h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Vegetarian diet is basically lots of fresh vegetables, fruits (vitamin sources), starch sources like potatoes, rice, pulses, chick peas, dairy products like butter, cheese milk, yogurt (protein, vitamins, calcium sources) carbohydrates sources like wheat/ corn flour and sugar. Some vegetarians eat egg which again is good source of essential vitamins.
A daily diet must contain all these but of course in right proportion, like more vegetables and fruits and less sugar and fats. Lots of salads and less chocolates.
How much should you eat depends on how much your body needs. If you eat very little but don't have any health issue or don't feel tired/ weak, be happy!
If your job evolves lots of physical labour may be you need lots of fats/ carbohydrates/ Sugar to burn. If you have a good physic and a healthy body, don't be over obsessed with dieting/ fasting but maintain your good health by maintaining your balanced diet and exercise.

Fussy eaters who don't like some fruit or vegetable should try it in different recipe may be you don't like particular spice in the recipe. Try mix vegetable soup, mixed fruit juice etc.
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To all of this good advice, I would add:

1. Moderation! Don't overeat, don't starve yourself, and listen to your body (and not to your brain screaming for chocolate). The occasional treat doesn't hurt, though, and helps keep you sane. Just don't overdo it. (I spotted news of a recent study that said dark chocolate actually helps lower blood pressure somewhat. But it has to be dark, not milk chocolate or white chocolate.)
2. Eat a wide variety of foods. This helps you get all of the nutrients you need.
3. Go for the brightly-coloured fruits and vegetables like carrots, squash, tomatoes, berries, green beans and the like. The deeper the colour, the more nutrients it contains (in contrast to something like iceberg lettuce, which is pretty much crunchy green water).
4. Drink tea, especially green and white tea. It's good for you and has much less caffeine than coffee and cola drinks.
5. Speaking of drinking, drink plenty of water, especially in hot weather or if you exercise a lot.
6. A good multi-vitamin pill doesn't hurt. People who lead sedentary lives and watch their food intake often don't get enough vitamins and minerals through diet alone. And adults who avoid dairy products probably ought to take a calcium supplement.

quizzical
(who, despite all she said, still thinks is the perfect food)

Hi, Quizz: What is white tea?

Black tea, oolong tea, green tea, and white tea all come from the same plant. They are categorized according to their oxidation levels (called the fermentation process), with black tea being fully fermented and white tea unfermented. In general, less fermentation means more good-for-you antioxidants.

Here is a link: http://www.tenren.com/fermentation.html

Tea has been linked to all sorts of health benefits, including weight loss, cancer prevention and improved gastrointestinal health. And it tastes good, too. I can't say enough good things about .

quiz

Thanks for sharing the info and the link. I love tea I put 2-3 Basil leaves while boiling water tastes good!

Yes, thanks for the tip. I've been drinking green tea for a while (genmaicha, actually) but had never heard of white tea. And I *love* the adding of adding basil to the water. My garden is overflowing with it right now.

My wife who is not totally vegetarian (I am) has just started weight watchers and they do some good vegetarian recipes including a no point soup (no points means you can eat as much as you want)
I am following a similar diet to her now

To quote the first posting to this thread "If you eat very little but don't have any health issue or don't feel tired/ weak, be happy!"

I'd rather have to disagree with that. Food is such an integral part of culture, in celebrations, comfort foods, any sort of group gathering, that it's quite difficult to eat very little. I'm one of those people who needs very little food to survive, and therefore I practically gain weight just looking at . Add to that the fact that I tend towards practically vegetarian and it's really difficult to eat well.

If you don't eat much, be sure to investigate vitamin supplements. Frequently, if I've been feeling hungry a lot it means that I havne't been eating very well or forgetting my vitamin. Also, really try to pay attention to when you're hungry vs merely eating because everyone else is. If all you need for a meal is a good sized salad, don't get anything else and you'll feel better and all your friends will applaud your willpower! (This especially applies to hamburger joints that serve a token salad in addition their usual menus.)

I agree with you, it is hard to resist delicacies sometime specially during celebrations . As you said eat if you feel hungry.......I agree with that, listen to your body, if your body needs food, when and how much, it will tell you........It all depends on your metabolism.
I stayed in a university hostel for about two years, used to eat in the hostel canteen. All my friends had different dietary needs and habits. I know some people who have diet of a Sumo wrestler (well almost ) but figure of a model

My diet consist of three fourth of liquids (milk, yogurt, fruit juice, tea etc.) and one fourth solids like rice, vegetables, pulses, beans, chapattis......... My weight is proportionate to my height and I am healthy overall. I don't take vitamin supplements.In my opinion, it is dangerous to take vitamins/ mineral supplements without consulting your health advisor, if they do not get consumed within, may be harmful. For example unused calcium may turn into kidney stone. (Well I took folic acid and multivitamins during pregnancy )

I found taking small amount of food four or five times a day is better than stuffing your stomach with lots during lunch or dinner!

I definitely know people who eat like that. I am a bit heavy for my height and eat about half of what many people need to. I found that for me the best diet includes a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.

You're probably right to be wary of vitamins, I do take one with iron because I don't eat any red meat, but it is better to have things come from your diet. I hadn't heard anything harmful about too much calcium, and I wonder since I've been advised to take a calcium supplement from a fairly young age as there is a hereditary nasty back arthritis on my family that docotrs think could be prevented/delayed by taking calcium from teenage years onward.

I think it is better to be on higher side of weight than being underweight and weak . Even I am on higher side since the pregnancy and wouldn't mind to shed couple of KGs to fit in old jeans but then I think I need those extra mussels to chase around my son all the time, who recently started walking!
There is lots of information on internet on harmful effects of overdose of vitamins, though I came across it in some baby books. . I was advised to take calcium when I used to breast feed my son, as for as we take recommended dose it should be alright!

True, even if some days it seems very attractive to be underweight. But alas, what I'm aiming for is to be in the official "healthy" weight range for my height, the top end not the bottom.

Am I the only one who finds it odd that looking good has been taken to mean 20lbs UNDERweight?