Vegetables on a Platter

Either personal belief or religion gravitates people towards vegetarianism. Vegetarians fall in three brackets-

• Lactoova vegetarians ­Along with plant food, they take eggs and milk.
• Lacto vegetarians ­They forego eggs but stick with milk.
• Vegans - Hard core vegetarians, having neither eggs nor milk.
• Vegetarian Vigour Shruti Marjara, Nutritionist, informs, " Plant foods are rich in vitamin C and E­important antioxidants. They supply in plenty, important minerals like magnesium-manganese. Sufficient magnesium prevents a whole range of illnesses, including osteoporosis, high blood pressure, adult onset diabetes, kidney stones, heart disease." "Vegetarian diets have more fibre, which is good for colon health. What gives an edge to vegetarian diets over meat produce is phytochemicals (plant nutrient chemicals), as they help prevent cancers and other degenerative diseases."

Flaws

Shruti adds, "Though plant foods offer numerous health benefits, there is a flip side to it. In the absence of careful planning some essential dietary requirements will be missing from a vegetarian diet."

Protein

Legumes are an excellent food to extend or replace meat. Their protein quality is low. Combining them with dairy, eggs or grains yield high-quality proteins.

Iron

Human body absorbs iron better from animal sources. The high fiber content in the plant sources makes difficult for the body to absorb iron. Fiber may tie up with iron while getting out of the body. This puts vegetarian at a greater risk for developing iron deficiency. Women need more iron than men. Among plant foods, dark green leafy vegetables have the highest iron content. Dried fruits, such as raisins, apricots, peaches and prunes, also are high in iron. Eat plant sources of iron at the same meal as foods high in vitamin C, as it increases availability of iron in the intestinal tract.

Zinc

Vegetarians get their supply of zinc from nuts, legumes, whet germ and whole grain foods.

Vitamin B12

It wards off anemia. Meat is better source of this, especially important for pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers, children to get enough vitamin B12. With some help from planning and supplements vegetarian diets easily offer all the nutrition with that extra edge of health benefits.