Vegan/Vegetarian Diets and Implications
A vegan diet focuses on plants for food, while completely abstaining from all animal products. These include fruits, vegetables, dried beans and peas, grains, seeds and nuts. There is no single type of vegetarian diet. Instead, plant-based eating patterns usually fall into the following groups:
• The vegan diet,which excludes all meat and animal products
• The lacto vegetarian diet, which includes plant foods plus dairy products
• The lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, which includes both dairy products and eggs
People who follow vegetarian diets can get all the nutrients they need. However, they must be careful to eat a wide variety of foods to meet their nutritional needs. Nutrients vegans and vegetarians may need to focus on include protein, iron, calcium, zinc and vitamin B12. It is important to note that B12 is completely absent from a vegan’s diet, as it is only found in animal products, so supplementation is key!
Protein:
Protein is termed the building block of the body. It is called this because protein is vital in the maintenance of body tissue, including development and repair. Hair, skin, eyes, muscles and organs are all made from protein. Protein also contributes greatly to your body for energy and hormone production.
Iron:
Iron is needed for a number of highly complex processes that continuously take place on a molecular level and that are indispensable to human life, e.g. the transportation of oxygen around your body! Iron is also required for the production of red blood cells. Additionally, iron is also involved in the conversion of blood sugar to energy. Metabolic energy is crucial for athletes since it allows muscles to work at their optimum during exercise or when competing.
B-12:
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. After the body uses these vitamins, leftover amounts leave the body through the urine. The body can store vitamin B12 for years in the liver. Vitamin B12 is found naturally in a wide variety of animal foods. Plant foods have no vitamin B12 unless they are fortified. Vitamin B12, like the other B vitamins, is important for metabolism. It helps in the formation of red blood cells and in the maintenance of the central nervous system.
Calcium:
As the most abundant mineral in your body, calcium is essential for your body's overall nutrition and health. Your body uses 99 percent of its calcium to keep your bones and teeth strong, thereby supporting skeletal structure and function. The rest of the calcium in your body plays key roles in cell signaling, blood clotting, muscle contraction and nerve function.
Zinc:
Zinc is an important trace mineral that people need to stay healthy. This element is second only to iron in its concentration in the body. Zinc is found in cells throughout the body. It is needed for the body's defensive (immune) system to properly work. It plays a role in cell division, cell growth, wound healing, and the breakdown of carbohydrates.
MC
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