How to Fortify Your Vegetarian Diet and Lower Cholesterol Simultaneously

Although most vegetarians consume a considerable amount of protein through their diet, they often do not absorb as much as they would compared to a non-vegetarian diet. This is because plant proteins (with the exception of soy products) are considerably less digestible than animal meat proteins. The structures of the amino acids in meat are identical to those of human, making it easier for our body to absorb meat proteins. Besides, meat provides a more complete set of amino acids which our body require for day-to-day metabolism. Hence, your grandma is right when she told you that meat is more nutritious than vegetables.

Nonetheless, this does not mean that vegetarian diets are bad. Typically, a vegetarian diet is low in cholesterol and high in fibers, a good combination for combating high cholesterol conditions. However, vegetarians should make up for lost proteins in their diets by consuming a wide variety of vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts, fruits, whole grains and soy products such as tofu. Non-vegan vegetarians may complement their diet with yogurt, milk, and eggs (which contain complete proteins).

Vegetarians should use food labels to assist them in balancing their diet. If you see a pasta labeled as containing 5 grams of protein per serving, realize that your body probably absorbs much less than that. You could fortify your pasta meal with other sources of protein -- broccoli, lentils, mushrooms, pine nuts and spinach. Alternatively, look out for foods that are labeled "protein-fortified". For example, grocery stores offer a variety "protein-fortified" pasta and bread. If you cook a meal with this pasta, you could probably eat it plain with your favorite sauce.

Finally, do not forget about soy products. They are a good source of proteins for vegetarians. Studies on isolated soy protein show that our body can absorb soy proteins nearly as well as meat proteins. If this is not encouraging enough, consider this -- the FDA has approved health claims regarding the role of soy protein in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. Now, there are plenty of soy products available -- soy milk, bean curd, tofu, tempeh, natto, Japanese miso, baked beans, and even soy flour for baking. And if the cafe offers soy milk for your coffee for an additional dime, take it.

Lyn P. writes on various topics of health and nutrition. The above article was recently included in the Cholesterol Diet Secrets mini course ( CholesterolDietSecrets.com CholesterolDietSecrets.com ), a website that provides tips for reversing the effects of cholesterol without prescription drugs.