WHY READY-TO-EAT VEGETARIAN MEALS ARE SO POPULAR THIS THANKSGIVING?

Thanksgiving is the time of the year when people celebrate their blessings of the past year. It is popularly celebrated in the United States and Canada on the last Thursday of November each year. People. Of course, the most popular dish during Thanksgiving is the turkey! However, with vegetation and vegan lifestyles gaining popularity, there are a lot of “vegan turkeys” available now. Plenty of side-dishes are also part of the table, and ready-to-eat vegetarian meals are also finding its space on that table!

Plant-based and vegetarian meals are now so freely available! Whether you are looking for a pre-prepared meal or a ready-to-eat vegetarian meal, there are a lot of choices available. After a very rough 2020, people all over the country are excited to celebrate the most loved and celebrated holiday of America! While food is still the center of the celebration, people have started to think more about their health too. That is why vegetarian meals are going to be popular this season. While rich in fiber and being nutrient dense, vegetarian meals are also very filling and provide healthy fat and proteins to the body and is easily digestible.

There is strong evidence that shows that vegetarian / vegan meals may reduce the risk of Type II diabetes, heart diseases, and several types of cancers. Obesity is the dominating cause of several diseases, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Studies show that choosing a vegan / vegetarian lifestyle, helps reduce the excessive fat and in turn lose weight.

It is becoming easier by the day to become a vegan or vegetarian with so many products available in the market which can act as meat substitutes. Textured proteins have dominated the shelves of grocery stores. It has found its way into the menus of the most popular food chains of this country! Of course, its going to find a space on the Thanksgiving dinner table!

Earlier there were concerns that plant-based diets may be nutritionally deficient, but with more research done in the recent years, it seems that giving up meat is more beneficial to your health and also reduces the risk of many chronic diseases.

It is very important to make sure that just by becoming vegetarian is not going to create miracles with your health. Making the right choices of food is equally important! One should make sure that you consume a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, lentils, and whole grains. A balance of all these foods will provide your body with the nutrition it requires.

Most of the time people are concerned about how they will get the proteins they need if they do not consume meat! However, studies have shown that vegetarian and vegan plant-based diets can also provide the same quantity as well as quality of proteins. There is a simple trick to make your plant-protein a complete first-class protein. Consume a lentil along with grains or rice. Its that simple! They each lack 1 amino acid and by mixing them together, they form a complete protein. So, all you have to do is mix a lentil and rice or lentil and grain like quinoa or millet, and voila! You get a complete first-class protein!!

One last but most important thing to remember is to make it a habit to read food labels. Although ready to eat vegetarian meals are a good start, especially if you are not very familiar with the cooking of vegetarian meals, it is important to check the levels of fat, sodium, and protein. Calories play an important role in keeping a healthy weight. So even though you may be consuming vegetarian or vegan food, and do not pay attention to the number of calories consumed, you may gain weight instead of losing it! Make sure you read the portion and serving size on the food label.

So let us celebrate this Thanksgiving with some healthy food choices and relish our time with each other. Food is what brings all of us together and make our time with each other memorable! Whether you have the traditional turkey or the vegan turkey, remember the important thing is being there with and for each other!

I wish each one of you are very Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!

Stay Happy, Stay Healthy!

Warmly,

Sonal

 Also read : Ready-to-Eat Shelf-Stable Plant-based Foods


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