With a little planning, it's easy to get enough protein, iron, calcium and vitamins D and B12 without eating meat.
Depending on whom you ask, a vegetarian diet has one of two contradictory reputations: either it is "really healthy" or it is "deficient in essential vitamins and minerals." So which is it?
The truth is, it can be either. A poorly planned vegetarian diet – just like a poorly planned omnivorous diet – can be lacking in important nutrients. But a well-balanced vegetarian diet is naturally high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and low in fat, calories, and cholesterol.
Getting Enough Protein
The first concern most people have, especially if they are accustomed to a conventional North American diet, is getting enough protein. But many North Americans actually consume far more protein than they really need, especially animal protein, which is higher in fat and cholesterol, thus leading to an increased risk for heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
Protein requirements vary by the individual, but are generally between 30 and 60 grams per day, depending on age, sex, and activity level. Three ounces of seitan (also called mock duck or wheat meat) contains 31 grams of protein, and other great vegetarian foods that are high in protein are nuts, seeds, beans, eggs, dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt, and soy products like tofu, tempeh, and edamame.
Sources of Iron and Calcium
Another concern is iron. Although meat products are often touted as being excellent sources of iron, calorie for calorie, iron is actually more concentrated in plant products, like spinach and other leafy greens, lentils, whole grains, and blackstrap molasses. The daily recommended amount of iron is 14 milligrams a day for men and non-menstruating women, and 33 milligrams a day for menstruating women. Iron is more readily absorbed if you eat foods containing vitamin C at the same time, and, conveniently enough, many vegetables that are high in iron, such as broccoli and leafy greens, are also high in vitamin C. One cup of spinach has 6.4 milligrams of iron, and 17.64 milligrams of vitamin C.
Some people might be worried about calcium, but if you are eating dairy products, this shouldn’t be a concern. And cow’s milk isn’t the only way to get of calcium – other great sources include fortified orange juice, soymilk, tofu, and those powerhouses again, leafy green vegetables. The recommended daily amount of calcium for adults is 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams, and one cup of cooked collard greens contains 357 milligrams.
Vitamins
Vitamin D is found only in animal products, but the human body can synthesize the vitamin D it needs by simply being in the sunlight for 10 to 15 minutes two to three times a week if they inhabit a sunny climate zone. (For northerners, sunlight has lately been found to be an insufficient source of D.)
Vitamin B12 can be a real stickler for vegetarians. It is produced by a bacteria that is primarily found in meat, dairy and eggs. Fermented soy products, like tempeh, as well as sea vegetables and spirulina contain negligible amounts of B12, but a more reliable source is a product called nutritional yeast, also known as the brand name Red Star Vegetarian Support Formula. This is yeast is grown on a molasses solution; it comes in flakes or powder, has cheesy taste (it’s excellent sprinkled on popcorn or stirred into sauces), and two teaspoons supplies your daily recommended B12. Many packaged foods, such as soymilk or dry cereal, are also fortified with B12. The daily recommended amount of B12 is quite small (2.4 micrograms) and the human body stores excess B12 for very long periods of time, so it is actually difficult to develop a deficiency.
It is of course best for everyone, vegetarian or not, to get their nutrition from fresh, natural, whole foods, but sometimes we can’t always eat as well as we should. This is where multivitamins come in. A few companies that make multivitamins specially designed for a vegetarian’s nutritional needs are Schiff, Futurebiotics, Spectro, and DEVA.
But your best bet is to fill your plate with whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, and soy products. When you do eat processed or packaged foods, look for vitamin-fortified versions. With a little planning and common sense, a vegetarian diet can be your most healthful option.
