Vegetarian Information Pack Is the Vegetarian Diet Adequate? Sydney Adventist Hospital 185 Fox Valley Road Wahroonga 2076 Phone: 9487 9581 Fax: 9487 9583 Email: A significant number of scientific studies have shown the health benefits of a diet based on plant foods. In populations that follow the vegetarian lifestyle, there tends to be less heart disease, cancer, obesity, osteoporosis and other chronic degenera- tive diseases. A well-planned vegetarian diet emphasising a variety of plant products including milk and eggs (lacto-ovo-vegetarian) satisfies all our nutritional needs. Even a ve- gan diet that contains no milk, eggs or meat can be nutritionally adequate if careful- ly planned and Vitamin B12 is supplemented. Particular care should be taken when planning vegan meals for those whose nutritional needs are high, such as infants and children, pregnant and lactating women and those recovering from illness. In these situations a Dietitian may be consulted for assistance in planning balanced nu- tritious meals. Protein For most vegetarians, obtaining enough protein is not a problem. Pro- tein is found in many plant foods as well as animal foods. The vegan who includes no animal foods can get sufficient protein from plant foods if a variety is consumed throughout the day and daily energy needs are met. Recommended Daily Protein Intake: Men 19-70 years - 64 grams 70+ years - 81 grams Women 19-70 years - 46 grams 70+ years - 57 grams Pregnant women (2nd and 3rd trimester) 14-18 years - 58 grams 19-50 years - 60 grams Lactating women 14-18 years - 63 grams 19-50 years - 67 grams Children 1-8 years - 14-20 grams Boys 9-13 years - 40 grams 14-18 years - 65 grams Girls 9-13 years - 35 grams 14-18 years - 45 grams Vegetarian Information Pack Is the Vegetarian Diet Adequate? Sydney Adventist Hospital 185 Fox Valley Road Wahroonga 2076 Phone: 9487 9581 Fax: 9487 9583 Email: Vitamin B12 A deficiency of vitamin B12 may occur due to a lack of the vitamin in the diet. As Vitamin B12 is found only in animal products, a diet that includes milk and eggs (lacto-ovo-vegetarian) is unlikely to be deficient. For the vegan, particularly vegan children or vegan mothers who are breastfeeding, a reliable source of Vitamin B12 must be supplied, either by foods that have been fortified with Vitamin B12 (see below), a Vitamin B12 tablet such as Blackmore’s Naturetime B Complex which is free of animal products or B12 in- jections. Plant products such as tempeh, spirulina, mushroom and brewer’s yeast contain only inactive analogues of B12 and in fact block the absorption of true Vitamin B12. These are therefore inappropriate sources of Vitamin B12. Protein Sources Per serve (Grams) 250mls milk/soy milk 2 tblsp skim milk powder 1 egg 1 slice cheese 1/2 cup soybeans 1/2 cup lentils 1/2 cup baked beans 1/2 cup cottage cheese 1 tblsp nuts butters 1 carton fruit yoghurt 1 carton plain yoghurt 1 cup rolled oats (cooked) 1/2 cup cooked pasta 100g tofu 20 almonds Meat Alternatives: Nutmeat (1 x 10mm slice) Nutolene (1 x 10mm slice) Casserole Mince (1/3 can) Tenderbits (1/3 can) Vegecuts (2 slices) 9 6 6 8 11 5 4 18 5 10 11 4 3 9 4 12 6 18.1 20.6 12 Vegetarian Information Pack Is the Vegetarian Diet Adequate? Sydney Adventist Hospital 185 Fox Valley Road Wahroonga 2076 Phone: 9487 9581 Fax: 9487 9583 Email: A deficiency of Vitamin B12 can occur because the vitamin is not being absorbed despite there being adequate amounts in the diet. This can lead to a condition called pernicious anaemia and so injections of vitamin B12 are essential. Iron Iron is needed in the red blood cells to form haemoglobin which carries oxygen throughout the body. It is also involved in the production of energy. Therefore a deficiency of iron leaves us feeling tired and washed-out. Iron is present in foods in two main forms, haem iron and non-haem iron. Haem iron is found in meat and is readily absorbed by the body. Non-haem iron is found in cereals, fruits, vegetables and eggs, and requires Vitamin C to aid in absorption. It is important therefore to include a food rich in Vitamin C (such as tomato, citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, capsicum) with each meal. Since a vegetarian diet is typically high in Vitamin C rich foods, adequate amounts of iron are generally absorbed. Vitamin B12 sources Per serve (ug) Natural sources 250ml milk 1 large egg 1 slice cheese 2 tblsp skim milk powder Fortified with