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Vegetarian
Nutritional Information A question that may be asked is whether a vegetarian gets the correct
nutritional requirements that the human body needs. This next section
discusses this mater. The body has the ability to better absorb needed nutrients. For instance, if your body needs more calcium it will naturally absorb more from your food. If it needs less of a particular nutrient it will naturally absorb less. Protein Proteins are nitrogen-containing compounds that when digested become
amino acids. Amino acids make up protein, and they make up antibodies,
enzymes, hormones and are the basic structure of every cell. Amino acids
make up the proteins in muscles. They are also found in body fluids,
bones, blood and the teeth. Vegetarians usually eat enough protein but not too much. If a person
eats too much protein, especially those from animal sources, it causes
the kidneys to allow extra calcium to pass out in the urine. This is
one of the reasons the recommended amount of calcium is high for Americans.
These recommendations are increased because of the high intake of meat
by many Americans. Eating too much protein increases blood pressure
levels and increases the possibilities of coronary artery disease; it
is also believed to increase the risk of kidney disease, kidney stone
and osteoporosis. Eating less protein helps to cause less kidney problems. Vegetarians
tend to have less kidney diseases and kidney stones. In most proteins there are 20 amino acids. When these amino acids link
together, they form protein. Individual amino acids have certain functions
in the body and can combine with other non-protein substances in the
body to do things within the body. Glycine helps to make toxic substances
harmless. Tryptophan helps in making the vitamin niacin. Histidine helps
defend against a runny nose when you have hay fever or other allergies. Essential amino acids are ones that are not produced by the body, and
they have to be gotten from food. There are nine essential amino acids,
which are: Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methoonine, Phenylalanine,
Threonine, Tryptophan and Valine. Plants contain all the nine essential
amino acids that the body needs. Meat contains high levels of protein. So much so that they can cause
the body to receive excessively high amounts of protein. It is possible
to get more than enough proteins from plant foods. Soybean has a good
amount of the essential amino acids. It can be the only source of protein
for a person. In the past there was a concept of complementary proteins. This concept
is that to get the proper amount of proteins that the body needs, during
each meal you have to combine different foods in such a way as to get
all the essential amino acids in the same meal. It was thought that
by combining amino acids in a certain way that this would form a superior
quality protein. At the present time the concept of complementary proteins is not generally
accepted. It is now believed that the body can get complement proteins
in its own way. To be able to do this properly it is necessary to eat
enough calories and to eat a selection of healthy foods (not junk food). Some vegetarian foods high in protein are beans, lentil soup, oatmeal,
bean burrito, vegetarian chili, tempeh, veggie burgers, falafel (chick
pea balls), tofu, stir-fry vegetables, soy milk, pasta primavera and
cereal. Fats Saturated fats and trans fatty acids are the fats most likely to cause
heart disease. Trans fatty acids are in foods that contain hydrogenated
fats. To reduce the chance of heart disease it is a good idea to reduce
all kinds of fats and especially to avoid hydrogenated and saturated
fats. The optimal diet will receive no more than 25 percent of its calories from fat, the majority of which should be either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat. The normal American gets 37% of their calories from fat. Vegetarians eat less fat and less saturated fats than meat eaters. A diet based on vegetables, fruits, grains, nonfat milk products and dried beans is low in fat. Calcium Some foods high in calcium are milk, cheese, yogurt, broccoli, almonds,
garbanzo beans (chick-peas), molasses, kidney beans, dried figs, sesame
seeds, pinto beans, lentils, bok choy, navy beans, Chinese cabbage,
calcium-fortified soymilk, tofu processed with calcium sulfate and dark
green leafy vegetables such as collard greens, turnip greens, kale and
mustard greens. When a person eats meat their blood becomes more acidic. The body then
takes calcium from the bones to neutralize this acid in the blood. In
this way calcium is lost through the kidneys. The protein derived from
plant foods has less sulfur in it, which causes the bones to lose less
calcium. Amino acids that contain sulfur found in meat proteins cause
the body to lose more calcium when taken in excess. Substances such as oxalates and phytates can diminish the body's ability
to absorb calcium.Because spinach contains oxalates, the body cannot
properly absorb the calcium that it contains. Milk is a good source of calcium, protein, riboflavin and calories.
