Canyon Ranch
Spinach, pasta and pears - oh my! The thought of eating a vegetarian diet can be scary to some people, but a growing number of Americans - more than 12 million at last count - are finding it's easier and tastier than ever before to maintain a plant-based diet. Yes, vegetarianism has become mainstream. The image of the vegetarian as a flower child who for some reason chooses to eat food that tastes like cardboard and straw is disappearing faster than you can say, "Give me a veggie burger with everything."

The growing health consciousness of Americans has led to a proliferation of new, plant-based products, and the availability of an ever-wider selection of grains, fruits and vegetables at restaurants, supermarkets and even the corner grocery. "Probably the biggest drawback to being a vegetarian 10 to 20 years ago was finding a natural food store for any vegetarian variety or meatless protein," says Marilyn Majchrzak, a spa dietitian. "Now with the big food companies moving into the vegetarian market, the whole thing has just blossomed incredibly. Soy products, for example, used to be pretty blah. . . now they've found ways to manufacture soy to mimic meat in texture and flavor."

Where's The Beef? Who Cares?
The taste of meat isn't a concern for many vegetarians, but it can be for omnivores who are thinking about making the switch to a plant-based diet. Familiarity of taste and texture makes the transition easier for some folks.

For most people, though, the transition isn't terribly difficult. "Becoming vegetarian is usually a gradual process," Majchrzak says. "What happens is that people slowly shift toward a more plant-based diet and suddenly realize that they're there. They find that they never go back to eating meat. "In any case, being a vegetarian is largely self defined," she observes. "You decide how and why you do it. Do you want to eat fish? What about eggs and dairy products? Will you occasionally eat a hamburger?

The answers and the reasons - health, moral or ecological - are all up to you." People often decide to eat differently for health reasons. A diet low in fat, cholesterol and rich in fiber is strongly associated with lower risks of heart disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes and hypertension.

"Vegetarianism has been called 'the healthiest diet,'" Majchrzak says, "not only because vegetarians necessarily eat more disease-preventative plant-based foods, but because they eat lower on the food chain. They run less risk of ingesting of toxins, pathogens and contaminants than meat-eaters."

Becoming An Herbivore - And After
Once you choose to eat a plant-based diet and decide where you fit in the vegetarian spectrum - what next? Majchrzak offers some suggestions: Eat everything from soup to nuts for a well-balanced diet. Pasta and bagels and french fries won't cut it. Fruits and vegetables alone won't, either. You should eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes and soy products.

Explore your options. There are substitutes out there for the animal-source foods that you may miss. If you've eliminated milk and eggs but miss your cereal with milk, try calcium-fortified soy or rice milk instead. Try cashews in a stir fry instead of chicken or shrimp. Have soy cheese on your pizza in place of the real thing. Discover new comfort foods. Decide on core meals you can fall back on when you're stumped or in a hurry - veggie burgers, quick soups, stir fries, your favorite fruits and vegetables, or an easy recipe that uses tempeh.

Think about supplements. Women who don't eat red meat should consider taking an iron supplement (the amount in a good multivitamin is sufficient). Vegans may need supplements of calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12. A talk with a nutritionist can be useful, especially for vegans past 55.

Stock your shelves. Pick up a vegetarian cook-book or two, and leaf through health-oriented magazines - they're overflowing with information, encouragement and intriguing recipes for vegetarians.