Transitioning to a vegetarian lifestyle

With the new year starting tomorrow, you may be looking to make a lifestyle change.

For those who are wanting to adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet, there are ways to still get the needed nutrients.

If you’re thinking about going vegetarian or vegan for the new year here, they say it’s best to take things slow.

“Do it gradually, don’t get tough on yourself if you cheat. The biggest thing is to go as close to whole foods as you can, go as much raw as you can,” says Leslie Reynolds-Townsend, Body Care Manager at Natural Grocers.

“If you’re going to change your diet, it’s gonna be the right steps, the moderation,” says Amanda Higley, Produce Manager at Natural Grocers.

You can still get all of your necessary nutrients with your new diet.

“Lacy kale, sometimes called dinosaur kale, my romaine, broccoli, bell peppers, beets, avocados, lemons, tomatoes. All of these things are nutrient dense. You’ve got to have a variety,” says Higley.

Good flavors and taste can help your transition.

“The biggest thing is flavor and texture things like that. It’s going to make it easier to transition for you,” says Reynolds-Townsend.

There are vegan and vegetarian alternatives to popular condiments like mayonnaise.

“‘Vegenaise’ is a vegan-friendly no eggs, no milk alternative to mayonnaise so you really can have a full diet list of vegan-friendly and vegetarian items,” says Higley.

If you’re not a fan of dark leafy vegetables you can take supplements as an alternative.

“If you don’t like leafy dark vegetables, a way to get your calcium is through plant-based calcium and magnesium,” says Reynolds-Townsend.