Hi,I am Neethu Vipin (Dietitian & Nutritionist). I will be looking into your question and guiding you through the process. Please write your question below.
I became a Vegetarian in December and have tried several kinds of tofu and soy and so far the options don't taste good to me. I want to make sure I am getting the proper nutrients.... What do I really need to concentrate on? Are there signs my body will tell me if I am lacking anything in particular?
Nutrient deficiencies show up as symptoms which might vary depending upon the degree of nutritional deprivation. You can get your haemoglobin checked routinely to see if you are getting adequate iron in your diet. Are you consuming milk/eggs or have you become a strict vegan. People who are vegan that is those who omit eggs and dairy also from their diet are more likely to suffer from deficiencies of several vitamins and minerals...such as calcium which we get mainly from milk and milk products like curd and cheese, iron and Vitamin B12 deficiency which is common on vegetarian diets as iron is easily absorbed from non-vegetarian sources but poorly absorbed from vegetarian sources. You must include plenty of vitamin C rich foods like citrus fruits, fresh fruits alongwith iron containing vegetarian foods like millets, dates, green leafy vegetables and cook in iron pots so that iron content of food is increased. Vitamin B12 is present in animal foods only including milk and eggs. If you have given up milk and eggs also, then you must guard against its deficiency. Include whole grain cereals and nuts in your diet for zinc as zinc is best absorbed from animal foods like meat, chicken etc.
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Suggest Diet Plans For A Vegetarian Person
Nutrient deficiencies show up as symptoms which might vary depending upon the degree of nutritional deprivation. You can get your haemoglobin checked routinely to see if you are getting adequate iron in your diet. Are you consuming milk/eggs or have you become a strict vegan. People who are vegan that is those who omit eggs and dairy also from their diet are more likely to suffer from deficiencies of several vitamins and minerals...such as calcium which we get mainly from milk and milk products like curd and cheese, iron and Vitamin B12 deficiency which is common on vegetarian diets as iron is easily absorbed from non-vegetarian sources but poorly absorbed from vegetarian sources. You must include plenty of vitamin C rich foods like citrus fruits, fresh fruits alongwith iron containing vegetarian foods like millets, dates, green leafy vegetables and cook in iron pots so that iron content of food is increased. Vitamin B12 is present in animal foods only including milk and eggs. If you have given up milk and eggs also, then you must guard against its deficiency. Include whole grain cereals and nuts in your diet for zinc as zinc is best absorbed from animal foods like meat, chicken etc.