| Are
you out off becoming
vegetarian because you can't think what to eat if you don't eat
meat? |
| A
quick trip to your local supermarket will, however,
show that there are not only many different fruits and vegetables
available but that because vegetarianism is growing rapidly
there are many ready made vegetarian meals on sale. |
|
|
| You
will also find many 'meat substitute' meals available. You can
buy vegetarian sausages and hamburgers, and 'stews' and 'curries'
made with soya have the same texture as meals made with meat. |
|
|
How
to make sure your body gets the vitamins and minerals it needs:
|
- Eat a varied diet and
try to include fresh fruit, green vegetables, peas and beans and wholemeal
produce - all good sources of vitamins and minerals (as well as fibre!)
|
- Vitamins are easily destroyed
by cooking so whenever you can, eat raw foods. Use as little water
as possible when boiling vegetables (to avoid losing water soluble
vitamins B and C). Cook vegetables for as short a time as possible.
Steam or stir fry vegetables if you can instead of boiling them -
this helps to preserve water soluble vitamins. Prepare food quickly
and try not to keep it hot or reheat it - this can destroy vitamins.
Keep milk covered because sunlight destroys some B vitamins.
|
- Vitamins are often stored
just underneath the skin in fruit and vegetables so eat them in their
skins: don't peel them!
|
- Eat plenty of nuts and
seeds - these contain a variety of vitamins and minerals and make
good nutritious snacks.
|
- Throw out aluminium saucepans
(aluminium is a potential poison which can cause brain damage) and
use iron ones which can add useful quantities of iron to cooked food.
|
- Dairy produce is a good
source of some vitamins and minerals but skimmed or semi-skimmed milk
and low fat cheeses contain as much calcium and vitamin B as full
cream milk and cheese (though they contain less vitamin A and vitamin
D because these vitamins are fat soluble).
|
- You can get supplies of
iron by eating dark green, leafy vegetables, nuts, pulses, sunflower
and pumpkin seeds, dried fruits, pulses, sunflower seeds, almonds
(and other nuts).
|
- Vitamin B12 is available
in foods of animal origin or in fortified soya milk, breakfast cereak
and yeast extract.
|
- Zinc is available in seeds,
almonds, pulses and dark green vegetables.
|
| Remember:
If you suspect that you could be suffering from a vitamin or mineral deficiency,
see your doctor for advice: never take vitamin or mineral supplements
without professional medical advice. |
|
|
|
Source
of Information: Food for Thought by Dr Vernon Coleman. It is available
in libraries, or from bookshops, or post free from European Medical
Journal, P O Box 30, Barnstable, Devon EX32 9YU
|
