A vegetarian diet can provide you with healthy fuel for running and studies have shown that vegetarians have a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and even cancer.

However, being vegetarian requires extra vigilance.

Vegetarians often fall short on a few nutrients that supply the body with fuel and help it to function optimally.

Here are a few to watch for.

Iron
Men and post menopausal women need 8mg a day. Menstruating women will need 18mg a day. But vegetarians may need up to 80 per cent more as the human body doesn’t absorb the nutrient as easily when it doesn’t come from meat.

This nutrient forms a part of the molecule haemoglobin, which transports oxygen in your blood.

Therefore is you don’t get enough, your body can’t use as much oxygen, which will slow your running down and will leave you feeling more tired.

To get more iron, eat spinach and other leafy vegetables, lentils, beans, whole grains and eggs.

And to increase your body’s absorption of iron, try adding some vitamin C by having a glass of orange juice or adding blueberries and diced strawberries to your meal for extra flavour.

Calcium
You need 1000-1300mg a day.

Calcium is mainly known for building strong bones but it also helps muscles fire properly.

A few servings of low-fat dairy fulfil the recommended dietary requirements, but this still poses a problem for vegans who must rely on grains and green, leafy vegetables for calcium.

Fortified products such as soy milk, soy yogurt, fruit juice, cereal and tofu can provide calcium but vegans may also want to consider a supplement, says Allison Walsh, a sports and clinical dietician.

Vitamin B12
You need 2.4 micrograms a day.

This is the one nutrient that can’t be derived from plant sources. It helps maintain nerve cells and red blood cells.

A vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to anaemia.

If you’re a vegan, you’ll probably need to get it through a supplement, or at least fortified cereal or soy milk.

Vegetarians who include three serves of dairy will be fine, and you can also get vitamin B12 from eating eggs, preferably through omega-3 fortified eggs.

Omega-3s
Men need 160mg daily and women need 90mg daily.

These fatty acids keep cell membranes healthy, but evidence suggests omega-3s also slow the hardening of arteries, lower blood pressure and reduce heart-disease risk.

Walnuts, canola oil, flax oil or ground flaxseed are all good sources of omega-3s.

However, Walsh cautions that only fish and specific algae sources (those rich in the fatty acid DHA) provide the full spectrum of omega-3s, so vegetarians should look for a DHA-rich algae-based supplement.

Here's one of the many recipes vegetarians and vegans can enjoy

Sweet potatoes with garlicky greens
Serves four

POTATOES
4 sweet potatoes or kumara, sliced in wedges
1 tbsp olive or canola oil
1.5 tsps sea salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp rosemary

GARLICKY GREENS
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green capsicum, deseeded and minced (optional)
1 bunch of spinach, coarsely chopped
0.5 tsp sea salt

SWEET POTATOES:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Toss potatoes with oil and seasoning. Arrange on a pre-seasoned baking sheet.
Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes until potatoes are cooked through and lightly browned.

GARLICKY GREENS:
Preheat frying pan and olive oil. Sauté garlic and capsicum for two minutes. Add spinach and salt. Sauté for five to eight minutes.

Energy per serving 1300kJ
Carbs 43g, Protein 8g, Fat 8g.