VEGE POWER!!

  GOAL: 

• Decreased risk of debilitating diseases through consumption of a plant-based diet adequate in essential nutrients.

   OBJECTIVES:

• Choose well balanced meals with complete proteins using the Food Guide Pyramid.  Go to Eat Right! to download a copy of the Vege Power Pyramid.

• Include good sources of iron (iron-fortified cereals, whole and enriched grains, beans and legumes, green leafy vegetables) and calcium (calcium-fortified juices and bread, dairy products, or daily calcium supplementation) at each meal. 

• Choose good sources of vitamin C (citrus fruits/juices, tomatoes, melons, berries, peppers, broccoli) for optimal iron absorption at each meal. 

• Vegans include vitamin B12 and vitamin D daily supplementation (follow directions for dosage).

  How Do I Complement Proteins? 

Complete proteins are necessary for body building.   Plant proteins are incomplete and must be combined in special ways to yield complete proteins.  Sometimes, two plant proteins can be combined to make a complete protein.  Plant protein can also be combined with allowed animal by-products such as milk or eggs.

    bread & peanut butter

rice & cashews

    noodles & cashews

 bread with added seeds

    rice with sesame seeds

 wheat germ & peanuts

    rice & beans

 wheat bread & baked beans

    rice & lentil soup

 rye bread & split pea soup

    wheat & soy (bread)

corn & soy (bread)

    corn & wheat (cornbread)

 corn tortillas and beans

    cereal (hot or cold) & milk

 macaroni & cheese

    wheat germ & milk

 cheese sandwich

    bread & milk

 rice and milk (rice pudding)

    beans & cheese

legume soup made with milk

    sesame & milk or cheese

peanuts & cheese

    cashews & cheese

  What Kind of Vegetarian Am I?

All vegetarian diets consist primarily of plant foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds and nuts.  However, some include dairy products and eggs.  There are basically three kinds of vegetarians:

   Vegan.   "Pure" vegetarians who consume no animal products such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, and other dairy products.

  Lactovegetarian.   These vegetarians include dairy products in their diets such as milk or cheese.   However, they do not eat any eggs, meat, poultry or fish.

  Lacto-ovovegetarian.   These are the most lenient vegetarians.  They include both dairy products and eggs in their diets, and avoid eating meat, poultry and fish.

   Important Tips To Remember 

Keep the intake of low nutrient-dense foods, such as sweets and high-fat foods (salad dressings, spreads, cooking oils), to a minimum.

Try some of the wide variety of meat substitutes which are made from grain and vegetable proteins. They resemble the appearance and taste of the most popular processed meats but are completely free of meat, animal fat and cholesterol.

Choose whole-grain products whenever possible.

Use a variety of fruits and vegetables, including a good food source of vitamin C to enhance absorption of iron.

If dairy products are consumed, use low-fat varieties.

Limit intake of eggs to 3 to 4 yolks per week. No limit on egg whites (which is where all the protein is, the yolk is where all the fat is).

Vegetarian diets for pregnant, breastfeeding women, infants and children require special planning to ensure adequate intakes of certain nutrients needed by those groups.  Seek the advice of a registered dietitian.

Go to "Monthly Topic" above for a detailed description of the monthly lessons.

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