We all strive to eat healthier and live a better lifestyle, and diet is often a great way to improve habits. Cutting back on meat can be a great way to avoid many of the problems people face in diet, such as too much-saturated fat.
You don’t have to be vegan or vegetarian to discover the rewards of opting out of meat. Even swapping in just a few vegetarian meals a week can help you live a healthier life and feel better. And with dishes like this vegan ramen, you’ll be able to enjoy a healthy meal that is still full of the taste you love.
5 Benefits of Eating Less Meat
Vegetarian eating means that you do not eat any foods that consist of or have been produced from any part of the body of a living or dead animal. People generally think and refer to it as not eating meat.
Vegan eating is taking the vegetarian eating guidelines and going a step further by removing all products that come from an animal, like eggs, cheese, dairy, and other similar products. Many vegans also look to eliminate the use of any products made from animals, like clothing, furniture, accessories, etc.
Weight loss: A study in the Journal of Geriatric Cardiology determined that people on a plant-based diet tend to have a lower BMI than people eating meat. It also appears as if this is a good approach to weight loss and management.
Lower blood pressure: An article looking at the correlation between vegan and vegetarian diets and low blood pressure compiled quite a lot of evidence that there is indeed a connection. In fact, the connection between diet and blood pressure may be more significant than that between exercise and blood pressure.
Reduce your risk for diabetes: A vegetarian or vegan diet will not cure you of diabetes, but it may prevent it from happening in the first place and help you control blood sugar levels. According to the Mayo Clinic, a vegetarian diet helps control weight, reduces diabetes-associated complications, and can make your body more responsive to insulin.
Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease: An article in Harvard Health suggests that a vegan diet and a low-fat vegetarian diet can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. The benefits here mainly come because of a diet that’s low in cholesterol, saturated fats and high in soluble fiber.
Decreased risk of cancer: MD Anderson Cancer Center notes that eating too much meat has long been associated with a risk of cancer. It’s not so much the steak you eat, but it’s the processed meats and the chemical preservatives that increase your risk of cancer.
Other Benefits From This Recipe
Not only does this meal feature great taste without any animal-based products, but it also has a healthy kick from some of the other ingredients.
Garlic: Popular for its potent flavor in foods, garlic is also prized for its health benefits. A little garlic clove is loaded with nutrients, including manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, selenium, fiber, calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamin B1.
Ginger: Ginger is another root vegetable that packs a powerful punch, both in flavor and in nutrients. In ginger, you can find dietary fiber, protein, iron, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, folate, riboflavin, and niacin.
Coconut milk: Coconut milk is actually made from the flesh of a coconut, not the water that’s inside. The full-fat version called for in this recipe is thicker than some types of coconut milk and has more fat and flesh.
Researchers have suggested that coconut milk as three main health benefits:
Weight loss from medium-chain triglycerides, which prompt thermogenesis.
Heart health happens when coconut products are used to replace saturated fats. More research is needed in this area, but coconut milk is an unsaturated (good) fat.
Immune health is supported by the lauric acid in coconut milk, which has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
So, let’s take a look at this delicious recipe, now that we’ve convinced you it’s a menu must-have.
Vegan Spicy Thai Peanut Ramen Recipe
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1 teaspoon green curry paste
4 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 can (13-14oz) coconut milk, full fat
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons agave syrup
2 limes, juiced
12 oz ramen noodles
Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium-high. Once heated, add chopped garlic and grated ginger and cook for a couple of minutes until garlic cooks and is fragrant.
2. Add the curry paste and stir until incorporated. Add 3 cups (reserving 1 cup) of vegetable broth and all of the coconut milk. Stir until incorporated and reduce heat to low and simmer.
3. In a medium bowl whisk the remaining cup of broth and peanut butter until well combined. Add this peanut butter and broth mixture to the pot and stir. Add soy sauce, agave and lime juice and simmer on low for 5-10 minutes.
4. Right before serving, add ramen noodles and cook according to time instructions on the package. Typically, ramen noodles only cook for a couple of minutes.
5. Serve immediately.
The Bottom Line
The great thing about this recipe is that it’s little more than a broth and noodles; this means you have the base and can alter it however you see fit.
Add chili peppers for extra kick or vegetables to make it more hearty and healthy. You can even add meat if you’re looking to keep this recipe and not follow a vegetarian lifestyle.
Whether you’ve chosen a vegan or vegetarian diet as a personal choice or to limit your meat intake, even if you’re just looking to try a new recipe, this one is packed with health benefits and crave-able flavors. Not only that, but there’s a lot of versatility here to give you room to experiment and customize to your tastes.
