See also:
How to Become a Vegetarian

Types of Vegetarianism

Vegetarian Foods

Vegetarianism for Kids

Vegetarian Recipes

Determine Your Fat Budget

**Note: Guidelines on food labels are based on a 2,000 calories a day, and the fat grams are rounded to 65.

Salad Green Math
Use this guide to determine how much to buy to make a specified cup measure of greens. Measurements are for loosely packed torn greens:

• Butterhead lettuce: 1 medium head (12 ounces) equals 4 cups
• Iceberg lettuce: 1 medium head (18 ounces) equals 10 cups
• Leaf Lettuce: 1 medium head (9 ounces) equals 8 cups
• Romaine: 1 medium head (16 ounces) equals 6 cups (ribs removed)
• Spinach: 16 ounces equals 12 cups (stems removed)

Packing Protein
The average healthy woman needs about 45 grams of protein a day. A healthy man needs about 55 grams. Vegetarians can get protein from several sources:

• Dairy: milk, yogurt, cheese
• Eggs
• Grains and cereals: wheat (bread, flour, pasta), barley, millet, corn, rice, oats, rye
• Legumes: peas, beans, peanuts, lentils
• Nuts: walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, hazelnuts, pecans
• Seeds: sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower kernels
• Soy products: tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers, soy milk, soy cheese, soy ice cream

Folic Acid Facts
Folic acid, or folate, is a B vitamin that plays an important role in reducing the risk of a serious type of spinal birth defect in newborns. It is important for child-bearing women to eat enough folic acid before they become pregnant. A vegetarian diet is abundant in folic acid. Some good sources of folic acid include:

• Dry beans (red beans, navy beans, soybeans), lentils, chickpeas, cow peas, peanuts
• Fruits (blackberries, boysenberries, kiwifruit, oranges, plantains, strawberries, oranges juice, pineapple juice)
• Vegetables, including leafy greens (spinach, cabbage, brussels sprouts, romaine, loose leaf lettuce), peas, okra, beets, broccoli, sweet corn