Tips for Vegetarians

Some of us become vegetarians because of a moral choice we make that we should not eat other living beings. Others make the choice for health reasons - believing that omitting animal products from what they ingest will result in better health. And there are still others who simply do not like the taste of flesh and so avoid eating it.

Whatever their reasons, moral, health or just taste, vegetarians are increasing in numbers - and it is certainly true that many studies have demonstrated the health benefits of a vegetarian diet. A well constructed vegetarian diet is low in saturated and trans fats and low in cholesterol - and high in fibre and antioxidants.

Problems can arise, however, if you just omit meat and meat products from your diet and don’t replace them with foods that provide the nutrients which your carnivore colleagues get from meat. A vegetarian diet, if not planned carefully, can result in deficiencies of protein, iron, calcium, zinc and vitamin B12.

Protein in Vegetarian Diet

Eating only salads and rice is not enough to provide you with the protein your body needs for growth and repair. To get an adequate amount of protein, vegetarians should eat foods like chick peas, lentils and soya beans - in fact almost any type of bean, including baked beans, has a lot of good quality protein. Soy products like tofu (bean curd) and soy yoghurt, nuts, seeds and brown rice also are good sources of protein. For those whose food choices do not preclude non-flesh animal products like milk and eggs, these foods also provide very good sources of protein.

Iron in Vegetarian Diet

Those who confine themselves to eating only plant products generally have lower iron levels than those who consume meat. Now iron is found in two forms – haem iron and non-haem iron. The former, which is found in meat, is more easily absorbed by our intestines. In order to absorb non-haem iron (which is the form of iron found in plants and eggs) the intestine needs Vitamin C - so if you get your iron from plant products in the non-haem form, it is a good idea to take your food with plenty of Vitamin C containing food such as orange, limes or chillies. Dark green leaves such as spinach and silver beet are very good sources of iron for vegetarians.

Drinking tea with a vegetarian meal can inhibit the absorption of iron because the tannin in tea binds with the iron in the intestine and hinders its absorption. So in practical terms, avoid tea with your meals - and try to take your meals with Vitamin C containing fruits or juices.

Zinc, Calcium and Vitamin B12 in Vegetarian Diet

These elements are needed for health. Although zinc is widely found in plant foods, the phytates in grains and legumes reduces the absorption of zinc from the gut. To increase your intake of zinc, you can take tofu, seeds and nuts.

Calcium is needed for healthy bones. Dairy products like milk, cheese, yoghurt, curd and ice cream provide plenty of calcium - so including milk in a vegetarian diet is important. If for whatever reason you prefer NOT to take milk, then you can use foods like almonds, dried figs and green vegetables like broccoli as an alternative source of zinc.

Vitamin B12, which is essential for the formation of red blood cells, is only found in animal products - so total vegetarians are almost certain over a period of time to develop B12 deficiency. If you do not want to take any form of flesh, then you should take a Vitamin B12 supplement in the form of a pill.

Source:http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=45546