‘No meat, no meal’, sounds a little old fashioned don’t you think? At Lettuce.B we have revolutionized the way children and adults are enjoying vegetarian food. By serving organic, local and seasonal fruits and vegetables, we’ll show you why you won’t miss the meat. But why go veggie? There are far more health benefits of eating a predominantly plant based diet than people may realize. Kids are constantly on the move, therefore it is essential that they are getting the sustainable nutrition required for both their growing brains and bodies. Too much animal fat in the bloodstream can lead to blocked arteries. A vegetarian diet is also lower in fat and cholesterol; so continuously opting for a delicious quinoa salad over a steak may eventually reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Giving Steak a Run for its Money
Worried that by going veggie you won’t be getting enough protein in your diet? Surprisingly, animal protein is not the only source of protein available, in fact, there are many vegetables which contain an even higher amount of protein than beef, chicken or fish. At O Baby Bar we have designed a plant based menu that will give you plenty of options when it comes to getting your daily dose of protein.
The Nutritional Breakdown
A small beef short loin steak contains an average of only 8g protein, however, this amount is easily matched and often exceeded by consuming one serving of these protein rich foods:
- 2 cups cooked broccoli 8g
- 1 cup cooked peas 8g
- 1 cup cooked lentils 18g
- 5 oz tofu 12g
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas 15g
Some other great protein sources are quinoa, chia seeds, beans, pumpkin seeds and asparagus – the list is endless!
Why Babies Should Go From Beef to Beans
With you and your children getting your protein from plant-based foods you are simultaneously lowering your intake of saturated fat, which in turn can lower the risk of developing high cholesterol and hypertension. In 2010, a review in Nutrition in Clinical Practicereported that, on average, vegetarians had a lower body mass index and lower blood pressure than the average non vegetarian.
It has been proven that vegetarians also live longer, argues Michael F. Roizen, author of The Real Age Diet: Make Yourself Younger with What You Eat’. Want proof?
According to a 30 year-long study, citizens of Okinawa in Japan boast one of the longest life expectancies on the planet and it’s no coincidence that the traditional Okinawan diet is predominantly plant based.
Source: USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24, 2011 and manufacturers’ information.
