I am a 32-year-old vegetarian who is very physically active and who eats lots of carbohydrates — but I am constantly tired and sluggish, and feel as though I’m living in a thick fog. I am otherwise healthy, and just within the normal weight range for my height (verging on being underweight), but wondered if I lack iron or protein? I had some blood tests a few years ago which came back fine.
Anne Robinson, by e-mail
I would recommend seeing your doctor — for although the blood tests were clear, something might have changed. As well as checking your iron levels for signs of anaemia, the doctor may consider other conditions, such as coeliac disease (a gut condition caused by an inability to digest and deal with gluten; unexplained tiredness can be a symptom) or problems with your thyroid.
If a check-up reveals nothing, there are a few other things worth thinking about. We expect a lot of our bodies at this dark, cold time of year — while many other mammals hibernate, we still imagine we can do as much exercise now as during the summer months, when the light and warmth give us a boost.
You say you’re “very physically active” but perhaps you are trying to do too much? This is not an excuse for becoming a couch potato, but may go some way to explaining your sluggishness. Then there’s your diet: tiredness can be a sign of a lack of protein, especially if you’re loading up on carbs to replenish the glycogen stores used up during exercise. Vegetable proteins (such as beans) tend to be bulky so it’s difficult to eat enough without feeling too full. It’s important to have a good variety of proteins because, though all the vegetarian proteins contain different amino acids, none contains all of the essential amino acids the body needs. You need a good selection of different beans (fava, mung, aduki), lentils, nuts and seeds (grind seeds such as linseeds, pumpkin, hemp and sprinkle on porridge or cereals for extra, easily absorbed protein), as well as soya bean products such as tofu and soya milk (choose organic soya, if possible). Make sure you’re also eating a wide variety of grains, such as quinoa, barley, buckwheat, oats and millet, as these all contain vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and protein. And perhaps you should buy a good vegetarian cookbook, such as Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian — my favourite.
But I have a niggling feeling that one of the main reasons you’re tired is that you’re not getting enough calories from good fats such as olive and other vegetable oils, avocados, nuts and dairy produce, such as full-cream yoghurts and cheese. Fat provides essential fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins and calories. Don’t be afraid of sugar and honey either, because these also provide energy.
Keep a record of everything you eat and drink, as well as your exercise, for a couple of weeks to help you to see how balanced your diet really is, and where you need to improve things.
My children are practically addicted to fruit yoghurt, and would eat it every meal and snack time. Is there any reason to discourage them?
Jane Thompson, London
This area is a bit of a minefield for parents. On the plus side, yoghurt provides calcium, the mineral needed for building bones and teeth, and “good” bacteria, which is good for gut health and helps children to recover from stomach upsets more quickly. However, these bacteria also react with the lactose — the milk sugar — in yoghurt, and with the sugar from the fruit (or added sugar), producing acids that soften tooth enamel and cause decay. You can protect the teeth by having fresh fruit afterwards — this increases the production of saliva, which reduces acid in the mouth. A chunk of cheese will also cut acidity levels.
Note that fruit-flavoured yoghurts are not the same as fruit yoghurts. They’re made with just flavouring and colouring (although these can also be found in some fruit yoghurts). And some flavourings and colourings can aggravate behaviour in children suffering from ADHD and hyperactivity.
I much prefer to give my daughter Maya plain yoghurt and add fresh fruit — this way I know the fruit content, and have control over it. By adding raisins, chopped dates, figs, grated apple and chopped banana, she gets some fibre, along with calcium (from the dried fruits) and potassium (from the banana).
DO YOU NEED ADVICE?
Send your nutritional problems to jane.clarke@thetimes.co.uk or to Jane Clarke, times2, 1 Pennington Street, London E98 1TT. Her replies cannot apply to individual cases and should be taken in a general context. Consult your GP with any health or specific conditions. Jane cannot enter into personal correspondence.