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Whether you eat a vegetarian or non-vegetarian diet, the key to health is simple. Include a wide variety of different foods in your diet - no one food source is nutritionally complete by itself. Vegetarians choose from grains, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and fruits. Eggs and dairy are optional. On a plant based diet, you will have the distinct advantage of obtaining nutrients from sources high in fibre, and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Avoid eating too much in the way of refined foods. 

Protein
It used to be believed that various plant foods had to be eaten together to get their full protein value, but many nutritional authorities, including the American Dietetic Association, have determined that intentional combining is not necessary. Although there is somewhat less protein in a vegetarian diet, this is actually an advantage, as excess protein has been linked to heart disease, strokes, various cancers, kidney stones, osteoporosis and late-onset diabetes. A diet containing a variety of grains, legumes and vegetables provides ample protein without the 'overdose' most meat-eaters get. 
Iron
Only about one fifth of the iron in a standard diet comes from meat. Dairy products are deficient in iron. The richest plant sources are dark green vegetables, soy bean products and legumes, whole grains, dried fruits, nuts and seeds. Cooking with cast-iron pots and pans also contributes to dietary intake. Adding foods rich in vitamin C to your meals, such as fruits and greens, enhances iron absorption. 
Calcium
Good plant based sources are dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, tofu, soy milk, tahini (ground sesame seeds), almonds, figs and seaweeds. Hard drinking-water generally contains plenty of calcium. Calcium is also found in dairy products but meat and fish are essentially deficient in it. There have been no clinical reports of calcium deficiency in vegetarians on dairy-free diets and it is known that the human body can adapt to a lower intake. 
Zinc
Zinc is readily available in many plant foods - whole grains (breads, pasta, rice), wheat germ, tofu, tempeh, miso, legumes, sprouts, nuts and seeds - as well as eggs and dairy products. 
Vitamin D
This vitamin forms in the presence of direct or indirect sunlight. Your body stores vitamin D during the summer for winter use. On average, about 10 to 15 minutes a day of sun on the face and hands for light-skinned people should suffice. Darker-skinned people, the elderly, and those at higher latitudes may need more sun exposure. Sunscreen lotion rated SPF 8 or above prevents vitamin D synthesis. Dairy products, margarine and multiple vitamin pills have some vitamin D added. 
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 may be of concern if you are vegan (a vegetarian eating no animal-source foods), but it's easy to deal with. In traditional, less hygiene-conscious societies obtaining this vitamin from plant foods would not have been difficult. Microorganisms that produce B12 grow in the soil and cling to root vegetables. The traditional process for making cultured foods such as miso and tempeh also produced this vitamin. With today's sanitary controls these sources have likely been eliminated. Meat-eaters acquire B12 through microorganisms living in the animals they eat. 
Although cases of deficiency are very uncommon, it is important to include a reliable source of B12 in your diet. Lack of B12 can lead to pernicious anemia. Sources include dairy milk, eggs, yogurt, cheese, all common multiple vitamins, and some fortified foods such as Red Star nutritional yeast (T6635+); this brand is stocked by Noah's, The Big Carrot, Taste of Nature and Baldwin. Other sources which may prove reliable are the surface bacteria on lightly washed organic vegetables, and bacterial activity in the small intestine, but these are not scientifically verified. Long term studies of vegans have detected a very low rate of B12 deficiency and ironically, due to problems absorbing B12, more meat-eaters than vegans suffer from this deficiency. The human body stores a 2-7 year supply of vitamin B12. It's especially important for women to ensure B12 intake when pregnant or breastfeeding. 

Other Nutrients
All other vitamins, minerals, fats and carbohydrates are widely found in the plant kingdom. It would be almost impossible to devise a varied plant food diet which would lack them. 

If you have difficulty adapting to a vegetarian diet it may be that your body needs a few months to adjust and detoxify. Try experimenting with a variety of different foods and cooking methods. If you have concerns about a nutrient deficiency, you can always have your blood tested, but rest assured that a varied vegetarian diet lacks no nutrients and is proven to be a powerful health promoting choice. Bon appetit! 
 
 

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Recommended reading:
Becoming Vegetarian, V. Melina, RD, B. Davis, RD, V. Harrison, RD, 1994. An excellent book by three Canadian Dietitians. Available from TVA for $19 ($22 by mail). 
Vegetarian Starter Kit, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, 1994. Available from TVA for $1 ($2 by mail). 
Position of The American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets, 1993. Available free from TVA with a SASE. 
Vegan Nutrition: Pure and Simple, Michael Klaper MD, 1986. Available from TVA for $16 ($18 by mail). 
 

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[Sidebar]
Four Food Groups: Revised
Both Canada and the United States have finally released new food guides. Canada's rainbow design and the United States' pyramid layout have greatly increased the grain and vegetable sections in relation to meat and dairy. Canada's meat section also includes 'alternatives' such as beans, nuts and tofu. 
Despite the improvements, Health and Welfare Canada doubled the original recommended serving of meat and eggs after pressure from lobby groups. Meat was increased from one serving per day to 2-3 servings. Egg serving size went from one to two eggs. 

"At the workshop, I got the impression the food guide was trying to accommodate a vegetarian eating pattern," complained Mary Ann Yaromich, nutrition manager of Canada Pork Inc. 

The Toronto Star, Jan.15, 1993. p. A2