Indeed, a well-planned vegetarian diet can meet the needs of people of all ages, including children, teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. The key is to be aware of your nutritional needs so that you plan a diet that meets them. If you aren't sure how to create a vegetarian diet that's right for you, talk with your doctor and a registered dietitian.
毫無疑問,規劃良好的素餐能夠滿足各個年齡層得營養需求,包括小孩、青少年以及孕期或者哺乳期的婦女。關鍵就在于了解你的營養需求從而有的放矢。如果你對于如何規劃適合你的素餐還沒有主意,你可以咨詢你的醫生或者專業的營養學家。
Types of vegetarian diets 素餐的種類
When people think about a vegetarian diet, they typically think about a diet that doesn't include meat, poultry or fish. But vegetarian diets can be further categorized into three types:
一提起素餐,人們通常就會想到不含肉、家禽和魚的餐點。但素餐可以進一步分為以下三類:
Vegan diets exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products — and foods that contain these products.
嚴格素餐不包含任何肉、家禽、魚、蛋、奶制品以及任何含有這些的食品。
Lacto-vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish, poultry and eggs, as well as foods that contain them. Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt and butter, are allowed in a lacto-vegetarian diet.
奶制素餐不包含肉、魚、家禽和蛋以及任何含有這些的食品。奶制品是允許食用的,比如說牛奶、奶酪、酸奶和黃油等等。
Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish and poultry, but allow eggs and dairy products.
蛋奶素餐不允許食用肉、魚和家禽,但允許食用雞蛋和乳制品。
Some people follow a semivegetarian diet — also called a flexitarian diet — which is primarily a plant-based diet but includes meat, dairy, eggs, poultry and fish on occasion or in small quantities.
還有些人吃的是半素餐,也成為彈性素餐。半素餐是指經過規劃的素餐但有時也包含肉、奶制品、蛋、家禽和魚,或者是包含少量的這些食物。
Vegetarian diet pyramid 素餐金字塔
A healthy diet takes planning, and a food pyramid can be a helpful tool. The vegetarian pyramid outlines food groups and food choices that, if eaten in the right quantities, form the foundation of a healthy vegetarian diet.
健康的素餐都需要經過規劃,而食物金字塔就是個好幫手。素食金字塔對食物進行了分類并且規劃了正確的食用量,正確的攝入量是健康素餐的基礎。
Getting adequate nutrition 獲得合適的營養
The key to a healthy vegetarian diet — like any diet — is to enjoy a variety of foods. No single food can provide all the nutrients your body needs. The more restrictive a diet is, the more challenging it is to get all the nutrients you need. A vegan diet, for example, eliminates food sources of vitamin B-12, as well as milk products, which are good sources of calcium. Therefore, you may need to make an extra effort to ensure that your vegetarian diet includes sufficient quantities of the following nutrients:
和任何一種餐點一樣,健康素餐的關鍵就是吃多種食物。任何一種食物都不可能提供身體所需的全部營養。素餐要求越是嚴格,想要獲得身體所需的全部營養就更具有挑戰性。比如說嚴格素餐排除了能提供維生素B-12的食物,也排除了能夠提供豐富鈣質的奶制品。因此,你可能需要額外的補充來確保你的素餐能夠保質保量提供下列營養:
Calcium helps build and maintain strong teeth and bones. Milk and low-fat dairy foods are highest in calcium. Dark green vegetables, such as turnip and collard greens, kale and broccoli, are good plant sources when eaten in sufficient quantities. Calcium-enriched and fortified products, including juices, cereals, soy milk, soy yogurt and tofu, are other options.
鈣構成牙齒和骨骼并幫助其發育。牛奶和低脂奶制品都富含鈣質。食用一定量得深綠色蔬菜,比如蕪菁、甘藍、花椰菜等,就能夠提供滿足需求的鈣質。含有豐富鈣質的制品,包括果汁、麥片、豆奶、大豆乳酪以及豆腐,也是不錯的選擇。
Iodine is a component in thyroid hormones, which help regulate metabolism, growth and function of many key organs, such as the brain, heart, kidney and thyroid. Vegans may not consume enough iodine and be at risk of iodine deficiency and possibly goiter. In addition, foods such as soybeans, cruciferous vegetables and sweet potatoes may promote goiter. Because food manufacturers may not use iodized salt in processed foods, vegans may want to ensure that they use salt with iodine at the table or in cooking. Just 1/4 teaspoon provides a significant amount of iodine.
碘是甲狀腺激素的組成部分。甲狀腺激素能夠幫助很多重要器官的生長和新陳代謝及其功能的發揮,包括大腦、心臟、肝臟和甲狀腺。嚴格素食者攝入的碘可能不足,因而導致缺碘和甲狀腺腫大。另外,豆制品、十字花科蔬菜和紅薯等食物都可能引發甲狀腺腫大。熟食業者在制作熟食時可能不會使用加碘鹽,因此嚴格素食者要確保他們能夠進食加碘鹽。只需要1/4茶匙的加碘鹽就能夠提供足量的碘。
Iron is a crucial component of red blood cells. Dried beans and peas, lentils, enriched cereals, whole-grain products, dark leafy green vegetables and dried fruit are good sources of iron. Because iron isn't as easily absorbed from plant sources, the recommended intake of iron for vegetarians is almost double that recommended for nonvegetarians. To help your body absorb iron, eat foods rich in vitamin C, such as strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli, at the same time as you're eating iron-containing foods.
