Almost three percent of the population follows a strict vegetarian diet, but the number of non-meat eaters is significantly higher when the number of "part-time" vegetarians is taken into account. The interest in this form of diet is growing as more people discover the health benefits of going vegetarian. Some are also hopeful that a meatless diet will make it easier to shed those extra pounds. Can going vegetarian make it easier to lose excess weight?

    Does It Work?

    There does appear to be some validity to the idea that eating a vegetarian diet helps with weight loss. Several studies have shown that people who eat a vegetarian diet weigh less on the whole than their meat eating counterparts. Other studies have shown that people who follow a vegetarian diet to lose weight are more successful than those who eat meat and dairy products. Although this sounds encouraging, the vegetarian diet used in these studies were low in fat and calories. There's little evidence that a vegetarian diet that emphasizes cheese, pasta, and sweet desserts makes it any easier to lose weight.

    Other Benefits of Going Vegetarian to Lose Excess Weight

    Eating a vegetarian diet to lose weight has other health perks. A study published in the American Journal of Medicine showed that eating a low fat vegetarian diet not only reduces the risk of heart disease and helps to normalize blood sugars, but may actually reverse atherosclerotic disease that can lead to heart attacks. Eating a low fat vegetarian diet improves insulin sensitivity and may reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome – a condition that increases the risk of heart attack and diabetes. Following a low fat vegetarian diet is particularly beneficial for diabetics and those with heart disease.

    The Limitations of a Vegetarian Diet to Lose Weight

    Although eating a vegetarian diet may put a person at a slight advantage when it comes to losing weight, it's no guarantee of success. Losing weight requires making the right food choices regardless of whether meat is eaten or not. A vegetarian diet heavy on potatoes, white rice, white bread, high fat cheese, pasta, and ice cream is more likely to lead to weight gain than to weight loss. The real benefits of going vegetarian to lose weight lies in the fact that most vegetables and fruits are low in calories, but are still nutrient dense. They're also high in fiber and water which makes them more filling. Those who are smart enough to load up on fruits, vegetables, and complex carbs are likely to experience weight loss on a vegetarian diet.

    The Problems with a Vegetarian Diet to Lose Excess Weight

    To successfully eat a vegetarian diet to lose weight requires close monitoring to ensure proper nutrition. Eating a strict vegetarian diet can lead to protein, iron, and B12 deficiencies if the diet isn't carefully planned. Those who go vegan and avoid dairy products also have to worry about calcium deficiency. Good protein sources for vegetarians include tofu, fermented soy such as tempeh, and seitan, a wheat based meat substitute. Soy based foods are the source since soybeans are a complete source of essential amino acids. Most plant based proteins are deficient in one or more amino acids, so must be combined with other plant based protein sources that have the ones that are missing. Good plant based protein sources include lentils, beans, quinoa, and nuts. Only animal based foods contain B12 so it may be necessary to supplement with a good B complex supplement when on a vegetarian diet.

    Should You Eat a Vegetarian Diet to Lose Excess Weight?

    Eating a vegetarian diet can be helpful for losing weight, but requires careful planning to avoid overdosing on carbs and empty calories. It also requires greater attention to nutrition – particularly with regard to iron, calcium, B12, and protein.

    几乎有3%的人为严格的素食者，如果把半素食者也计算在内的话，这个数字还要大大地提高。人们发现坚持"素食"有益于身体健康，因此这种饮食方式如今受到越来越多的青睐。有些人还希望通过"无肉饮食",可以更容易地甩掉身上多余的体重。那么，素食真得能让减肥变得更容易吗？

    素食真得有效吗？

    坚持素食有助于减肥，这个想法在目前的确得到部分的证实。有研究表明，素食者的体重整体上显得比非素食者的要轻。还有研究显示，比起摄入肉类及其他日常食品的人 ,坚持素食的人减肥更容易。这听起来似乎都很鼓舞人心，但是，在这些研究中所使用的素食餐实际上都是低脂肪和低热量的，所以，就很难证明，那些主要包含芝士，披萨，甜点等的素食餐真得能让减肥变得容易了。

    减肥素食好处多

    为了减肥而坚持了素食，其实对身体有着其他的益处。由美国医学杂志的一项研究表示，坚持低热量的素食餐不仅能够减低患心脏病的风险，保持血糖正常，甚至能帮助治愈易引致心脏病发的动脉硬化。还有，可提高胰岛素敏感度，降低患上代谢综合征的风险--该症会增加患心脏病及糖尿病的机率。因此，素食餐，尤其对心脏病和糖尿病的患者，是非常有益的。

    减肥素食的限制

    也许对减肥的人来说，素食餐的确有点帮助，但是却不是绝对的。不管吃肉与否，重要的是要对减肥的食物做出正确的选择。一份主要有马铃薯、白米饭、白面包和富含脂肪的芝士、披萨、雪糕等的素食餐更可能导致体重的上升而不是下降。真正能助于减肥的素食餐应该是低热量却含有足够营养的蔬菜和水果。它们还富含纤维与水分，更容易让胃感到满足。明智的减肥者会懂得选择蔬果和复合碳水化合物的素食餐，而他们就可能体会到素食给减肥所带来的帮助。

    减肥素食引起的问题

    要靠坚持素食来实现成功减肥，需要严密的指导与衡量，以保证摄入适当的营养。如果不慎重搭配，长期的素食餐会导致蛋白质、铁和B12缺失。而那些拒绝日常食品的严格素食者们还需为钙缺失而操心。对于素食者来说，富含蛋白质的食物来源包括豆腐，各种发酵的豆类，如印尼豆豉和"seitan"--一种谷物和大豆发酵而成的素肉。大豆本身就含了所有的必须氨基酸，因此它是素食者主要的营养来源。大多数植物的蛋白质可能缺少一样或以上的氨基酸，所以必须与其他植物的蛋白质相结合才得以补充所需的营养。富含蛋白质的植物来源包括小扁豆，大豆，quinoa（有尾巴的小小米，产于秘鲁、玻利维亚、与厄瓜多尔）及坚果。而B12只能从动物类食品中摄取，因此，当进行素食减肥的时候，必须要摄入足够的维他命B复合物以补充B12.

    应不应该以素食来减肥？

    素食的确对减肥有所帮助，但是必须要有谨慎的计划，避免摄入碳水化合物过量和热量不足。更要注意的是，必须保持吸收足够的营养，尤其是铁，钙，B12和蛋白质这类的。