Stéphanie Foglietta-Dreyfuss, dietitian and nutritionist.
DR
My 18-year-old daughter-in-law has decided to become a vegetarian. What should be taken care of regarding her diet, so that she does not have any deficiencies?
There are several forms of vegetarianism, the most widespread being lacto-ovo-vegetarianism: it excludes animal flesh, but maintains eggs and dairy products. Diets that give pride of place to plants, avoiding all or part of foodstuffs of animal origin, may present risks of higher deficiencies or deficiencies in certain nutrients, in particular vitamin D, iodine, iron, zinc. , calcium, fatty acids from the omega 3 family (in particular DHA), as well as vitamin B12.
Let’s take a closer look at these elements…
Vitamin D is on the one hand synthesized by the body itself through exposure to sunlight and on the other hand provided in small quantities by food. Oily fish are a good source, but lacto-ovo vegetarians are usually as well supplied with vitamin D as omnivores. Indeed, it can also be found in egg yolk, butter, cream and other whole dairy products. Increasingly, systematic supplementation from October to April is recommended for the general population.
Iodine is one of the most abundant micronutrients in seawater. Eggs, dairy products and seaweed are good sources, as is iodized salt.
The iron consumed by vegetarians is less well absorbed than that present in animal flesh. However, vegetarian food offers a wide choice: seeds (sesame, flax, etc.), oilseeds and nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, coconut, etc.), legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans, soy , etc.), whole grains (wheat germ, amaranth, oats, etc.). It is recommended to consume foods rich in iron several times a day and to combine them with sources of vitamin C (fruits, vegetables).
Omega 3s are present in the oil and seeds of rapeseed, chia, flax, walnuts, camelina, hemp, as well as in oils extracted from seaweed. They are fragile and do not tolerate cooking well, so the best thing is to add a drizzle of raw oil to your dish or to bite into some nuts!
Regarding vitamin B12, it is considered that a daily consumption of three servings of dairy products and eggs several times a week can cover the needs. Supplementation should be strongly considered if consumption of animal products is less frequent.
Planting your diet is interesting, but there are many habits to adopt in order to ensure good coverage of nutritional needs. A consultation with a dietician is interesting for all those who wish to get started and very strongly recommended for populations with specific needs: children, adolescents, pregnant women, breastfeeding women, seniors.