How can I make sure I'm getting the nutrients I need from a vegetarian diet?
"Many pregnant women who eat a vegetarian diet worry that they're not getting enough protein," says Elizabeth Somer, a dietician and author of Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy: The Complete Guide to Eating Before, During, and After Your Pregnancy (Owl Books, 2002). In fact, she says, it's pretty easy to fulfill your protein needs just by drinking cow's or soy milk.
Of bigger concern, she says, are omega 3 fatty-acids (a nutrient that plays an important role in brain function and development), zinc, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, folate and calcium. With the exception of the omega-3s that are mainly found in fatty fish, especially in salmon, most of these essentials are easy enough to find in foods that even vegans (people who eat no animal products at all) consume. If you don't eat at least two servings of fish each week, you'll have to get your omega-3s through foods like flax seed and walnuts.
Diet recommendations
Beyond the two weekly servings of omega-3s (Check the food label on the packaging for serving information.), here's what Somer recommends pregnant vegetarians eat every day:
1. Four servings of cooked dried beans and peas because they're full of zinc, iron and protein. A few nuts and seeds can also be added.
2. Four servings of calcium-rich foods, including nonfat or low-fat milk or calcium- and vitamin D- fortified soy milk. Cheese and cottage cheese are good for calcium but won't supply the vitamin D your body needs to absorb it and move it into the bones. "Look for foods that have 300 mg of calcium per serving, which equates to about 30 percent of the daily value as listed on the label," says Somer.
3. Eight to ten servings of fruits and vegetables because they're full of antioxidants. "I recommend five to seven servings of vegetables and three to five of fruit," says Somer.
4. Six to 11 servings of whole grains, including foods such as brown rice, oatmeal and whole wheat bread.
5. One or more servings of a food that has vitamin B12, such as milk, fortified soy milk, egg yolk, or fermented soy foods like miso and tempeh.
Vegetarian recipes
Tired of your cookbooks? Here are two of Somer's favorite vegetarian recipes:
Recipe 1: Polenta and Black Bean Casserole
(Serves 4; 1 serving includes 415 mg calcium, 152 mcg folic acid, 4.5 mg iron and 9 g fiber)
Ingredients:
2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can Mexican tomatoes, chopped
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup of your favorite salsa
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 18-ounce package precooked, ready-to-eat polenta (plain or basil flavored)
1 cup low-fat Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Directions:
• In Dutch oven, combine all ingredients expect polenta and cheese. *Cover and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes, to enhance flavors.
• While bean mixture is simmering, slice polenta into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
• Spray a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan or a 1-quart casserole with nonstick spray.
• Layer bottom of pan with 1/3 of bean mixture, then add one layer of polenta rounds (1/2 of the polenta). Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of cheese. Add another layer of beans, polenta, cheese, then beans, and finish with cheese.
• Bake 50-55 minutes, or until bubbly hot.
• Drain liquid from the pan, cool for five minutes, slice and serve.
Recipe 2: Glazed Blueberry-Lemon Bread
(Makes 12 slices; 1 slice includes 82 mg calcium, 12 mcg folic acid, 1.2 mg iron and 1 g fiber)
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup 8th Continent vanilla soy milk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon lemon peel, grated
2 large eggs
2 cups frozen blueberries, partially thawed
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ready-to-spread vanilla or cream cheese frosting
2 teaspoon 8th Continent vanilla soy milk
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with vegetable cooking spray.
• In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt.
• In small bowl, whip until thoroughly blended 1 cup soy milk, oil, 1 tablespoon lemon peel, eggs.
• Gently stir soy mixture into flour mixture until just moistened.
• Toss slightly thawed blueberries (no longer icy but still firm) with 1/4 cup flour. Place in sieve or strainer to remove excess flour then fold gently into batter.
• Pour batter into pan and bake 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack then remove and cool completely, for one hour.
• While bread cools, stir together frosting, 2 teaspoons soy milk and 1 teaspoon lemon peel. Let sit and then drizzle over cooled bread.
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