Thursday, June 3, 2010

For Vegetarians: How to get all the nutrients in your diet!




As a vegetarian, fill your plate with a variety of grains, fruits and vegetables and use low fat and nonfat milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy foods. To avoid falling short of importantnutrients in your diet, include a variety of the following food options in your diet daily:

Protein-Soy burgers and other "veggie" meats, soy milk, tofu, soy cheese, low fat milk, yogurt and cheese, nuts and soy nuts, peanut butter

Iron-Enriched grains, pasta, rice and breads, iron-fortified ready-to-eat cereals and "veggie" meats, oatmeal, barley, nuts, sunflower seeds, legumes (dried peas and beans, such as black, kidney and navy beans and chick peas), whole wheat bread, blackstrap molasses, tomato juice, broccoli, and dried fruits such as apricots, currants, figs, raisins and prunes

Zinc-Soy milk, tofu, fortified soy burgers, soybeans, cooked or dry roasted, fortified "veggie" meats, legumes, nuts and seeds, wheat germ and fortified ready-to-eat cereals

Vitamin B12-Low fat or nonfat dairy foods. Fortified foods such as ready-to-eat cereals, soy milk and soy burgers. Note: Check the Nutrition Fact Panel on the food product's label to ensure that vitamin B12 has been added. A vitamin supplement is also an option.

Calcium-Low fat or nonfat dairy foods, calcium fortified soy milk and orange juice or other calcium-fortified foods, tofu made with calcium, broccoli, bok choy, okra, kale, mustard greens, almonds and a calcium supplement

Vitamin D-Low fat or nonfat milk, fortified soy milk, soy yogurt, regular yogurt and ready-to-eat cereals. A vitamin supplement is also a reliable source.

Vitamin A -Fortified low fat or nonfat milk, deep orange and leafy green vegetables and fruits, such as pumpkin, butternut squash, carrots, apricots, cantaloupes, spinach and kale

Omega-3-Fatty Acids-walnuts, ground flaxseeds, tofu, soybeans, and soybean, canola, flaxseed and walnut oils

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