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Bullets courtesy of
Mom,
I'm a Vegetarian Now
© Copyright 1998
by Parents' Press
CORBIS photo, all rights reserved
By Patrick Totty
You have just tenderly placed strips of bistro-style thin-cut flank steak upon a mound of garlic-scented whipped potatoes when your 13-year-old announces, "I no longer eat food that once had a face!"
Two weeks ago, this was his favorite dish. Today, he sits scowling at it, and at you. "I'm a vegetarian now."
Yikes. never mind debates about the ethical treatment of animals. Never mind the inconvenience you think his sea change in eating habits poses. The real question is, if he doesn't eat "face protein," will he get proper nutrition?
Not only is the answer yes, the actual amount ofadjustment you'll have to make is small than you may imagine.
For one thing, recent research shows that vegetarian diets are not as hard to supplement with protein as once thought. For another, as you adjust your food shopping and cooking habits to your teen's new diet, you may find the rest of the family cutting back on its intake of fats and larger than necessary amounts of protein.
So, what's a vegetarian?
Here are the most common catefories and definitions:
"Semi-vegetarians"
eliminate almost all meat and poultry from their diets, but will
indulge in small amounts from time to time. Fish is a favorite
meat substitute. Most self-declared teen vegetarians are really
in this category.
Many conventional vegetarians say this category is a misnomer since vegetarianism technically does not allow for the eating of any animal flesh.
Ovo-vegetarians
will not eat meat, poultry, fish, or dairy products, but will
eat eggs.
Ovo-lacto-vegetarians
will not eat meat, poultry, or fish, but will eat eggs and dairy
products.
Vegans
completely avoid meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products,
as well as such animal byproducts as honey or gelatin (which
is made from animal bones). Staunch vegans also avoid wearing
leather or clothes made from animal fibers, such as wool.
Keeping diets balanced
The biggest concern with vegetarian diets is whether they provide enough protein, especially for teens, who require up to 60 grams of protein a day.
Because plant proteins are lower in amino acids that meat proteins, dieticians used to encourage vegetarians to eat meals that provided non-meat proteins from several sources - based on the theory that they would combine to produce "complete" proteins.
But more recent research indicates that vegetarians don't have to be so fastidious about food combinations. The following foods, served twice daily, provide sufficient protein whether taken in combination with other plant foods or not:
Legumes,
which include beans, lentils, peas, and peanuts.
Soy-based
foods, such as tofu and mock hamburgers or franks.
Unrefined
grains, such as whole wheat and unhulled rice.
Seeds,
such as sunflower and pumpkin.
Nuts
and nut butters (great on whole-grain crackers or bread!).
Technically, peanuts are legumes, but peanut butter falls under
this category.
Concerns
Since high-fiber plant foods tend to quickly impart a feeling of fullness, don't be surprised if your usually voracious teen eats small quantities at mealtimes before excusing herself from the table. Encourage her to snack on between meals on crackers, peanut butter, or fruit.
Other concerns with vegetarian diets center on iron, calcium, and vitamin B12.
Since meat and fish are the best sources of dietary iron, vegetarians can make sure they get enough iron by consuming dark green leafy begetables (kale, chard, bok choy, turnip greens), iron-fortified cereals, dried fruit, legumes, seeds, and nuts.
Absorption of plant iron is helped along by eating ascorbic acid at the same meal. Good sources of ascorbic acid include citris juices, strawberries, and tomatoes.
As a rule vegetarians don't suffer calcium deficiency, partially because the green leafy vegetables they eat are calcium rich. Still, even at 200 mg. of calcium per cup, cooked, greens fall far short of providing the daily recommended amount of 1,200 mg.
The way around this is to eat foods that have been calcium-enriched, such as juices or whole grain breads. Be careful about soy-based milk substitutes - unlike milk, they are not calcium-rich.
Vitamin B12 occurs naturally only in animal-based foods. Ironically, vitamin B12, which aids in the development of nerves, is provided in most parts of the world by contaminants on plant food surfaces - bacteria.
In the West, where food growing and handling techniques destroy most bacteria, vegetarians must supplement their intake of B12 with vitamin tablets and/or foods such as cereals that have been fortified with a high percentage per serving of the recommended daily allowance.
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