Written by Melanie Kozlan, Four Green Steps

For some, going Green means eating Green, but eating Green means different things to different people whether it be eating local, eating more vegetables or just drinking hot water with a lemon. It can be hard to tell which diets are healthy and helpful to the environment and which ones are just fads. Here is a break down of the most popular Green diets:

Vegetarian: This diet is probably the most well-known, consisting of all foods except meat. While it may not be as extreme as other Green diets it definitely helps the environment since the meat industry is the largest contributor to climate change.

Variations:

Pescitarians: Vegetarians who eat fish/seafood.

Vegan: Doesn't eat anything that comes from an animal (e.g. milk,eggs). Definititely an easier diet than it is rumored to be, check out this Vegan Survival Guide for easy ways to make the transition.

Raw Diet: Similar to the Vegan diet, but with one adjustment: nothing can be cooked over 116 degrees, since anything cooked over this temperature supposedly diminishes the health benefits of the food's enzymes. This diet has fabulous benefits for anyone with heart problems or digestive issues since it's high in fibre and vitamins.

Paleolithic Diet: Based on the assumed diet of cavemen during the Stone Age, consisting mostly of meat, nuts and fruit. This is a controversial diet since cavemen didn’t live past 30 and were not known for their health, but one positive of this diet is that it is free of sugar and processed food. Unlike the raw diet you are able to cook without restrictions, unlike the actual circumstances of this diet during the Stone Age.

Mediterranean Diet: Based on food patterns of the Mediterranean in the 1960s, this diet emphasizes high amounts of vegetables,  olive oil and fruit, moderate amounts of dairy, grains and fish/poultry. Red meat is consumed in small servings,  as well as moderate amounts of wine consumption.  While this diet is high on salt, it’s also high on monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, thus lowering cholesterol.

Eating Local: Also known as the 100 mile diet, is based on the challenge to only eat local, unprocessed food. Unfortunately this may limit what is available to you, but is environmentally and economically sustainable.

Find more Vegan and Vegetarian recipes in our Recipe section!

Image courtesy of Creative Commons.

| More...