Many of us today are becoming interested in vegetarianism and are eating less meat or none at all. We may do this to reduce our exposure to saturate fats or cholesterol, which may reduce our risk of heart diseases and certain cancers; to decrease the amount of pesticides or other contamination we eat, especially if we breast feed; to eat more cheaply; to stop killing other living being or other religious reasons. It is absolutely possible to live a healthy life and never eat any animal.

Most vegetarian eat both egg and dairy products. Some eat only one or the other or none. If you are a vegan, it is much more difficult to get protein and certain essential vitamins than if you eat eggs or dairy products. Most children, pregnant women and nursing women need eggs or dairy products in order to get enough protein and perhaps enough calories to stay healthy.

However, if you eat soya products and other fermented foods like tempeh or miso or a supplement t get vitamin B12 an essential nutrient, you may not need to eat any animal products. Consult a nutritionist familiar with a vegan diet.

In order to stay healthy with a vegetarian diet you must know how your body uses plant protein. Proteins are made up of amino acids. Some your body cannot make and these must be eaten. You must also eat them in the right proportions to make use of them. Single sources of plant protein, like most beans, grains and nuts, have the wrong proportions of amino acids for people.

It is easy, though, to combine different types of plant foods so that you can get the right balance. These don't necessary have to be combined in the same meal but should be eaten within three to four hours of each other.