Not all vegetarians eat he althily. Just cutting out meat, meat and dairy doesn't automatically make a diet he althy.
How can vegetarianism harm you?
You may start eating more junk food
This becomes imperceptible. As much as you don't want to turn to fast snacks, packaged foods, and convenience foods, if you're out and about and don't have much of a choice, you end up reaching for them.
These are the observations from numerous studies regarding the vegetarian diet. An intelligent person would not just cut out meat and dairy products, but also abstain from artificial and ready-made foods. This is what would make you he althier overall.
You may gain weight
It sounds strange, but it's true. There are many cases of vegetarians becoming overweight because of misunderstood ideas about this type of diet. In order not to gain weight, but also to be he althy, you should not emphasize bread and pasta as a substitute for meat.
This error is common. When a satisfying and energy-giving component, such as meat, is missing from the menu, people substitute it with bread. Thus, the feeling of satiety is lied to at the expense of the calories consumed.
You may be suffering from malnutrition
Some fanatics tend to starve but not put something unhe althy in their mouths when they have no choice. On the one hand, this is good because they protect themselves from consuming harmful foods, but on the other hand, it poses a risk of malnutrition.
You have to be prepared for the cases where you have nowhere to get something suitable to eat. So always have at least one packet of nuts, fruit or boiled egg in your bag to support you properly.
Many vegetarians suffer from nutritional deficiencies due to the deprivation of certain food groups. Iron, B vitamins, important proteins are most often missing.
You are not getting important proteins
We mentioned the risk of this serious deficit. Proteins are very important for a number of functions in the body, most of which occur at the cellular level. That's why if you're depriving yourself of animal proteins, it's good to replace them properly with vegetable proteins.
Emphasis on carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables can have the opposite effect, especially in people with diabetes. For them, consumption of plant-based carbohydrates provokes sharp spikes in blood sugar, which puts you at risk of triggering diabetes.
Excess Sodium
In large quantities, sodium is harmful because it causes fluid retention in the body. This is a prerequisite for high blood pressure and disturbances in the electrolyte balance.
Many vegetarians are at risk of excessive sodium intake because of the soy substitutes they consume instead of meat. They contain large amounts of s alts, improving the taste and consistency of the products.
This, in addition to the other foods in the daily intake, which contain sodium, as well as the additional s alting of the dishes, repeatedly increases its amounts in the blood.
