How does one get proper nutrition if they decide on a vegetarian diet?

I don't eat a lot of meat anyhow, but I would like to know if I stop eating meat for about a month what else should I do to supplement my diet? I will be volunteering in Central America for a month and would like to stick with the staples save the meat. I will have no choice of what I am eating other than if I would like a vegetarian diet or not. Should I just bring a multi-vitamin or are there other things I should be aware of in cutting out the meat? Thanks for your time.

Proteins: Body's protein needs can be provided by either animal or plant sources. Mixed protein diet obtained from various plant sources is better than animal protein and is recommended in diabetes, renal diseases and liver diseases. Mixed protein diet from different plant sources has been the pattern of diet in India for all vegetarians.

Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are mainly found in plant foods; like cereals, grains, fresh and dry fruits, legumes, vegetable, greens, nuts etc. plant carbohydrates include' large amounts of starches, sugar and fibers which are important for gut functions. The body is better suited to a high carbohydrate diet than a low carbohydrate diet. In fact 55% of the food intake should be carbohydrate. All animal products do not contain carbohydrate which is essential for body.

Fat: Plant fats differ from animal fats in two different ways 1) they are cholesterol free 2) they generally contain more polyunsaturated fat and less saturated fats. Plant fats usually have higher polyunsaturated fat value than animal fats.

A diet which is low in cholesterol and which contains fat of a high PIS value is associated with a lower incident of coronary health disease.

Vitamins and Minerals: plant foods are rich in many vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is obtained by exposure of skin to sun light and this is not a problem in India.

Calcium: The vegetarians can meet their needs for calcium from dairy products. Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Dark green vegetables are good sources of Riboflavin as are legumes and whole grain cereal.

Iron: The problem of iron deficiency is relatively common but vitamin C significantly enhances absorption of iron hence it is advisable for vegetarians to include with each meal a food high in vitamin C which as lime, citrus fruits or juices.

Zinc: Zinc is found in large number of plant foods.

Fiber: Fiber is found only in vegetarian food like whole grain cereals, legumes, greens, fruits, vegetable etc.

Thus in vegetarian foods all requirement of nutrition for body growth and maintenance is fulfilled. One can have a complete and balanced diet provided we take enough food which is as close to nature as possible in maintaining sturdy and disease free body. It is equally helpful in curing many diseases.

ADVANTAGES OF VEGETARIAN DIET:
More & more evidence is surfacing that directly links a prolonged non- vegetarian diet to diseases as cancers, heart diseases, diabetes, asthma just to name a few.

1. LOGEVITY: Vegetarian can expect to live 4-10 years longer then the non-vegetarians.

" Source: Seventh day Adventists study

2. LESS HEART DISEASE: Because of low fat, saturated fat and cholesterol content of the vegetarian diet the risk of heart disease is lowered. High blood cholesterol levels are associated with increased risk of heart disease.

3. LESS CANCER: Up to 40% of all cancers are diet related. Cancer death rates have been associated with obesity and high fat / low fiber diet. Vitamin A & C are thought to be protective against colon cancer. Low fat diets protect against prostrate and breast cancer. Indoles, lignans, isoflavones, protease inhibitors which are present in plant foods and shown to be potent anti carcinogens.

4. LESS BOWEL DISEASE: Diverticular disease and appendicitis occur more frequently with low fiber intake as in meat diet.

5. LEES OBESITY & LESS INCIDENCE OF DIABETES: It is easier to plan a low fat diet for a vegetarian then for a meat eater. The fiber in plant food dilutes the energy & provides a satisfying meal without all the calories. Diabetes over the age of 40 seems to be related to obesity.

CONLUSION:
When activists like M.K. Gandhi, sports personalities like Martina Novratilova & Carl Lewis, beauties like Brooke Shields & Kate Winslet, physists like Edison, Albert Einstein & A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, religious leaders & mystics like Jesus & Osho can be legendaries in there respective fields taking the advantage of being vegetarian, Is'nt it more prudent on our part to switch over to vegetarianism & enjoy better quality & longevity of life.

Take your b-complex vitamins. Mix rice, pasta, and beans for most dishes to make a complete protein. Whole grain is the way to go to increase fiber, an important way to reduce cholesterol, reduce heart disease and digestive cancers, and to rid your body of toxins that are fat-soluble. If you find that you aren't eating all of the green-leafy that you thought you would, then take a vitamin D, E, magnesium and calcium. Oat, soy and almond milk are good for calcium without all the dangers of hormones and dairy proteins. Fucus on native fruit, not furminted, while abroad. Have a great time too.

Beans and nuts! Neither should be a problem in Central America!

Eat a good variety of other non-meat foods and you should be healthy.

In addition to nuts, seeds, grain, legumes, beans, dairy, eggs, and fruits and vegetables you can get complete protein eating two easy combinations you can remember:

one is milk and bread

the other is beans and rice.

Add fruits, veggies, and for fun, crab legs. They don't have to kill the crab to harvest them. The crab grows a new leg where one is broken off. If you are ok with that. I know several vegetarians that will do crab on occasion.

You don't need to do anything. There is nothing that meat gives you that you cannot get elsewhere, other than coronory heart desease that is.

I've been veggie for 27 years. All the talk of supplements and deficiencies is quite simply rubbish. If there is a need for it, what i am, dead ?

"mim" appears to have had a minor brain fade. There is no such thing as a vegetarian that eats crabs, legs or otherwise.

Meat really doesn't have any nutritional value, unless you're starving and just need calories.

Eat a variety of whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and fruits, including a source of omega 3s, such as flax oil, walnuts, and hempseeds; and also getting some sunlight per day and taking a sublingual B-12 supplement a few times a week. Dark leafy greens should be eaten daily for great health.

To be A vegeterian guy is a great thing.So,What u have to do is to eat what u like at the beginning and then u must eat&drink foods that are rich in protein.For e.g, pulses and beans,milk and other vegetables,salades,and fruits.Drink water frequently.

B12 is an important vitamin for vegatarians. Fruit could fill up a meal or snack. The local starchy staple of the local diet could fill another meal. A heap of fresh vegetables could fill another particularly if you have nuts or beans to go with it.

Meat is a great protein source because it contains all the amino acids (small protein blocks) your body can't make itself in one package. Non-meat sources only have some of them, so to get the full quota you need a grain and a legume every day. So, beans and rice, or corn and chickpeas, or bread and lentils, geddit?

Iron tablets would definitly be helpful, and Vitamin B12 as vegos are most often deficient in these.

LOTS of VITAMINS!!!You should take iron,calcium,etc...!!

Stuff yourself on all the exotic fruits and vegetables you're going to be around! You can get all of your protein from vegetables so don't believe the hype that you'll be deficient without meat - you can get all of your protein from plant sources (and you don't have to mix food to get "complete proteins" - the person who spread that lie has gone on record as saying she's sorry she got the myth out there). Eat plenty of grains (think rice and whole wheat breads). Eat nuts as a snack - including walnuts for omega 3. You might also want to take a B12 supplement. Drink fortified milk subsitutes like almond milk or soy milk. Better yet, buy yourself a guide on eating a vegetairan diet before you go so you are thoroughly educated. Try ths one...