Are you a vegetarian? I'm not. xD Being a vegetarian must be a tough one since you all eat non-meat or some, even non-dairy products. Meat supplies proteins, iron, fat and other nutrients that you might be lacking in since you avoid these type of food. Here are the nutrients that you need to have a balanced diet and still remain vegan. Source from Care2.

♥ Beans, legumes, lentils and peas
♥ Fermented soy products- tempeh, miso and natto
♥ Free range eggs
♥ Raw milk, cheese and yogurt
♥ Nuts and seeds.
♥ Non-dairy nut and seeds milk

Tip: Avoid Pseudo-meats and other pretend protein foods because they're highly processed food.

Iron and Zinc
Iron gives you strong and healthy blood. Averaga RDA for woman of 19-50 years old is 15mg, woman over 51 years is 8mg and adult male is also 8mg.

Zinc is responsible for cellular metabolism, immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis and cell division. Average RDA for adult women is 8mg and men 11mg.



You can get your irons and zinc from;
♥ Green leafy vegetables such as kale, collards, spinach, broccoli and cabbage
♥ Nuts, seeds such as cashews and almonds.
♥ Beans, lentils, peas, legumes- in cooked and sprouted form
♥ Fruits and dried fruits such as dates, apricots and raisins
♥ Date syrup and molasses (I love molasse!)
♥ Whole grains and whole grain flours

Calcium
Who doesn't need a calcium isn't human. Your body needs calcium to maintain strong bones and teeth and also makes sure that your nervous system functions properly. RDA for adults is 1,000- 1,200mg.

You can get calcium from;
♥ Dairy products such as yogurt, milk and cheese
♥ Sea vegetables such as arame, wakame, dulse, hijiki and kelp. I wonder if seaweed is in this category as well. It should be right?
♥ Dark greens such as kale, broccoli and chinese cabbage

Vitamin B12
Vegetarians and vegans who don't eat eggs or dairy need to take this nutrient in the form of a B complex supplement. RDA for adults is 1.5 microgram.

You can get vitamin B12 from;
♥ Fermented soy
♥ Shitake mushrooms
♥ Sea vegetables
♥ Algae

The list above contain something similar to vitamin B12 but it doesn't work in the body the same was as vitamin B12. Some nutritional yeast food products are said to have some vitamin B12.

Essential Fatty Acids
Body needs good quality fats to help absorb the fat soluble vitamins- vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K to regulate cholesterol, provide energy and maintain hearth health as well as other major, important functions. RDA for omega fatty acids is 1-2 tablespoons.



You can get your fatty acids from;
♥ Sesame oil
♥ Raw butter and clarified butter
♥ Extra virgin olive oil
♥ Coconut oil
♥ Omega 3 oils such as walnut, hemp and flax oils.







Shine on,
Del