| Vegetarian
Nutrition
Vegetarianism is a healthy option
but it is still very important to have a well-balanced diet. You
could stuff your face with chips and chocolate at every meal and
be vegetarian but you would not be doing your health much good.
Good vegetarian food does not have to be rabbit food either. A
varied vegetarian diet will supply all the essential nutrients
you need to be fit and healthy.
Protein
Today, there are many diets that promote eating high amounts of
protein to promote weight loss. The problem with this is that
many of the people following these diets are often unaware of
the health risks involved with a high protein diet. Excess protein
has been linked with osteoporosis, kidney disease, calcium stones
in the urinary tract, and some cancers. There is also a popular
misconception that meat is the only real source of protein, and
thus a vegetarian diet is unhealthy due to a lack of protein.
However, this misinformation could not be farther from the truth.
There are many protein-rich vegetarian and vegan foods.
Vegetarian Sources of Protein:
• Dairy - milk,
yogurt, cheese
• Grains -
wheat, rye, corn
• Leafy green
vegetables
• Legumes-
beans, lentils, peas, peanuts
• Nuts - almonds,
walnuts, cashews
• Seaweed -
kelp, spirulina
• Seeds - sesame,
sunflower
• Soy products
– tofu, tempeh, soymilk
• Vegetables
- Brussel sprouts, potatoes, etc.
The most important thing to remember for any diet is to eat a
wide variety of foods. Then you will easily manage to eat enough
protein.
Calcium
The majority of calcium in the body is in the bones and there
is a small amount in the blood stream. We frequently lose calcium
from our bloodstream through urine, sweat, and feces. It is then
replenished with calcium from our bones. Because of this, our
bones are frequently losing calcium. To renew this bone calcium,
we must get it from food. How rapidly calcium is lost depends,
in part, on the kind and amount of protein eaten as well as other
diet and lifestyle choices (i.e.: high-protein diets cause more
loss of calcium and animal protein is more likely to cause calcium
loss than plant protein; caffeine increases the rate at which
calcium is lost through urine, and diets high in sodium increase
calcium losses). Exercise can slow bone loss and is one of the
most important factors in maintaining bone health.
Vegetarian Sources of Calcium:
• Grains -
rice, corn, wheat
• Fruits -
apple, banana, dried figs, oranges, raisins
• Vegetables
- broccoli, brussel sprouts, butternut squash, dark leafy greens
• Legumes -
black turtle beans, garbanzo beans, navy beans, soybeans
• Dairy - milk,
yogurt cheese
• Soy products
- fortified soymilk, tofu, etc.
Iron
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide.
Plant foods contain sufficient iron for the human diet. However,
some plant foods inhibit absorption of iron. It is important for
vegetarians and vegans to eat a variety of fruits rich in vitamin
C, which enhances iron absorption from vegetables, grains, and
legumes.
Vegetarian Sources of Iron:
• Grains -
wheat, millet, oats, brown rice
• Legumes -
lima beans, soy beans, kidney beans
• Seeds - almonds,
brazil nuts
• Dried fruits
- prunes, raisins, apricots
• Vegetables
- broccoli, spinach, kale, collards, asparagus
Fruits High in Vitamin C:
• Guava
• Kiwi fruit
• Mango
• Cantaloupe
• Orange
• Papaya
• Persimmon
• Raspberries
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