Vegetable diet: types of diets, their pros and cons

Eating vegetables keeps you beautiful and healthy. The composition contains useful substances, the products are easily digestible, accessible and easy to prepare. We have collected for you recipes for the best vegetable dishes that will decorate the table and help you build your dream figure!

The benefits of the products can hardly be overestimated. By including vegetable dishes in your diet, you get many benefits:

• ease of absorption without overloading the gastrointestinal tract;
• saturating the body with vitamins, fiber, minerals;
• long-term preservation of a feeling of satiety.

Vegetable dishes are found in kitchens all over the world and are indispensable in a vegetarian diet, during fasting, or on a diet. Experienced and novice athletes should have dietary recipes made from plant foods in their arsenal.

In this article you will learn the most popular, delicious and easiest to follow vegetable recipes.

Healthy foods and vegetables

Vegetables are a food group that is characterized by a high content of nutrients and is of high value for human health. Vegetables improve digestion and promote the digestion of protein foods (meat, fish, poultry), which is especially important when following a low-carbohydrate diet. Dietary dishes made from vegetables occupy the lion's share of the diet menu for weight loss and are indispensable for a healthy lifestyle.

The final calorie content of prepared vegetable dishes varies depending on the ingredients. If we consider a dietary diet, then heat treatment of products should be gentle:

• stewing;
• steaming;
• cooking;
• baking;
• frying is allowed with the addition of a minimum amount of unrefined oil or its complete exclusion (cooked in a non-stick frying pan).

Reviews of the diet on vegetables and fruits and results

For the most part, reviews of the fruit and vegetable diet are positive and such diets are often used for weight loss.

• “... I start a fruit and vegetable diet towards the end of summer almost every year, when there is a large assortment of vegetables/fruits in stores. Several times I tried to sit exclusively on vegetables and fruits, but I couldn’t stand it. In addition, my doctor friend said that I could kill myself, so I definitely include some protein foods in my diet. Most often fish and cottage cheese, since I’m not indifferent to them, sometimes chicken breast. I am satisfied with the results and well-being during the diet: 3-4 kg per week, while the condition of the skin and hair improves. I recommend".
• “...I tried several times to lose weight on vegetables and fruits. Unfortunately, it doesn't work. Strong feeling of hunger. Therefore, on the advice of a doctor, I switched to a weekly vegetable/fruit fasting day (sometimes 2 days) and have been using this technique for more than 5 years. I’m very happy, I manage to maintain myself and my weight at normal levels.”

Principles of losing weight

When losing weight, it is important to follow the basic rules:

• correctly calculate the calorie content of the diet for weight loss and ensure a deficit of incoming energy;
• give preference to dietary food sources;
• increase physical activity;
• decide on the type of diet for weight loss or be guided by a calorie deficit.

Dietary vegetable dishes will help those losing weight when creating a menu. Healthy recipes will help you prepare a main dish for a light dinner and a side dish for lean meat or lean fish.

Types of diets for weight loss

The type of diet determines the principles of nutrition and requires the formation of an appropriate nutrition plan. Vegetable dishes will complement the menu:

• protein diet - protein consumption prevails over other nutrients;
• protein-carbohydrate alternation - a nutritional pattern where each cycle is characterized by a change in the percentage of macroelements;
• low-carbohydrate diet – the amount of carbohydrates is kept to a minimum;
• paleo nutrition - following the diet of ancient man.

What foods should you exclude from your diet?

It is necessary not only to saturate your diet with healthy foods, but also to get rid of harmful foods. Of course, there are a number of foods that cannot be excluded, but you can minimize their consumption. These products include:

• Milk and dairy products. Milk contains casein, which, under the action of an enzyme, leads to their breakdown. This is a long process that is quite energy-consuming. In addition, during breakdown, a lot of fructose is formed, and this is what helps increase blood viscosity.
• Alcohol. The body perceives alcohol as poison. To remove this poison from the body, you need to spend a large amount of liquid. This is what leads to the fact that the next day after severe alcohol intoxication, severe thirst may develop. This effect of alcohol on the body leads to increased blood viscosity. Moreover, this phenomenon is observed even when drinking alcohol in small quantities. Another thing is red wine, drinking it is even healthy.
• Animal fat. Pork, sausage and beef in themselves are not harmful to the body. But with excessive consumption, fat deposition under the skin and in the blood vessels can develop. Atherosclerosis leads to blood thickening due to impaired blood flow through the vessels. In advanced cases, this leads to the development of liver and kidney failure. Of course, you cannot completely eliminate such food, but everything should be in moderation.
• Potato. Besides potatoes, you should be careful with rice. These foods contain a lot of starch, which turns into carbohydrates and leads to an increase in blood sugar. Due to this, blood viscosity increases.
• Bananas. Bananas contain a huge amount of carbohydrates. You should not eat more than two bananas a day. As for children, it will be too much for them. Athletes can afford a little more bananas in protein shakes.

what to eat to reduce blood viscosity

Roasted Vegetable Dishes

Cooking vegetables in the oven - plenty of space for the cook! Plant components are prepared together with protein products or separately.

Vegetable cabbage rolls with feta

Recipe No. 17 - dietary dish
Preparation method:

• Peel carrots, onions, cut into large cubes. Chop the garlic.
• Crush almonds and fry in a dry frying pan.
• Heat the oil, fry the onions and carrots, add garlic, spices, and a couple of tablespoons of water. Simmer covered for 5 minutes until the vegetables soften, stirring occasionally. Add finely chopped dill and stir.
• Cut the cheese into cubes and add to the vegetables along with nuts.
• Boil water, add salt. Place cabbage leaves one by one for 1 minute. Dry.
• Place the filling in the middle of the sheet, wrap it, and place seam side down in a baking dish. Pour over remaining vegetable juice.
• Place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 15 minutes.

