Every time our family gets together for a family dinner either my mother or my grandmother have to take into account every person's particular tastes and dietary needs. My sister is the person we need to watch for the most, because several years ago she decided that she was no longer going to eat meat. This was a girl who ate steak for every meal, steak with eggs, steak sandwiches, and a nice grilled steak for dinner; so when she decided that she could not consume any more animal products, we all kind of just shook our heads and said OK. My mother has been concerned every day since that my sister is not getting enough protein or dairy because she decided to go all the way and become a vegan.

There are several different types of vegetarians: ovo-vegetarian (eggs, no meat), lacto-ovo vegetarian (dairy and eggs, but no meat), lacto-vegetarian (dairy, no eggs, no meat), and vegan (only food from plant sources). Becoming a vegetarian is actually a very good choice because you are filling your diet with fruits and vegetables and helping your body reduce its cholesterol level. The concern from a vegetarian diet comes from missing essential vitamins and minerals that meat can provide; vitamin B-12, vitamin D, calcium, protein, irons, and zinc. Vitamin B-12 whose primary function, is the formation of red blood cells and maintenance of the central nervous system, can be found in soy and rice drinks and vitamin fortified products. Vitamin D balances the levels of calcium and phosphorus in the bloodstream and can be found in calcium-fortified orange juice and vitamin-fortified products. Calcium is essential for muscle contraction, blood clotting, nerve impulse transmission, and fluid balance and can be found in dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, chickpeas, orange juice, and soy drinks. Proteins are important for the structure and functions of living cells; some are enzymes which catalyze chemical reactions. Protein can be found in eggs, tofu, dried beans, and nuts. An iron deficiency can cause fatigue, pale skin, brittle nails, and headaches; luckily food sources such as eggs, dried beans, dried fruits, whole grains, and leafy green vegetables can provide enough iron to the body. Zinc is used on protein synthesis, metabolism of Vitamin A, decrease cholesterol deposits and aids in mental awareness, it can be found in wheat germ, nuts, and legumes.

Many parents who have lived a life of vegetarianism decide to raise their children under the same lifestyle. When deciding the diet of an infant it is easy, for the first six months the child feeds off of the mother#'s breast milk which is already high in vitamins and minerals and since they will not be eating solid foods for at least nine months you can introduce several food items high in nutritional value. Once the child reaches 1 years old they are at a high risk for deficiencies and the parents should be very selective of vitamin-fortified foods. Also, keep in mind that the amount of vegetables that it takes to acquire certain vitamins and minerals may be too much for their tiny stomachs. As the child gets older they may have pickier eating habits but as long as you and your child know what is essential for a healthy body and a diet is planned, raising your child in the vegetarian lifestyle is an excellent healthy choice. Good luck and happy eating.

Sara Jones, of Auburn, is a pharmacy technician