5 Simple ways to be vegetarian for beginners

Changing a vegetarian lifestyle is not easy. You have to make various adjustments to really get used to the new diet. Your success in being a vegetarian is also determined by the way you get started.

How to be vegetarian for beginners

Here are some simple tips for those of you who want to become a vegetarian:

1. Know the types of vegetarians

Being vegetarian doesn't just mean avoiding animal foods and eating only fruits and vegetables. Depending on the type of vegetarian diet you follow, you can still eat several types of animal foods.

Whichever way you take to be vegetarian will be more effective when you understand the types of vegetarians. Among them:

Ovo vegetarian: do not eat animal food, except eggs.
Lacto vegetarian: do not eat animal food, except milk and its products.
Lacto-ovo vegetarian: do not eat animal food, except eggs, milk and their products.
The vegetarian / pescatarian pesco: the only animal food eaten is fish.
Vegetarian pollo: only animal food that is eaten is poultry.
Vegan: do not eat red meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, or other animal food ingredients and their products.

2. Exchanging animal food ingredients with alternatives

This is a surefire way for those of you who want to be vegetarian, but don't want to abandon your favorite dishes. You do this by replacing ingredients and animal products with alternative ingredients from vegetable sources.

Here are a few alternatives that you can use:

Red meat, poultry or fish are replaced with tofu, tempeh, seitan (imitation meat), mushrooms, and jackfruit.
Beef or chicken broth is substituted for broth made from vegetables or mushrooms.
Cow's milk is replaced with soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, and milk from rice.
Cheese is replaced with soybeans, cashews, or yeast mushrooms.

3. Pay attention to food packaging labels

Vegetable food is not only available in the form of meat, eggs or milk. You also need to pay attention to other ingredients listed on food packaging labels. This method will greatly help your success in becoming a vegetarian.

Pay attention to the label of the food packaging that you want to consume. Unless you are lacto vegetarian, materials that you need to avoid include:

Honey in processed food, tea, or beauty products
Gelatin or collagen in chewy candy and marshmallows
Whey and casein in cheese, bread, candy, and coffee creamer
L-cysteine in bread and cakes

4. Adequate nutritional needs

Implementing a vegetarian diet can maintain heart health and reduce the risk of cancer and diabetes. However, you are also at risk of experiencing a deficiency in vitamin B12, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in animal foods.

People who want to become vegetarians must understand very well how to meet their nutritional needs that cannot be obtained from vegetable protein. You can get vitamin B12, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids through supplements or foods that have been fortified with these nutrients.

5. Create a simple menu

Another obstacle for people who want to become vegetarian is that it is difficult to find dishes that do not contain animal foods. As a solution, you can make your own simple menu from vegetable ingredients.

Here are some simple menus you can try:

Breakfast: oatmeal with fruits and flaxseeds (flaxseed), scrambled eggs with tomatoes and mushrooms, or toast with avocado and vegetables
Lunch: salads, fried potatoes and sweet potatoes, or tempeh burgers
Dinner: rice and curry filled with peas, tortilla roll the filling of vegetables and beans, or sauteed eggplant with parmesan cheese (divide lacto vegetarian)

There are many ways you can become vegetarian. Choose the method that best suits your daily habits. This will make it easier to slowly change your diet.

Every change takes time, so there's no need to rush. Start by replacing some animal foods with alternatives. Over time, you will become more familiar with plant-based foods.