Natural
Attachment believes in promoting a healthy strict vegetarian/vegan
diet. We
feel that a vegetarian diet is the most suitable choice for pregnancy,
breastfeeding, children
and families. If you are a vegan/vegetarian and are pregnant or trying
to conceive and want more information about nutrition or support,
contact Michele at Natural Attachment. PghMidwife @ naturalattachment
dot com
What does it mean? What do the different
types of vegetarians mean? What do vegetarians eat?
- Vegetarian:
Someone who does not eat meat, poultry, seafood or fish. They may still
use eat animal byproducts like gelatin.
- Ovo-Lacto
Vegetarian: Someone who eats no meat, poultry, seafood or fish, but who
eats dairy products & eggs. Some vegetarians eat only one or
the
other. They may still use
eat animal byproducts like gelatin.
- Vegan:
A person who doesn't consume any animal product/by-product; this
includes meat, poultry, seafood, fish, dairy, eggs and byproducts like
gelatin and lard. Some vegans also include honey in the list of foods
they try to avoid. Many choose to take this a step farther and
incorporate the vegan idea into their daily life by avoiding nonfood
animal items and byproducts like wool, leather and silk. The ultimate
idea being to live a life which lessens suffering for animals and
people.
What about
raising a vegan child?
Many people question the idea of raising a vegan
child;
wondering if they might be deprived of valuable nutrients or if they
will be exposed to undue criticism from friends and other people. The
truth is most children actually have a vegetarian mind set. If a child
realizes that the picture of a chicken on the deli meat from the store
is the same as the chickens they love feeding at the local petting zoo,
they usually are sick at the idea of eating it. Children are
compassionate and adapt to a life of not harming others (beings
&
non-beings) quite easily.
What are some of the benefits of eating a vegetarian or vegan diet?
Registered
dietitian Johanna Dwyer, of Tufts University Medical School and the New
England Medical Center Hospital, Boston, summarizes these plant food
benefits:
"Data
are strong that vegetarians are at lesser risk for obesity, atonic
[reduced muscle tone] constipation, lung cancer, and alcoholism.
Evidence is good that risks for hypertension, coronary artery disease,
type II diabetes, and gallstones are lower. Data are only fair to poor
that risks of breast cancer, diverticular disease of the colon, colonic
cancer, calcium kidney stones, osteoporosis, dental erosion, and dental
caries are lower among vegetarians."
But just how do vegetarians meet their nutritional requirements?
- vitamin
B12--fortified soy
beverages and cereals
- vitamin D--fortified soy beverages and sunshine
- calcium--tofu
processed with calcium, broccoli, seeds, nuts, kale, bok choy, legumes
(peas & beans), greens, lime-processed tortillas, soy
beverages,
grain products, and orange juice enriched with calcium
- iron--legumes,
tofu, green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, whole grains, and
iron-fortified cereals and breads, especially whole-wheat. (Absorption
is improved by vitamin C, found in citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes,
strawberries, broccoli, peppers, dark-green leafy vegetables, and
potatoes with skins.)
- zinc--whole grains (especially the germ and bran),
whole-wheat bread, legumes, nuts, and tofu
- protein--tofu and other soy-based products, legumes,
seeds, nuts, grains, and vegetables
What do I eat, if I can’t eat
meat, dairy or eggs? Vegan
Food Pyramid?
Meat: meat
alternatives are made from, vegetables, soy beans, mushroom protein,
wheat gluten and other analogs. These analogs can include seitan, tofu,
tempeh and tvp (texturized vegetable protein).
Dairy:
milk alternatives can be made with grains (rice, barley and oats), soy
beans and nuts (almonds, hazelnuts and cashews). They are used in the
same ways cow or goat milk is used.
Eggs:
egg replaces are usually more nutritious than real eggs. They are
typically made from potato starch, nutritional yeast or flax meal. In
recipes, eggs can be replaced with apple sauce and bananas.
Other: other foods vegans
include in their diets are miso, nutritional yeast, nut butters, tahini
and soy margarine.
OK,
that's all fine and well, but where can I shop for these things?
It's
not hard to find great vegan/vegetarian foods right on the shelves of
your favorite grocery store. The following are a few links to get you
started.
Vegcooking
Shopping List
Accidentally
Vegan Foods
Links
To Other Websites For More Information About Vegetarians and Vegans
No Milk
Page
Shop
for Veg*n Foods
Veganism in a Nutshell
Vegan
Facts for Families
Veg Family Issues
Veganism and Circumcision
Helping Our Children Live Gently
Feeding Vegan Kids
Vegan
Society.com
Vegetarian Diets for Children: Right from
the Start
The Vegan Diet During Pregnancy and Lactation
Ask Dr.
Sears about vegetarianism and children
Healthy Moms, Healthy Families
VegFamily
Online
Vegan.org
Vegetarian Kitchen’s Healthy
Snacks for Kids
Vegan
Recipes Kids Will Love!
The
Vegetarian Resource Group Recipes
VegWeb
Recipe Directory
Vegan Recipes on Allrecipes.com
Veganmeat.com
Vegan
Chef from Super Size Me
The
Vegetarian Resource Group
Surviving
on your own food resources
Genetically
Engineered Food Alert Pages
The
material in this website is provided for information purposes only.
This information is not a substitute for, medical diagnosis, medical
advice, or medical treatment prescription. Consult your health care
provider for more information. If you are in Pittsburgh and need a
midwife, send email to PghMidwife (at) naturalattachment.com
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