Vegetarian Diet

Vegetarian Times Study shows 7.3 million Americans are Vegetarians and an additional 22.8 million follow a Vegetarian-Inclined Diet. It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, are nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.

What is a Vegetarian Diet?

The definition is the elimination of animal products- meat, poultry, seafood, fish, and sometimes dairy products; it’s a plant based diet- vegetables, fruit, grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. There seems to be many versions of a “vegetarian diet;” here are some popular options:

• Vegan- exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products- and foods that contain these products
• Lacto-vegetarian- exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs, as well as food that contain them. Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and butter are allowed.
• Lacto-ovo vegetarian- exclude meat, poultry, fish, but allow eggs and dairy products
• Flexitarian- or semi-vegetarian, is primarily plant-based diet but includes meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy on occasion or in small quantities.

There are various reasons why people become or always have been vegetarians. A popular reason is to lose weight and/or eat “healthier.” You can eat unhealthy on a vegetarian diet so make sure you are willing to put in the time and effort to really reap the benefits. Healthy options for a vegetarian would be fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, essential fats like olive oil, flax seeds, nuts and seeds, avocado, peanut and other nut butters.

A vegetarian diet can help control and prevent diseases. They are usually nutrient dense and balanced nutrition leads to a healthy weight, more energy, and less risk of disease. They are high in fiber and fiber helps get rid of the bad cholesterol leading to lower risk of heart disease. They are also low in cholesterol and saturated fat which also prevents heart disease and helps control blood lipid levels. They provide a sensible amount of protein and the sources of protein are plant based; this lowers the risk of kidney dysfunction, kidney stones, and osteoporosis. Excessive protein can be hard on the kidneys and cause calcium to be excreted in the urine thus increasing the risk of osteoporosis. Vegetarian diets that are healthy consists of colorful fruits and veggies. This variety of colorful veggies and fruit have antioxidants which can help prevent many types of cancers. Vegetarians tend to live an overall healthy lifestyle which means they control their weight. Being a healthy weight lowers the risk of all diseases. Living this lifestyle may also promote more physical activity and exercise which can also lower the risk of all diseases.

Many vegetarians worry that they will not get enough of certain nutrients. In reality, most Americans are lacking in many nutrients with the typical meat diet as well.

Will I get enough protein on this diet?

Most Americans eat too much protein at meals and per day and most of this protein comes from animal foods. You can get protein from the other food groups like grains, veggies, beans, nuts, and seeds. In order to get enough protein as a vegetarian, aim for 5 or more servings of grain, 3 or more servings of veggies, and 2-3 servings of legumes per day.

Will I get enough Calcium?

If you are not eating dairy products, then you may have to supplement. Other foods that contain calcium are soy products, beans, green leafy veggies, legumes, fortified bread, cereal, and grains; you would have to eat a fairly large amount of these foods to meet the same calcium needs that dairy products provide.

Will I get enough Iron?

Red meat is the primary source for Iron so many vegetarians need to check for anemia on a regular basis. Iron is available in other foods, like soy foods, legumes, nuts, seeds, green leafy veggies, dried fruits, whole grain and iron-enriched cereals and grains, and blackstrap molasses.

Vitamin B-12 is only available in meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products so many long-term vegetarians need to supplement. Make sure to get this blood level checked on a regular basis as well. Vitamin D is another vitamin that is low in vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Look for foods that are fortified and take a supplement. Zinc is mostly found in meat and seafood. Some other food sources are soy foods, legumes, green leafy veggies, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and fortified cereals. If you are a vegetarian or any of the various versions, try to eat a nutrient dense diet to prevent disease, control weight, and live a healthier lifestyle.

Here are some tips to make the vegetarian diet more nutritious:

• Add nuts to cold or hot cereal or yogurt
• Rather than hamburgers, try veggie burgers. A variety of kinds are available, made with soy beans, vegetables, and/or rice.
• Add vegetarian meat substitutes to soups and stews to boost protein without adding saturated fat or cholesterol.
• Add beans to soup, grains, or salads
• Build meals around grains and veggies instead of protein foods.
• Add quinoa to your meal plan- high protein grain
• Use peanut butter with fruit, whole grain bread or crackers, in smoothies
• Try other butters like almond or sunflower seed for variety
• Use vegan protein powder in thick foods or smoothies