- Whether by culture or by choice, following a vegetable diet can provide necessary vitamins and minerals
- Do your homework. There is a wide array of foods available on a vegetable diet which will fulfill your nutritional needs
- We all know about the recommended food pyramid to follow for a balanced daily diet. Believe it or not, there is also a vegetarian food pyramid
- If a day’s worth of food falls short on various vitamins and minerals, supplements may provide what seems to be missing in your diet
Acquiring the recommended vitamins and minerals while on vegetable diets is possible with proper food planning. Vegetable diets are followed by many as a cultural way of eating. For others, vegetable diets are followed by choice for various reasons. Also, getting an adequate daily vitamin intake with mineral enrichment will result in healthy weight maintenance if a vegetable diet is followed properly.
A vegetarian type of diet will consist of foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, seeds, and nuts. This is obviously an agenda of foods which consists of less fat and cholesterol while providing more needed fiber.
There are various levels of vegetable diets. Some include only plant based foods with absolutely no foods derived from meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, or cheese. This is known as a vegan diet. A lacto-vegetarian will consume milk and its products as well as plant based foods. Eggs, poultry, meat, and fish are omitted from this type of diet. Adding eggs, cheese and yogurt to this mix will make you a lacto-ovo vegetarian. Semi-vegetarians, or flexitarians, will follow a plant based diet with an occasional addition of meat, poultry, or fish.
Following a vegetarian food pyramid is helpful in forming a foundation of adequate foods to be eaten for healthy weight management. The pyramid is a foundation to acquire the suggested daily vitamin intake with mineral enrichment. Whether a child or adult, pregnant or breast-feeding, it is possible for a decent planned vegetarian diet to meet your nutritional needs.
When following restrictive diets, various elements come short of nutritional value. Vitamin B-12 comes short when following a vegan diet. To replace vitamins such as these and various essential minerals, an additional effort should be made to ensure adequate nutrition. Sources of protein include soy products, meat substitutes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, legumes and lentils. To be sure your calcium is adequate, low fat dairy and dark green veggies such as spinach, collard greens, broccoli, or turnips are resourceful. Including tofu enriched with soy and calcium is another option. Vitamin B-12, which is necessary for producing red blood cells and prevent anemia, can be found in milk, eggs, and cheese. If such products are not part of your diet choices, enriched cereals, fortified soy, and supplements are highly suggested. Iron is mandatory for red blood cells. Sources of iron can be attained from dried legumes, lentils, whole grains, some cereals, dark and leafy green vegetables, or dried fruit. Eating foods rich in vitamin-C will benefit your iron level. Strawberries, citrus fruits, cabbage, broccoli, and tomatoes are all foods which will benefit your vitamin C and B-12 levels. Whole grains, soy, nuts, and wheat germ will provide zinc, another mineral which is an essential part of many enzymes needed for cell health and protein formation.
Tags: daily vitamin intake, healthy weight maintenance, mineral enrichment, vegetable diets
