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Go Veggie!
There’s more to being vegetarian
than meets the eye.
by Janet Schwartz, MS, RD
This article provided by American Cheerleader
Magazine, click on the logo for subcription infomation.
Dear NutraCheerleader,
My friend and I have been eating egg-white omelets because
someone told me that the yolks are full of fat. I’ve
recently decided to become a vegetarian and want to eat
eggs for protein. Can I eat the whole egg?
Yearning For Yolks
Dear Yearning,
Go for it! Being a smart vegetarian is the way to go. Eggs
are a great source of protein, and the yolks hold half of
that protein as well as other goodies. While the yolks have
five grams of fat (not too bad), the type of fat may surprise
you. More than half the fat is unsaturated and heart-healthy.
Vitamin E, another heart-healthy nutrient, and iron are
also found in the yolk. As you have cut out a major source
of fat in your diet—meat—the fat in eggs is
nothing to worry about. With only 74 calories in one egg,
enjoy a whole-egg omelet. For a teen vegetarian, three to
four eggs a week is eggs-tra special.
NutraCheerleader
What do Janet Jackson, Madonna, Prince and Courtney Love
have in common? They, like thousands of teens, have chosen
to become vegetarians. If your parents are worried, tell
them that even Albert Einstein didn’t eat meat.
If practiced properly, vegetarian diets are great for
active teens. Being a vegetarian, however, is not just about
taking foods out of your diet; it is also about adding new
and nutritious foods into your diet. The most important
watchword in a vegetarian diet is variety. With so many
plant foods in your local supermarket available, vegetarians
open themselves up to all kinds of new foods. If you are
a vegan, these foods will give you the protein, iron and
other minerals you need to look and feel your best.
Pack In The Protein
Each day, you need three protein sources. If you don’t
drink milk or eat eggs, you need to be sure to get these
nutrients from plant foods. Below is a list of easy-to-find
protein sources.
-
Dairy products and eggs:
Milk, yogurt, cheese and eggs are excellent protein sources.
-
Soy milk: It’s
packaged in boxes or fresh in the dairy case and comes
in different flavors: plain, chocolate and vanilla. Look
for the brands fortified with calcium, vitamin D and vitamin
B12.
-
Soy yogurt: This tasty
on-the-go snack comes in many flavors.
-
Edamame: These green soybeans are sold
in the frozen food case. Boil them and add salt for a
great high-protein snack.
-
Soy cheeses: They taste
like American, Swiss and cheddar cheese, but are made
with soy, not cow milk.
-
Tofu: Cut up tofu
into small cubes and add it to salad, soups and casseroles,
order it in delicious dishes in Asian restaurants or marinate
it in your favorite salad dressing for a snack.
-
Beans: Add some cannellini
beans or chickpeas to your salad. Black bean soup is a
delicious treat. Rice and beans and humus on pita bread
make a great meal. Soy nuts (toasted soybeans) are an
excellent snack. Note: If you’re a vegan, a half-cup
of beans every day is a must.
-
Nuts and seeds: These
snacks will provide you with protein, vitamins and minerals,
and they taste great. The fat in nuts and seeds is great
for your heart. A quarter-cup is a good serving size.
Vege Variations
There are different kinds of vegetarianism. Refer to the chart below
to understand the type of vegetarian each of these girls claims
to be:
Jennifer: I’m kind of a vegetarian. I try
not to eat meat. I eat chicken and hamburgers, but I don’t
ever eat steak or pork chops.
Monique: I don’t eat anything that came
from something that once had a face. I eat eggs because the chickens
are still living. I never liked milk or yogurt, but I will eat ice
cream.
Sarah: I love animals, so I won’t eat anything
that is an animal or came from an animal.
Lynda: I heard that the best way to cut down on
fat was to stop eating meat. I eat chicken breast, some white fish
and egg whites.
| Type of Diet |
Beef, Lamb, Pork |
Poultry |
Fish |
Eggs |
Milk & Dairy |
Plant Foods |
| Not-quite-a-Vegitarian |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
| Semi-vegetarian |
|
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
| Lacto-ovo-vegetarian |
|
|
|
X |
X |
X |
| Vegan |
|
|
|
|
|
X |
What’s the verdict? Jennifer is not-quite-a-vegetarian.
Monique is a lacto-ovo vegetarian. Sarah is a vegan. Lynda is a
semi-vegetarian.
While all four girls eliminate red meat from their diet, the nutrients
of concern for vegetarian teens depend upon the other foods they
exclude. Vegans especially need to be aware of how to supplement
their dietary needs. The four most important nutrients to consider
are protein, calcium, iron and vitamin B12.
The Protein Solution
Meats, poultry, milk, cheese and eggs are all good sources of protein.
If you are a vegan, you must think about other protein sources.
A typical 16-year-old needs 40 to 45 grams of protein, a bit more
if she exercises strenuously. No need to count grams—just
make sure you have a protein source three or four times a day. However,
if you don’t eat beans or drink soy milk, this will be hard
to do. Also, you must take in enough calories, or else the protein
will be used for energy, which will increase your protein needs.
Counting On Calcium
The best sources of this bone-strengthening mineral are dairy products:
milk, cheese and yogurt. If dairy is not part of your daily diet,
think about other sources, such as calcium-fortified soy milk or
orange juice, greens (collard, kale, mustard) and tahini (sesame
seed paste).
You need three or more good sources of calcium if you are a growing
teen; a teenage girl needs 1,000 to 1,300 milligrams a day. Daily
exercise and moderate protein intake help to build strong bones,
while smoking and alcohol have the opposite effect. If you take
a calcium supplement, be sure it includes Vitamin D. Choosing low-
and non-fat dairy products will help to keep the fat low in the
diet of lacto-ovo vegetarians while providing the calcium you need.
Investigate Your Iron Needs
Teenage girls, especially girls with a heavy menstrual flow, need
iron. The bad news for vegetarians is that the best sources of iron
are meats and poultry. The good news is that small amounts of iron
are found in many plant-based foods, so eating a wide variety of
foods will help. Look for whole grains and cereals fortified with
iron and eat plenty of beans and dark green, leafy vegetables. Watch
out for symptoms of anemia—fatigue and paleness.
Be On The Lookout For B12
Vegans are the only ones who need to be aware of B12. This special
vitamin is only found in animal products. You can supplement the
vitamin with soy milk, which is often fortified with B12, and nutritional
yeast.
[SIDEBAR:]
Check out these great sources of protein:
1 cup cooked beans: 14 to 16 grams
4 oz tofu (1/3 package): 9 grams
2/3 oz slice soy cheese: 4 grams
1 cup soy milk or yogurt: 7 to 10 grams
1 tbsp peanut butter or peanuts: 4 grams
1/4 cup nuts: 5 to 7 grams
Check out these great sources of calcium:
Super Sources: 300+ mg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup fortified orange juice
• 1 cup fortified soy milk
• 1 cup fortified V-8 juice
Satisfactory Sources: 200 mg
• 5 dried figs
• 1 tbsp black strap molasses
• 1 cup cooked collard greens
• 1 cup tofu set with calcium
Slim Sources: 100 mg
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 cup turnip greens, kale or broccoli
• 1 cup soybeans or soy nuts
• 1 package instant oatmeal
Skimpy Sources: 50-75 mg
• 1 cup cooked beans
• 2 tbsp nuts
• 1 cup bok choy
•1 cup tempeh
|
