View the. Vegetarian. Variety. For more information, please contact: The Niagara Region Public Health Department or

Transcription

1 View the Vegetarian Variety For more information, please contact: The Niagara Region Public Health Department or November 2006

2 Tempting Tofu Tofu is often used as a meat alternative by vegetarians What is Tofu? Tofu is a soft cheese-like food made from liquid extracted from soybeans. It is also known as bean curd or soybean curd. Tofu has a bland taste but it easily absorbs the flavours of the other ingredients. It can be found in supermarkets water-filled container or in vacuum-packed packages. Tips You can use tofu in many different ways; try it in stir-fries, stews, casseroles, smoothies, and sauces. Drain tofu before cooking. This enhances the flavour. Check for a best before date. Fresh tofu should be almost odourless and tasteless. The liquid it is packed in should be clear. Tofu in liquid should be stored covered with water in the refrigerator. Tofu will remain fresh for about 5 days if you change the water daily. Vegetarian Resources: Cook books- Becoming Vegan by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina, The Book Publishing Company, 2000 Becoming Vegetarian by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis, Wiley Canada, 2003 Complete Vegetarian Cookbook by Anne Marshall, Charles E Tuttle Company Inc, 1993 Full of Beans by Violet Currie and Kay Spicer, Mighton House, 1993 New Vegetarian Basics by Nettie Cronish, Random House Inc, 1999 A Teen s Guide to Going Vegetarian by T. Colin Campbell and Judy Krizmanic, 1994 Websites: (Canada's Food Guide for Healthy Eating)

3 Vegetarian Meal Variety These sample meal patterns are just examples of the many ways you can combine the food groups. Vegan Breakfast Lunch Dinner 2 slice whole wheat toast 2 tbsp peanut butter 1 glass orange juice *Note-orange juice will increase the absorption of iron from the whole wheat toast Snack 1 medium apple ¼ cup almonds 1 cup baked beans 1 whole wheat roll ½ cup baby carrots 1 cup soy milk (fortified) 1 cup spaghetti pasta ½ cup tomato sauce with ½ cup lentils or kidney beans or ⅓ cup tofu 1 cup spinach salad topped with 3 tbsp walnuts * Note-tofu also serves as ½ serving of calcium rich food Snack ½ English muffin with jam 1 cup soy milk (fortified) View the Vegetarian Variety A well planned vegetarian eating style can be healthy and delicious! It has been shown that vegetarian diets can provide health benefits such as reduced risk of obesity, lower blood cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of prostate and colon cancer. Vegetarian diets date back as far as sixth century B.C. Today about 4% of Canadians follow vegetarian diets. People choose vegetarian diets for many different reasons such as environment and animal rights, religion, or health concerns. Varying Vegetarians Vegetarians in general avoid red meat and pork. Vegetarians follow different diets depending on the types of protein foods they do eat. The table below describes these different vegetarian eating styles. Lacto-ovo Breakfast Lunch Dinner 1 slice whole wheat toast 1 tbsp peanut butter 1 medium orange 1 cup milk Snack ¾ cup yogurt sprinkled with 1 tbsp ground flax seed Grilled cheese Sandwich 2 slices whole wheat bread 2 cheese slices 1 medium apple 1 cup soy milk (fortified) 1 cup rice 1 cup mixed stir-fry veggies with ¾ cup chickpeas ½ cup tomato juice Snack 1 medium banana 2-6 crackers 2 tbsp peanut butter Type Lacto-vegetarian Ovo-vegetarian Lacto-ovo-vegetarian Vegan (pronounced vee-gun) Semi-vegetarian Description Include dairy products like milk, cheese & yogurt Include eggs Include dairy & eggs No dairy, eggs, animal flesh or animal by products (i.e. gelatine, honey) Include some fish or chicken

