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Food Group
Servings per day
What Counts As A Serving?
Important Comments
Grain Group
(bread, cereal, whole grains & pasta)
6-11 servings
1 slice of bread
1 oz (28 g) ready-to-eat cereal
½ cup cooked grains, cereal or pasta
2 Tbsp wheat germ
1 oz (28 g) other grain products
Choose mainly whole grains.
Good examples are brown rice, barley, quinoa, millet, oats, wheat & kamut berries, as well as whole grain breads and cereals.
Vegetable Group
3 or more servings
½ cup (120 mL) vegetables
1 cup (240 mL) salad
¾ cup (180 mL) vegetable juice
Eat a wide variety of colorful vegetables.
Include raw vegetables each day.
Green leafy vegetables are excellent sources of folate; many are rich in calcium too!
Fruit Group
2 or more servings
1 medium apple, banana, orange, or pear
½ cup (120 mL) fruit
¾ cup (180 mL) fruit juice
¼ cup dried fruit
Select an assortment of fruits, including those rich in vitamin C.
Good choices are citrus fruits, kiwi, strawberries, guava, cantaloupe, papaya, and mangos.
Beans & Bean Alternates Group
(beans, tofu, nuts & seeds)
2-3 servings
1 cup (240 mL) cooked legume (beans, lentils, dried peas)
½ cup (120 mL) firm tofu or tempeh
1 serving veggie "meats"
(1 burger or wiener, 2-3 lunch slices)
3 Tbsp (45 mL) nut or seed butter
¼ c (60 mL) nuts & seeds
2 cups (480 mL) soymilk
For maximum benefit, eat a wide range of these protein-rich foods.
Eating vegetables or fruits rich in vitamin C along with these foods to increases iron absorption.
Nuts and seeds provide vitamin E & minerals.
Fortified-
Soymilk
& Alternates
Group
6-8 servings
½ cup (120 mL) fortified soymilk
¼ cup (60 mL) firm calcium-set tofu
½ cup (120 mL) calcium-fortified juice
¼ cup (60 mL) almonds
3 Tbsp (45 mL) almond butter
1 cup (240 mL) cooked, or 2 cups (480 mL) raw, of high calcium greens, (kale, collards, Chinese greens, broccoli, okra)
1 cup (240 mL) high calcium beans, (i.e. soy, white, navy, Great Northern, black turtle beans)
¼ cup (60 mL) dry hijiki seaweed
1 Tbsp (15 mL) blackstrap molasses
5 figs
Get to know your calcium sources!
Many of these foods double as servings from the Vegetable and Bean Groups. Include calcium-rich foods with every meal.
Foods should provide at least 15% of the DV per serving to be included as a serving in this group. (If a serving provides 10% of the DV, use 1-½ servings.)
Other
Essentials
Group
Omega-3 fatty acids
1-2 servings
Vitamin B12
to meet recommended intakes
Vitamin D
to meet recommended intakes
Omega-3 fatty acids
Serving =1 tbsp ground flaxseed, 1 tsp flax oil,
1 tbsp hempseed oil, 4 tsp canola oil, or
3 Tbsp walnuts
Vitamin B12
Fortified foods or supplements supplying:
2.4 mcg (adults)
2.6-2.8 mcg/day (pregnancy and
lactation)
0.9-1.8 mcg/day (children)
Vitamin D
Fortified food or supplements supplying:
5 mcg /day Vitamin D2 for adults aged up to 50;
10 mcg /day 51-70 yrs; or
15 mcg for those aged 70+ years;
or moderate sunshine.
Pay attention to these important nutrients.
Ground flaxseed or flaxseed oil are ideal sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Use them in dressings for salads, baked potatoes, vegetables and grains!
Look for foods fortified with vitamin B12. (Red Star Vegetarian Support Formula nutritional yeast is a good example.)
If you do not get enough sunshine, be sure to get vitamin D2 from foods or supplements. This is especially important in winter months for people at northern latitudes.
For more details, read Becoming Vegan or any of the books below.
The ranges in servings in the left column allow for differences in body size, activity levels and age.
For example, smaller and less active people need fewer servings; larger, more active people need more. |
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