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Vegetarian
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WHAT IS VEGETARIAN DIET?

• Primarily plant based
• Includes nuts, pulses, seeds
• Also includes fruits & vegetables
• Does not include meat

BENEFITS OF VEGETARIAN DIET

Lowers blood pressure

Helps maintain a healthy weight

Effective management of

Type 2 diabetes

Decreases chances of developing heart disease

(Webb & Lane, 2020)

(Sun, 2021)

(Singh et al., 2020)

(Singh et al., 2020)

IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER AS A VEGETARIAN

Limiting meat in your daily diet has many advantages however it can also be challenging to keep up with your bodies demands, especially nutrients for growing children and ageing adults.

(Kiely, 2021)

1

Decreased intake of vital minerals

2

Decreased intake of vital vitamins

Nutritional requirements

3

4

5

6

Protein intake

Food choices

Recipes

ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS & THEIR SOURCES

Many research studies suggest that vegetarian diet typically contain insufficient amounts of certain essential nutrients required for all age groups, especially for young children and ageing adults.

Following is the list of essential nutrients and vitamins that are essential for our body.

Kiely, 2021)

(Webb & Lane, 2020;

Vitamin A

Helps with development of healthy skin, tissue repair, and vision.

important for production of red blood cells and maintaining the body’s metabolism

Vitamin B Complex

orange and yellow vegetables (squashes, zucchini, yams, sweet potatoes)

Source

Vitamin B Complex

soy (i.e. tofu), whole grains, enriched breads, cereals.

Vitamin C

Helps with development of healthy skin, tissue repair, and vision.

aids the body in bone development and strengthening and also assists with calcium absorption

Vitamin D

orange and yellow vegetables (squashes, zucchini, yams, sweet potatoes)

Source

Source

fish oils, dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese). Vitamin D is also naturally occurring in sunlight exposure.

Iron

contributes to blood production and muscle development

maintains healthy bones and teeth

Calcium

can be found in fortified breads and cereals, dried beans, lentils, green leafy vegetables

Source

Source

found in wide range of dairy products as well as sardines, broccoli

Protein

builds muscles and contributes to boosting the immune system

Some fibers contribute to improved digestion while others contribute to lowering glucose and cholesterol levels

Fiber

fish, nuts, eggs, string cheese, edamame, peanut butter

Source

Source

beans, whole grains, nuts, apples, blueberries, couscous, brown rice, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, oatmeal, and whole wheat.

Zinc

assists with the body’s metabolism, the immune system, wound healing, DNA synthesis, cell division, and development of appropriate taste and smell

normalizes blood pressure and heart rhythm as well as assists in keeping the bones strong

Magnesium

beans, nuts, whole grains, fortified cereals, and dairy products.

Source

Source

spinach, nuts, beans, soy, peas, and whole grain cereals

Potassium

regulates acid and water in the blood and bodily tissues while contributing to bone health and growth, building muscles, and supporting nervous system development and function

contributes to thyroid gland function which then aides in nervous system development and skeletal system development

Iodine

bananas, apricots, dates, figs, honeydew melon, prunes, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, nectarines, cantaloupe, carrots, raisins, peppers, papaya, bran, kiwi

Source

Source

seaweed, certain seafoods, eggs, dairy products,

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM CANADA FOOD GUIDE

(Health Canada, 2019)

Daily food requirements according to the recently developed plate method from the Canada Food Guide

Daily Food Requirements

Adults & Older Children

Children

Fruits/Vegetables

1-4 years: up to 4 servings/day (less and less for babies and toddlers)

5-11 years: 5-6 servings

1/2 the plate

Grains

1-4 years: 3-4 servings/day

5-11 years: 4-6 servings

1/4 the plate

Protein Foods

1-4 years: Up to 1 serving/day5-11 years: 1-2 servings

5-11 years: 1-2 servings

1/4 the plate

Serving size is not the suggested quantity of food you should eat.

