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Go vegetarian, get vitamins wise way

March 1, 2009 5:39 am

IN THIS COLUMN, I answer readers' questions about fish oil, sun exposure, vegetarian eating and more.

Dear Jennifer: I have a school-age grandson who has been treated for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder for years. I have been taking fish oil for many years on my doctor's advice and would like to have him use fish oil, too.

What dosage?

--L.M., Mineral

Try foods before supplements. Does your grandson like tuna or other fish? If he eats two to three servings of fish a week, he should get plenty of omega-3 fats without any risk of overdose.

If you feel that your grandson's ADHD is out of control, consider taking him to the doctor again.

Dear Jennifer: My friend, who is a senior in college, recently decided to become a vegetarian. Unfortunately, she really likes meat. It's apparently not a nutritional decision but a compassionate one. She is not eating well because she doesn't know what to prepare and how to eat nutritionally without meat. I'm concerned she's losing weight, and she's not big to begin with.

--Anonymous

There's a lot more to being a vegetarian than just cutting out meat.

It's important to add other sources of protein at each meal, such as milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, beans, peas, lentils, peanut butter, nuts or seeds.

Check out the Vegetarian Food Pyramid online at oldwayspt.org/vegetari an_pyramid.html.

For strict vegans, those who avoid dairy and eggs, I recommend a multivitamin. That's because plant-based foods do not contain vitamin B-12. And everyone can benefit from the vitamin D in a multivitamin.

Folks who don't eat fish might consider other sources of omega-3 fats--these heart-healthy fats help everyone and are especially important for pregnant women--they are building blocks for the baby's brain.

Here's a brief explanation of different omega-3 fats. Fish and seafood are the best source of the most powerful omega-3 fats, known as EPA and DHA.

Walnuts and flaxseed have a different form of omega-3 fats, called ALA.

Our bodies only convert a small percentage of ALA into EPA and DHA.

That said, walnuts and flaxseed are still healthy foods. Another vegetarian option is microalgae DHA supplements.

Many people are becoming vegetarians because they feel it is kinder to animals and more environmentally sound. I applaud these reasons.

Vegetarians can be healthy and strong--some are even Olympic athletes.

However, the story you relate of a young woman cutting out an entire food group and losing weight inappropriately makes me worry about eating disorders. Women in their teens and 20s are especially susceptible, although people of any age or gender can be affected. If a person is underweight, it's helpful to check in with a physician and a registered dietitian. If an eating disorder is diagnosed, a therapist will be invaluable, too.

Dear Jennifer: Our local grocery store often sells bakery products with incomplete labels: they miss "per serving" and "servings per container" data. Are not stores required by federal law to have this information?

--Jim Lynch, King George

Bakery foods made on-site at stores are exempt, according to my understanding of the federal Nutrition Labeling and Education Act. You can get details online at cfsan .fda.gov/~dms/fdnewlab .html#nlea or call the Food and Drug Administration at 888/723-3663.

Dear Jennifer: I inadvertently saw my neighbor lying in her underwear on her sun porch. She told me she was making vitamin D by "sunbathing" through the windows. Does that work?

--Name withheld (Wisconsin)

No. Windows block most of the ultraviolet light that produces vitamin D. Also, in the northern U.S., the sun is not strong enough to produce significant vitamin D between October and March. That means that even if your neighbor sunbathed outside in the snow at high noon, she wouldn't get a tan or vitamin D. The most reliable way to get vitamin D is from a supplement.

Dear Jennifer: Would you write about chia and edamame? They sound like the perfect foods.

--Dolores Renninger, Fredericksburg

Chia seeds are just now becoming popular as food. Back in the '80s, chia was better known as part of the then-trendy Chia Pet--ceramic sheep with embedded chia seeds that sprouted a living green "wool."

Chia seeds were reputed in Mexico's Aztec culture to increase energy and endurance required for long-distance running. However, I couldn't find any modern research on that. A small Canadian study suggested that chia seeds might help control blood sugar and blood pressure in people with diabetes, but it needs to be repeated in a larger group.

It has been shown, however, that chia seeds are high in ALA, an omega-3 fat, as well as calcium, magnesium and fiber. They can be stirred into foods, such as yogurt.

In Mexico, chia seeds are served into a gel-like beverage made with water, lime juice and sugar or honey.

Edamame are a popular Asian food--tender, baby soybeans in green pods. In this country, you can often find edamame in the freezer case at grocery stores. They are often served boiled and salted. Soybeans are a good source of complete protein, similar to meat, milk or eggs.

Jennifer Motl welcomes reader questions via her Web site, brighteating.com, or mailed to Nutrition, The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401.