4 V for Variety Vegetarianism can be healthy at any age but some effort is needed to make sure your diet includes all the vitamins and minerals you need. To do this you need to expand, not limit, your food choices. Variety and planning is the key to being a healthy vegetarian! When planning a vegetarian diet some nutrients need special attention: Legumes & Legume Alternatives 2-4 servings per day Pregnant & Breastfeeding: 3-4 servings per day Fats (Omega 3 fatty acid) 1 servings per day Pregnant & Breastfeeding: 2 servings per day Examples of 1 serving: ½ to 1 cup of cooked legumes ½ cup of tofu 2 tbsp of peanut butter 1-2 eggs 1 1/2 to 3 ½ ozs (50-100g) fish or poultry 1 cup soy milk g meat analogues (1 tofu burger, 1 tofu hotdog) 3-4 tbsp nuts and seeds Examples of 1 serving: 3 tbsp walnuts or pumpkin seeds ½ tsp flax seed oil 1 tbsp of canola or soybean oil 2-3 oz of fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel) Vitamin D # Iron Protein # Calcium Omega 3 fatty acids You will notice that there are serving ranges for the number of recommended servings per day. This is because different people need different amounts of food. Most people will choose a number of servings somewhere in between the range. Some foods can act as a serving from two groups. For example, ½ cup of tofu acts as a protein and milk alternative serving. Also, 2-3 oz of fatty fish acts as both a protein and omega 3 serving. Vitamin B 12 # Zinc

5 Vegetarian Food Guide to Healthy Eating Use this table to ensure that you have a healthy, balanced diet. Grain Products 5-12 servings per day Vegetables & Fruits 5-10 servings per day Milk Products & Alternatives Children (ages 4-9): 2-3 servings per day Youth (ages 10-16): 2-4 servings per day Adults: 2-4 servings per day Pregnant & Breastfeeding: 3-4 servings per day Examples of one serving: 1 slice of bread ½ bagel ½ cup (125ml) of cooked grain or cereal ¾ cup (175 ml) of ready-to-eat cereal ½ cup (125ml) of cooked pasta, rice, or grain 1 small muffin or ½ large 2-6 crackers (28 g) Examples of 1 serving: ½ cup (125ml) of vegetable or fruit juice 1 cup (250ml) of salad ½ cup (125ml) of fresh, frozen or canned vegetables and fruit 1 medium vegetable or fruit (apple, potato, carrot, tomato, banana, orange) Examples of 1 serving: 1 cup cow s milk ¾ cup of yogurt 1 cup of fortified soy or rice milk 1 ½ oz (50g) of cheese (approx. size of two thumbs) ½ cup of tofu (calcium set) Examples of ½ servings: 1 cup of cooked legumes 1 tbs of almond butter 1/3 cup of almonds 1 tbs of black strap molasses 1 cup of greens (broccoli, bok choy, kale, okra), cooked Protein Most vegetarians get enough total protein, BUT, your body needs the right combination of amino acids (protein building blocks) to build its own protein and function correctly. Both meat and plants contain protein. Animal proteins like fish, chicken, milk, eggs, and cheese have the complete or right combination of amino acids needed by the body. Tofu and soy milk also have a complete source of these protein building blocks. Plant proteins like grains, nuts, and legumes (including beans, peas, and lentils) have an incomplete mix of amino acids. However, you can mix different plant foods to make sure your body gets the right combination. Eating a variety of grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and vegetables throughout the day will ensure your body gets all the amino acids it needs. Below are some common meals that naturally provide a balanced combination of amino acids. Peanut butter sandwich Hummus (ground chick pea) & pita bread Bean burrito Kidney beans & rice These examples combine grain and legume or nut sources of protein. You don t need to combine protein sources for every meal, just make sure you eat a variety throughout the day!

6 Omega 3 fatty acids Omega 3 fatty acids are needed for overall good health. Best sources of omega 3 fatty acids are fish and plant oils. If you do include fish in your diet choose fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, or sardines. Calcium Calcium makes healthy bones and teeth. It is also important in the absorption of vitamin B 12. How much calcium you need depends on your age. The table below shows how much calcium you need a day: Age Calcium (mg/day) Pregnancy & lactation 1300 < 18 Pregnancy & lactation Source: Reference values for Elements, Health Canada If fish is not included in your diet other good sources include flaxseed, soybean, and walnuts or their oils. Canola oil and pumpkin seeds are also good sources. Tip: Flax seed needs to be ground in order to be a source of omega 3 fatty acid. The ground flax should be refrigerated and kept in a non-clear container. You can buy flax already ground in special mylan packaging. Remember Vegetarianism + Variety = Victory! The most known sources of calcium are milk, cheese, and yogurt (also good sources of protein) but there are other options. Some vegetables, fruit, legumes and nuts have calcium, just in smaller amounts. Here are some examples: Soy milk- fortified with calcium (1 cup): 370mg Orange juice-fortified with calcium (1 cup): 351 mg Tofu, prepared with calcium sulphate (1/2 cup): 434 mg Broccoli, raw flowerets (1 cup): 34 mg Almonds, dry roasted (1/4 cup): 92 mg Blackstrap molasses (1 tablespoon): 172 mg