A “serving size” is a standard amount of a food, such as a cup or an ounce. Serving sizes can help you when choosing foods and when comparing like items while shopping, but they are not recommendations for how much of a certain food to eat.

They're an excellent source of dietary fibre, which can help to maintain a healthy gut and prevent constipation and other digestion problems. A diet high in fibre can also reduce your risk of bowel cancer.

Fruits and Vegetables

Try to eat at least 5 80g portions of fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced fruit and vegetables a day.

Fruits and Vegetables

Starchy foods such as potatoes, bread, cereals, rice and pasta should make up just over a third of the food you eat. Where possible, choose wholegrain varieties.

Wholegrain Foods

Starchy foods are a good source of energy and the main source of a range of nutrients in our diet. As well as starch, they contain fibre, calcium, iron and B vitamins.

Wholegrain Foods

Milk and dairy products, such as cheese and yoghurt, are good sources of protein, calcium and vitamins A and B12.

Milk, Dairy Products & Alternatives

Milk and dairy alternatives, such as fortified unsweetened soya, rice and oat drinks, which also contain calcium. To make healthier choices, go for lower fat milk and dairy foods. Also choose lower sugar options.

Milk, Dairy Products & Alternatives

Pulses include beans, peas and lentils. They're a low-fat source of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, Nuts and seeds are also a source of protein and other nutrients..

Protein Foods

Other non-dairy sources of protein include eggs and meat alternatives, such as tofu, textured vegetable protein and tempeh.

Protein Foods

Unsaturated fats, including vegetable and sunflower oils, are healthier than saturated fats, such as butter and ghee.

Choose Unsaturated Oils & Spreads

Foods high in salt, fat and sugar, such as chocolate, cookies, ice cream, cakes and puddings, should be eaten less often and in small amounts.

These foods provide energy in the form of fats and sugars, but only provide a very small amount of other nutrients.

Limit fat, salt & Sugar

IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING VEGETARIAN MEALS

For Children

• Start slow, by taking out unwanted foods piece by piece from the diet and replacing those foods with plant-based options that offer similar vitamins and minerals.
• Eat together as a family, cook meals more often and let children get involved in the cooking and be allowed to select foods from a wide variety of healthy options.
• Limit processed foods, unhealthy fat foods, high sodium foods, and sugary foods. Make water the drink of choice rather than sugary juices or sodas.
• Make sure a vegetarian-based diet does not severely restrict healthy fats and carbohydrates that the child should be receiving daily.
• Examples include avocado, dark chocolate, chia seeds, any foods with olive oil, eggs, fatty fish (salmon, sardines, trout), flax seeds, olives, nuts, tofu, yogurt.
• Let kids go grocery shopping with the parents. Teach children about using food labels when selecting healthy meals.

For Adults

• Start slow and eliminate foods one by one until you’ve mastered your vegetarian meal plan. Eliminating too quickly makes eating miserable and boring, and you are likely to bounce back to the old diet habits.
• Avoid highly-processed foods with unhealthy fats, too much sugar, and too much sodium.
• Cook more often, and use the food nutrition labels while grocery shopping.
• Replace missing vitamins and minerals that you would normally get from meat with plant-based foods. Commonly, this includes iron, vitamin B-12, and protein which can be found in nuts, lentils, beans, leafy dark green vegetables, fish, eggs, and some dairy products.
• Make water your priority drink.
• Incorporate meals into your day that include a wide variety of grains, vegetables, and fruits that celebrate your favorite meals and cultural practices that are important to you and your family.

VEGETARIAN RECIPES FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN

It's important to vary what you eat. Some nutrients are found in smaller amounts in vegetarian sources, or are less easily absorbed by the body than those in meat.

It is very important to plan your diet and food preparation. But if you don't plan your diet properly, you could miss out on essential nutrients. For example, vegetarians need to make sure they get enough iron and vitamin B12 in their diets.

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recipes

for adults

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recipes

for children

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