Vegetarian Diets

A vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat, fowl, fish or any by-product such as bonemeal, animal fats or gelatin. Vegetarians live on a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruit - some vegetarians eat eggs, milk and milk products. Vegetarians who avoid all flesh and meat products, and eat only plant-based foods are called vegans.

In more recent years the vegetarian diet has been recognized by more and more people as a nutritious, and delicious way to eat healthy. The wide variety of fresh ingredients and wide scope of meals covered in the vegetarian diet provide many nutritional benefits from not eating meat products.

There are a few things to bear in mind when switching over to a vegetarian diet. It is just as possible to have a poor diet eating exclusively vegetarian foods as it is eating excessive amounts of animal products. The vegetarian food pyramid is a great starting point to understanding the nutritional balance.

Most Important:
Grains: wheat, rice, barley, corn, oats, rye, millet, buckwheat
Foods made from grains: Pasta, bread, wholegrain, breakfast cereals
Fruits and Vegetables

Foods to eat in Moderation:
Dairy: milk, yogurt, cheese
Pulses: peas, beans of all kinds, lentils
Nuts
Eggs

Eat Least:
Sugars: sugar, honey
Fats: butter, cream, margarine, oils, coconut, milk
Stimulants: alcohol, tea, coffee

Listed below are the different nutritional groups that make up the foods in the vegetarian healthy eating pyramid (proteins, carbohydrates, fiber and fats).

Protein
Excellent sources of Protein:
10-20 g per serve Eggs, cheddar, tempeh, lentils, Edam( and other cheeses), sesame seeds, split green peas, peanuts, kidney beans, tofu
Very Good Protein Sources:
6-12 g per serve Bagels, English Spinach, barley, bulgar, sunflower seeds, silverbeet, chickpeas, cashew nuts, lima beans, cottage cheese, peas
Good Protein Sources:
2-8 g per serve Bread, milk, fruit, vegetables, rice( brown and white) pasta, yogurt

Carbohydrates
Excellent Sources of Carbohydrates:
20-50 g per serve Bread, honey, muesli, dried fruit, flour (whole meal and white), Lebanese bread, fruit loaf, polenta, couscous
Very Good Carbohydrates Sources:
10-30 g per serve Pasta, baked beans, berries, breakfast wheat biscuit, banana, pumpkin, potato, rice, noodles
Good Carbohydrates Sources:
2-20 g per serve Tofu, tomatoes, milk, fruit, oats, lentils, nuts, yogurt

Fiber
Excellent Sources of Fiber:
5-15 g per serve Split peas, kidney beans, fruit (kiwi fruit), vegetables (e.g. pumpkin, capsicum and asparagus), whole wheat pasta, haricot beans, garlic, wheat bran
Very Good Fiber Sources:
3-8 g per serve Whole meal bread, dried fruit, peanuts (and other nuts), baked beans, pasta, lentils, chickpeas, raspberries, corn
Good Fiber Sources:
1-3 g per serve Apples, tempeh, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, carrots, wholegrain bread, tomatoes, bananas, brown rice, strawberries

Fats
High Fat Source:
20-50 g per serve Unsaturated cashews, pine nuts, olive oils, almonds, walnuts. Saturated butter, cream, coconut milk and cream, mayonnaise
Moderate Fat Source:
5-20 g per serve Unsaturated soy linseed bread, oats, soya beans, avocados, tofu puffs. Saturated eggs, puff pastry, milk, light sour cream, cheese.
Low Fat Source:
0-5 g per serve Unsaturated bread, tomato paste, fruit, tofu, tempeh, pasta, rice, vegetables. Saturated low fat milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, filo pastry (with out butter)