Vegetarian Nutrition
All About Vegetarian Nutrition
One of the questions that is always asked about vegetarian nutrition is whether or not a vegetarian diet really provides everything we need for a healthy life. Over the years people have had concerns about how to provide the protein we need for vital life functions with a no-meat diet.
The truth is, studies have now shown that vegetarians can meet their protein requirements without meat, and a vegetarian diet provides such health benefits as reducing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and some kinds of cancer. That’s not to say that a vegetarian diet cannot ever be bad for you. It can, just like any other diet, if you eat too many calories or foods high in saturated fats.
The essential and non-essential amino acids we get from protein can be found in plants and do not need to come from the presence of meat in our diets. Vegetarian nutrition means being careful to consume the necessary proteins from a variety of nuts, grains, vegetables, seeds, and legumes. In fact, some people replace just about all of the animal protein with protein from soy products.
Iron is another essential need that will have to be watched closely if you decide to eat vegetarian. Iron that used to come from meats can be found in such foods as dried fruits, various kinds of dry beans, breads with whole grains, vegetables such as spinach or turnip greens, as well as in products that have had vitamins and minerals added, such as cereals.
If you do not eat eggs, milk products, or meats, you will need to find another way to include such vitamins and minerals as calcium, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, zinc and others. Products that have fortified vitamins can give you what you need. These can include not only cereals, but other sources like calcium that has been added to orange juice or soy milk. If you don’t find that you are getting enough vitamins and minerals from the food you eat, taking supplements is another answer.
In order to make the most of vegetarian nutrition, you need to watch the amounts you consume of fats, sugar, carbohydrates, cholesterol, and other substances. Replacing meat with cheese as you could do on an ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet is only going to add fats and calories to your diet. Vegetarians still need to be concerned with the overall amount of calories eaten.
Low-fat and non-fat products are still the way to enjoy some foods without getting too many grams of fat. A switch to whole grains for breads and pastas is also a healthy change. If you are having a hard time sticking to your choice to be vegetarian, consider such things as using soy sausage in spaghetti sauce, having a veggie pizza, or replacing beef burritos with ones that have black beans instead.