Nutrition - Vegetable Matter


Many runners tell me they'd like to try a vegetarian diet, but they think it's hard to do. Vegetarian food costs more, it takes longer to prepare, you need to use specialty cookbooks, you're always worried about getting complete proteins, and so on. At least, that's the perception. None of these drawbacks is necessarily true, however. Fact is, you can fix simple, great-tasting vegetarian meals in minutes. Do it right, and they'll be loaded with protein, too, not to mention energizing carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Which is good news, as we've known for years that vegetarians live longer than meat eaters. This has something to do with lifestyle, of course, as vegetarians are more likely to exercise and less likely to smoke and abuse alcohol than non-vegetarians. Nevertheless, your typical vegetarian fare also happens to be high in fiber, low in fat and chockful of antioxidants and phytochemicals-a diet that will lower your risk of heart disease, cancer and other chronic ailments.

A Day in the Vegetarian Life Here's a nutrition-packed, one-day vegetarian menu. Preparation time for each meal: under 10 minutes. Breakfast -1 cup quick oatmeal, topped with -1 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt and -2 tbsp raisins -2 slices hearty grain bread with -1 tbsp peanut butter -8 oz orange juice Lunch -1 garden burger on a whole-grain bun, with sliced tomato and onion -1/2 cup pasta and bean salad -Handful of baby carrots dipped in yogurt salad dressing Snack -1 cup calcium-fortified soy milk -1 soft pretzel Dinner -1 cup black bean chili, over top of -1 cup cooked Aztec rice and corn mix -Dark green salad with 1 tbsp low-fat dressing -1 cup frozen yogurt with -1/2cup fresh or frozen strawberries The day's tally: 2,660 calories; 100 g protein; 400 g carb; 74 g fat; 40 g fiber.

So take it from me: If you've contemplated becoming a vegetarian-or if you simply want to add more vegetarian dishes to your repertoire-it isn't difficult. Here are some tips for getting started.

Vegetarianism 101

All of us require approximately 40 different nutrients. When you go meatless, you must make up for the nutrients you normally would've gotten from meat. Most can be obtained easily enough, but the one you really need to keep track of is protein. If you continue to eat dairy products and eggs, getting adequate protein won't be a problem. These animal sources provide all the essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein) you need to make new proteins for the body. However, vegetable sources of protein do not contain all the essential amino acids. That's where combining proteins comes in. The easiest way to do this is to combine grains such as wheat, barley or rice with legumes such as chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans or lentils. It is not necessary to create these combinations at each meal. As long as you do so each day, and as long as you also get between 60 to 100 total grams of protein daily (depending on your body size), you'll be fine. To put this in perspective, the standard 3-ounce serving of lean beef or chicken contains about 21 grams of protein. The vegetable equivalent of this would be a generous cup of cooked beans along with a cup of cooked grain. That is, you'll get those 20-plus grams of protein with a cup of curried chickpeas over a cup of saffron-flavored rice.

The Joy of Soy

Now that I've said you should combine grains and beans for complete protein, I'm going to make one exception: soybeans. Technically a legume, soybeans are in a class of their own. Ounce for ounce, soybean protein is just as good as milk or meat when it comes to both protein quality and amino-acid profile. In other words, no combining required; soybeans offer complete protein. There's another big reason to start making soybeans a regular part of your eating plan. Several recent studies have shown that soybeans help protect against age-related diseases such as cancer and heart disease. (They even curtail certain menopausal symptoms.) Many of these chronic ailments aren't nearly as prevalent in Asian countries as they are here, and many experts believe the soybean-rich Asian diet is the reason why. Researchers believe the phytochemicals in soybeans (especially one called genistein) act as antioxidants. As such, they may slow the progression of certain age-related processes in the body.

Vegetarianism 102

Although protein is the main nutrient to monitor, vegetarians need to be vigilant about several others that are harder to come by in a meatless diet: iron, zinc, calcium and vitamin B12. Meats contain a more absorbable form (and a greater quantity) of iron than vegetables do. Still, you can get a good dose of iron from lentils, kale, collard greens, dried fruit and fortified breakfast cereals.

Hint: Include a vitamin C source when you eat these foods, as this improves iron absorption. As for zinc, good vegetable sources include wheat germ, beans (miso is especially good), nuts and fortified cereals. Calcium won't be any problem if you consume dairy products. (Two to three servings of milk or low-fat yogurt daily will do the trick.) If you don't eat dairy foods, you'll have to work a little harder to meet your calcium needs. Consider calcium-fortified soy milk (one more way to get this "superfood") and use it the same way you would milk. Calcium- fortified soy products normally contain about 30 percent of the RDA for calcium. More options: bok choy, broccoli and other leafy greens. If you eat no animal products-no meat, milk or eggs-you may have trouble getting enough vitamin B12. This essential vitamin keeps blood cells healthy and maintains the covering around nerve fibers. Fermented vegetable products, such as miso and tempeh, contain some B12 because of the fermenting bacteria. Still, they probably don't provide enough of this vitamin. My recommendation to strict vegetarians ("vegans") is to get in the habit of eating fortified breakfast cereals or taking a vitamin supplement.

Time to Shop

Putting together nutritionally balanced meatless meals is a relatively simple matter once you get the hang of it. Especially with all the new, ready-to-eat vegetarian products available at the grocery store. Also, check out the local health food store or food co-op for the easy- to-prepare items they might have. Here are some foods to look for: Frozen foods: This may be the best (read: easiest) place to start if you're just getting into vegetarian eating. In any grocery store's frozen food section, you'll find the old standards (cheese lasagna and vegetable pot pie), as well as new ethnic treats such as Moroccan bulgur wheat and lentils or Thai-style curried chickpeas and rice. If you're looking for meat substitutes, try soy hot dogs, veggie pepperoni (for pizza), or garden burgers. Five minutes in the microwave with any of these, and you've got a good start on a no-fuss meal.

Canned foods: With all the canned beans available-chickpeas, black beans, navy beans, pinto beans-long soaking and boiling simply aren't necessary anymore. You can also get "meals in a can" such as vegetarian chili, which comes with 14 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber in a totally nonfat, 1-cup serving. Canned vegetable soups are good, too, as long as you get the low-sodium varieties. (My favorites are split pea, lentil and vegetable minestrone.) Packaged mixes: Keep an eye out for a line of products called Tofu Classics. I call them the "hamburger helper" of the tofu world, as all you do is add tofu. These dishes are tasty, low-fat, and loaded with protein and fiber. Then there are the just-add-water products (again, beware of sodium). Put them in a saucepan, add hot water and presto: couscous with lentils, bean curry, even fettucini. Take them to work for a light lunch or afternoon snack. Or try packaged, stove-top risotto, couscous, or wild rice pilaf served with cooked beans or with an entrée from the frozen foods section. Okay, now you have no excuses. If you've been thinking about "the vegetarian thing," maybe it's time to try it out. Jot down some of the items I mentioned so you can look for them the next time you go to the grocery store. See how it goes for a week or two. If eating vegetarian seems like it's going to take too much time and effort, you'll at least have learned about some new, tasty, low-fat dishes.

References

Liz Applegate, Ph.D., is the Nutrition Editor for Runner's World. She is a member of The National Triathlon Training Camp Elite Team, and teaches at the University of California at Davis.