As a vegetarian, ditching meat means you could be missing out on vital vitamins, minerals and nutrients, so it’s important to get them from other foods if you want to stay healthy.
The nutrients that a vegetarian risks missing out on are:
Protein – Meat contains protein but fortunately so do a lot of veggie-friendly foods. In fact many fruit and vegetables, as well as pulses, soya, cereals, dairy products and eggs, all foods that often form the basis of vegetarian cooking, are also rich in protein.
Iron – Iron is essential for transporting oxygen in the blood to all parts of the body. There are many foods that contain – just make sure you eat plenty of the richer sources such as chick peas, spinach, dried fruit and bran flakes.
Vitamin B12 – Essential for forming red blood cells and maintaining a healthy nervous system, meat is an excellent source of vitamin B12. Eggs, dairy products and vitamin B12 fortified products also contain this important vitamin and are essential for a healthy vegetarian diet. You should get enough B12 from a healthy balanced diet but supplements are available.
Calcium - We need calcium for strong bones and teeth, a healthy heart, nerves and muscles. Vegan diets are often low in calcium so its important to be aware of foods containing this mineral.
Zinc – Helps maintain a healthy immune system. Vegetarian diets can be low in zinc as its often found in meat. However you needn't miss out if you pack in plenty of protein foods such as whole grains, nuts, soya beans and miso soups.
Omega 3 – Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for good health. As oily fish are the best sources of long chain omega 3, vegetarians need to find alternate foods rich with these healthy polyunsaturated fats. Linseeds, walnuts and rape seed oil are all good sources of short chain omega 3 fatty acids.
Just because meat’s out, doesn’t mean you have to miss out on important nutrients and minerals with these veggie-friendly options:
Protein | Iron | Vitamin B12 | Calcium | Zinc | Omega 3 |
Milk Cheese Yogurt Eggs Beans Tofu Lentils Peas Nuts Seeds Soya products Quorn | Wholemeal bread Whole grains Nuts Pulses Green vegetables (Spinach, watercress) Fortified breakfast cereals with oats, barley, seeds and dried fruit | Soya milk Dairy products Eggs Tofu Fortified foods | Soya milk Dairy products Sunflower seeds Sesame seeds Spinach and broccoli Almonds Brazil nuts | Whole grains Wholemeal bread Pulses Nuts and seeds Eggs | Soya bean oil Rape seed oil Linseeds Pumpkin seeds Walnuts Tofu Omega 3-rich eggs
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Want to be a healthier veggie?
It’s a common misconception that a vegetarian diet’s healthy – it can be, but like any diet, it’s important to get a balance of protein, vitamins and minerals. It’s particularly easy to overdo the fat – think of all those high fat dairy products veggies rely on. While dairy products are a good source of nutrition for vegetarians, go for low or recuded fat options that contain just as much protein, B vitamins, calcium and zinc as full-fat versions. They just contain less fat.
Cheese forms the basis of many vegetarian meals, providing much-needed protein and flavour. The problem is, it’s also very high in fat so try and reduce the amount of cheese you use by either opting for the stronger varieties such as Danish blue or mature Cheddar or using the reduced fat versions.
Look out for these symbols on Tesco products
This identifies products that are suitable for Lacto-Ovo vegetarians, who do not eat meat, fish or poultry, but do eat eggs and milk.
This identifies products suitable for vegans who avoid all animal products, including honey.
Try a vegetarian diet plan at Tesco Diets.
