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| Introduction |
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| More and more teenagers are choosing not
to eat meat, poultry or fish, and becoming vegetarians. Teenage
vegetarians are often faced with pressures -- pressures from
parents concerned about their health, and pressures from within
to continue on the path they have chosen. |
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| Variety is the
Key to a Healthy Vegetarian Diet |
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Probably the most frequent questions for
teenage vegetarians are about the nutritional adequacy of their
food choices. A vegetarian diet can be enjoyed by people of
all ages.
The key to a healthy vegetarian diet is variety. Just as your
parents should be concerned if you only eat hamburgers, they
should also worry if you only eat potato chips and salad. A
healthy, varied vegetarian diet includes fruits, vegetables,
plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds and
legumes. Some vegetarians also choose to eat dairy products
and/or eggs.Teenage vegetarians have nutritional needs that
are the same as any other teenager. The years between 13 and
19 are times of especially rapid growth and change. Nutritional
needs are high during these years. The nutrients you will probably
be asked about the most are protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin
B12.Teenage vegetarians have nutritional needs that are the
same as any other teenager. The years between 13 and 19 are
times of especially rapid growth and change. Nutritional needs
are high during these years. The nutrients you will probably
be asked about the most are protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin
B12 |
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| What About Protein? |
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| New Zealand vegetarian teens eating varied
diets rarely have any difficulty getting enough protein as long
as their diet contains enough energy (calories) to support growth.
Beans, breads, cereals, nuts, peanut butter, tofu, soy milk
or cow's milk, and low fat cheese are some foods which are especially
good sources of protein. Only fruits, fats, and alcohol do not
provide much protein, and so a diet based only on these foods
would have a good chance of being too low in protein.It is not
necessary to plan combinations of foods to obtain enough protein
or amino acids (components of protein). A mixture of plant proteins
eaten throughout the day will provide enough essential amino
acids. |
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| Other Important
Nutrients for Vegetarian Teenagers |
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| Especially during adolescence, calcium is
used to build bones. Bone density is determined in adolescence
and young adulthood; so it is important to include three or
more good sources of calcium in your diet every day. Cow's milk
and dairy products do contain calcium. However, there are other
good sources of calcium such as tofu processed with calcium
sulfate, green leafy vegetables including collard greens, mustard
greens, and kale.Iron requirements of teenagers are relatively
high. By eating a varied diet, a vegetarian can meet his or
her iron needs, while avoiding the excess fat and cholesterol
found in red meats such as beef or pork. To increase the amount
of iron absorbed from a meal, eat a food containing vitamin
C as part of the meal. Citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes, and
broccoli are all good sources of vitamin C. Foods which are
high in iron include broccoli, raisins, watermelon, spinach,
black-eyed peas, blackstrap molasses, chickpeas, and pinto beans.Vitamin
B12 is a vitamin which only vegans (vegetarians eating no dairy,
eggs, meat, fish, and birds) need to add to their diet. Some
cereals such as Nutri-Grain have vitamin B12. Check the label
of cereals for ingredients since cereal companies often change
the contents of their products. Nutritional yeast also supplies
vitamin B12 |
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| Healthy Steps
to Your Ideal Weight |
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Many teenagers are concerned about losing
or gaining weight. To lose weight, look at your diet. If it
has lots of sweet or fatty foods, replace them with fruits,
vegetables, grains, and legumes. If your diet already seems
healthy, try to get more exercise -- walking, running or swimming
daily, for example. If you are trying to gain weight, you will
need to eat more food. Perhaps eating more often or eating foods
somewhat higher in calories and lower in bulk will help. Try
to eat three or more times a day whether you are trying to gain
weight or lose weight. It is hard to get all of the nutritious
foods you need if you only eat one meal a day.
If you feel that you cannot control your eating behavior or
if you are losing a great deal of weight, you should discuss
this with your health care provider |
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| Quick Foods
for Busy People |
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With the demands of school and outside activities,
it may often seem there is just not enough time to eat. Here
are some foods that require little or no preparation. Some of
these foods can be found in fast-food restaurants -- check the
menu.
Apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, peaches, plums, dried fruits,
bagels and peanut butter, carrot or celery sticks, popcorn,
pretzels, soy cheese pizza, bean tacos or burritos, salad, soy
yogurt, soy milk, rice cakes, sandwiches, frozen juice bars. |
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| A Vegetarian
Diet Benefits Your Health, the Environment, and Animals Too! |
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| Vegetarianism represents a positive move
toward a cleaner and more compassionate world, a reduction in
global hunger, and improved personal health.If you are concerned
about the environment, consider meat production's negative impact
on tropical rain forests, soil stability, and air and water
quality. If you are concerned about animal rights, think about
the billions of chickens and other animals slaughtered for food
each year in the United States and the conditions in which animals
killed for food are raised. If you are concerned about your
own health, consider that vegetarians are generally at lower
risk than non-vegetarians for heart disease, high blood pressure,
some forms of cancer and obesity. |
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