Take the Superfood-Group Challenge! Vegetarian Edition
By Dr. Madeline
Part 3: For Vegetarians (Part 1: For Everybody is here, and Part 2: For Vegans is here)
When my husband and I were planning our wedding, we told the caterer that we had many vegetarian friends and would therefore need excellent vegetarian options. Her quick response was, “So, they can eat the fish!”
Ummmm, no.
You might have guessed that we did not go with this caterer. It’s true that most of my friends are vegetarians. Their reasoning varies from environmental to ethical or religious. After learning about pescatarians, I imagine that this is what the caterer was thinking of, but, in general, vegetarians don’t eat other animals. There are actually a variety of vegetarian types! Here is the breakdown:
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian: Do not eat meat, poultry, or fish.
Lacto-Vegetarian: Do not eat meat, poultry, fish, or eggs.
Ovo-Vegetarian: Do not eat meat, poultry, fish, or dairy.
I find my mind very engaged when creating a vegetarian meal. Is there enough protein? Fat? Having a superfood list to consult is helpful to me so that I can ensure a tasty, nutritious, and fun vegetarian meal.
The research indicates that the Superfoods below, when incorporated into your regular diet, can improve gut health, boost the immune system, and may decrease negative aspects of most chronic diseases. If you are new to eating whole foods, start small. Consider a switch-out of a processed food you eat regularly for a Superfood listed below. As time goes on, you can add more.
Use the Shopping Cart Checklist to assess your cart to help you include Superfoods each time you shop.
Superfoods for Vegetarians
(See superfoods for all and for vegans, then add the following.)
Eggs: A beautiful whole food with the perfect amount of fat and protein. Eating the yolks a bit runny will add to the vitamin and mineral richness of the egg. Eggs provide choline for brain health, vitamin D for calcium absorption from the gut, lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health, plus all nine essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein.
Cheeses: A wonderful source of fat to build robust anatomy! Remember, the less processed, the better! Raw milk cheeses like gruyere, manchego, and parmesan provide beneficial active microbes for increased gut health. Check out the most amazing cheese counter at HWFC!
Kefir: A power-packed drink that will populate your gut with health-promoting microbes for gut healing and health. Kefir also contains the amino acid tryptophan, which is used by the body to make the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin, known by most as the brain molecule that encourages feelings of happiness, calm, and contentment, is also important for smooth muscle contraction in the gut for propulsion of food, in the vasculature for blood flow, and for glands that release hormones.
Hempseeds: Packed with 9 essential amino acids for building protein, hempseeds also contain both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which help decrease inflammation. They are a rich source of both vitamins and minerals for cellular health as well as both soluble and insoluble fiber for gut health. This superfood not only supports vital organs like the brain and heart but also enhances the production of cellular energy that occurs in everybody’s favorite organelle, the mitochondria!
Psyllium Husk: Increases feelings of fullness and is one of the best foods for digestive regulation. Creates a gel in the gut that allows the microbiome to feed on carbohydrates, which helps establish healthy microbiome growth, relieves the sugar burden on your liver, decreases glucose spikes in the blood, and helps to get rid of excess LDL cholesterol in the body.
Olives: With healthful monounsaturated fats, these anti-inflammatory salty treats are a great little snack to replenish salt in the body and increase satiety. Olives contain vitamin E, which helps to decrease inflammation in the body as well as keeps your vasculature (blood vessels) supple.They contain fiber for gut health and have been shown to be heart-healthy!
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: With anti-inflammatory properties, brain-boosting ability, and study after study indicating daily intake reduces the risk of chronic disease, extra virgin olive oil is a must-have staple food for the human diet. Use for fresh salad dressings, drizzle on roasted vegetables, or as a skin moisturizer.
Avocados: A unique and versatile fruit! Great for eating with a spoon (I like to add salt, pepitas, and a squeeze of lemon), adding to a smoothie or salad dressing, or making guacamole. Its fiber content promotes gut health, and its fat content stabilizes blood sugar and promotes satiety. The monounsaturated fat content, lutein, and the folate content enhance brain function by protecting neurons, allowing ease of cell-to-cell communication, and have even been shown to improve memory.
The Superfoods listed here are to get you started on your journey toward health. The Superfood Group Shopping Checklist summarizes the Superfood Groups for all, and expands on Superfoods for vegans in Part 2. Look for Part 4 where we will dive into more Superfoods for our omnivore friends!
Dr. Madeline has a Ph.D. in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. She works at a local college where she teaches in the biology department. Check out her writing in The Coop Scoop or the HWFC Blog. Have a question or a suggestion for a future topic? MadHealthDoc@gmail.com She is not on social media so you can’t find her, follow her or subscribe to her channel. Instead, she hopes that you take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then, smile and go outside.
View all the Coop Scoop Blog posts here.