Macronutrients

Vegetarians need a good balance of Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Carbohydrates come in the forms of sugars, starches, and fibers. They are the first source of energy for the body and are stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles till they are ready to be used. The recommended caloric intake for carbohydrates is around 60%. Vegetarians get their carbohydrates from sources just like anyone else. Vegetarians get carbohydrates from pasta, bread, grains, fruits, vegetables, rice, and dairy products.

Proteins come in the forms of vegetable proteins, animal proteins, and lacto proteins. Proteins are important for muscle growth as well as tissue repair. The recommended caloric intake is arounds 15% or 50-75 grams. Since vegetarians don't eat meat they have to get their protein from other sources. These sources include soy products, dairy products, nuts, beans, and eggs. Depending on what kind of vegetarian you are these sources might vary.

Fats come in the forms of saturated fats, trans fats, and unsaturated fats. Saturated and trans fats are the ones you do not want  to have a high concentration of in your diet. The kind of fat you want to have is unsaturated fat. The reccommended caloric intake for fats is about 25% while that should consist of less than 10% of saturated and trans fats. Vegetarians get their different kinds of fats from nuts, avocados, and dairy products.

By being a vegetarian there is also the challenge of getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals that your body needs. You can fulfill these requirements by including different kinds of vegetables in your diet. By eating dark green vegetables or eating dairy products you can get calcium to help your body grow. Dark green vegetables also have antioxidants which reduces fat in the blood stream as well as preventing some serious illnesses. You can get a steady stream of iron by just eating vegetables such as beans, bok choy, seeds, and spinach. There is the same amount of iron in a 1700 calorie sirloin steak as their is in 100 calories of spinach. By eating citrus fruits you can get more than enough of Vitamin C. There are many challenges to being a vegetarian and one of them might be not getting enough of your essential vitamins and minerals. To solve this problem vegetarians take supplements to fill their daily requirements.

Sources:

http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm
http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/family-nutrition/vegetarian-diets/12-frequently-asked-questions-about-vegetarian-diet
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/calcium.htm
http://webforhealth.com/why-are-antioxidants-good-for-you/
http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/vegetables-nutrition-chart.html