Vegetarian Eating. Vegetarians consuming a varied and balanced diet will have no problem getting enough protein.

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1 Vegetarian or plant-based eating can offer many health benefits, including a reduced risk of cancer, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease in fact, many vegetarian communities around the world live up to ten years longer than their non-vegetarian counterparts. With a little planning, a vegetarian diet can provide you with all the nutrients you need for good health. What type of vegetarian diet do you follow? People choose to consume vegetarian diets for a number of reasons for some it s an environmental issue, a cultural or religious tradition/ belief while others just don t enjoy the taste and texture of animal products. There are generally three types of vegetarian eating: Eats Lacto-Ovo vegetarians Grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, seeds, soy products, dairy products and eggs Lacto vegetarians Grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, seeds, soy and dairy products. Vegans Grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and soy products. Excludes Meat, fish, poultry and all products made from or containing these foods. Eggs, meat, fish, poultry and all products made from or containing these foods. Dairy products, eggs, meat, fish, poultry and honey or products made from or containing these foods. Benefits of vegetarian eating [ Sanitarium Nutrition Service] People following a plant-based diet: have a 24% lower risk of dying from heart disease; are thinner on average than non-vegetarians; may have lower blood pressure than non-vegetarians; have a reduced risk of osteoporosis [diets high in animal products can increase the loss of calcium from bones; have a lower risk of cancer than meat eaters; and have a lower risk of developing kidney stones, gallstones, constipation and diverticular disease. Nutrients to consider if you follow a plant-based diet Protein is important for growth and development, protein is also part of the many enzymes and hormones needed for health and wellbeing. Can people who don t eat meat get enough protein? Vegetarians consuming a varied and balanced diet will have no problem getting enough protein. Proteins are made up of smaller building blocks called amino acids. There are a number of amino acids that cannot be

2 made in the body and therefore, we need to eat foods that provide these essential amino acids. Animal protein provide all of the essential amino acids, while plant proteins have limited amounts. Soy is the only complete plant protein. To compensate, a concept of complimentary proteins was introduced in the 1970 s. At this time, it was thought that legumes or nuts/seeds needed to be eaten with grains to ensure the body got all of the essential amino acids. This is no longer believed to be necessary we now know that vegetarians get all of the amino acids they require by consuming a wide range of plant foods across the day. Protein quiz 1. Do you eat dairy food or fortified soy foods everyday? [for example low-fat milk, yoghurt, cheese, custard or ice cream] 2. Do you eat legumes or food made from legumes everyday? [ for example kidney beans, lentils, split peas, butter beans, baked beans, chickpeas] 3. Do you eat nuts and seeds every second day? 4. Do you eat grains and grain foods [preferably wholegrain] everyday? [eg oats, wheat, barley, mixed grain bread, wholemeal pasta, brown rice] Your score: If you ticked two or more no boxes, then you should consider including some more plant-protein foods in your meals and snacks. How much iron do you need? Men = 7mg Women = 12-16mg Pregnancy = mg Postmenopause =5-7mg = 6-8mg Boys & girls = 10-13mg Types of iron [ Sanitarium Health Food Company] Haem iron: This type of iron is found in meat and other animal products. About 15-35% of haem iron in foods is absorbed. Non-haem iron: Found predominantly in plant foods and eggs, only 2-20% of non-haem iron is absorbed depending on other dietary components that may enhance or inhibit it s uptake.

