1. The Search for Iron-Rich Foods
Vegetarians have made a conscious choice to take meats out of their diet. Along with that choice, they're taking away the best option of iron-rich foods. Don't worry, because you can make food choices to put iron back into the vegetarian diet. Vegetarians should eat iron-rich foods that include seeds, nuts, eggs, dark leafy vegetables, prunes, dried beans and raisins. Vegetarians should choose to eat cereals and breads that are iron-rich or fortified with iron.
2. Pumps Some Iron Into the Body
Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, which helps the body avoid becoming anemic. Vitamin C takes the iron from the foods we eat and processes it so the body can absorb the iron, making foods with Vitamin C very important for a vegetarian to eat. Some Vitamin C-rich foods are oranges, strawberries, pineapples, kiwis, guava, tomatoes, broccoli and many other fruits and vegetables. In addition, many cereals have added Vitamin C, so read your labels.
3. Vitamin B-12 Helps Form Red Blood Cells
Vegetarians need to eat foods with vitamin B-12, also called folate, or take supplements with the B complex vitamins. Vitamin B-12 helps the body form red blood cells, which the body needs to avoid becoming anemic. The foods with the highest concentration of vitamin B-12 are from animal sources such as meats, kidneys and liver, which are not in a vegetarian diet. Vegetarians need to get enough vitamin B-12 from the foods they eat. This is even more important for older vegetarians, as our bodies absorb less vitamin B-12 as we age. Vitamin B-12 and the B complex vitamins are in many cereals, breads and pastas. Other excellent food choices for vitamin B-12 are fruits, dried beans and peas.
4. Eat and Drink
For vegetarians to absorb the most benefits from the foods they eat, there are some beverages that they should avoid. Drinking tea should be limited or left out of the vegetarian diet as "tannin" in tea keeps the body from absorbing the needed iron, which can lead to anemia. Milk has a few issues for vegetarians to consider. While milk has many nutrients that the body needs, in large quantities milk can keep the body from absorbing iron that the body needs to avoid becoming anemic. So vegetarians should drink their tea and milk in moderation.
Member Comments