Vegetarian Diet & Nutrition A balanced diet is very important There are 4 main food groups: cereals fruits and vegetables meat, fish, eggs, beans and dairy products oil, sugar and salt The main nutrients provided by these foods are carbohydrates, protein, fat, minerals and vitamins. Our body obtains varying amounts of these nutrients from different types of food and then utilizes them to promote growth, help development and maintain health. Therefore, we must have a balanced diet in order to obtain sufficient and appropriate nutrients. To have a balanced diet, the principles of the food pyramid must be observed. What is vegetarian diet it is a kind of diet that includes mainly fruits, vegetables and cereals but excludes all meat it has become more popular in recent years for the following reasons: * some people believe that vegetarian diet is healthier * some have religious reasons and refrain from eating meat * some have special beliefs such as environmental protection and animal rights protection * some people simply want to control their weight and therefore cut down on meat consumption Main types of vegetarian diet 1. vegan - consumes only fruits, vegetables and cereals - does not take dairy products, eggs and meat 2. lacto-vegetarian - consumes only dairy products, fruits, vegetables and cereals - does not take eggs and meat 3. ovo-vegetarian - consumes only eggs, fruits, vegetables and cereals - does not take dairy products and meat 4. lacto-ovo-vegetarian - consumes only dairy products, eggs, fruits, vegetables and cereals - does not take meat 5. fruitarian - consumes only fruits, dried fruits, nuts and honey Examples of vegetarian food whole wheat and cereals * brown rice, bread, oatmeal, bran, whole wheat cracker nuts * peanuts, lotus seed, almond, macadamia nut, hazel-nut, brazil-nut, chestnut beans and bean products * soya bean, lentil, split pea, green pea, kidney bean, chicken pea fruits and vegetables * asparagus, brussel sprout, cucumber, carrot, potato, pumpkin, mushroom, fruits Choosing vegetarian diet Benefits vegetarian food is rich in fibre which helps in maintaining normal body weight by giving a sensation of fullness decrease the risk of colon cancer, piles and constipation because of its low fat content, the risk of heart disease, hypertension, stroke, cancers, obesity, gallstones may also be reduced Precautions some nutrients are only present in meat, eggs and dairy products. Since vegetarians do not take meat and some even do not take eggs and dairy products, they may become deficient in these nutrients. Nutrient deficiency may result in malnutrition, tiredness, anaemia and other illness vegetarians need to be particularly careful in the choice and combinations of food. They may have to take vitamins or other dietary supplements as advised by their doctors if one wishes to control weight by switching to a vegetarian diet, he/she must be careful about the quantity of food intake, choice of food, cooking methods and amount of oil used Important facts for vegetarian children and youth Children and youth are at an important stage of development. They need a variety of nutrients to grow healthily. If children are vegetarian for religious or other personal reasons, their diets must include a wide range of foods in appropriate combinations so that they have sufficient nutrients to ensure growth Vegetarian food, in general, do not have a strong taste and is not particularly appetizing. Parents need to make extra efforts and be more creative in their cooking and recipes in order to increase their children's interest in food and stimulate their appetite The protein content of vegetables is, in general, lower than that of animal products. Therefore, in order to obtain the different types of protein, the amount and variety of food intake are of great importance for vegetarians. Beans, nuts and dairy products can be consumed in various combinations e.g. cashew nut, hazel-nut and apricot served in low-fat yoghurt; legumes and chicken peas served in sauce made of cottage cheese Only dairy products, liver, meat and eggs can provide us with vitamin B12. If these foods are not taken, vitamin B12 supplements or vitamin B12 fortified cereals, soya bean milk or other foods must be taken. Read the food labels during shopping to find out whether vitamin B12 has been added Vegetarian food also contains calcium, iron, zinc and other minerals. A variety of food must be taken in order to obtain the different types of minerals * Foods rich in calcium include broccoli, almonds, turnip greens, beancurd (tofu) and dairy products. However, salty foods and drinks that contain caffeine increase the loss of calcium * Food rich in iron include spinach, prunes, dried apricots, iron-added breakfast cereals and water-melon. Intake of foods rich in vitamin C like fresh fruits increase the absorption of iron * Foods rich in zinc include beans, nuts and wheat germs