Vegetarianism is fast becoming an option for many families across Toronto, Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada and the world. While going vegetarian or vegan is a healthy proposition, many parents have concerns on the health implications over the physical and mental implications of a non-meat diet composed of vegetables, veggie burger or veggie pizza for growing children. If you too are one such doubting Thomas, here’s the low-down on the benefits of introducing your children to the pleasures and benefits of Indian street food whose mainstay are vegetarian foods and vegan diets.
To begin this month’s article, it has been seen that consuming a vegetarian or vegan diet gives substantial health advantages to kids in comparison to those raised on a typical meat-rich diet. Exposing your growing children to these benefits will give them a head start in the healthy lifestyle stakes. Vegetarian diets are rich in fiber, short on saturated fat, brimming with essential minerals and vitamins. They are also bursting with plant protein and thus absolutely cholesterol-free.
Thanks to the abundance of processed meat-based foods, teenage obesity has become a fact of life today. Adolescents brought up as vegetarians, are seen to be effortlessly maintaining their BMIs. They also suffer less from typical teenage problems such as acne and gastro problems associated with meat-based foods. Coming to the specifics, lower incidence of a life-threatening diseases such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, is seen in vegetarians than in meat-eaters.
Advantages of growing up vegetarian and vegan
By switching over to a vegetarian diet, your children automatically get the benefits associated with high-fiber foods. Expect your children to have better digestion and a higher metabolic rate. Their bodies are also better positioned to expel toxins and wastes produced during the metabolic processes. On a vegetarian diet, your kids will also maintain healthy fluid levels in their bodies. With a vegetarian diet, you can also expect your children’s eyes to be healthier and their eyesight sharper. The net result is a healthy body that excels in getting the best out of life.
Nutrition apart, fatty acids are low in vegetarian food making it easier to absorb. This in turn contributes to maintaining a stable flow of blood sugar in the body – keeping diabetes at arms-length. Consumers of non-vegetarian fast foods are observed to have blood sugar levels that fluctuate erratically the moment they finish eating any meat-based fast food. It goes without saying that vegetarian fast foods that your friendly neighborhood Veggie Planet Indian street food restaurant in Mississauga, Brampton and the GTA dishes up, are a good option to head out to whenever your kids crave a quick bite.
It’s not just the body but also your child’s mind that benefits from going vegetarian early in life. Studies have shown that people who are vegetarians or vegans perform better on mood profile and depression tests. Further, the organic cultivation of vegetables is further adding to the health benefits that your children will enjoy when they adopt a vegetarian diet. All these factors are responsible for developing a positive outlook in your child towards life in general.
Summing up, since they are a storehouse of plant and grain-based ingredients, vegetarian fast foods are good for growing children because they get their supply of essential vitamins like C, E, and folic acid. And then, since vegetarian fast foods are high on magnesium, phytochemicals and unsaturated fats, your children will have lower cholesterol levels of cholesterol and consequently their blood pressure levels are also at the proper levels.
Introducing your kids to vegetarian In Mississauga, Brampton, and the GTA
The first problem that parents face while introducing their kids to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle is the taste factor. It’s best to understand that taste is an acquired sensibility and with time and constant exposure, our taste buds learn to like the food they come across. But kids being kids, you will have to put on your innovative cap to come up with attractive recipes that are vegetarian but high on taste factor.
For example, oat waffles topped with maple syrup or fruit are a good breakfast option for budding vegan kids. Similarly, a lentil loaf lunch would have your kids literally begging you for seconds. What’s more, it is dripping with proteins and fiber, which are very essential for health and wellness. Similarly, hummus is a great option to introduce your kids to the benefits of vegetarian food. Kawa Nuggets and Kawa Drumstick serve at Veggie Planet are a tasty yet healthy option that you can explore along with your children. As you will see moving forward that your kids will gradually get used to vegetarian dishes and actually begin to prefer them when the health benefits begin to show up.
As a parent bringing up your kids the vegan way, you must expect and prepare your children to face many social challenge too. This is because meat-eating families are still the norm rather than the exception. Especially when they are attending birthday parties and get-togethers where non-vegetarian food is on the menu, it makes sense to call up the hosts in advance and appraise them of your child’s preferences. It will give the hosts sufficient time to include veggie options such as veggie burgers, tofu crackers, vegan cakes, Naanza and Indian drinks such as Jal-jeera. Better still, there are specialty vegetarian fast food outlets such as Veggie Planet in Mississauga where your kids can tuck into the Planet Special Poutine, to their hearts’ content.
Another area where your kids are likely to face challenges is during the lunch break at the school cafeteria. Get together with other parents in the locality, who share similar concerns, and try to persuade the school authorities on including a couple of vegetarian and vegan options in the menu.
Talking about Indian vegetarian fast-food restaurants, the good thing about them is that they have successfully reinvented themselves for a global clientele. Your kids don’t have to forego taste for the sake of a healthy lifestyle. If you live in Mississauga, Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area, or passing through with your kids, step in for a quick bite of heavenly Naanza at Veggie Planet!
Veggie Planet offers convenient online ordering via the website (https://veggieplanet.ca) and flexible delivery options, including delivery within a 15-kilometer radius available in Mississauga and Greater Toronto Area.
For in-restaurant pickups, Veggie Planet is located at 6985 Davand Dr. Unit #1, Mississauga, ON L5T 1Y7 and can be reached at (905) 795-7950 for all vegetarian and vegan restaurant menu items.