Ingredients: - Chinese cabbage - 8 large leaves; — carrots – 600 g; — onion – 1 pc.; — feta – 50 g; — dill – 3 sprigs; - garlic - 4 cloves; - olive oil - 3 tbsp. l.; – almonds – 25 g; - salt, pepper - to taste.

Squash caviar cooked in a baking bag

Recipe No. 18 - dietary dish
Method of preparation:

• Wash the vegetables, remove all excess.
• Cut into small pieces and place in a sleeve or baking bag. Add vegetable oil, mole, pepper to taste. Mix.
• Place the bag on a baking sheet and make 3-4 punctures at the top with a toothpick.
• Place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 60 minutes.
• When the time is up, take out the bag, cut it, and transfer the contents to the pan.
• Drain excess juice into a separate bowl and add as needed.
• Puree the vegetables with an immersion blender or pass through a meat grinder. Add salt and pepper.

Ingredients: - medium zucchini - 2 pcs.; — bell pepper – 1 pc.; — onions – 1 pc.; — carrots – 1 pc.; — tomatoes – 2 pcs.; - vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. l.; - salt, pepper - to taste.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Recipe No. 19 - dietary dish
The topping for pizza is selected individually.

Cooking method:

• Wash the cabbages, dry them, and separate them into inflorescences. Grind in a blender. Place in the microwave for 4 minutes. Cool.
• Squeeze excess water from cabbage.
• Add the egg, grated cheese, and spices. Stir until smooth.
• Roll out the cake and place on baking paper. Place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes.
• The golden brown crust is brushed with sauce to taste and the filling is added. Then bake for another 5-10 minutes.

Ingredients: - cauliflower - 600 g; - garlic - 2 cloves; — chicken egg – 1 pc.; — hard cheese – 100 g; - salt, pepper - to taste.

Brussels sprouts with cheese

Recipe No. 20
Cooking method:

• Bring water to a boil, add salt. Boil the cabbage for 10 minutes, drain in a colander.
• Place the cabbage on a baking sheet, pour oil over it, sprinkle with chopped garlic and spices. Mix.
• Press each head of cabbage down with the bottom of a glass until flat.
• Grate the cheeses on a coarse grater and sprinkle evenly over the cabbage.
• Place in a preheated oven at 220 degrees for 25 minutes. Before serving, garnish with chopped parsley.

Ingredients: - Brussels sprouts - 900 g; - garlic - 2 cloves; — mozzarella – 100 g; — parmesan – 30 g; - olive oil - 2 tbsp. l.; — parsley – 3 sprigs; - salt, pepper - to taste.

Fully or partially limited products

A diet of vegetables and fruits excludes from the diet:

• Canned food, salted vegetables, fatty meats and meat products (smoked meats, bacon, ham, sausages, offal, canned meat), fatty fish.
• Animal fats, high-fat fermented milk products (kefir/ryazhenka, sour cream, cream, cheese).
• Various cereals, pasta, white rice, baked goods.
• Sugar, honey, products containing cream, chocolate, ice cream, jam, preserves, sweets.
• Alcoholic/carbonated sweet drinks, coffee/black tea.
• Salt consumption is limited.

Table of prohibited products

Vegetable desserts

In desserts, vegetables are a complementary ingredient that enhances the taste of the dish.

Pumpkin brownie

Recipe No. 26 - dietary dish
Method of preparation:

• Peel the pumpkin and boil until tender.
• Wash the orange thoroughly and remove the zest using a grater.
• Mix all ingredients except nuts. Puree thoroughly with an immersion blender until smooth.
• Crush the nuts and stir into the dough with a spoon.
• Pour the mixture into a silicone mold and place in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for 50 minutes. Do not remove from the mold until completely cooled.

Ingredients: - pumpkin - 200 g; — rice flour – 30 g; – cocoa powder – 15 g; — chicken egg – 1 pc.; — milk 1.5% — 40 ml; - orange zest - from 1 orange; – walnuts – 25 g; - baking powder - ½ tsp; - sweetener - to taste.

Lemon muffins with zucchini and avocado cream

Recipe No. 27
Cooking method:

• Wash the zucchini, dry it, grate it on a coarse grater. Squeeze.
• Sift the flour, combine with salt, baking powder, sweetener.
• Combine butter with lemon juice and zest. Add applesauce.
• Mix butter mixture with flour. Add zucchini, stir until smooth. Place the dough into silicone molds.
• Place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool.
• Cream : cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Combine with cocoa and honey, beat with an immersion blender until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cupcakes.

Ingredients: - zucchini (zucchini) - 1 pc.; — rice flour – 250 g; — olive oil (coconut) – 40 ml; — applesauce – 50 g; — lemon – 1 pc.; - baking powder - 1 tsp; - salt - 1 pinch; - sweetener - to taste. For cream: - avocado - 1 pc.; – cocoa powder – 20 g; - honey - 1 tbsp. l.

Pumpkin honey mousse

Recipe No. 28 - dietary dish
Method of preparation:

• Peel the pumpkin and boil until soft. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Cool.
• Soak raisins in boiling water for 10 minutes to soften.
• Combine all ingredients. Garnish with nuts if desired.

Ingredients: - pumpkin - 300 g; – raisins – 25 g; – sesame – 10 g; – honey – 50 g.