B12 250ml soy drink (So-Good) 250ml Up and Go Liquid Breakfast Today’s Gourmet (Sanitarium) Crispy Nuggets (3 per serve) Seafarer Patties (2 per serve) Country Burger (1 per serve) Potato Pockets (2 per serve) Non Vegetarian Sources Lamb, lean beef (100g) Chicken, no skin (100g) Tuna/Salmon (100g) Fish (100g) 0.7 0.8 0.6 0.8 0.7 0.5 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.8 2.5 0.3 3.0 1.0 Vegetarian Information Pack Is the Vegetarian Diet Adequate? Sydney Adventist Hospital 185 Fox Valley Road Wahroonga 2076 Phone: 9487 9581 Fax: 9487 9583 Email: How much iron you absorb depends on how much you need. If you are lacking iron, you will absorb more. Thus, during pregnancy when needs increase, the amount you absorb almost doubles. Emphasising iron-rich foods in the diet is especially important during periods of rapid growth. For example, those whose needs are greatest are women of child- bearing age, infants, children and adolescent girls. Women who are constantly di- eting and restricting their food intake tend not to get enough iron. The recom- mended daily intake is 8 mg for men, 10-18 mg for women and lactating mothers, 8-11 mg for infants and children and 22-28 mg for pregnant women. Zinc As with iron, the more zinc we need, the more we will absorb. How- ever, phytic acid in wholegrain husks, such as unprocessed bran, may interfere with the absorption of zinc, as well as calcium and iron. Problems only arise, however, when excessive amounts of unprocessed bran are eaten each day. Sources of Iron Per serve (mg) 250 ml soy drink (So-Good) 1 egg 1/2 cup soybeans 1/2 cup baked beans/lentils 20 almonds 2 slices wholegrain bread 5-6 prunes 6 dried apricot halves 2 wholewheat breakfast biscuits 1 cup ready to eat cereals 1 cup cooked rolled oats 1/2 cup green leafy vegetables 1 stalk broccoli 1.3 1.0 1.4 1.5 0.8 1.3 0.6 0.9 2.6 1.3-2.5 1.6 1.4-2.5 1.0 Vegetarian Information Pack Is the Vegetarian Diet Adequate? Sydney Adventist Hospital 185 Fox Valley Road Wahroonga 2076 Phone: 9487 9581 Fax: 9487 9583 Email: The Recommended Daily Intake for zinc is 8-16 mg for men and women; 10-12 mg for pregnant women; 11-12 mg for lactating women and 6-13 mg for boys and girls. Calcium Calcium is a mineral which is important in building strong teeth and bones. The body also has some calcium in the blood to maintain the proper functioning of the nervous system and muscles. The amount of calcium we have in our blood varies very little. If there is a change, the body withdraws calcium from the bones to make up for the change. Thus the bones act as a reservoir and can become depleted if our dietary intake of calcium is poor over a period of time. We all lose some calcium from our bones as we age, but women tend to lose twice as much as men. Around menopause the loss of calcium increases. Osteoporosis can result if insufficient calcium was built up in our bones during early adult life. Sources of Zinc Per Serve (mg) 250ml milk 250ml soy milk 1 egg 1 slice cheese 1 carton plain yoghurt 1 carton fruit carton 1/2 cup legumes 2 slices wholemeal bread 1 cup brown rice 1 cup cooked rolled oats 60g muesli 8 brazil nuts 20 almonds 1 tblsp sunflower seeds 1.0 0.5 0.6 1.1 1.2 1.0 0.7 0.8 1.4 0.7 1.6 1.2 0.8 1.0 Vegetarian Information Pack Is the Vegetarian Diet Adequate? Sydney Adventist Hospital 185 Fox Valley Road Wahroonga 2076 Phone: 9487 9581 Fax: 9487 9583 Email: For most people the calcium we obtain comes from dairy products such as milk and cheese. If, however, these are not included in the diet, adequate calcium can be obtained from plant foods. Good sources of calcium for the vegan include fortified soy drink, tofu made with calcium, dark-green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains. Not all soy drinks have calcium added - be sure to read the label to ensure that the soy drink you choose is fortified. Recommended Daily Calcium Intake: Pre-menopausal women - 1000 mg Post-menopausal women - 1300 mg During pregnancy - 1000-1300 mg During lactation - 1000-1300 mg Men - 1000 mg Girls 9-13 years - 1000-1300 mg Girls 14-18 years - 1300 mg Boys 9-13 years - 1000 mg Boys 14-18 years - 1000 mg Sources of Calcium Per Serve (mg) 250ml milk 250ml soy milk 2 tblsp skim milk powder 1 carton fruit yoghurt 1 carton plain yoghurt 1 slice cheese 1/2 cup cottage cheese 100g tofu (fortified) 1/2 cup cooked soybeans 1 stalk broccoli 1/2 cup cooked bok choy 1/2 cup cooked choy