NUTRITIONAL GUIDE FOR VEGETARIANSJigisha Patel

Overview of Project• Nutritional Guide explaining basic nutrients essential to a

vegetarian diet• Macronutrients

• Protein *

• Micronutrients

• Deficiencies most common in this type of diet• Iron Deficiency• Zinc Deficiency• Calcium Deficiency

Vegetarian Basics• The work “vegetarian” comes from a Latin word “vegetus”

meaning full of vitality, vigorous and cheerful• The list of reasons why people follow or switch to a

vegetarian diet varies.• Religion• Economy• Emotions• Ethics• Health

• Studies are beginning to show that it may also play a major role in disease prevention

• There are many different variations on the vegetarian theme and will be explained in the next slide

Types of Vegetarians

*Lacto-Ovo Veggie

Lacto-Ovo Veggie  Most common type of vegetarian diet in which all flesh is omitted from diet but does include dairy products and eggs

Ovo Veggie Vegetarian diet with addition of eggs ONLY [no flesh and no dairy]

Vegan Excludes all foods and products of animal origin including honey, wool and leather

Raw Vegan Same as Vegan but consumes raw or “living” food ONLY

Semi Veggie Also referred to as a “part time vegetarian.” Red meat is eliminated from diet but fish and chicken are still consumed occasionally

Pesco Veggie Eliminates most animal flesh but allows the consumption of fish, seafood, eggs and dairy products

Pudding  Veggie A vegetarian of any sort who lives on a “meatless” junk food diet

Social Veggie A ‘pick the meat off the pizza and it will be ok’ kind of vegetarian

Nutrients• Chemicals that any living organism needs to continue

their survival• Provide us with energy to perform daily tasks.• Split into two separate categories:

• Macronutrients• Micronutrients

Macronutrient• Substances that supple caloric

value (calories) which are oftenmetabolized for energy

• Needed in larger amounts (MACRO)

• Macro means “very large in scale”

• Three major macronutrients are:1. Carbohydrates

2. Proteins

3. Fats

Macronutrients cont.

Micronutrient• Nutrients that are needed in smaller quantities• Micro is Greek for “small”• Just as important as macronutrients in the sense that we

NEED them.• Main difference lies in the pure amount of the nutrients we

need to digest• Main function is to allow many chemical reactions to occur

in the bod.• Most common micronutrients include:

1. Minerals

2. Vitamins

3. Trace Elements

Micronutrients cont.

Common Micronutrient Deficiencies • Iron Deficiency• Zinc Deficiency• Calcium Deficiency

Iron Deficiency• Essential mineral that aides in transportation of oxygen

throughout body• Vital component of hemoglobin, the substance in red

blood cells that carries oxygen from out lungs to transport it through our body

• Body will not get enough oxygen without health RBCs.• You will become fatigued and this exhaustion can affect

everything from your brain function to your immune systems' ability to fight off infections

• Iron is subdivided into 2 groups• Heme• Non-heme

Iron Deficiency cont.

Iron Deficiency contThe picture illustrates a boy that has iron deficiency. All the listed symptoms would be visible if a person was deficient in iron. Shortness of breath has to be one of the most common symptoms.

Zinc Deficiency• Essential trace element that promotes normal growth &

development across the body• Often neglected by vegetarians.• Deficiencies in zinc impact everything from appetite, to

cognitive power and motor skills, to even testosterone levels in men.

• Can be supplemented or consumed with natural resources such as:• Pumpkin seeds• Sesame seeds• Almonds, Walnuts, Macadamia nuts• Oatmeal/Cereals

Zinc Deficiency cont• Zinc is involved in numerous aspects of cellular

metabolism• Additionally zinc plays role in:

• Immune function• Protein Synthesis• Wound Healing• DNA Synthesis• Cell Division

• Required for proper sense of taste and smell.• Body has not specialized zinc storage system, so daily

intake of zinc is extremely vital!!

Calcium Deficiency• Mineral that used for building bones, teeth, and

maintaining bone strength• Muscle contraction and blood clotting• Required in large amounts• Long term deficiency can lead to thinning of bones and

osteoporosis• Calcium in found in dairy rich foods. Alternate sources

are:• Spinach• Collard Greens• Kale• Broccoli• Almonds

Calcium Deficiency cont.

Bibliography• (1)"The Vegetarian Athlete." Bodybuilding.com -. N.p., n.d. Web.

31 Oct. 2013. <http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/kristi16.htm>.

• (2)Kniskern, Megan A., and Carol S. Johnston."Protein Dietary Reference Intakes may be Inadequate for Vegetarians if Low Amounts of Animal Protein are Consumed." Nutrition 27.6 (2011): 727-30. ProQuest. Web.8 Nov. 2013.

• (3)American, Dietetic Association, and of Canada Dietitians."Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian Diets." American Dietetic Association.Journalof the American Dietetic Association 103.6 (2003): 748-65. ProQuest. Web.8 Nov. 2013.

Bibliography cont• (4)Barr, Susan I., and Candice A. Rideout. "Nutritional

Considerations for Vegetarian Athletes." Nutrition 20.7 (2004): 696-703. ProQuest. Web.8 Nov. 2013.

• (5)“Macro and Micronutrients.” N.p., n.d. Web 12 Nov.2013 http://www.organicsoul.com/macro-and-micronutrients-what-they-are-and-why-we-need-them/

• (6) "Deficiencies in Vegetarians." Www.fsnau.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. <www.fsnau.org/.../Micronutrients-in-Somalia-a-pocket-guide-English.pdF>.