Just as people are vegetarians for different reasons, the diets of vegetarians are not all the same. With careful planning, a vegetarian diet can be healthy, no matter which type of vegetarian diet you choose.
Let's first define a vegetarian diet. Some people define vegetarianism loosely. They may say they are "almost" vegetarians because they don't eat red meat (but they do eat poultry and fish). However, a true vegetarian is a person who eats no meat. There are two basic kinds:
- 1. lacto (milk) - ovo (egg) vegetarians:
They don't eat any meat, but do eat eggs, milk, and other dairy products such as cheese, butter, and yogurt. Some people are just lacto vegetarians; they eat dairy products, but not eggs. Some are ovo vegetarians; they eat eggs, but no other animal foods.2. vegan: They do not eat any animal products. In some cases, this includes avoiding honey.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE BENEFITS OF A VEGETARIAN DIET?
Since vegetarianism includes such a wide variety of dietary habits, it is difficult to generalize about the benefits and risks of the vegetarian diet. But here's what studies have shown about vegetarianism and health:
Vegetarians in the U.S. have a lower incidence of heart disease than the general U.S. population. This may be because most vegetarian diets are low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Vegetarian or nonvegetarian diets that are low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol may decrease blood cholesterol levels. (A high blood cholesterol level is a major risk factor for heart disease.) However, some lacto-ovo vegetarians eat a diet that is very high in fat and saturated fat. If these people were separated out, they might have a rate of heart disease similar to the general population.
Vegetarians generally have a lower incidence of high blood pressure and a lower rate of Type 2 diabetes than do nonvegetarians. These benefits may also be due to decreased fat and/or increased fiber in the diet. They could also be due to decreased incidence of smoking, increased physical activity, and/or less obesity, often associated with vegans.
Vegetarians of the Seventh Day Adventist faith have lower rates of death from colon cancer than the general U.S. population. This may be due in part to increased fiber intake, decreased fat, and/or increased amounts of fruits and vegetables in the diet (which may be protective against cancer).
Vegetarians, especially vegans, have less incidence of obesity. This may be due to eating less total calories, less fat, more fiber and/or to increased physical activity, and/or less obesity, often associated with vegans.
There's some evidence that vegetarians have lower rates of osteoporosis, kidney stones, gallstones, and diverticular disease. However, studies relating a vegetarian diet with these benefits are still inconclusive.
These health benefits found in vegetarians may not be solely due to diet. Lifestyle habits other than diet, such as exercise, religious practices, smoking, and alcohol can also influence health. The research does not always separate out whether it is the diet alone which makes the difference or whether these other lifestyle factors also play a part. Therefore we cannot conclude that a vegetarian diet is the healthiest diet, even though it can be a very healthy diet. In fact, we know that similar health benefits can come from a nonvegetarian diet which follows the Dietary Guidelines. But because many people who choose to eat a vegetarian diet also practice other healthy lifestyle habits, vegetarians as a whole have better health statistics than the rest of the U.S. population which includes many people who eat poor nonvegetarian diets and who smoke, drink too much, and don't exercise enough.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE PROBLEMS WITH VEGETARIAN DIETS?
Protein, contrary to popular opinion is not usually a nutritional problem of vegetarians. Vegetarian diets provide less protein than nonvegetarian diets, but it's still enough. Most nonvegetarians get much more protein than is really needed. Lower protein diets might actually have some advantages. Lower protein diets are associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis. This may be because high protein intakes can increase calcium excretion. Studies from other countries show that people who eat lower protein diets do not require as much calcium as the U.S. RDA for calcium which is based on a high protein diet.
Plant food proteins are not as high quality as meat, dairy or egg proteins. Plant foods contain less of the essential amino acids (building blocks of protein) necessary for the body to make complete proteins. But a plant-based diet still provides enough quality protein if a mixture of plant foods is eaten. It is not necessary that protein complements be eaten at the same meal. If protein complements are eaten within a day, the body will still be able to make complete proteins with the available amino acids. It is important for vegans to use whole grain cereals and flours for protein. Refined cereal and flours have less protein.
