Vegetarian Diet: Sources of Some Essential Nutrients
A vegetarian diet is healthy if it is carefully planned. If a vegetarian diet is too restricted, it may be unhealthy. Certain essential nutrients are harder for vegetarians to get from plant foods. You may need to make a special effort to get enough calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin D, and vitamin B-12. It also can be difficult to get an adequate amount of the healthy omega-3 fatty acids. This is especially true if NO animal products (not even dairy products or eggs) are included in the diet.
Amounts of Some Essential Nutrients Needed Each Day for Children
Calcium 1 to 3 years..............500 to 700 milligrams (mg) 4 to 8 years..............800 to 1,000 mg 9 to 18 years............1,100 to 1300 mg Iron 1 to 3 years.............. 7 mg 4 to 8 years..............10 mg 9 to 13 years..............8 mg 14 to 18 years............11 mg (boys), 15 mg (girls) Zinc 7 months to 3 years........3 mg 4 to 8 years...............5 mg 9 to 13 years..............8 mg 14 to 18 years............11 mg (boys), 9 mg (girls) Vitamin D 1 to 18 years 400 to 600 international units (IU) Vitamin B-12 1 to 3 years...............0.9 micrograms (mcg) 4 to 8 years...............1.2 mcg 9 to 13 years..............1.8 mcg 14 to 18 years.............2.4 mcg Iodine 7 to 12 months...........130 mcg 1 to 8 years..............90 mcg 9 to 13 years............120 mcg 14 to 18 years...........150 mcg
Sources of Some Nutrients for Vegetarians
CALCIUM mg per serving ------------------------------------------------------ Legumes (1/2 cup cooked) Navy beans 60 Black beans 46 Vegetarian baked beans 64 Soy foods (1/2 cup) Cultured soy yogurt, fortified 367 Tofu 120 to 430 Soy milk, calcium fortified 100 to 159 Soy nuts 120 Nuts and seeds Almonds, 1/4 cup 88 Almond butter, 2 tablespoons 86 Vegetables (1 cup cooked) Broccoli 79 Collard greens 239 Turnip greens 208 Fruits Dried figs, 5 137 Calcium-fortified orange juice, 1 cup 300 Dairy Cow's milk, 1/2 cup 137 to 158 Cheddar cheese, 1/4 oz 153 Yogurt, plain, 1/2 cup 137 to 230 Yogurt, flavored, 1 cup 280 to 300 IRON mg per serving ------------------------------------------------------ Breads, cereals, and grains Whole wheat bread, 1 slice 0.9 Cereal, fortified, 1 cup 2.1 to 18 Oatmeal, instant, 1/2 cup 1.6 Vegetables (1/2 cup) Broccoli 0.9 Bok choy 0.7 Tomato juice, 1 cup 0.7 Turnip greens 0.6 Legumes (1/2 cup cooked) Baked beans, vegetarian 1.7 Black beans 1.8 Navy beans 2.3 Soy foods (1/2 cup) Soybeans, cooked 4.4 Tofu 6.6 Soy milk 0.4 to 1.0 Nuts/seeds (1/4 cup) Cashews 1.5 Pumpkin seeds 5.2 Sunflower seeds 2.3 Other foods Blackstrap molasses, 1 tablespoon 3.5 ZINC mg per serving ------------------------------------------------------ Breads, grains, and cereals Cereal, fortified 1 oz 0.7 to 15 Wheat germ, 2 tablespoons 1.8 Legumes (1/2 cup cooked) Adzuki beans 2.0 Baked beans, canned 1.8 Lima beans 0.9 Lentils 1.2 Soy foods (1/2 cup cooked) Soybeans 1.0 Tofu 1.0 Veggie meats, 1 oz 1.2 to 2.3 Vegetables (1/2 cup cooked) Peas 1.0 Mushrooms 0.7 IODINE mcg per serving ------------------------------------------------------ Iodized salt 90 (1/4 teaspoon) Sea Vegetables varies widely Vitamin mineral supplements varies widely VITAMIN D mcg per serving -------------------------------------------------------- Cereals, fortified, 1 oz 0.5 to 1 Egg yolk, large, 1 0.6 Cow's milk, fortified 1.2 to 1.3 Soy milk, fortified, 1/2 cup 0.5 to 1.5 RIBOFLAVIN mg per serving -------------------------------------------------------- Almonds, 1/4 cup 0.3 Cereal, fortified, 1 oz 0.2 to 1.7 Cow's milk, 1/2 cup 0.2 Yogurt, 1/2 cup 0.3 Egg, large, 1 0.6 Mushrooms, cooked, 1/2 cup 0.2 Nutritional yeast miniflakes, 1 tablespoon 1.9 Soy milk, fortified, 1/2 cup 0.2 VITAMIN B-12 mcg per serving --------------------------------------------------------- Cereals, fortified, 1 oz 0.6 to 6.0 Cow's milk, 1/2 cup 0.4 to 0.5 Egg, large, 1 0.5 Nutritional yeast miniflakes, 1 tablespoon 1.5 Soy milk, fortified, 1/2 cup 0.4 to 1.6 Veggie "meats," fortified, 1 oz 0.5 to 1.2 LINOLENIC ACID (OMEGA-3 FATTY-ACIDS) grams per serving ----------------------------------------------------------- Canola oil, 1 tablespoon 1.3 to 1.6 Flaxseed, ground, 1 tablespoon 1.9 to 2.2 Flaxseed oil, 1 teaspoon 2.7 Soybean oil, 1 tablespoon 0.9 Soybeans, cooked, 1/2 cup 1.0 Tofu, 1/2 cup 0.7 Walnuts, 1/4 cup 2.7 Walnut oil, 1 tablespoon 1.4 to 1.7 ------------------------------------------------------
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