Healthy Hollywood: Hug A Vegetarian Today!

Happy World Vegetarian Day! That’s right, us plant-based folks have our own day to celebrate our meatless lifestyle.

Healthy Hollywood, along with celebrities like Carrie Underwood, Olivia Wilde and Denzel Washington, have all pledged to hold the beef.

And with the push to eat healthier, most of us know that following a plant-based diet has major health benefits. For starters, vegetarians are leaner, tend to live longer, have lower blood pressure and overall more robust energy.

“Incorporating more plant-based protein into your diet and cutting back on meat is beneficial to your health and to the environment. Plant-based foods have less fat and no cholesterol which help reduce the risk of cancer, obesity and diabetes,” state the folks at Gardein, which is a meat-free line of foods.

For those folks, who don’t how to begin their vegetarian journey; just take it one step at a time.

“Just try it! Today eating better for you protein is easier than ever due to a wide variety of available products at grocery stores and restaurants. Eliminate meat once a week for Meatless Monday. One great way to swap out meat from your favorite meal with plant-based options, for example, Gardein beefless ground for tacos or teriyaki chick’ n stir fry,” recommends Healthy Hollywood’s veggie friends.

If you’re still craving a hearty meat & potatoes dish, there are a lot of satisfying plant-based swaps, that won’t have you asking ‘Where’s the beef?’

“Hearty vegetables and meat alternatives such as tofu, tempeh and seitan can be swapped into dishes. Tofu, made from mashed soybeans soaks up flavor well and is great in flavorful spices and sauces. Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans and can serve as a filling protein option. Seitan made from cooked wheat gluten, is high in protein,” reveals the crew from Gardein.

So, why not, go green (at least for the day) and pile up those veggies and give you and your family a hefty serving of health! 

— Terri MacLeod