sum 1/2 cup cooked gaai choi 1 tblsp tahini 20 almonds 15-20 walnut halves 30g brazil nuts 1 slice bread 2 dried figs 290 290 195 350 390 190-230 80 500 42 30 60 70 130 83 50 27 45 25 60 Vegetarian Information Pack Is the Vegetarian Diet Adequate? Sydney Adventist Hospital 185 Fox Valley Road Wahroonga 2076 Phone: 9487 9581 Fax: 9487 9583 Email: Is the vegetarian diet adequate? In summary, a well planned vegetarian diet can provide all nutrients, (including protein, Vitamin B12, iron, zinc and calcium), in amounts that are recommended for health. Eating a variety of wholesome foods with an adequate amount of ener- gy is the key. Vegetarian Information Pack 5 Food Groups for Vegetarians Sydney Adventist Hospital 185 Fox Valley Road Wahroonga 2076 Phone: 9487 9581 Fax: 9487 9583 Email: Food Group Men Women Pregnant Women Lactating Women 4-7 yr old 8-11 yr old 12-18 yr old Cereals 6-12 6-9 7-9 8-9 4 6 7-11 Vegetables 5 6 5-6 5-7 2 3 4 Fruit 2-4 2-4 4 4 1-2 1-2 2-4 Protein Foods 2-3 2-3 3-4 4-6 1 2 2-3 Dairy /Soy 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 2 2 2-3 Food Group 1 serve is equivalent to: Cereals  ½ cup cooked rice, pasta, cous cous, porridge, buckwheat  cup breakfast cereal  1 slice of bread Vegetables  1 cup salad vegetables  ½ cup cooked vegetables Fruit  1 medium fruit or 3 small fruits e.g. plums  ½ cup canned fruit  4-5 pieces dried fruit Protein Foods  cup cooked legumes or 100g tempeh or 150g tofu  25g nuts / seeds or 1 tblsp peanut butter / tahini or 2 tblsp hummus Dairy/Soy  250ml milk / soy milk (fortified with calcium), custard, yoghurt or 30g cheese Fats  Small amounts of fat are needed in the diet. This may come from nuts, seeds, nut butters, tahini, avocado or oils such as olive oil. These fats are preferred to saturated fats and trans fats found in dairy, coconut cream, palm oil, etc. ¾ ¾ Vegetarian Information Pack Protein Alternatives—Legumes Sydney Adventist Hospital 185 Fox Valley Road Wahroonga 2076 Phone: 9487 9581 Fax: 9487 9583 Email: Legumes include dried peas, beans and lentils. They are a cheap and nutritious alter- native to meat, and are a vital part of a well-balanced vegetarian diet. They are also a valuable source of protein and soluble fibre, and contain no cholesterol. Apart from soy beans, they are low in fat. All legumes provide iron, zinc, calcium and B group vitamins. However, because preparation time is longer than that for meat and vegeta- bles, they are often overlooked and undercooked. This leaflet is designed to introduce you to the use of these nutritious foods, so that you can include them in your diet on a regular basis. Buying: Buy legumes from your supermarket, either dried or canned.  Dried varieties are cheaper  Use of canned beans reduces preparation time - choose "no added salt" varieties - or rinse lightly under running water to reduce sodium level Soaking: Most pulses (except split peas and lentils) need to be soaked before cook- ing. There are two methods of soaking:  Slow soak - place in a bowl and add at least three cups of cold water for each cup of beans. Put aside overnight or for several hours.  Quick soak - place washed pulses in saucepan, add cold water as above. Bring to the boil and boil for five minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for 1 1/2 hours. Cooking: Beans take different times to cook, depending on their size and variety. See attached chart. Freezing: Cooked beans freeze well. To save time, cook a large batch of beans and freeze in 1-2 cup portions, ready to use in soups, loaves or patties, curries and casse- roles. Vegetarian Information Pack Protein Alternatives—Legumes Sydney Adventist Hospital 185 Fox Valley Road Wahroonga 2076 Phone: 9487 9581 Fax: 9487 9583 Email: Pressure cooking: This method can reduce cooking time but care is needed as cer- tain beans, for instance, lima beans, black beans and soy beans, may foam and clog the vent. A general guide would be to reduce water to 2 cups and cooking time by half. Soak beans as above. What about `wind'? Many people have problems with flatulence after eating pulses. This can be reduced by discarding the soaking water, and cooking in fresh water. Type Amount Water Cooking Time Soy beans 1 cup 4 cups 2-3 hours Chickpeas 1 cup 4 cups 2-3 hours Lentils 1 cup 3 cups 25-35 minutes Split peas 1 cup 3 cups 25-35 minutes Other beans: Kidney, red 1 cup 3-4 cups 1-2 hours Black beans 1 cup 3-4 cups Depending on type