Whatever our values and beliefs, switching to a vegetarian (or vegan) diet can be quite complicated in the first few weeks after our decision. Any novice vegetarian will tell you the same thing: “In fact, there is meat in everything! and we introduce you to people starting a vegan diet. Yes, changing your eating habits leads to the discovery of new recipes, new foods, new shops. , but also the discovery of possible deficiencies and nutritional errors to avoid…
Indeed, several American studies have shown that many abandon their new diet after a while: 70 to 80% of vegetarians become omnivores again after 5 years! To experience all these changes as best as possible without having to worry about it, we have the 100% organic solution: kohlrabithe 1st cooking box certified organic farming accompanies you in your vegetarian or vegan approach by offering weekly pre-dosed recipe kits with more than 80% ingredients from short French circuits delivered directly to your home!
Farewell to the mental burden of “What can I prepare tonight? †, you will receive a recipe card with your meals with an explanation of all stages of realization. And as a bonus, you can complete your order with one of our delicious weekly brunches, a fruit basket or our express dishes prepared by our chef in the studio!
Why go vegetarian?
For our health especially
you may know, our diet plays a role important role in our well-being† In France we have wide access to all kinds of animal products. Unfortunately, this over-consumption can promote the occurrence of certain chronic diseases such as diabetes, certain cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis or arterial hypertension or even dyslipidemia.
In 2015, the WHO also classified processed meats as carcinogenic foods (and recommend limiting our consumption to 150 g per week) and red meat as likely carcinogenic foods (no more than 500 g per week). Our health is worth it!
By refusing to contribute to animal suffering
Indeed, it is often the first argument we hear, and rightly so, as the vast majority of conventionally reared animals live in poor living conditions. In France, more than 80% of animals grow up in intensive farming† Many are crammed into barns or locked up in cages. Consuming less and better meat, especially through organic farming, is the best way we have today to curb this overproduction.
For our beautiful planet
Yes, our food consumption has a direct impact on our environment! According to the FAO, livestock is responsible for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, a higher percentage than the direct emissions of all transport… Likewise, livestock farming is responsible for 63% of the destruction of the Amazon forest for the creation of field crops intended to feed farm animals. So even if we know that cheese is sacred to every good Frenchman, reducing its consumption is a great way to help conserve our planet. Recycling our waste is not the only way of doing business on a daily basis!
How’s it going on the board?
the proteins
One of the misconceptions about vegetarianism is the lack of protein it causes. But who said there are no protein sources other than animal products? One of the nutritional foundations of vegetarians is: complementarity of legumes / grains† In fact you will find vegetable proteins both in legumes (chickpeas, split peas, fava beans, red lentils, green lentils, etc.) and in grains (wheat, barley, oats, quinoa, rice, etc.). Except that these vegetable proteins may be incomplete. But the association of legumes / grains in a meal assures you of it a contribution in complete and high-quality proteins †
For example, lentils are rich in proteins containing lysine (amino acid, component of proteins) and rice is rich in proteins containing methionine but no lysine. Consuming a dish of lentils and rice will provide you with all the essential elements for the synthesis of high-quality proteins! If you consume both dairy products and eggs, you will already find complete proteins in them.
The iron
There are two types of iron: heme iron and non-heme iron† The latter is the iron found in plants, more specifically in legumes (lentils, chickpeas, white beans, etc.), oilseeds (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.) and certain vegetables in small quantities (green cabbage, onion , Spinach…). Non-heme iron is less well absorbed by our body than heme iron (from animals), so make sure you get enough!
There is a trick to maximize the absorption of non-heme iron: the iron/vitamin C combination! For example, squeeze a lemon on your plate, have a kiwi for dessert or sprinkle your dish with parsley! Note: Certain foods, such as coffee, tea, wine, grape juice and milk, should be removed from your meals. Rather, they will inhibit the absorption of non-heme iron. So make sure to consume them outside of meals.
The little anecdote: Contrary to what Popeye had us believe throughout our childhood, spinach is not very rich in iron. In the 1870s, German biochemist Emil Von Wolf, who was responsible for evaluating the nutritional value of foods, made a careless mistake and dropped a comma when noting the iron content of spinach!
