Vegetarian? Don't Skip These Nutrients!
By Sara Butler
Being a vegetarian or vegan has a lot of benefits to your health -- as long as you realize that cutting meat from your diet creates some nutritional needs. The truth is that animal products do support functions of the body, help boost your immune system, and offer nutrients to help you thrive. You can certainly live without animal products, but you can't live without the nutrients. You simply need to ensure you get them someplace else. Here are some key nutrients that vegetarians and vegans need to make sure they're getting enough of.
Protein
If you've been meat-free for any amount of time, then you know there are many plant-based protein options out there. From quinoa to tofu, it's not difficult to replace protein in your diet. Of course, there is a learning curve for people who cut meat out of their diet to find a suitable replacement. As long as you have a plan to get enough protein you should be good.
How much protein should you aim for? It's not that difficult to figure out. You should aim to get roughly your weight in kilograms in grams of protein each day. So, if you weight 200 pounds, divide that number by 2.2 and you have your answer! Then add in the appropriate amount of legumes, nuts, beans, and dairy products (if you eat them) into your diet.
Vitamin B
Vitamin B, specifically Vitamin B12, is crucial to the function of your central nervous system. It's found naturally in dairy, meat, and eggs, making it one nutrient that vegetarians and vegans may struggle to get enough of. If you don't get enough Vitamin B12 in your diet, then you can experience:
- Memory loss
- Heart palpitations
- Mood changes
- Loss of vision
- Nerve damage
- Shortness of breath
- Tingling or numbness in the hands and feet
To make sure you get enough of this important vitamin, then look for foods that are fortified with it. Vegan cheese, cereals, vegetable burgers, and nutritional yeast are all good places to start. If you're still worried you're not getting enough, then talk to a medical professional about the possibility of using supplements to help.
Calcium and Vitamin D
Calcium and Vitamin D go together -- and most people know how important they are to overall health and wellness. Calcium builds strong bones, assists with blood clotting, and helps the muscles work correctly while Vitamin D helps stabilize your mood and keeps your bones healthy too.
Dairy is most often looked to as the best source of calcium and Vitamin D. If you're vegan and don't eat dairy, then try adding more chickpeas, enriched bread, tofu, soy cheese, cereal, and broccoli to your daily diet.
You can get all the nutrients your body needs without eating animals or animal products, but you need to ensure that you're actively seeking out the things that are easy to miss when not eating meat.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Des Peres, Mo.