Vegetarians iron out the nutrition facts
A recent Spatone survey set out to discover what makes people decide to put down their steak knives and become a vegetarian. 67% of people surveyed became a vegetarian in protest against cruelty to animals, closely followed by an alarming 45% who gave up meat because they don’t like the taste and or texture.
As with any diet it is important that what you eat is balanced and varied to ensure sufficient key vitamins and minerals are absorbed. A typical vegetarian diet should include protein, vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and omega 3-fatty acids, which can be gained from a healthy balanced variety of foods.
The Spatone survey discovered that 40% of vegetarians take a supplement to support their diet to ensure they are absorbing all the necessary vitamins and minerals that their body needs. Of the vegetarians surveyed 48% take an iron supplement as iron intake presents a real challenge for veggies. It is one of the most difficult minerals to absorb. Unfortunately for vegetarians it is commonly recognised that meat, especially red meat, is one of the best sources of iron with up to 22% of the iron available absorbed by our bodies, compared to only 1-8% from eggs and vegetables**. It is therefore not surprising that non-meat eaters struggle to gain enough iron from their diet alone, which is why iron supplements, especially those with added Vitamin C to aid the iron absorption, can be particularly beneficial for vegetarians.
Spatone Apple# combines the unique natural liquid iron supplement Spatone® with added Vitamin C, to aid the iron absorption. Spatone Apple contains Spatone spa water sourced from the Welsh mountains of Snowdonia National Park – which can help top up your iron levels with fewer of the unpleasant side effects often experienced with conventional iron supplements . Generally, iron is a very difficult mineral for the body to absorb. However, the iron naturally present in Spatone has been shown to be easily absorbed, with up to 40% bioavailability , compared to 5- 20% from food and other iron supplements. The additional Vitamin C in Spatone Apple can help you to absorb iron. Spatone Apple is available from Boots priced at £9.95 for 28 sachets (4 weeks supply).
For more info visit spatone.com.
If you are thinking about taking the plunge and giving up meat, then what better timing than during National Vegetarian Week (NVW) on the 20th – 26th May 2013. NVW is the UK’s annual awareness-raising campaign promoting inspirational vegetarian food and the benefits of a meat-free lifestyle. Created by the Vegetarian Society and celebrated for over 20 years, the week gives individuals the free promotional tools and inspirational recipes to give vegetarianism a go.
It is important to follow a varied and balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a healthy balanced diet.
