By Carrie Blodgett,
GED 613, Fall 2009
A Mathematical View on Vegetarian Nutrition:
It’s all about the choices you make
I have a confession: I am not much of a fruit fan, unless the fruit is combined with
chocolate or layered in a cloud of whipped cream. I would much rather eat bread with
butter than a salad, and my ideal meal includes pasta in a rich sauce with a side of garlic
bread. You could say that I am a carbohydrate junkie with a mean sweet tooth.
When I was younger, I did not pay much attention to what I ate, and I did not always
make the best choices when it came to what I was putting in my body. However, within
the last several years, I have become more conscientious about my eating habits. Since
becoming a vegetarian, I have included more fruits and vegetables in my diet and I
gravitate toward more nutrient rich foods. But I still have a lot to learn, and the choices I
make on a daily basis are not always the best.
I decided to take a closer look at what I eat. How does it compare to the food pyramid’s
daily requirements? How do I know if I’m getting enough calories, too many calories, or
too little? What does a serving size really look like? With each of these questions, I
explored my eating habits not only at a nutritional level, but also a mathematical level.
After all, it’s hard to learn about nutrition without understanding the math involved.
Hmm, how much of each group do I need?
A Look at the Vegetarian Food Pyramid
Hey, look! This pyramid is divided into nine different categories. The sections
at the bottom of the pyramid are bigger, so that tells me I need to eat more
of these foods. The triangles at the top of the pyramid are small. I should
eat those foods, which include sweets and bad fats oils, sparingly.
Wow, I need to a lot of variety to eat
healthy. How do I know how many servings of
each group to have in one day?
Grains: bread, rice, pasta, cereal: 6-11 servings
Vegetables: 3-5 servings. At least two of these servings should include
dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, or chard
Fruit: 2-4 servings. Eat lots of berries for antioxidant bliss.
Protein: Beans, nuts,seeds, eggs, and meat substitutes such as tempeh,
tofu, or seitan: 2-3 servings (I tend to eat more than this)
Dairy/Calcium: Milk or soymilk, yogurt, and cheese: 2-3 servings
(Bad) Fats & sweets: Sparingly. Bad oils are oils that include
partially hydrogenated fats. These fats are bad because
they are trans-fats, which clog arteries. Good oils, such
as olive or non-hyrdogenated canola oil, can be used in
small amounts on a daily basis. Good oils can help you
maintain a healthy cholesterol level.
If I ate the most recommended amount of
servings from each group, I would eat 26
servings in one day! That really sounds like a lot.
How big is one serving from each food group?
Grains: 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta,
1/2 cup quinoa, 3 TBS wheat germ, or a 1/2 cup
cooked oatmeal or grits
Fruit Group: 1 medium apple, 1/2 cup berries, 1/4 cup dried
fruit, 3/4 cup pure fruit juice, or 1/2 grapefruit
Vegetable Group: 1 cup raw leafy greens, 1/2 cup cooked leafy
greens or other vegetable, or 1/2 cup raw vegetable
Protein Group: 1/4 cup tofu or tempeh, 2 TBS peanut butter,
2 TBS nuts or seeds, 1/2 cup cooked beans,
or 1 egg (eat eggs only once or twice a week).
Dairy Group: 1 cup milk or calcium-enriched soymilk, 1 cup
yogurt, or 1.5 ounces hard cheese (cheddar)
Let’s Get Combo Smart!
Can I really eat 26 servings in one day?
Here’s a sample menu plan based on 26 servings:
Breakfast: 1 cup cooked oatmeal with 3 TBS wheat germ, 1/4 cup
raisins, and 3/4 cup calcium-fortified soymilk (Includes 3 servings of
grains, 1 serving fruit, and .75 servings dairy)
Morning Snack: 1 apple, 2 TBS almonds, 4 whole grain crackers
(Includes 1 serving of fruit, 1 serving protein, and 1 serving grains)
Lunch: Salad with 1 cup leafy greens, 1/4 cup red peppers, 1/2 cup carrots,
2 TBS sunflower seeds, & 1 TBS balsamic vinegar. Plus 1 whole grain roll
with 1 tsp butter and 3/4 cup yogurt with 3 TBS wheat germ (Includes 3
servings of vegetables, 1 serving protein, 2 servings grains, and .75
servings of dairy)
Afternoon Snack: 1 banana, 1 cup rye pretzel sticks (Includes 1 serving
of fruit and 2 servings of grains)
Dinner: Chickpea spinach curry over quinoa: 1/2 cup cooked spinach,
1/2 cup stewed tomatoes, 1/2 cup garbanzo beans, 1.5 cups quinoa.