Not everyone can eat milk, because many people in the world can't digest
it. Young children produce an enzyme called lactase, which helps the
body digest lactose, the sugar found in milk. As babies become older
their bodies produce less lactase, as they need less of their mothers'
milk. By the time a baby become three to five years old, much of the
production of lactase has stopped as the child stops breast-feeding. When the production of lactase stops, many adults can no longer digest
milk from any species. If a person cannot digest milk, they get lactose
intolerance. When the milk reaches the intestines, it cannot be digested
and a person may get diarrhea, gas, abdominal cramps and bloating. People from Northern Europe and many of the people in the United States
do not tend to be lactose intolerant. But many people from Asia, Africa,
Native Americans, South America and the Mediterranean tend to be lactose
intolerant. Iron Iron forms part of the hemoglobin in red blood cells. Hemoglobin carries
oxygen to the blood cells and to the muscles of the body. People who
do not get enough iron, may not get enough oxygen to their blood cells
and muscles, which makes them feel exhausted. Some good sources of iron are cereals, whole breads, brown rice, beans, apricots, prune juice, Brussels sprout, broccoli, bok choy, cantaloupe, tofu, figs, tempeh, soybean, nuts, watermelon, dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, kidney beans, tahini, peas, dried fruits, raisins and nuts. Vitamin C Vitamin B12 There may be a problem with a vegetarian in reference to getting enough
vitamin B12 because it is only present in animal foods. Therefore a
vegan may have a problem with a B12 deficiency. More than enough vitamin
B12 can be gotten from eating milk products. Vegans can get the proper
amount of B12 that the body needs by taking vitamin pills, fortified
cereals or fortified soymilk. It is usually a good idea for vegan mothers
to take a B12 supplement. The bodies of humans and animals produce B12 in their intestines. But
it is produced in such a place in the human body that it cannot be used
by it. The body stores B12 and also recycles it. There is usually enough B12
stored in the liver and tissues of the body to last for three years,
and for some people over ten years. There are many forms of B12, but Cyanocobalamin is the form that the
body can use. Therefore even if some foods are high in other forms of
B12, they are usually of no value for a person. Some foods that may
appear to be good sources of B12 are not and these include nutritional
yeast, bean sprouts, tempeh, sea vegetables, tamari (fermented soy sauce)
and miso (fermented soy). Most forms of nutritional yeast contain B12 that has no value, but the brand Red Star T-6635+ contains B12 that can be utilized. It has been made to contain Cyanocobalimin. Riboflavin (B2) Saturated Fat and Cholesterol Saturated fat causes the body to produce cholesterol. The body needs
cholesterol, but the body makes enough by itself. Cholesterol is not
needed from foods that we eat. American meat eaters take in about 500
milligrams of cholesterol each day, lacto-ovo vegetarians take in about
200 milligrams of cholesterol daily and a vegan does not take in any.
Plant foods do not contain cholesterol. Cholesterol is made by the
liver and is only found in animal foods. The highest source of saturated
fat comes from red meat. Certain dairy products such as cheese, sour
cream, butter, ice creams, milk and the skin of poultry are also high
in saturated fats. Chicken and fish have less saturated fat than red
meat but also contain the type of saturated fat that can cause health
problems. Intake of saturated fat raises the cholesterol level. Saturated fat is usually solid like a stick of butter at room temperature. Cholesterol is a waxy substance and can often be found in the arteries of a person who is diseased. Fiber Fiber in plant food is material that is not totally digested after
eating. Fiber in a person's food causes the food to pass quicker through
the system, which reduces the possibility of harmful substances coming
in contact with the intestine lining. Contaminants in the system can
bind with fiber to take them out of the body. Since fibers are bulky,
by eating foods high in fiber one tends to eat less, which may cause
one to take in less calories, which can help one avoid becoming overweight. If a person gets enough fiber, they tend to have less problems with
constipation, varicose veins and hemorrhoids. Getting a good amount
of fiber in a diet helps to control the blood sugar levels in diabetics,
and helps to lower cancer and coronary artery diseases. The current recommended amount of fiber in a person's diet is 30 grams
per day, but if a person gets 40 or 50 grams this is better. Vegetarians
can easily get the required amount of fiber. The average American gets
only 12 grams of fiber daily in their diet, but a typical vegetarian
gets two to four times this amount. It is important to get a good amount
of water with the fiber. A cup of vegetarian chili contains 14 grams of fiber, a cup of oatmeal 8 grams, a slice of whole-wheat bread 2 grams and a pear with its skin has 4 grams of fiber. Free Radicals Meat has a high amount of oxidants that cause the body to make free
radicals, while on the other hand, vegetables have many antioxidants
that help the body get rid of free radicals. A vegetarian diet is strong
in phytochemicals that help a person have good health. If you know of a vegetarian restaurant that is not listed here, or if you would like to help update our listings, please e-mail us at: vrupdate@hotmail.com |
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