Eating a vegetarian diet can be a great way to eat more healthy foods and lose weight.
You might consider becoming vegetarians but that you won’t get all of the nutrients you
need. Here are a few of the crucial nutrients you might need when you eat vegetarian
meals, and some good suggestions on how to get these in your diet.

– Vitamin B-12

When you are working on your meal prep and planning as a vegetarian, you should
focus on balance of your nutrients. While vitamin B-12 is found most often in meat
products, that doesn’t mean you don’t have option! Try to plan some meals with foods
like cereal, soy, and dairy products. B-12 is one of the essential nutrients you need, so
make sure you plan it for your meals.

-Iron

Iron deficiency remains an issue with some vegetarian diets. Iron is available from plant
sources, but it remains harder for the body to absorb. Iron keeps your red blood and
muscle cells healthy and remains a necessary part of a healthy diet. If you don’t eat
meat, you can plan some meals with the following sources of iron:

• Fortified cereals and grains
• Beans
• Chickpeas
• Dark, leafy greens
• Tempeh
• Quinoa
• Seeds and nuts

If you consume vitamin C-based foods such as oranges and tomatoes with these foods,
your absorption of iron greatly increases.

– Calcium

If you’ve chosen to give up lactose-based foods like milk and cheese, you’ll need to find
another way to get calcium in your diet. Calcium remains a key ingredient for strong
bones and teeth. A few excellent choices for increasing your calcium intake are:

• Dark, leafy greens
• Broccoli
• Bok choy
• Tempeh
• Tahini
• Seaweed
• Almonds

-Protein

A wide variety of protein sources remain available to the vegetarian. Most Americans
get plenty of protein in their regular diet without needing to add any protein-based foods.
Consuming protein remains a significant way to build every cell in your body. You can
get more protein into your meal plans by including:

• Quinoa
• Lentils and legumes
• Amaranth
• Beans
• Fermented soy products
• Seaweed
• Nuts and nut butter
• Hemp and chia seeds
• Tofu

Tofu remains an excellent substitute for meat. It takes on the flavor of the other
ingredients around it and works well in a wide variety of traditional dishes as a meat
substitute.

If you love split pea soup, vegetarian chili or Indian dhal, your protein needs are both
complete and enjoyable. I hope you find this article helpful.

See you soon,

Ludmilla!