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Protein for vegetarians
It's something of a carnivore's myth that vegetarians don't get enough protein. In fact, protein comes in all kinds of foods and not just soya beans and peanut butter.
Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, come in all plant foods. Vegetables and unrefined starches have these in abundance, although fruits have very little. Dark leafy vegetables, cabbage family vegetables, beans, peas and lentils and tofu are all rich sources of protein. So are grains and cereals.
Non-meat eaters can get good sources of protein from cheese and dairy products and vegans by combining vegetable proteins together with cereal proteins such as beans on toast.
The average vegetarian diet does have less protein but this can be an advantage, as protein is often found in fatty foods. Eating an excess of foods rich in fat is linked to heart disease, strokes and cancer.
Carbohydrate for vegetarians
A vegetarian diet usually has plenty of carbohydrate in both its simple form (sugars) found in fruit, honey and table sugar and its complex form, as starch.
Complex carbohydrates are found in the form of grains including rice, pulses, cereals including bread, pasta and the breakfast variety and vegetables, particularly potatoes. They are filling rather than fattening, unlike dietary fats.
Whole grain foods are the best source of complex carbohydrates as they retain their vitamins, minerals and fibre. So go for rolled oats, brown rice, wholemeal bread and millet wherever possible.
Fats for vegetarians
Fats add flavour, slow the emptying of the stomach and provide fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and essential fatty acids.
Meat, fish, poultry and dairy products are typical sources of fat, so too are vegetable fats like cooking oils, nuts, seeds, avocado and peanut butter.
Animal fats are mainly saturated, which means they solidify at room temperature. Too many of these contribute to raised cholesterol levels and may result in blocked arteries and an increased risk of heart disease.
Cholesterol is one of the body's fats (lipids). Cholesterol and another lipid, triglyceride, are important building blocks in the structure of cells and are also used in creating hormones and for energy production. Cholesterol is conveyed to all areas of the body by way of the arterial system. Cholesterol forms a relationship with certain proteins forming what could be thought of as 'vehicles' travelling down a 'tube system' to eventually arrive at the area requiring supplies.
When too much cholesterol enters the blood and the 'vehicle' system is overloaded, excess cholesterol is deposited within the walls of the arteries causing the condition, arteriosclerosis (artery narrowing).
The combination of cholesterol and proteins result in substances known as lipoproteins of which there are two types:
ä Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) - which carry cholesterol from the manufacturing area, the liver, to the body cells. This is the more undesirable 'bad' cholesterol, which is the type that causes atherosclerosis, causing arteries to fur up.
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High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) or 'good' cholesterol, whose functions include removing LDL from the body, via the intestines for excretion. HDL protects against atheromas preventing narrowing of the arteries.
It is important to understand that although, diet contributes to the level of cholesterol in our blood the greatest determinant is the amount our body produces naturally in the liver.
The degree of atherosclerosis is dependent on the ratio of HDL to LDL cholesterol.
Our bodies make all the cholesterol we need but meat, fish, eggs and dairy products are sources in our diet. Most vegetable oils are unsaturated and cholesterol free and as such are better for your health.
If you are a vegetarian who includes dairy foods such as cheese and milk in your diet take these in moderation and where possible opt for low fat alternatives to keep saturated fats to a minimum.
Unsaturated fats found in seeds and nuts and the oils from these provide us with essential fatty acids vital for healthy cell membranes, brain and eye function and prostaglandin production (substances needed to regulate many of the body's functions including hormone production). Include adequate supplies of these healthy fats in your diet.
Also, beware hydrogenated oils. Hydrogen is pumped into them to make them solid and they take on some of the bad qualities of naturally saturated fats.
Fibre for vegetarians
Most vegetarian diets provide plenty of fibre, which is vital for healthy digestion and helps to reduce the risk of various diseases, from heart and artery disease to colonic cancer. Whole wheat and other grains and cereals, beans and pulses, vegetables and fruits will give you all the fibre you need.
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