How To Get Enough Nutrients In A Vegetarian Or Vegan Diet

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Video: How To Get Enough Nutrients In A Vegetarian Or Vegan Diet

Video: How To Get Enough Nutrients In A Vegetarian Or Vegan Diet
Video: Vegetarian Nutrition | Getting Enough Protein | Ask the Doctor 2024, November
How To Get Enough Nutrients In A Vegetarian Or Vegan Diet
How To Get Enough Nutrients In A Vegetarian Or Vegan Diet
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If you eat well a balanced vegetarian diet With lots of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, you are eating one of the healthiest diets on the planet. On the other hand, you need to make sure that you are getting some vital nutrients. In addition to getting enough protein, it is just as important to include enough calcium and iron in your vegetarian diet. If you are vegan, vitamin B12 is also a cause for concern.

Where do proteins come from in this type of diet?

One of the most common questions vegetarians hear from non-vegetarians is Where do you get protein from? The good news is that if you eat a well-balanced diet, you're probably consuming more than enough protein. Make sure you eat a variety of protein-rich foods to get the full set of essential amino acids that are the building blocks of protein.

If you're a lacto-ovo vegetarian, you're probably getting enough protein from eggs and dairy without even trying, but if you're vegan, here are some high-protein vegan foods to include in your diet: tofu, soy, lentils, chickpeas, nuts and seeds, brown rice and whole grains.

Women need about 45 grams of protein a day, and men need about 55 grams, which is easy to achieve because a cup of tofu contains about 20 grams of protein.

Calcium

How to get enough nutrients in a vegetarian or vegan diet
How to get enough nutrients in a vegetarian or vegan diet

Children need a lot of calcium as they grow, but adults also need it. If you are a smoker, you will need to get more calcium as your absorption and retention levels are lower. Strong bones throughout life come from both calcium in the diet and exercise, so for optimal health, make sure you get both.

Although milk is the best known source of calcium, it is certainly not the only one. Here are some calcium-rich foods you can try: spinach, kale, soy milk, sesame seeds, tahini, broccoli, almonds, carrots and rice milk. Be sure to shake the soy milk, as calcium may have settled to the bottom.

Iron

Studies have found that levels of iron in vegetarians and vegans in some countries they are on average higher than those of the general population, which shows that it is possible to get more than enough iron in this type of diet. As with protein, you still need to make sure you eat a balanced diet to make sure you get enough iron.

Drinking coffee and tea, especially with food, can limit the absorption of iron and should therefore be consumed at least three hours before meals. To increase iron, try eating tofu, lentils, spinach, soy, chickpeas and hummus. Vitamin C also increases the absorption of iron, so you can safely eat plenty of citrus fruits.

Vitamin B12

Vegetarians You don't have to worry about vitamin B12, but many people don't agree that vegans need a B12 supplement. B12 deficiency is rare among both vegans and non-vegetarians, but is a serious problem when it occurs.

There are a few things vegans need to know about B12:

How to get enough nutrients in a vegetarian or vegan diet
How to get enough nutrients in a vegetarian or vegan diet

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Your body has the ability to store B12 for several years, so if you're a vegan rookie, you may have enough reserves for another decade, but if you haven't checked your B12 levels regularly, there's no way to know.

Dietary yeast is the best food source for B12, although miso and some seaweed contain minimal amounts. Although nutritional yeast is a great source and an incredibly tasty addition to almost anything, some doctors suggest that it is best not to rely on one source and recommend taking vitamins at least once a week, even if you eat nutritional yeast regularly.

If you are a smoker, your body will lose nutrients, so you need extra B12.

Expectant mothers also have special needs for B12. If you are vegan and you are expecting a baby, be sure to consult your doctor.

Models of healthy eating

A healthy vegetarian diet is one of the best things you can do for short and long term health. As a vegetarian or vegan, you will lower your cholesterol and have a significantly reduced risk of colon cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure.

However, there is a big difference between eating vegan diet of french fries and soda and a well-balanced plant-based diet. So before you take this step, research things carefully to make sure you give the best to your body and your overall health.

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