Efficacy of Vegetarian Diets
Uploaded by ihatesuchin on Jul 05, 2004
All the nutrients the body needs can easily be obtained from a vegetarian diet. In fact, research shows a vegetarian diet can be healthier that that of a typical meat eater. Nutrients are usually divided into five classes: carbohydrates, proteins, fats and oils, vitamins and minerals. We also need some dietary fibre and water. All are needed in varying quantities, from about 250g of carbohydrate per day to less than two micrograms of vitamin B12.
Most foods contain a mixture of nutrients, but it is convenient to classify them by the main nutrient they provide.
Girls aged 15-18 years need around 45g of protein a day (more, if very active or lactating) and boys aged 15-18 need about 55g (more if very active). Too much protein may aggravate poor or failing kidney function. Vegetarians obtain protein from four main sources: - Nuts and Seeds - Peas, Beans and Pulses - Grains and Cereals - Dairy and Eggs The humble Soya bean is an excellent source of vegetarian protein and is found in veggie bacon, tofu, pot noodles, sausages and sauces! It can be made into milk and other dairy substitutes for vegans. It is also consumed widely by omnivores as soya is found (as a bulking agent) in 70% of processed foods. It is maintained by some that it is necessary to 'combine' the proteins in a vegetarian diet to obtain an adequate supply of amino acids, eight of which are essential for adults and nine for children. Vegetarian proteins are usually deficient in one of the eight essential amino acids, so some people advise that we combine the proteins we eat in a meal or throughout the day to achieve a full complement. Any two of the protein groups in the diagram above can be combined to achieve a full complement of protein. Meals such as beans on toast, or cereal and milk are excellent examples of how proteins can be easily combined to create the full complement of amino acids. The latest research suggests that the body has a short term pool of amino acids and, because of this, we don't have to worry about complementing amino acids at every single meal, as long as our diet is varied and well-balanced. Even foods not considered to be very high in protein are adding some amino acids to this pool.
Carbohydrates give us energy. There are three main types of carbohydrates: simple...