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Vegetarian Basics III


VITAMIN AND MINERAL CONCERNS

To benefit fully from a vegan diet of plant-based foods, we suggest you familiarize yourself with a few concerns expressed by those unfamiliar with a well-planned program. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of including a wide variety of foods and consuming, on a daily basis, foods from each of the following groups: legumes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.


Vitamin B12. The U.S. RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) is 6 mcg. Since Vitamin B12 as cyanocobalamin is not readily available in a plant-based diet, it is important that you take a supplement to fulfill the body's needs. Though the requirement seems small, this vitamin is essential to maintaining a healthy nervous system, important in preventing pernicious anemia, helpful in cell and blood formation, beneficial to proper digestion, fertility, and growth, and necessary in the synthesis of genetic material (DNA).

This vitamin is also an aid to people with menstrual difficulties, nervousness, insomnia, memory loss, depression, fatigue, skin problems, asthma, schizophrenia, and heart palpitations.

If the label on the supplement says it contains Vitamin B12, make sure it includes the word cyanocobalamin or cobalamin. In this form the vitamin will be more readily absorbed.

Many foods are now fortified with Vitamin B12. Look for it on soymilk labels, cereal packages, and meat and chicken substitutes made from soy protein.

The Red Star company makes nutritional yeast in two varieties. Their Vegetarian Support Formula contains Vitamin B12 as cyanocobalamin. Look for it in health food markets. Two heaping tablespoons a day will supply the needed RDA. Many new mothers find it increases their milk production during lactation.

Calcium. The U.S. RDA is 1,000 mg. Calcium is an important mineral for maintaining firm bone structure and strong healthy teeth. This mineral helps us in other ways as well. It is essential for blood clotting, needed for muscle relaxation, permits regulation of cell metabolism, and helps nerve cell message transmission.

Maintaining healthy levels of calcium is rarely a problem on a well-planned vegan diet. You can find calcium in a multitude of plant foods. Vegetables that contain the highest calcium content include collards, kale, mustard greens, watercress, broccoli, okra, and dandelion greens. Sea vegetables such as wakame, arame, hiziki, and dulse are also excellent sources of calcium.

Many other foods in the plant kingdom contain rich stores of this vital mineral.

Impressive calcium content can be found in all legumes. Enjoy them daily for their exceptional calcium benefits. Within the bean family soybeans rank highest in calcium, with navy beans and black beans following closely. Foods made from soybeans, such as soymilk, tofu processed with calcium, tempeh, and meat and chicken substitutes made from soy protein will provide plenty of calcium.

Nuts and seeds are good sources of this mineral with almonds, hazelnuts, and sesame seeds rating highest. Sesame tahini added to salad dressings and sauces is a good way to bring calcium into the diet.

Among the fruits, figs are tops for their calcium content. Oranges and fortified orange juice will deliver this mineral in ample quantities as well.

Vitamin D. The U.S. RDA is 400 IU. Vitamin D is technically a hormone that is manufactured in the skin when the skin is exposed to natural sunlight. Essential to our health, Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium in order to maintain strong bones and teeth. Just 10 or 15 minutes a day of natural sun exposure will provide the body with enough Vitamin D to function optimally. If you are unable to get direct sun exposure, look for foods that are fortified with this vitamin or take a supplement.

When reading labels on fortified foods or supplements, vegans will want to choose those items labeled Vitamin D2 rather than Vitamin D3. Vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, is synthesized from plant sources, mostly from yeasts through the process of irradiation.

Animal sources, such as, fish, sheep wool, hides, or cattle brains, provide the base for the manufacture of Vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Called essential fatty acids, these important fats perform many functions including enhancing the immune system, lowering cholesterol and triglycerides, preventing heart attacks, and reducing blood viscosity.

Though Omega 3's are available from animal sources such as fatty fish and fish oil capsules, vegans can find sufficient quantities from many plant sources. Following are foods that contain ample quantities of Omega 3's: dark green leafy vegetables like kale and collards, broccoli, flax seed meal, flax seed oil, hemp seeds, hemp seed oil, soy beans, soy bean oil, firm tofu, organic canola oil, walnuts, and walnut oil. Recommended daily servings of some items are as follows:

Iron. The U.S. RDA is 18 mg. An important mineral, iron supplies oxygen to the cells throughout the body and carries away carbon dioxide as waste. It also helps immune system function and assists our mental processing.

Good sources of iron are found in all types of legumes but are especially high in soybeans, and products made of soybeans, such as firm tofu. Grains are high in iron with quinoa ranking highest. Raw kale, raw spinach, mushrooms, and baked potatoes are also healthy sources.

Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of iron with pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, sesame seeds, and pistachios leading in quantities. Meat substitutes made from soy are outstanding sources for iron.

The iron content of blackstrap molasses is exceptionally high, making it an important source for this mineral.

Iron is best absorbed when eaten along with foods containing Vitamin C. Most vegetables qualify, as do citrus fruits. A little squeeze of lemon juice will easily enhance iron absorption.

Zinc. The U.S. RDA is 15 mg. A facilitator to many functions in the body, zinc wears many hats. A few of its many tasks include eliminating carbon dioxide, assisting wound healing, and helping the immune system.

Legumes are a good source of zinc, especially garbanzo beans and lentils. Products made from soy protein, such as the meat and chicken substitutes provide plenty of zinc. Wheat germ, millet, and quinoa are highest among the grains, with all grains supplying healthy quantities.

Nuts and seeds offer ample zinc stores, with sesame tahini at the top of the list, followed by pumpkin seeds, cashews, and almonds.



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