Beverage: 12 oz (1.5 cups) low-fat milk (Includes 2 servings
vegetables, 1 serving protein, 3 servings of grains and
1.5 servings dairy).
Dessert: 1 medium orange (includes 1 serving fruit)
Total Servings: 26
Should I follow the Food
Pyramid to a T?
No! The food pyramid was originally created as a guide to
help people make healthy choices. However, as a vegetarian,
I believe that I should consume more than 5 servings of
vegetables a day. I also know that it is very hard for me to
eat 11 servings of grains a day. Just thinking of a menu that
included 11 servings of grains was quite a challenge.
So what do I do? I add more vegetables to my diet and try
to eat at least 7 servings of grains a day, a number much
easier to consume than 11.
Vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals,
and anti-oxidants, which help our bodies fight disease.
Therefore, you should not put a limit on how many servings
of vegetables to eat in one day.
My advice to you: try to eat more than 5 servings of
vegetables a day. It’s really easier than you think,
especially if you have a salad at lunch or dinner.
Calorie Math: How many do I need?
Now that I know my daily recommended requirements
for each food group, it’s time I figure out how many
calories my body needs on a daily basis. My daily calorie
needs are based on several factors: basic energy needs
(the minimum of what my body needs to keep going), my
level of physical activity, and my body’s digestion and
absorption of nutrients.
First, you should figure out your healthy weight. Look at
the graph on the next slide. Compare your height to your
weight to find where you belong. If you are in the
moderate to severe overweight category, find your
healthy weight. You will use your healthy weight to figure
your calorie needs. This will help you understand how many
calories your body needs to reach and maintain a healthy
weight.
I am 5’5 and 128 pounds. According to the graph,
I have a healthy weight. Now it is time to figure out
how many calories my body needs on a daily basis.
Below are four calculations to help you find your daily
calorie needs. These calculations are from The American
Dietetic Association’s Complete Food and Nutrition Guide
(Larson Duyff, 1998).
1. Calculate your basic energy (calorie) needs:
Multiply your healthy weight by 10 for females
and by 11 for males. Here is my calculation:
128 x 10= 1,280 Calories for basic energy needs.
2. Calorie needs for physical activity. What activity best
matches your lifestyle?
Sedentary: Do you sit for most or all of your day?
Light activity: light housework, 10-15 minute walk
Moderate activity: 30-45 minutes exercise most
days (I.e. brisk walk, dance, stair step)
Very active: are you an active athlete?
Calorie math continued…
Multiply the calories you use for basic energy needs by
the percent that matches your activity level:
_____ calories for basic energy needs
x ___% for activity level
If
If
If
If
you
you
you
you
are
are
are
are
sedentary, multiply by 20%
lightly active, multiply by 30%
moderately active, multiply by 40%
very active, multiply by 50%
I am between lightly and moderately active, so I will multiply
by 35%, since that is between the 30% and 40%.
1280 my calories for basic energy needs
x 35% (.35) my activity level
Total calories for physical activity: 448
Calorie Math Continued…
3. Figure the calories you use for digestion and
absorption of nutrients:
Add your calories for basic energy needs and calories
for physical activity.
1,280 + 448= 1,728
Now Multiply your answer by 10%:
1,728 x 10% (.10)= 172.8
My body uses 172.8 calories for digesting and absorbing nutrients.
4. Now add up your total calorie needs by adding your total
calories from each category: calories for basic needs +
calories for physical activity + calories for digestion and
absorption = total daily calories.
1,280 + 448 + 172.8= 1,900.8 I’ll round it to 1,901.
I need to consume 1,901 calories a day
to maintain my healthy weight.
Am I Meeting My Needs?
Adding It All Up
Let’s take a look at what I ate on November 28, 2009.
Did I meet my daily requirements for each food group?
How did I do on calories? Too much, too little, about right?
Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal with 1/2 cup soymilk, 1 TBL ground
flaxseed, 1/4 cup frozen blueberries, and 1 tsp
maple sugar.
Mid-morning snack: 1 banana
Lunch: 1.5 cups Annie’s boxed mac & cheese, with 1/2 cup
steamed broccoli, 1/4 cup soymilk (instead of regular
milk), 1 TBL nutritional yeast
Afternoon snack: 1/4 cup dried cranberries and 1/8 cup
semi-sweet chocolate chips
Food Journal Continued…
Dinner: Salad with 1 cup romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup
green and orange peppers, 1/8 cup sunflower
seeds and 1 TBL light balsamic dressing
Homemade pizza with homemade crust. Toppings:
tomato sauce, veggie pepperoni, veggie sausage
(Boca), green and orange peppers, yellow onion,
and mozzarella cheese (3 slices, each slice about
the size of one slice of toast)
Later: 2 beers (each 8 oz) at The Three Penny Taproom
Even later (uh oh, late night snacking): Shared a plate of
nachos with two other people. I am guessing I ate about
1/3 of the nachos. Included in the nachos: refried beans,
tomatoes, olives, cheese, and guacamole.
