Many women are turning to vegetarian diets; some exclude allanimal products, even dairy products, and eggs. A vegetarian diet of any kindis a healthy option but requires eating a wide variety of foods. The vitalfactor is to combine the vegetables with grains so that the complete protein ismade up. (Animal protein contains the correct number of essential amino acidsto make a complete protein; vegetable protein does not.)
Milk is a major source of vitamins and minerals so everyoneon a vegetarian diet should include skimmed milk (all the goodness with none ofthe fat) and a great variety of plant foods - nuts, lentils, pulses, and grains.If you are a vegan and therefore taking in no animal products at all, youshould supplement your diet with Vitamin B 12, which is not found in greatquantity in vegetable products. In addition, calcium, iron, and Vitamin C mightbe in short supply. One good sensible rule is that there is no such thing as anessential food- there is always an alternative.
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