When you eliminate animal products from your diet, you run the risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Eating a vegetarian diet has many health benefits, including reduced amounts of saturated fats and cholesterol in your diet. Learn the U.S. Department of Agriculture's recommended daily values for various nutrients and create meals from fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains that satisfy both your hunger and nutritional needs.
Step 1
Study the USDA's food intake patterns chart to determine how many calories you need each day for your age, gender and activity level. Study the USDA dietary guidelines for Americans to learn the amount of specific nutrients you should eat each day. For example, if your recommended USDA daily caloric intake is 2,000 calories, you should eat 91 g of protein each day. Read the Food and Drug Administration's "How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label" pamphlet to learn how to understand nutrition labels.
Step 2
Write daily meal plans. Create menus that include sufficient calories, protein, carbohydrates and fat, as well as essential vitamins and minerals such as iron and calcium. Read nutrition labels to learn the calorie and nutrition information in the packaged foods and drinks you include in your meals. Use online research tools such as LiveStrong's My Plate to find nutrition information for non-packaged foods.
Step 3
Add protein to your diet using nuts and legumes. Add seeds and chopped nuts to salads and eat nuts as snacks during the day. Add beans to salads and create multi-bean salads. Black beans are a rich source of iron, while soy is an excellent source of protein. If you eat fish, add cold water fish such as tuna, mackerel, salmon, halibut and sardines to salads. This type of fish is protein rich and high in cholesterol-fighting omega-3 fatty acids. If you eat or drink dairy products, add cheese to salads or serve with fruit to add protein, vitamin D and calcium to meals. If you eat eggs, add one per day to your diet on your salads for protein. The USDA recommends you eat whole grains as the base of your diet; add whole-grain croutons to salads and serve whole-grain pasta salads.
Step 4
Eat fruits as snacks and desserts, to add sweetness to salads and to add essential vitamins and minerals to your diet. For example, oranges are high in vitamin C, while bananas are a good source of potassium. Cranberries may help reduce urinary tract infections and fight cholesterol, according to researchers at the University of Scranton. Juice your fruits to combine them and concentrate the amount of vitamins and minerals you get from each glass. Juicing removes fibers and provides more fruit per serving.
Step 5
Drink enough water to satisfy your thirst each day. It's a myth you need to drink eight glasses of water each day; you get most of the water you need each day in the foods and drinks you ingest. Drinking a glass of water before or during your meals to curb your appetite doesn't interfere with digestion, and may help it, according to MayoClinic.com.
Things You'll Need
- Nutrition labels
- Online nutrition research tools
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