Calcium
If we choose to stop consuming dairy products, there is one element to consider: our calcium intake. But fortunately, found in some plants † You can find it mainly in cabbage, spinach, broccoli, lamb’s lettuce, green beans, peas, carrots, almonds, aromatic herbs or even coconut milk. And a little wink to rutabagawith a whopping 43 mg of calcium per 100 g!
To maximize absorption, consume it with: foods rich in vitamin D (eggs, mushrooms and especially foods fortified with vitamin D such as certain plant-based milks or yogurt) but don’t forget to expose yourself to the sun for at least 15 minutes a day. Note: calcium absorption is limited by an excess of salt.
Vitamin b12
This vitamin, virtually absent in foods of plant origin, is essential for the proper functioning of the human body. For example, it contributes to the proper functioning of cell division, the formation of red blood cells or the proper absorption of nutrients. When one becomes vegetarian (and especially vegan), the lack of this vitamin should not be taken lightly! If you do not consume animal products, B12 supplementation is essential†
iodine
Yes, even though we often forget, iodine plays an important role in our health! For example, it is necessary for the production of thyroid hormones. It is mainly found in fish and seafood, but you can easily meet your needs by using enriched sea salt and consume fresh seaweed or flakes (you can find it in specialized stores but also in some supermarkets).
The health benefits of the vegetarian diet
When we become vegetarian, our consumption of vegetables and grains increases sharply. And one of the main components of these last two foods is the fiber † These small elements, but not digestible by our body, provide us with a large number of benefits: they allow us to: maintain a healthy bowel movement† regulates our blood sugar level (glycemia), and are also hypotriglyceridemic and hypocholesterolemic. In other words, they help us to regulate lipids† The fibers are also very important for the good health of our gut microbiota (colony of bacteria in our gut that play a key role in our health). Indeed, the fibers of plants allow the good bacteria to feed and develop!
You have probably heard of theacid-base balance of our body, balance that allows to keep a golden mean between the acidity and the alkalinity of the organization. This balance is strongly influenced by our diet, as each food tends to be acidic, alkaline or neutral. Meat is a rather acidifying food for our body (just like processed foods), the vegetarian diet allows for an anti-inflammatory diet and allows to restore this balance and thus fight against various ailments such as chronic fatigue, arthritis or even certain intestinal problems.
One of the biggest benefits of the vegetarian diet is that it allows us to rethink and from reconnect with our food† When we embark on vegetarianism, we often ask ourselves a lot of questions about nutrition, we seek and discover new recipes, new flavors… All this allows us to better relate and reconnect with our food. to make.
Beware of vegetarian processed foods!
Even though these products can lend you a hand every now and then, don’t make a habit of them! A recent study of the Nutrinet health cohort demonstrated that the share of processed foods in the total consumption of vegans was 39.5% and vegetarians 37%against 33% for omnivores, while the recommendations do not exceed 15%.
Remember that even if they are vegetarian products, they are still there processed industrial products with various ingredients that are not necessarily good for our body (additives, additions of trans fats and sugars, etc.).
In practice
Start small! Make simple recipes at home, try a vegetarian restaurant on one of your outings (or be tempted by a vegetarian dish) and adapt your favorite recipes (hamburger, lasagna, curry… treat yourself!).
Another alternative: let yourself be guided by kohlrabi † If you want to slowly switch to a more plant-based but also balanced and gourmet diet, we offer: 100% organic vegetarian recipe boxes delivered at home† Every week you will discover new recipes and new combinations of flavors that you would not have come up with without us…
Whatever your choice, the most important thing is to be aware of your ability to act to change things† We admit it’s not easy to change your eating habits overnight, but gradual adjustment is entirely possible! If you want to go further and be guided, there are many applications to help you take the step step by step. In any case, staying informed is the first step!
longing for’adopt new eating habits † Go to the Rutabago website and choose your favorite recipes! In addition, you can: take advantage of a 20 € discount on your cooking box with the promo code “positiv20”†