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NUTRITN.TXT
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1995-03-13
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VegSocUK Information Sheet
THE VEGETARIAN SOCIETY
BASIC NUTRITION
___________________________________
Many people worry that when they stop eating meat and fish, they might be in
danger of some nutritional deficiency. This is not the case as all the
nutrients you need can easily be obtained from a vegetarian diet. In fact
research shows that in many ways a vegetarian diet is healthier than that of
a typical meat-eater.
Nutrients are usually divided into five classes: carbohydrates, proteins,
fats (including oil), vitamins and minerals. We also need fibre and water.
All are equally important to our well-being, although they are needed in
varying quantities, from about 250 g of carbohydrate a day to less than two
micrograms of vitamin B12. Carbohydrate, fat and protein are usually called
macro-nutrients and the vitamins and minerals are usually called
micro-nutrients.
Most foods contain a mixture of nutrients (there are a few exceptions, like
pure salt or sugar) but it is convenient to classify them by the main
nutrient they provide. Still, it is worth remembering that everything you eat
gives you a whole range of essential nutrients.
Meat supplies protein, fat, some B vitamins and minerals (mostly iron, zinc,
potassium and phosphorous). Fish, in addition to the above, supplies vitamins
A, D, and E, and the mineral iodine. All these nutrients can be easily
obtained by vegetarians from other sources, as this information sheet shows.
___________________________________
PROTEIN
Women need about 45g of protein a day (more if pregnant, lactating or very
active), men need about 55g (more if very active). Evidence suggests that
excess protein contributes to degenerative diseases. Vegetarians obtain
protein from:
Nuts: hazels, brazils, almonds, cashews, walnuts, pine kernels etc.
Seeds: sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, linseeds.
Pulses: peas, beans, lentils, peanuts.
Grains/cereals: wheat (in bread, flour, pasta etc), barley, rye, oats,
millet, maize (sweetcorn), rice.
Soya products: tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein, veggieburgers,
soya milk.
Dairy products: milk, cheese, yoghurt (butter and cream are very poor
sources of protein)
Free range eggs
You have may have heard that it is necessary to balance the complementary
amino acids in a vegetarian diet. This is not as alarming as it sounds. Amino
acids are the units from which proteins are made. There are 20 different ones
in all. We can make many of them in our bodies by converting other amino
acids, but eight cannot be made, they have to be provided in the diet and so
they are called essential amino acids.
Single plant foods do not contain all the essential amino acids we need in
the right proportions, but when we mix plant foods together, any deficiency
in one is cancelled out by any excess in the other. We mix protein foods all
the time, whether we are meat-eaters or vegetarians. It is a normal part of
the human way of eating. A few examples are beans on toast, muesli, or rice
and peas. Adding dairy products or eggs also adds the missing amino acids,
eg macaroni cheese, quiche, porridge.
It is now know that the body has a pool of amino acids so that if one meal is
deficient, it can be made up from the body's own stores. Because of this, we
don't have to worry about complementing amino acids all the time, as long as
our diet is generally varied and well-balanced. Even those foods not
considered high in protein are adding some amino acids to this pool.
___________________________________
CARBOHYDRATE
Carbohydrate is our main and most important source of energy, and most of it
is provided by plant foods. There are three main types: simple sugars,
complex carbohydrates or starches and dietary fibre.
The sugars or simple carbohydrates can be found in fruit, milk and ordinary
table sugar. Refined sources of sugar are best avoided as they provide energy
without any associated fibre, vitamins or minerals and they are also the main
cause of dental decay.
Complex carbohydrate are found in cereals/grains (bread, rice, pasta, oats,
barley, millet, buckwheat, rye) and some root vegetables, such as potatoes
and parsnips. A healthy diet should contain plenty of these starchy foods as
a high intake of complex carbohydrate is now known to benefit health. The
unrefined carbohydrates, like wholemeal bread and brown rice are best of all
because they contain essential dietary fibre and B vitamins.
The World Health Organisation recommends that 50-70% of energy should come
from complex carbohydrates. The exact amount of carbohydrate that you need
depends upon your appetite and also your level of activity. Contrary to
previous belief a slimming diet should not be low in carbohydrates. In fact
starchy foods are very filling relative to the number of calories that they
contain.
___________________________________
DIETARY FIBRE
Dietary fibre or non starch polysaccharide (NSP), as it is now termed, refers
to the indigestible part of a carbohydrate food. Fibre can be found in
unrefined or wholegrain cereals, fruit (fresh and dried) and vegetables. A
good intake of dietary fibre can prevent many digestive problems and protect
against diseases like colon cancer and diverticular disease.
___________________________________
FATS & OILS
Too much fat is bad for us, but a little is necessary to keep our tissues in
good repair, for the manufacture of hormones and to act as a carrier for some
vitamins. Like proteins, fats are made of smaller units, called fatty acids.
Two are of these fatty acids, linoleic and linolenic acids, are termed
essential as they must be provided in the diet. This is no problem as they
are widely found in plant foods.
Fats can be either saturated or unsaturated (mono-unsaturated or
poly-unsaturated). A high intake of saturated fat can lead to a raised blood
cholesterol level and this has been linked to heart disease. Vegetable fats
tend to be more unsaturated and this is one of the benefits of a vegetarian
diet. Mono-unsaturated fats, such as olive oil or peanut oil, are best used
for frying as the poly-unsaturated fats, like sunflower or safflower oil are
unstable at high temperatures. Animal fats (including butter and cheese) tend
to be more saturated than vegetable fats, with the exception of palm oil and
coconut oil.
___________________________________
VITAMINS
Vitamin is the name for several unrelated nutrients that the body cannot
synthesise either at all, or in sufficient quantities. The one thing they
have in common is that only small quantities are needed in the diet. The main
vegetarian sources are listed below;
Vitamin A (or carotene)
Red, orange or yellow vegetables like carrots and tomatoes, leafy green
vegetables and fruits like apricots and peaches. It is added to most
margarines.
B vitamins
This group of vitamins includes B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin),
B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cyanocobalmin), folate, pantothenic acid and biotin.
All the B vitamins except B12 occur in yeasts and whole cereals (especially
wheat germ), nuts, pulses, seeds and green vegetables.
Vitamin B12 is the only one that may cause some difficulty as it is not
present in plant foods. Only very tiny amounts of B12 are needed and
vegetarians usually get this from dairy produce and free range eggs. It is
sensible for vegans and vegetarians who consume few animal foods to
incorporate some B12 fortified foods in their diet. Vitamin B12 is added to
yeast extracts, soya milks, veggieburgers and some breakfast cereals.