How to: Make a rainbow cake in a jar! Most people know how to make a cake in a pan because that’s how everybody bakes a cake, but why not change the way of baking it? One way of doing it is in a jar, and to do it more exciting is that in the jar we would be baking a rainbow cake.

As you finish this wonderful creation you must share this

recipe, but first of all, you should eat it with

someone special of simply with someone

you love. By: Verónica Coronado Lattanzi

How is that people come with the idea of becoming vegetarians? People are drawn to

vegetarianism by all sorts of motives. Some of us want to live longer, healthier lives or do our part to

reduce pollution; others have made the switch because they want to preserve Earth’s natural resources,

but mostly, people do it for just one reason, protecting their health.

Going vegetarian or vegan for the health benefits offers a good lifestyle. While it is possible

for a vegan to eat unhealthy foods, such as eating foods made with trans fats or foods with sugar and salt,

they have healthier diets, but it isn't possible to get fiber through with meat or dairy products, vegetarians

usually eat more fiber than their meat-eating counterparts, because of the cholesterol that comes from

eating animal products, and people who eat less or no animal-based foods usually weigh less than people

who eat meat.

If you're choosing a vegetarian diet, the most important thing you can do is to educate

yourself. This kind of diet needs to be "appropriately planned", because simply dropping certain foods

from your diet isn't the way to go if you're interested in maintaining good health, a high energy level, and

strong muscles and bones.

“Veganism” is a type of vegetarian diet that excludes meat, eggs,, dairy products and all

other animal-derived ingredients. Vegetarian diets are more healthful than the average American diet,

particularly in preventing, treating or reversing heart disease and reducing the risk of cancer.

Vegetarians have to be careful to include the six following key nutrients that may be lacking in a vegetarian

diet, like iron, good options are iron-fortified breakfast cereals, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, and baked

beans), soybeans and tofu, dried fruit (raisins and figs), pumpkin seeds, broccoli, and blackstrap

molasses. Eating these foods along with a food high in vitamin C (citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes, and

broccoli) will help you to absorb the iron better. The other nutriment is calcium, milk and yogurt are tops if

you're eating dairy products, although vegetarians will want to look for yogurt that does not contain the

meat byproduct gelatin. Tofu, fortified soy milk, orange juice, green leafy vegetables, and dried figs are

also excellent ways to get calcium because women have a greater risk for getting weaker bones, so it’s

important for girls to make sure they get enough of this. The third one is protein, before it was thought that

vegetarians needed to combine incomplete plant proteins in one meal, like red beans and rice, to make the

type of complete proteins found in meat, but it's not that complicated. Current recommendations are that

vegetarians eat a wide variety of foods during the course of a day. The forth is vitamin D, we need this one

to get calcium into our bones, especially during the winter months. Your body manufactures this vitamin

when your skin is exposed to sunlight. We know that cow's milk is top on the list for this vitamin, but

vegans can try fortified soy milk and fortified breakfast cereals. Next is vitamin B12, that’s found only in

animal products, including eggs. Fortified soy milk and fortified breakfast cereals also have this important

vitamin, but it's hard to get enough in your diet if you are vegan, so a supplement may be needed. The last

nutriment is zinc, if you're not eating dairy foods; make sure fortified cereals, dried beans, nuts, and soy

products like tofu and tempeh are part of your diet so you can meet your daily requirement for this

important mineral.

So, if you are thinking about becoming a vegetarian, consider making an appointment with

a registered dietitian who can go over lists of foods that would give you the nutrients you need. Remember

that is regardless of whether you choose a vegetarian way of life; it's always a healthy idea to eat a wide

variety of foods and try out new foods when you can. By: Verónica Coronado Lattanzi