To most people, the idea of a balanced diet consists of a combination of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals in the form of grains, lentils, fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and mineral. At of the mention of protein, the majority assumes that it must be sourced from animal and dairy products. However, they could not be more wrong. For ages, vegetarianism has been a popular practice among people from different culture and topography. Though in some place meat was shunned for religious purposes, in other places, however, livestock was too precious to be used for consumption. However, the modern times have seen a rise in the graph of population opting freely for vegetarianism and Veganism for various health purposes. Not all that supply is sourced or cooked at home. So, we need to, at times, know how to find the best vegetarian & vegan restaurant that is shooting around.
Concept of Vegetarianism and Veganism
Here is a quick review of each concept before we delve deeper in finding best vegetarian and vegan restaurants. A Vegetarian diet mostly consists of fruits, grains, pulses, and vegetables, often includes consumption of dairy products in certain cases. Best vegetarian & vegan restaurant is built keeping this concept in mind.
Similarities and Differences
Both vegetarianism and Veganism choose consumption of fruits and vegetables at the core the diet, but that’s where the similarities end. Vegetarians keep their use of animal protein in dairy products. However, vegans not only avoid eating any product obtained from an animal source but also shun the use of any cosmetic and accessories with an animal source.
What to Look
Though stemmed from the same root, the difference in both concepts determines what to look for while choosing best restaurants. There are subdivisions among both vegetarians and vegans who adhere to a variety of the diet. Veganism comes choosing in ‘ raw vegan'(a combination of vegan and raw food as part of dietary practice) and ‘Paleo-vegan'(a vegan diet that avoids the consumption of processed food) subcategory.
Vegetarianism also has its own share of subdivision, namely ‘lacto ovo vegetarian'(those who avoid meat and fish, but consume dairy products and eggs); ‘lacto vegetarian'(one eats all veggie and dairy products sans meat, fish, and eggs); ‘ovo vegetarians'(no meat, fish or dairy, but includes eggs in the diet); ‘semi-vegetarian’ (no meat but takes fish, eggs and dairy); and ‘semi-vegetarian'(which has a further polo and price vegetarianism where the first one allows poultry, dairy, and eggs safely excluding fish or other meat products while the second allows everything excluding red meat consumption. Considering the vast variety of specifications, it might seem confusing how to select the best vegetarian & vegan restaurant.
A good way to begin the search would be based on the reviews posted on the various food blogs and sites by fellow vegetarian and vegan populace. Using locality, area code and other related keywords may also help. A checklist containing the following points might also help narrow down the search. The best vegetarian and vegan restaurant must:
- Have locally sourced and fresh produce
- Declare the source of ingredients on the items served
- Avoid use of processed food or at least declare it for the benefit of consumer discretionary
- Adhere to the policies against food contamination
- Offer a vast variety of choices on the menu
From quality to quantity, finding vegetarian and vegan restaurants in your area should be a breeze.