7 Zinc Our bodies need zinc for reproduction, growth, wound healing and a healthy immune system. High amounts of zinc are usually found in high protein foods. Vegetarian diets often provide less zinc than diets including meat. Good sources of zinc include dairy products like milk and yogurt, legumes and tofu, nutritional yeast, and whole grains. Calcium or bran supplements can lower zinc absorption so try to avoid these with meals. Vitamin D Vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption and bone formation. Very few foods are naturally high in vitamin D; however, most dairy products have added vitamin D (fortification). Your own body also produces vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight but beware of overexposure to ultra violet rays. If you do not consume dairy products and do not have direct exposure to sunlight you should discuss vitamin D supplementation with you doctor. Remember to read food labels to make sure your soy or rice milk and yogurt is fortified with vitamin D. Iron Iron is needed to carry oxygen in your body and prevents you from feeling tired. The best sources of iron are red meat, fish, poultry, shell fish and eggs but there are other options. For example, legumes, spinach, tofu, fortified cereals, and green peas also contain iron. Unfortunately, these plant sources of iron are less available to your body than meat sources. Some tricks to increasing the iron availability from plant foods are: Eating iron plant sources with foods high in vitamin C (See examples on the next page) Using cast iron cookware (some iron is transferred) Avoiding iron robber like coffee and tea (including decaffeinated) The table below shows how much iron you need a day: Gender Age Iron (mg/day) Female y y y y Pregnancy <18 27 Vitamin B 12 Vitamin B 12 is needed for making DNA and red blood cells. Vitamin B 12 can be found in animal foods including milk and eggs. Therefore, if you consume milk products or eggs you will most likely meet you vitamin B 12 needs. Unfortunately, plant foods do not naturally contain vitamin B 12. So, if you are vegan you may want to speak with you doctor about supplementation. Pregnancy > Lactation <18 10 Lactation > 18 9 Male y y y y Source: Reference values for Elements, Health Canada

8 Here are some examples of iron containing foods: Grain Products Serving Size mg of Iron Cream of wheat, enriched, cooked ½ cup (125 ml) 7.9 Pasta, enriched, cooked 1 cup (250ml) 2.4 Oatmeal, instant, regular, Quaker 1 pouch 3.8 Whole grain bread 2 slices 1.2 Whole grain cereals ¾ cup (200ml) 4.5 Veggies & Fruit Apricots, dried 3 medium 1.4 Broccoli, cooked 1 spear 1.4 Brussels sprouts Dates ½ cup (125ml) 2.8 Potato, baked, flesh & skin 1 medium 2.7 Raisins ½ cup (125 ml) 1.6 Spinach, chopped, raw 1 cup (250ml) 1.6 Split peas, cooked ½ cup (125ml) 2.3 Beans & Meat Alternative Almonds ½ cup (125 ml) 2.8 Beans, cooked - kidney, navy, lima ½ cup (125ml) 2.4 Chick peas, cooked ½ cup (125ml) 2.2 Egg 1 large 1.1 Pumpkin or squash seeds, kernels, roasted ¼ cup (50 ml) 17.9 Sesame seeds, whole, dried 1 tbs. (15 ml) 1.3 Tofu, regular Miscellaneous 1 piece 80 g (6cmx 4cmx4cm) Blackstrap molasses 1 tbs. (15 ml) 3.2 Wheat germ 1 tbs. (15 ml) Foods high in vitamin C citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit) tomatoes broccoli cauliflower brussels sprouts apple & orange juice green, red,& yellow peppers strawberries kiwi fruit melons potatoes