Nutrition

Vegetarian Eating

So, you've decided to go vegetarian. We are, as a society, probably more health conscious than ever before. On a daily basis, we are being warned of the dangers of some foods, and alerted to the benefits of others. Beauty, longevity, vigour, intelligence, and boundless energy are promised, if only we would "eat right". For many people, "eating right" means eliminating animal products from their diet. A healthy vegetarian diet, however, involves much more than simply eliminating meat and other animal products.  Click here to download the vegetarian food guide.

Beginning with a few definitions may be helpful:

• Lacto-vegetarians will consume milk products (e.g., butter, cheese, yogurt, ice-cream), but no other animal products (e.g., eggs).
• Ovo-vegetarians will eat eggs, but no other animal products, including milk products.
• Lacto-ovo-vegetarians will eat both eggs and milk products.
• Vegans consume no animal products at all, including milk products and eggs.

 So, just how healthy is the vegetarian diet?

The answer is not a simple one. It depends on how committed one is to bringing foods into their diet that will replace the nutrients found in meat and other animal products. A healthy vegetarian diet requires planning and work. When done properly, a vegetarian diet can be low in fat, high in fibre, and may help to lower the risk of heart attack and other diseases including some cancers.

Your body needs about 50 different nutrients to stay healthy. Too often, people adopting a vegetarian diet eliminate meat and animal products from their diet, and don't replace them with other foods that will provide essential nutrients including protein, calcium, iron, Vitamin B12, zinc and Vitamin D. The following information may be helpful in planning a vegetarian diet that will provide these essential nutrients:

• Protein - Protein is an essential, life-sustaining part of any diet. The amount of protein your body needs varies according to body weight. True, all proteins are not created equal. Animal proteins are considered "complete" because they supply all the right amino acids in the right amounts so that your body can make the proteins it needs. Plant proteins are called "incomplete" because, although they contain the right amino acids, they usually have low amounts of some amino acids. Still, a well-balanced vegetarian diet can usually supply sufficient amounts of protein. The non-vegetarian usually gets most dietary protein from meats, eggs and other animal products. For the vegetarian, legumes, grains, nuts, tofu and seeds are good sources of protein. Pregnant or breastfeeding women need extra protein to support the baby's rapid growth and development.
  
  
• Calcium - Calcium is necessary for the building of strong bones, as well as the proper functioning of the heart, muscles and nervous system. The required daily intake of dairy products provides most non-vegans with sufficient amounts of calcium. Calcium, however, is also found in nuts, such as almonds, seeds, some vegetables such as broccoli, soybeans, tofu and fortified soy beverages. Many nutritionists recommend taking a calcium and Vitamin D supplement if milk and soy products are not part of a daily diet.
  
  
• Iron - This is a mineral that the body needs to produce red blood cells. For the non-vegetarian, meat is the main source of iron in their diet. For the vegetarian, it is important to find other sources of iron. Tofu, lentils, peas, beans, enriched cereals, nuts, seeds, dried fruits and dark green vegetables are good sources of iron. Vitamin C, found in many fruits, (citrus fruits, kiwi) some vegetables (red peppers, potatoes) and beverages, aids in the absorption of iron. Avoid drinking tea with meals as the tannins in tea will affect your ability to absorb iron from food. During pregnancy, the need for iron almost doubles.
• Vitamin B12 - This vitamin is essential to maintaining a healthy nervous system. Because it is not found in plants, vegans have a difficult time getting enough of it in their diet. There are a few ways for vegans to get more Vitamin B12 in their diet - eating foods fortified with Vitamin B12 such as breakfast cereals and soy products, or through vitamin supplements.
  
  
• Zinc - This mineral is essential for overall health and growth. A diet lacking in zinc may lead to poor night vision and wound-healing, a decrease in sense of taste and smell, a reduced ability to fight infections, and poor development of reproductive organs. For the non-vegetarian lean red meats and seafood (especially herring and oysters) are good sources of zinc. For the vegetarian diet, zinc is also found in whole grains, peas and beans. Additional zinc may be added to a diet through supplements.
  
  
• Vitamin D - This vitamin is necessary for the building of strong bones and teeth. The best natural source of Vitamin D, is not found through our diet, but in the sky. Chemicals in the skin form Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Since we don't generally get sufficient amounts of sun exposure, milk has long been fortified with Vitamin D. If milk is not a part of your diet, you should be consuming fortified soy products or taking a Vitamin D supplement.

The key to a healthy vegetarian diet appears to be variety - getting lots of whole grains, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and fruits. Soy products are an excellent source of many nutrients that are also found in animal products. Going vegetarian may be a healthy life-style choice, but it requires educating yourself about the nutrient content of foods, and developing a plan for replacing the essential nutrients found in meat and other animal products.

Look and Feel your Best

• Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet. This means including all food types in your eating habits. There are no good or bad foods, just foods with more or less nutritional content. They can all have a place in your life.
• Eat at least three well-balanced meals a day, with healthy snacks in between to meet energy needs.
• Trust your body: learn to identify hunger and satiety, and eat in response to that. Recognize when your eating for reasons other than hunger.
• Be flexible and accept that it takes time to establish new and healthy habits. Be patient with yourself, set short-term goals and reward yourself for meeting those goals.
• Include some daily physical activity in your life, but remember that over-exercising can be as harmful as dieting. Make it sustainable and enjoyable.
• Nurture yourself, treat yourself well. This means taking care of your physical, as well as your emotional, social or spiritual needs.
• Learn about yourself: get in tune with who you are, what you value, and lead, don't follow.
• Challenge fat prejudice in yourself and in others, because it hurts everyone, thin or fat. (adapted from "Dieting and Weight Loss" by National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC)

External Links

Food Guide
Healthy Body Calculator   
Food Storage
Nutrition Assessment