How hard is it to get nutrients that meat provide in a vegetarian diet?
I just have a comment on the mineral content of a vegetarian diet as I think that the amino acid/protein content had been pretty well covered. It is true that iron is high in spinach, but the reason why iron deficiency is common in vegetarians (its high in the general population too) is that the iron from plant sources non-heme. Non-heme iron is less bioavaliable, which means you absorb a lot less. The iron in supplements is non-heme too. You can make it more bioavaliable by consuming it with an acidic food (like orange juice or tomato) as this will convert the ferric to more absorbable ferrous iron. The calcium in fruit and veg is often bound to oxalate, and cannot be absorbed. High fiber and phytate (which is common in vegetarian eating) can also decrease calcium absorption. Vitamin B12 is only found in plant foods in tiny amounts. If you eat milk you will be fine though. The reason why protein is such an issue is that meat provides the full range of essential amino acids, whereas no