鐵是血紅細胞的重要組成部分。鐵元素的優秀來源包括干豆、豌豆、扁豆、小麥、全麥產品、深色綠葉蔬菜和果脯。因為植物中的鐵元素并不容易被吸收,所以素食者的鐵元素建議攝入量幾乎是非素食者的兩倍。當你食用富含鐵元素的食物時,配合草莓、柑橘、番茄、卷心菜和花椰菜等富含維生素C的食物一起食用,能夠促進鐵的吸收。
Omega-3 fatty acids are important for cardiovascular health as well as eye and brain development. Vegetarian diets that do not include fish and eggs are generally low in active forms of omega-3 fats. Because conversion of the plant-based omega-3 to the types used by humans is inefficient, you may want to consider fortified products or supplements or both.
Ω-3脂肪酸對心血管健康以及視力和大腦的發展都有重要作用。不含魚和蛋的素餐含有的活性Ω-3脂肪酸一般較低。因為植物中含有的Ω-3脂肪酸轉換為能被人體利用的Ω-3脂肪酸效率有限,所以素食者應該吃一些加Ω-3脂肪酸的食品或Ω-3脂肪酸補充物。
Protein helps maintain healthy skin, bones, muscles and organs. Eggs and dairy products are good sources, and you don't need to eat large amounts to meet your protein needs. You can also get sufficient protein from plant-based foods if you eat a variety of them throughout the day. Plant sources include soy products and meat substitutes, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
蛋白質是構成健康皮膚、骨骼、肌肉和器官的重要物質。雞蛋和奶制品都是豐富蛋白質的來源,少量進食就能夠滿足你的蛋白質需求。一天內食用種類多樣的素食也能夠為你提供足量的蛋白質。豆制品和替代肉制品、豆科植物、扁豆、堅果、種子和谷物都是豐富的蛋白質來源。
Vitamin B-12 is necessary to produce red blood cells and prevent anemia. This vitamin is found almost exclusively in animal products, so it can be difficult to get enough B-12 on a vegan diet. Vitamin B-12 deficiency may go undetected in people who eat a vegan diet. This is because the vegan diet is rich in a vitamin called folate, which may mask deficiency in vitamin B-12 until severe problems occur. For this reason, it's important for vegans to consider vitamin supplements, vitamin-enriched cereals and fortified soy products.
維生素B-12是人體制造紅細胞的必需品同時能夠防止貧血。除了動物制品,這種維生素幾乎很難從食物中攝入。所以嚴格素餐很難獲得維生素B-12.但嚴格素食主義者卻幾乎檢測不出維生素B-12缺乏。這是因為嚴格素餐富含一種名為葉酸的維生素,它能夠在檢驗中掩蓋維生素B-12的缺乏癥狀直到出現嚴重的病癥。因此,嚴格素食者食用維生素補充、富含維生素的小麥和加維生素B-12的豆制品就尤為重要。
Vitamin D plays an important role in bone health. Vitamin D is added to cow's milk, some brands of soy and rice milk (be sure to check the label), and some cereals and margarines. However, if you don't eat enough fortified foods and have limited sun exposure, you may need supplementation with vitamin D-2 (derived from plants).
維生素D在骨骼健康中起著重要的作用。牛奶、某些豆類和米漿(注意查看標識)以及一些谷物和人造黃油都會添加一定的維生素D。但如果你沒有食用足夠的加維生素D食物且沒有足夠的日曬,你可能需要補充維生素D-2(從植物中獲取的,屬于素食范圍)。
Zinc is an essential component of many enzymes and plays a role in cell division and in formation of proteins. Like iron, zinc is not as easily absorbed from plant sources as it is from animal products. Cheese is a good option if you eat dairy products. Plant sources of zinc include whole grains, soy products, legumes, nuts and wheat germ.
鋅是很多酶的重要組成元素,且在細胞分裂和蛋白質傳遞過程中都擔任著重要角色。與鐵類似,相比動物制品中的鋅,植物制品中的并不容易被吸收。對于能夠食用奶制品的素食者,奶酪是不錯的選擇。鋅的植物來源還包括谷物、豆制品、豆科植物、堅果和麥芽。
Getting started 開始素食
If you're not following a vegetarian diet but you're thinking of trying it, here are some ideas to help you get started:
如果你想要嘗試素食卻還沒有開始,下面這些信息能給你提供一些幫助:
Ramp up. Each week increase the number of meatless meals you already enjoy, such as spaghetti with tomato sauce or vegetable stir-fry.
逐漸提高。逐周增加你所吃的無肉餐數,比如說含有炒時蔬和番茄醬的意大利面。
Learn to substitute. Take favorite recipes and try them without meat. For example, make vegetarian chili by leaving out the ground beef and adding an extra can of black beans. Or make fajitas using extra-firm tofu rather than chicken. You may be surprised to find that many dishes require only simple substitutions.
學會替代。試著把你喜歡的菜譜改成無肉的。比如,去掉碎牛肉另外加一罐頭黑豆就能夠做出素食的chili。再比如說,不用雞肉而采用豆腐來做fajita。你會發現很多菜肴都只需要簡單的幾種替代品就可以做成。
Branch out. Scan the Internet for vegetarian menus. Buy or borrow vegetarian cookbooks. Check out ethnic restaurants to sample new vegetarian cuisines. The more variety you bring to your vegetarian diet, the more likely you'll be to meet all your nutritional needs.
擴大范圍。在網上搜索素食菜譜,買或者借素食烹調書自己做素食,去特色餐廳試吃新的素食等都是不錯的方法。接觸越多種類的素餐,你就能夠更好的滿足你的營養需求。
原文閱讀:http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vegetarian-diet/HQ01596