You and Your Vegetarian Diet

Jacksonville Certified Advanced Personal Trainer,
Fitness Training, Pilates Instructor, Flexibility, Diet and Nutrition Coach in Jacksonville
FL, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Ponte Vedra, Sawgrass and the Beaches Area.
Phone (904) 422-6218

Private Studio One-on-One Personal Fitness Training. Serving the Jacksonville Beaches Area.

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You and Your Vegetarian Diet

We all know that nutrition plays an important role in health, but not all of us know what to eat. Eating a diet that provides the daily-recommended nutrients takes planning and effort, especially if you're a vegetarian. Be assured, however, that meatless diets can meet all of your nutritional needs.

The focus of all diets, including vegetarian diets, should be on complex carbohydrates. A complex carbohydrate is one that takes the body hours to digest and break down into simple sugars. This long breakdown process keeps blood sugar stable, providing sustained energy. Complex carbohydrates include whole grains and their products (pasta and bread), beans and lentils, and starchy vegetables (potatoes, squash and yams), and high-fiber vegetables and fruit (an apple with its skin on, for example).

Simple carbohydrates, on the other hand, are quickly broken down by the digestive system and turned into sugar, providing an initial burst of energy that soon dissipates, resulting in fatigue and mood swings. Simple carbohydrates include processed foods that contain flour, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice and refined sugar.

In addition to complex carbohydrates, a balanced diet should include mono and polyunsaturated fats and protein.

Some nutrients, such as protein, calcium, iron, essential fatty acids and vitamin B12, are more prevalent in animal products (meat, dairy and eggs) than in vegetables, fruits and grains. If you choose not to eat animal meat (vegetarian) or any animal products (vegan), you must find other food sources or take dietary supplements to ensure you are getting all the nutrients you need.

At least 50 percent of each meal should comprise complex carbohydrates. Select items from the following categories to provide nutritional balance:

Protein: beans and lentils; tofu, tempeh or soy-protein isolate; eggs; dairy products; nuts and seeds; Brewer's yeast; and protein-rich grains, such as amaranth and quinoa.

Calcium: fortified soy, almond, oat or rice milk; cow's milk and milk products; fortified orange juice; dark-green leafy vegetables; sea vegetables; calcium precipitated tofu (check the label); almonds; lime-processed tortillas with calcium salts; amaranth; dried figs; blackstrap molasses; and carob.

Iron: beans and lentils; whole grains, including amaranth; nuts; tahini (sesame paste); dark-green leafy vegetables; hijiki (a sea vegetable); wheat grass; prune juice; eggs; blackstrap molasses; and Brewer's yeast.

Zinc: nuts and seeds (pumpkin and sunflower seeds); beans; wheat germ; whole-grain millet, quinoa and amaranth; wild rice; collard greens; yogurt, milk and cheese (especially cheddar); ginger; avocado; and Brewer's yeast.

Vitamin B12: cow's milk and milk products; fortified rice and soymilk; Brewer's yeast; eggs; wheat grass; fortified soy products*; tempeh*; and spirulina*.
*soy forms of vitamin B12 may not be as well absorbed.

Vitamin D: sunlight; fortified soy and rice milk; fortified cow's milk; eggs; and sunflower sprouts.

Balance your diet with foods from these categories, and also pay attention to color, variety and taste. Try new foods and experiment with flavor combinations using herbs and spices to make your dishes pop. With proper planning and some creativity, a vegetarian diet can be highly nutritious and delicious, too.

Certified Advanced Personal Trainer in Jacksonville FL
Phone (904) 422-6218