I think that 1/3 of the nachos was equal to
about 1 cup, give or take.
Food Journal Continued…
Below is a chart of my food journal. It shows how
many servings of each food group I ate on November 28.
Food Group
Grains
Fruit
Breakfast
2
Lunch
3
3
1
Protein
.5
.5
Snacks
Total
1
9
2
2.5
3
.5
4.5
2
.5
2.5
2
.5
3.5
.5
Veggies
Dairy/
Calcium
Dinner
I met my daily recommended amount (RDA)
in every category. I was a little over in
the dairy department. Too much cheese!
Calorie Math:
Adding it all up
Now the fun begins. How many calories did I consume on
November 28? It is difficult to find the exact amount of
calories in each serving, especially when I combine different
food groups into one meal. When counting calories, the best
way to add it up is to ESTIMATE the best you can. These
estimates are based on my serving sizes. Here it goes:
Breakfast: Oatmeal, 110. Soymilk, 40. Blueberries, 20.
Ground flaxseed, 30. Total: 200
Snack: banana, 85
Lunch: Annie’s mac & cheese, 405. Soymilk, 40. Broccoli, 22.
Total: 467
Afternoon snack: dried cranberries, 90.
Chocolate chips, 85. Total: 175
Total this page: 927
Adding It Up Continued…
Dinner: salad with veggies, sunflower seeds, and light
dressing, 240.
Pizza, 3 slices: 175 per slice. 175 x 3= 525.
Total Dinner: 765
Trip to the Three Penny Taproom: Two 8 oz beers: 230
Trip to Julio’s for some late night noshing: 1/3 of nachos
with refried beans, olives, tomatoes, guacamole: 548
Total dinner, beer, and nachos: 1,543
Total Calories for November 28: 927 + 1,543= 2,470
Oh, No!
On November 28, I consumed about 2,470 calories. To
maintain my healthy weight, I should consume around 1,901
calories a day. Where did I make some poor choices?
After dinner I went out with some friends. Although I had only
two small glasses of beer, the beer did add 230 calories to my
diet. Then I went to Julio’s for some late night snacking. I did
share the plate of nachos with my friends, but I still consumed
around 548 calories. That was a high-calorie snack, and I also
had it late at night, another poor choice. Late night snacking
can often lead to weight gain because instead of working off
the calories through exercise and daily routines, you just go
to sleep afterwards. What if I didn’t have those nachos?
How many calories would I have consumed?
2,470-548= 1,922, a total more in
my daily requirement range
Reading a Nutrition Label
All prepackaged food requires a nutrition label. This helps
consumers determine how many calories, fat, carbohydrates,
fiber, protein, and specific vitamins are in the food. Reading
nutrition labels can help you decide if the food is something
you want to eat or if it is something that you should pass up.
Here are the features on all nutrition labels:
Serving Size: A serving size applies to one serving. If a
serving size is one cup, the nutrition facts stated on the label
are for one cup. If you ate two cups instead of one cup, then
you would have to double the amount listed on the label to
figure out how much (fat, fiber, protein, etc.) you consumed.
Calories: The calories listed are for a single serving. The
label also lists how many calories are from fat.
% Daily Values: The percentages tell you how much
the serving contributes to a diet based on
2,000 calories
Nutrition Label Continued…
Nutrient Amounts: This includes the amount of fats,
cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, fiber, sugars, and
protein that are in a single serving. Vitamin A, calcium, vitamin
C, and iron are also always listed on nutrition labels, because
these are the vitamins that are essential to our diets but are
often overlooked.
Daily Values footnote: This is located at the bottom of the
nutrition label and tells you the daily values of how much fat,
cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, and fiber a person can
consume based on a 2,000 and 2,500 calorie diet. For example,
a person who consumes 2,000 calories a day should have less
than 65 grams of fat in one day. A person with a 2,500 calorie
should have less than 80 grams of fat in one day.
The next slide shows an example of a nutrition
label and what you should consider before buying
or consuming the food item.
Comparing Two Similar Items
I felt like having yogurt for a snack. I had two
different brands of low-fat yogurt in my refrigerator.
Both yogurts are 6 ounces (oz.). The raspberry
yogurt is made with 1% milk fat and the honey
yogurt is made with 2% milk fat. Let’s take a
look at the nutrition labels to see what one
would be the best choice.
