Nutrition
The
World Health Organisation recommends that 50-70% of energy should
come from complex carbohydrates. The exact amount of carbohydrate
that you need depends upon your appetite and also your level of
activity. Contrary to previous belief a slimming diet should not
be low in carbohydrates. In fact starchy foods are very filling
relative to the number of calories that they contain.
Dietary Fibre
Dietary fibre or non-starch polysaccharide (NSP), as it is now
termed, refers to the indigestible part of a carbohydrate food.
Fibre can be found in unrefined or wholegrain cereals, fruit (fresh
and dried) and vegetables. A good intake of dietary fibre can
prevent many digestive problems and protect against diseases like
colon cancer and diverticular disease.
Fats & Oils
Too much fat is bad for us, but a little is necessary to keep
our tissues in good repair, for the manufacture of hormones and
to act as a carrier for some vitamins. Like proteins, fats are
made of smaller units, called fatty acids. Two are of these fatty
acids, linoleic and linolenic acids, are termed essential as they
must be provided in the diet. This is no problem as they are widely
found in plant foods. Fats can be either saturated or unsaturated
(mono-unsaturated or poly-unsaturated). A high intake of saturated
fat can lead to a raised blood cholesterol level and this has
been linked to heart disease. Vegetable fats tend to be more unsaturated
and this is one of the benefits of a vegetarian diet. Mono-unsaturated
fats, such as olive oil or peanut oil, are best used for frying
as the poly-unsaturated fats, like sunflower or safflower oil
are unstable at high temperatures. Animal fats (including butter
and cheese) tend to be more saturated than vegetable fats, with
the exception of palm oil and coconut oil.
Vitamins
Vitamin is the name for several unrelated nutrients that the body
cannot synthesise either at all, or in sufficient quantities.
The one thing they have in common is that only small quantities
are needed in the diet. The main vegetarian sources are listed
below:
Vitamin A (or beta carotene): Red, orange or yellow vegetables
like carrots and tomatoes, leafy green vegetables and fruits like
apricots and peaches. It is added to most margarines.
