Vegetarian diets

Question 1

What are the plant sources of protein?

Answer 1

Legumes: beans and lentils
Cereals
Nuts and seeds and their butters

Advise a variety of them because they each have their unique digestibility

Question 2

Do vegans and vegetarians get enough iron?

Answer 2

Research says yes, but they need 1.8 times more than nonvegetarians

Why: different bioavailability

Question 3

What enhances iron absorption

Answer 3

Vitamin C and other compounds in vegetables

Question 4

What inhibits iron absorption?

Answer 4

Fibre
Phytates
Tannins

Question 5

Sources of iron?

Answer 5

Iron-fortified cereal
Gain products
Dried beans and peas

Question 6

Sources of zinc in a regular diet

Answer 6

50% of zinc intake comes from animal product, in a regular diet.

Other: human milk has enough zinc for a kid up to seven months of age, legumes, nuts, yeast-leavened breads, fermented soy products,

Question 7

Do vegetarians/vegans need the same amount of zinc?

Answer 7

No. They need about 50% more!

Phytans bind to zinc decreasing absorption. Phytans are found in large quantities in vegetarian diets.

Question 8

Do vegans/vegetarians get enough calcium?

Bonus: what about breast fed babies?

Answer 8

Yes for vegetarians and non strict vegans!

Strict vegans often don’t get enough. May need supplementation

Calcium content of breast milk is not affected by maternal calcium.

Question 9

What are some calcium sources other than dairy?

Answer 9

Soy products 
Cereals 
Juices
Leafy vegetables
Low-oxalate greens: bok Choy, kale, Chinese cabbage

Question 10

Do vegans get enough fat?

Answer 10

They eat less fat, but this does not affect their growth.

They do not eat enough long chain omega-3 fatty acids DHA (normally found in seafood and fish). They need to take flaxseed, canola oil, walnuts, soy products

Question 11

What vitamin deficiencies are strict vegans At risk of?

Answer 11

Vitamin B12:

• Only found in animal product
• Fortified in milk and eggs but need to consume regularly
• can be low in breast milk of vegan moms so these infants may need supplementation
• sources: fortified soy formula, yeast, fortified soy and nut beverages, cereals.
• you need three sources per day or supplement 5-10ug per day

Vitamin D

• usually in animal products: liver, ocean fish, egg yolk
• need 500ml per day of formula or milk to get enough
• 20 -30 minutes of sun three times per week for fair skinned ppl
• > 1years you need 200 units

Vitamin A

• only found in animal products
• need: yellow and orange vegetables, leafy greens and fruits with beta carotene to convert to vitamin A

Question 12

How much fibre is recommended per day?

Answer 12

0.5 g/kg/day

Question 13

Can you have too much fibre?

Answer 13

Yes!
Not much energy in the fibre and fills up. So may actually have inadequate calories
Can also interfere with absorption

Question 14

Recommendations for vegan breastfeeding moms

Answer 14

Go on 2000 units of vitamin D
May need: iron supplementation, vit b 12, folate, omega 3/linolenic acid (flaxseed, soybean, canola oils), limited margarines and shortening (inhibit linolenic acid) and calcium

Supplement baby with zinc after seven months

Question 15

Can plant for provide all required essential amino acids?

Answer 15

Yes

However the proteins in plant foods are harder to digest so the protein intake may need to be increased by 30-35% for infants up to 2 years, 20-30% for 2-6 year olds and 15-20% for >6 year olds.

Wheat protein may contain 50% less usable protein than animal.

Question 16

16 year old girl with new vegan diet. She is healthy. What deficiency is she most at risk of:
Calcium
Iron
Vitamin A
Vitamin B12
Vitamin D

AAP

Answer 16

Vitamin B12

Although all the other are true, but if you eat good portions of vegan foods

But vitamin B 12 is Exclusively found in animal products

High folic acid diet of vegans can mask the hematologic aspect of the deficiency.