When you are beginning the process of converting to a vegetarian diet it is important to plan carefully. You need to make yourself familiar with the nutrient value of your food and how foods interact with one another.
A vegetarian diet can be lacking in five essential nutrients unless it is planned. These are protein, iron. calcium, zinc and vitamin B-12. In a meat based diet these are easily obtained from animal products. If dairy produce and eggs are included in a vegetarian diet these essential nutrients should not be in short supply.
If you have decided to eat a vegetarian diet, whether for reasons of health or because of ethical considerations, you need to consider where you will obtain these nutrients. It is perfectly possible for a vegetarian to derive these nutrients from vegetable sources with a little thought.
A vegetarian can obtain protein from beans, peas, lentils and other pulses. These vegetarian staples need to be mixed with grains such as rice, barley or wheat, which also contain protein, because only together do they make what is called a complete protein. A complete protein contains all the essential amino acid that are found in meat and other animal products.
Soya beans are unique among beans in containing all the essential amino acids without the addition of grains. Soya products make up an important part of a vegetarian diet for that reason. Soya milk, soya yoghurt, soya cheeses, tofu and soya meat substitutes make up an important part of a healthy vegetarian diet.
A vegetarian diet need not be lacking in protein if it contains a variety of pulse, grains, nuts and seeds. Sprnkling a few sesame seeds on a meal will increase its protein content.
It is not even necessary to include different incomplete vegetable proteins in the same meal to create a balanced protein. The body is capable of storing amino acids and combining them later.
Many of the commercially available soya products have calcium, zinc and vitamin B-12 added in the manufacturing process. But a vegetarian should also ensure that these nutrients are present in the rest of their diet.
Soya beans are also a good source of iron as are seeds such as pumpkin seeds. Quinoa, a seed that cooks like rice and can be used as the starch component of a meal contains iron.
Zinc is vital for growth and cell division. It is essential for reproductive health. for liver function and insulin activity. It is present in dairy foods as well as beans, lentils nuts and seeds. Chick peas are a good source of zinc, as is tahini paste. A hummous dip is more than a tasty snack it is valuable source of a nutrients in a vegetarian diet.
Calcium need not be a major problem in a vegetarian diet. If a vegetarian diet includes dairy produce it will provide enough calcium. Even for vegans it is possible to obtain calcium from plant sources. Wholemeal bread is a fairly good source of calcium as are dried apricots. Baked beans and broccoli are both good sources of calcium.
Where vitamin B-12 is concerned it is only necessary to resort to supplements if eggs and milk are excluded from a vegetarian diet.
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