Keeping Balance with a Vegetarian or Vegan Diet

With the growing popularity of vegetarian, vegan, and raw diets, it is important to remember to maintain a healthy balance and give the body all of the nutrients it needs. Following one of these diets can sometimes make it difficult to keep this balance. Nutrients like calcium, iron, fatty acids, and protein that are found in dairy, fish and meats are important to supplement.

Here are a few ways to ensure you are getting the nutrients you need with a no meat diet:

1. Calcium — Vegetables like raw kale, turnips, broccoli rabe, raw spinach, okra are all high in calcium. Working plenty of dark, leafy green vegetables into a diet helps to reach the recommended daily intake of calcium.
2. Iron — Because meat is so highly concentrated with iron, cutting it out of a diet completely leaves a dietary gap. By eating things like seeds from gourds such as pumpkins and squash as well as plenty of raw organic nuts such as almonds, walnuts, pecans and brazil nuts, whole grains, and beans this dietary gap begins to narrow.
3. Fatty Acids — Seeds are also a good source of the fatty acids that are also found in fish. Chai seeds, flaxseeds, and radish seeds are all good sources of fatty acids.
4. Protein — This nutrient is mandatory for healthy function of almost every part of the body as it is involved in nearly all cell function. Beans, soy, broccoli, and nuts are all fairly high in protein and can help supplement the lack of meat.

Always speak to your doctor or healthcare professional about your daily recommended intake for nutrients before making any major changes to your diet.

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