Comparing Two Labels
Both items are based on one 6 oz. serving
Cabot Greek Style Honey
Calories: 160 From
Total fat: 3g
(Sat. Fat 2g)
Cholesterol: 20 mg
Sodium: 75 mg
Total Carb: 25g
Dietary Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 24g
Protein: 13g
Vitamin A: 15%
Calcium:
25%
Vitamin D: 15%
Vitamin C: 15%
Vitamin E :15%
Iron :
4%
fat: 25
(5%)
(9%)
(7%)
(3%)
(8%)
(26%)
Wild harvest Raspberry
Calories: 130 From Fat: 15
Fat: 1.5g
(2%)
(Sat. Fat 1g)
(5%)
Cholesterol: 10 mg (3%)
Sodium: 85 mg
(4%)
Total Carb: 25g
(8%)
Dietary Fiber: Og
Sugars: 21g
Protein: 5g
Vitamin A: 0%
Calcium: 20%
Vitamin C: 4%
Iron: 0%
Comparing Two Labels Continued…
What yogurt did I choose? Although the Cabot yogurt was
higher in fat, I decided to eat the Cabot yogurt because
it contained a higher content of protein, vitamins A,D, & E,
calcium, and iron. The Wild Harvest yogurt was lower in
fat and cholesterol, but it contained only 5 grams of protein
and had lower daily value percentages of vitamins and calcium.
Sometimes the lowest fat option does not always mean the
best option. You want to make sure your body gets enough
essential nutrients on a daily basis, and those nutrients
include protein, vitamins, calcium, and iron. If a food is
low-fat but skimps on these nutrients, it may not be the
healthiest choice.
Calcium and You
A vegetarian diet is not much different than a meat
eater’s diet when it comes to meeting daily requirements.
However, some dieticians are concerned about the amount
of calcium vegetarians consume in their diets. If not careful,
vegetarians can end up low in calcium. When people do not
consume enough calcium, they are at greater risk for osteoporosis
and other conditions that make bones brittle and weak.
It is also important to get enough vitamin D. This is called the
“sunshine vitamin” because most people get this vitamin through
direct sunlight. Calcium and vitamin D work together to make your
bones healthy. One cannot work without the other.
Several months ago, I realized that I was not eating enough
calcium. To make matters worse, I found out I was deficient
in vitamin D. I knew I needed to change my diet so
that I would get enough calcium. I also have to
take a pretty strong vitamin D supplement
to combat my low vitamin D numbers.
Calcium and You
Adult females should consume about 1,500 mg of calcium
a day. Adult males should consume 1,200 mg of calcium a
day. That really sounds like a lot, but think about it: a 6 oz
container of lowfat yogurt has 25% of your daily value of calcium.
How much of 1,500 mg would 25% be?
1,500 x 25% (.25)= 375 mg
By eating one serving of yogurt, I have eaten 1/4 of my daily
calcium requirement. But I can’t eat four yogurts in one day! What
are some other calcium rich foods? Believe it or not, calcium is
not only found in dairy. Check it out:
Tofu (processed with calcium): 435 mg per 1/2 cup serving
Calcium-fortified orange juice: 225 mg (3/4 cup)
Soymilk (fortified): 250-300 mg (8 ounces)
Blackstrap molasses: 170 mg (1 TBL)
Turnip greens: 100 mg (1/2 cup)
Calcium and You:
Take the Calcium Quiz
Want to find out if you are getting enough calcium?
take this quiz to find out. It asks you how much
calcium you ate the previous day. When I took the
quiz, my numbers came up pretty short. The website
gave me several suggestions of calcium-rich foods to
add to my diet.
Click on the link below to take the quiz:
http://www.eatsmart.org/games/c_calculator/
This link is also very helpful. However, it said my calcium
needs were only 1,000 mg a day, but I believe it should
be closer to 1,500 mg a day.
http://myoptumhealth.com/portal/ManageMyHealth/Calcium+Calculator
End Note
Now you know a little bit about nutrition and the math
involved in figuring out serving sizes, daily requirements,
calorie consumption, and more. I feel like I barely touched
on all the different elements of nutrition, but it was a start.
If you feel overwhelmed by all the choices at supermarkets, just
Remember the more whole the food is, the better it is for you.
You can’t go wrong with whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and
dairy products that do not contain growth hormones, pesticides,
or other freaky stuff.
Now that you have the tools to figure out your daily needs,
you can make choices that will benefit your overall health.
May you enjoy good food.
Reference: Larson Duyff, R. (1998). The American Dietetic Association’s Complete
Food and Nutrition Guide. Minneapolis: Chronimed Publishing.