an article in COSMOgirl! i thought fellow vegetarian and non-vegetarian cBers would like to read/know.
there are four kinds of main vegetarian, but not the only
lacto-ovo vegetarians only eat plaints food plus eggs and dairy [milk cheese butter and yogurt] because its the least restrictive classification the only nutrient you need to wrry about getting to little of is iron
*this is the type of vegetarian i am
lacto vegetarians only eat plant foods and dairy. the primary concerns are iron and protein and you should get at least two to three servings of protein daily
ovo only eat plant foods and eggs. the primary concersn are iron calcium and vitamin D, most people should take supplements
vegans only eat plant foods, this is the most restrictive you need to worry about vitamin D and B, iron calcium and protein.
depending on different peoples opinions, some vegetarians eat fish, and still classify themselves as vegetarian, and others think that there should be absolutley no flesh-eating of any king. opinions vary.
here are the five biggest concerns in vegetarian diets you should focus on:
protein : get it from: brown rice,beans,soy,eggs,dairy,&nuts.
muscles organs antibodies (infection fighters) and hemoglobins (which oxygenate the body) are made of protein
iron get it from: fortified grains and cereals, dark leafy greens, beans and peas
you lose iron during your period. if you dont replace it you may become anemic (you'll feel tired)
calcium get it from: beans, nuts, whole grains, seeds, and wheat germ
zinc works hand in hand with iron, your body uses it to heal wounds and repair muscles and tissue
vitamin B get it from: fortified foods, eggs, and dairy
your body needs B for red blood cells and a healthy central nervous system
HERBiVORE HEALTH
»use a cast -iron skillet; it will get more iron into your food
»snack wisely- lacto-ocos should think EAT ( egg, apple, thirst quencher( and/or ACT (apple, cheese, thirst quencher )
»drop meat gradually- start by being lacto-ovo just a few days a week, then cut out red meat completely, then cut out pork,poultry and finally, cut out fish.
visit vrg.org for recipes and info.