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Key Nutrients
Vegetarians can rest assured, plant based
foods are loaded with nutrients including ample protein, iron and calcium
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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
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