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A Vegan Diet Can Save Your Life

A Vegan diet can lead to a healthier lifestyle and there are some great recipes out there to make your meals enjoyable and delicious. Veganism is a lifestyle choice and those who are not used to it should ease into it gradually as far as your meals go. Being a Vegan means not using animal products or byproducts of any kind. This is very different from vegetarianism as the lifestyle change only affects their food diet. Vegans will not use any animal product of any kind including leather products, honey, or anything that may contain animal byproducts as well. A Vegan diet consists of lots of fruits and vegetables and you would be surprised at how many great recipes are available for delicious meals. Many eat very unhealthy foods and the reason seems to be the claim of convenience but there are many unique ways to make quick and convenient meals and still maintain a Vegan diet.

Keys to a Successful Vegan Diet

The key to a successful Vegan diet is eating a wide variety of Vegan friendly foods to make sure you get all the vitamins and minerals you need. You can always take supplements for any that might be missing in your diet. Vitamin D is one that is more difficult to find in vegan foods but the answer is quite simple provided you are not a pale skinned goth hiding out in their parent”s basement. That”s right, all it takes is some sunlight to get your vitamin D and it only takes about thirty minutes a day in the sun to get your recommended daily allowance. Most people, regardless of their diet or lifestyle choice do not get enough fruits and vegetables in their diet. A Vegan diet will give you more energy as you will have no choice but to eat healthy foods and you will have an overall sense of well being knowing you are not contributing to the mindless slaughter of innocent animals. It”s a win, win situation for all parties involved.

Vegan Diet “” Check Your Labels

Another key to a Vegan diet is checking labels when you buy foods. You don”t necessarily have to go out of your way to find a natural food store, though it sure does help in the selection process, and you can find the right foods at your local grocery store as more and more stores are offering organic foods, or you can get what you need at your farmer”s market. If you are buying canned beans for example, as regular beans take so long to cook, just make sure to check the labels as many canned food items may contain animal lard or byproducts in them. Check online and you can find great vegan recipes, and there are so many available that you can have a new experience every time you eat. Remember most spices are safe for vegan diets to add all the flavor you want. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, raw or cooked, check your labels, and make sure you are not using any animal products or byproducts in your personal life.

Article source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-A-Vegan-Diet-Can-Help-You-Live-Longer/3434550

Peanut butter is one of the hallmarks of American cuisine. Its in our sandwiches, our cookies, and even alights on our celery from time to time. Its delicious, sure, but how good is peanut butter for us? It is one of the most caloric foods found in the average American kitchen, weighing in at roughly 170-200 calories per two tablespoon serving and for some of us, limiting ourselves to two tablespoon servings of our favorite nut spread can be quite difficult. Most of the calories come from fat.

The good news is, most of the fats contained are monounsaturated, and have been shown to improve the cholesterol profile by lowering bad LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. The positive effect it has on cholesterol levels is further enhanced by peanut butter containing polyunsaturated fats, which in turn help raise good HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels. This synergistic effect makes peanut butter a good choice for those trying to naturally regulate their cholesterol levels.

Peanut butter is also fairly high in fiber, providing about 8% 10% of the recommended daily allowance in each serving. Dietary fiber has been shown to play an important role in reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and colo-rectal cancer, and helps to regulate cholesterol and blood-sugar levels. Whats more, its fairly high in protein, supplying roughly seven or eight grams per serving. Protein is vital to our entire physical system, making up about 16% of our total body weight, and playing a role in all of the cells and most of the fluids our bodies contain.

Along with beneficial minerals such as iron, magnesium, copper, calcium, and potassium, peanut butter is a good source of vitamins E and B3, also known as niacin. Vitamin E is a powerful lipsoluble antioxidant, which means that it blends with the fatty or lipid portions of our bodies. Its able to remove toxins from the body, and promotes protection against numerous forms of cancer, including lung, colon, and breast cancers. Vitamin B3, or niacin, is a water-soluble nutrient, which means it cannot be stored in our fatty tissues and should be replenished frequently. It also has antioxidant properties, and aids bodily function by regulating the secretion of sexual hormones. Yowza!

Incorporating moderate amounts of peanut butter into your diet has a number of highly beneficial health effects. So go ahead and spread!

Here’s a delicious, healthy recipe for frozen peanut butter pie. This pie tastes especially good with a gingersnap crust, which is a cinch to make. If you’re making a vegan version, read the label on the gingersnap package to make sure they’re dairy-free chances are they will be. Look for the cheapest snaps typically they’re the ones which contain no dairy. You can make your crust out of any cookie or graham cracker you’d like, of course; gingersnap is just a suggestion. Here’s how you do it: Mix about 1 1/2 cups of fine crumbs (use your blender or food processor) with about 1/4 cup of melted Butter-Flavor Crisco and press the mixture onto the bottom and sides of a greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 375 degrees for about eight minutes, and allow the crust to cool completely before filling.

Ingredients:

* 1 lb. medium-firm tofu, mashed
* 1 cup Splenda
* 1/4 cup oil
* 2 tsp. vanilla
* 1 tsp. butter-flavor extract (optional)
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* 1 cup peanut butter

Have your baked pie shell ready.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix with a hand mixer until fairly well blended. Put about a cup of the mixture in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula to make sure everything gets well-combined. Transfer the blenderized portion to another mixing bowl, and repeat the process until all the pie filling has been blenderized. Give the blenderized pie filling a good stir, and pour it into your prepared crust. Freeze the pie until firm, and let it thaw for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Article source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Have-A-Healthy-Helping-Of-Peanut-Butter/3421923