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GreenWise - March 2005
Being Vegetarian: how to do it
| I was just about to
put dinner on the table
when my 16-year-old son
announced that he was going to
be a vegetarian, the only one in
our family. After the dishes were
done that evening, we did some
research to find out what his
decision would mean to us as a
family - in terms of both his
nutritional status and our
dinner menus.
Once a person makes the decision to
adopt a different way of eating, it's not
just a matter of leaving an empty spot
on the plate where the meat used to be.
Whether you intend to cut down on the
amount of meat in your diet or to cut it
out altogether, a little research can go a
long way in preventing deficiencies of
vital nutrients.
The first question you'll hear when
you announce your goal of adopting a
vegetarian eating style is likely to be,
"How are you going to get enough
protein?" And that may be followed by,
"Where will you get your calcium?"
Where's the Protein?
As long as you eat a variety of high-quality
plant foods - and enough good
food to maintain energy - protein
shouldn't be an issue. In a joint statement,
the American Dietetic Association and
Dietitians of Canada said, "Research
indicates that an assortment of plant foods
eaten over the course of a day can provide
all essential amino acids [the building
blocks of protein]." |
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The Traditional Healthy Vegetarian
Diet Pyramid developed by Oldways
Preservation and Exchange Trust includes
recommendations for high-protein foods
that, along with brightly colored fresh
fruits and vegetables, should make up the
greatest part of a vegetarian diet:
- Whole Grains
barley, bulgur, corn, flax, kasha, millet,
oats, rice, rye, wheat - Legumes
1. beans (including black beans, black-eyed
peas, kidney beans, lentils, navy
beans, pinto beans, red beans)
2. peanuts
3. soy (including tofu).
Calcium Needs
Calcium is, of course, another nutrient
that's necessary for health and strength.
Research has shown that vegetarians
who eat some dairy foods consume a
comparable amount of calcium as those
who are not vegetarians. Even vegetarians
who avoid animal-based products can
build and maintain healthy bones and
teeth by including the following foods in
their daily eating plans: |
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- Green vegetables
especially broccoli and dark, leafy
greens such as kale
- Legumes
1. beans (kidney beans, for example,
contain about 144 mg of calcium per
cup)
2. tofu (read the label to be sure it's
been processed with calcium sulfate)
and soymilk (with calcium added)
- Calcium-fortified foods
orange juice and many breads and
cereals look and taste like their
nonfortified counterparts but pack a
wallop of calcium.
Supplementing
the Vegetarian Diet
Assuming that your protein needs are met
and that you eat plenty of fruits and
veggies, what else should you consider?
For one thing, many experts agree that
low levels of vitamins, minerals, and other
nutrients are a problem in this country,
and not just for vegetarians. "There is
good evidence that a large segment of the
population is deficient in significant
amounts of micronutrients," says Gerald
M. Lemole, MD, chief of cardiovascular
services at Christiana Care Health
System's Center for Heart and Vascular
Health in Newark, Delaware. He
recommends the following supplements:
vitamins A, C, and E for their
antioxidant properties
vitamin B complex
minerals (including calcium,
magnesium, selenium, and zinc)
essential fatty acids
coenzyme Q10, which becomes
depleted as we age.
Licensed nutritionist Frances M. Berg,
MS, adjunct professor at the University of
North Dakota School of Medicine,
emphasizes the vegetarian's need for
vitamin B12, which she calls "an essential
vitamin missing in plant foods." Women
who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy
and those who are breastfeeding should
look for a B complex rich in vitamin B12
and containing 400 micrograms of folate.
Parents of vegetarian children and adolescents
will want to be sure their diets
contain lots of fresh fruits and vegetables
and sources of minerals and vitamin D
(especially important where sun exposure
is limited or sunblock is used). |
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Vegetarian or Not
"The focus for healthy eating should be a
mostly plant-based diet - one that is
centered around a variety of vegetables,
fruits, whole grains, and beans," says
nutritionist Karen Collins, MS, RD, of the
American Institute for Cancer Research.
Whether or not you become a full-time,
lifelong vegetarian, Collins says, "healthy
food choices within that framework seem
to be the key for good health."
Next month: An overview of the different
types of vegetarian diets.
SELECTED SOURCES
The Healing Diet by Gerald M. Lemole, MD ($25, William
Morrow, 2001)
"Is Vegetarian Eating Really Healthier?" by
Karen Collins, MS, RD, American Institute for Cancer Research, www.aicr.org, 2/14/00
"The Traditional Healthy Vegetarian Diet Pyramid," Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust, 2000,
www.oldwayspt.org
Underage & Overweight: America's Childhood Obesity Crisis - What Every Family Needs to Know by
Frances M. Berg, MS, LN ($24.95, Hatherleigh Press, 2004)
"Vegetarian Diets," American Dietetic Association and
Dietitians of Canada, position paper, www.eatright.org
What, No Meat?! What to Do When Your Kid Becomes a Vegetarian by Debra Halperin Poneman and Emily Anderson Greene ($14.95, ECWPress, 2003) |
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