The American Heart Association stresses that vegetarian eating should be carefully planned to meet all of your nutritional needs. Vegetarian diets are typically low in fat and cholesterol. The American Heart Association states that following a vegetarian diet plan can decrease your risk of coronary heart disease, obesity, diabetes, hypertension and some forms of cancer.
Reasons to Go Veg
Becoming vegetarian is a personal choice, one made for a variety of personal reasons. Some people disagree with using animals for food, others oppose livestock farming conditions and others are making lifestyle changes or simply want to eat a healthier diet.
Meatless Diets
A vegetarian diet does not include meats, poultry, fish or byproducts from the meat-processing industry, such as gelatin. MayoClinic.com explains that grains, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables make up a vegetarian diet. Eggs and dairy products are included in an ovo-lacto vegetarian diet. No eggs are used in a lacto vegetarian diet, but dairy products are. A vegan diet does not include eggs or dairy products.
When you plan your vegetarian menu, include a wide variety of plant-based proteins, carbohydrates, a range of vitamins and enough calories to meet your energy needs.
Essential Nutrition
MyPyramid.gov recommends that new vegetarians plan menus that focus on some main nutrients they formerly got from meat. These include protein, iron, calcium, zinc and vitamin B12. Many breakfast cereals are fortified with these nutrients. Spinach and greens, legumes, whole wheat breads, dried apricots, prunes and raisins are good sources of iron. Soy products, some leafy green vegetables, calcium-enriched orange juice, milk and dairy products all provide calcium. Zinc is found in dried beans, wheat germ and pumpkin seeds. Your body needs to replenish vitamin B12 daily. B12 is found in animal products, including eggs and dairy. Many foods are fortified with B12, including soy beverages, veggie burgers and nutritional yeast.
Protein Sources
If you eat a balanced diet before making the transition to vegetarian, changing protein sources could be your main challenge. According to MyPyramid.gov, eggs and dairy products will help you meet your protein requirements. Dried beans, legumes, nuts and seeds are other high-protein foods. In grocery stores throughout the U.S., you can find processed vegetarian meat-replacer foods such as veggie burgers, sausage, crumbles that resemble ground beef and even a soy tofu-based turkey substitute called tofurkey.
Vegetarian Children
A vegetarian diet is healthy for the whole family. However, parents must plan their children's vegetarian menu to include all the nutrients they need to grow. Kids Health emphasizes the importance of calcium during childhood when bones are developing strength and density that needs to last a lifetime. Another concern is that girls must be careful to replace iron lost through menstruation.
Member Comments