3 Increasing your iron intake Include a good source of non-haem iron at every meal for example, legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds, iron fortified soy burgers, iron-fortified breakfast cereals or wholegrain bread. Avoid consuming food containing iron inhibitors with iron-rich foods: - tea and coffee contain tannins which bind iron and limit it s absorption; - calcium supplements and foods rich in calcium can block iron absorption; and - spinach, rhubarb and chocolate contain oxalates which bind iron. Include a food rich in vitamin C with your meals this helps enhance non-haem iron absorption [for example citrus fruits, fruit juice, berries, tomato, capsicum, broccoli and cabbage.] Sources of iron Food Serve size Iron content / serve [mg] Tofu 100g 7.9 Green leafy vegetables eg spinach ½ cup 3.2 Iron fortified cereal eg Weet-Bix 2 biscuits 3.0 Legumes eg red kidney beans 2/3 cup cooked 2.5 Dried apricots 10 halves 1.6 Eggs 1 medium egg 0.8 Sunflower seeds 1 tablespoon 0.7 Mixed grain bread 1 slice 0.7 Calcium is a nutrient that s crucial for helping our muscles work, and for building and maintaining strong, healthy bones and teeth. How much calcium do you need? Men = 800mg Women = 800mg Pregnancy & breastfeeding = 1000mg Postmenopause =1000mg Children 1-11 yrs = mg Boys & girls [12-15 yrs] = 1200mg [16-18 yrs] = 1000mg Increasing your calcium intake Enjoy dairy milk or calcium fortified soy milk everyday. Include other dairy and soy products regularly including yoghurt, cheese, custard and ice cream. Other plant sources of calcium can also contribute to you intake try including almonds, dried figs, tofu, soy beans, broccoli and Asian green vegetables regularly.

4 Sources of calcium Food Serve size Calcium content / serve [mg] Dairy Milk 1 cup 300 Cheese, cheddar 1 slice 160 Yoghurt 1 cup 360 Custard 1 cup 330 Ice cream 2 scoops 100 Soy milk 1 cup 300 Almonds 30g 70 Dried figs ½ cup 210 Tofu 100g 330 Soy beans 100g 50 Broccoli 100g 30 Asian greens 100g 60 Zinc is an important mineral that has many roles in the body, It s important for a healthy immune system for reproduction and the growth and repair of body cells, and reproduction. How much zinc do you need? Boys & Men = Girls & Women = Pregnancy & breastfeeding = 18mg Post-menopause = = 5-9mg Increasing your zinc intake Eat plant-sources of zinc regularly including nuts, seeds, legumes and wholegrains. Include breads made with yeast regularly and those made from wholegrain flours. Dairy and eggs also provide some zinc so if these food are acceptable, consume them regularly. Sources of zinc Food Serve size Zinc content / serve [mg] Cashews 30g 1.6 Almonds 30g 1 Peanuts 30g 0.9 Sunflower seeds 30g 1.9 Yoghurt 1 cup 1 Egg 1 medium 0.5 Dairy milk 1 cup 1 Cheese, cheddar 1 slice 0.7 Multigrain bread 2 slices 0.9 Wholemeal bread 2 slices 0.9 Brown rice ¾ cup 1.2 Wholemeal pasta ¾ cup 0.7 Soy milk 1 cup 0.5

5 Vitamin B12 an important nutrient, essential for making blood cells, DNA and nerves. Vitamin B12 is found only in animal products, and while some plant foods can contain B-12 on their surfaces from soil residue, it is not a reliable source. How much vitamin B12 do you need? Boys & Men = 2.0µg Girls & Women = 2µg Pregnancy & breastfeeding = 2.5µg Post-menopause = 3µg = µg Increasing your B12 intake Enjoy dairy products and eggs these foods are sources of vitamin B12 for lact-ovo vegetarians but still may not be enough to meet requirements. Use a vitamin B12 fortified soy milk on a daily basis [eg Sanitarium So good or So Natural soy milk] Choose fortified meat-alternative products for example some soy burgers, soy schnitzels and yeast spreads [eg Sanitarium Marmite or Kraft Vegemite ] For people following a vegan diet, who don t regularly consume foods fortified with vitamin B12 a supplement may be required. Sources of vitamin B-12 Food Serve size Vitamin B12 content / serve [µg] Milk 1 cup [250ml] 1.0 Cheese, cottage ½ cup 0.7 Cheese, ricotta 30g 0.6 Cheese, mozzarella 30g 0.2 Yoghurt 1 cup 1.7 Egg 1 medium 0.5 Soy milk 1 cup [250ml] Marmite/vegemite ½ teaspoon Soy burger 1 burger Vegetarian sausage 2 sausages