The main possible "problem" with vegan diets is that they may be too low in calories, especially for children. Many people view this as an advantage of the vegan diet. On a vegan diet, you can eat a greater quantity of food yet still get less calories. This is because many plant foods are high in fiber. High fiber foods provide bulk, but are generally low in calories.
In the U.S., vegan children tend to be smaller than other children. This may be due to the inability of children to eat enough food to meet calorie needs to support the same growth as nonvegetarian children have. Although smaller, vegan children are usually healthy. What we don't know is whether bigger is better. Is the greater growth of nonvegetarian children a healthy advantage over the slower growth of vegan children? We don't know. Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets seem to be as supportive of growth as a nonvegetarian diet. Parents of vegan children should carefully monitor the growth of their children. Limiting sweets, soft drinks and other empty calorie foods is even more important for vegan children than for other children.
Vegetarians (as well as nonvegetarians) do not typically get enough iron (especially women, teens and children). It may be more difficult for vegetarians to get enough iron because the iron from plant foods is not as well-absorbed as iron from meat. In addition, iron absorption is inhibited by fiber, phytates (in cereals) and oxalates (in green leafy vegetables) which may be more abundant in vegetarian diets. However, the iron from plants can be absorbed better if a source of vitamin C is eaten at the same time as the iron-containing food. Cooking in iron pots also increases the amount of iron in the diet. Some foods inhibit iron absorption. Tea, coffee, chocolate and soft drinks (including powered soft drinks like Kool-Aid) contain tannin, caffeine and/or phosphates which inhibit iron absorption.
Vegans may have difficulty getting enough vitamin B-12 if they don't take supplements or eat foods fortified with B-12. This vitamin is synthesized (made) by bacteria, fungi, and algae, but not by yeasts, higher plants or animals. Nonvegetarians and lacto-ovo vegetarians have no problem getting enough vitamin B-12 because it is in most animal foods, where it has accumulated from bacterial synthesis. And the requirement for this vitamin is very small (the RDA is only 2 micrograms for adults - a microgram is one-thousandth of a gram. There are about 28 grams in one ounce). However, vegans need to be careful because vitamin B-12 is only found in animal foods. It is thought that many vegans do not have a vitamin B-12 deficiency because the microorganisms that are found in the dirt that sticks to vegetables might produce enough vitamin B-12 to prevent a deficiency. But if vegans wash their vegetables properly then they are at a greater risk for a B-12 deficiency. Another source of B-12 for vegans is from foods fermented by microorganisms. Some of these foods are soy sauce and tempeh, a fermented soybean cake. But the B-12 content of these foods is unreliable.
Although rare, a deficiency of vitamin B-12 is very serious. It causes a type of anemia and damage to the spinal cord, brain, nerves in the eyes and other nerves. Usually B-12 deficiency is due to a problem with absorption, rather than a lack of the vitamin in the diet. But there is a possibility of a lack of B-12 in a vegan diet. Pregnant and nursing women should be especially careful to get B12. There have been a few cases of B12 deficiency in breastfed infants whose mothers were vegans. So some vegans choose to drink soymilk that is fortified with B-12 or take B12 supplements. B12 deficiency cannot be cured or prevented by taking iron supplements. The anemia associated with B12 is not the same type of anemia associated with low iron.
Vitamin D may be lacking in the diets of some vegetarians, particularly vegans, because most of the vitamin D available from foods is from vitamin D fortified milk and dairy products. We can get vitamin D from sunlight on our skin. Fifteen to twenty minutes of sunlight exposure on hands and face daily will allow our bodies to make enough vitamin D. However, people don't always get enough from the sun to prevent rickets. This is because they stay indoors or wear clothes that cover the skin when they are outside. Darker skinned people especially have a hard time getting enough vitamin D from the sun because darker skin needs longer exposure to the sun in order to make the same amount of vitamin D. For people who don't use any vitamin D-fortified milk products or get adequate sunlight exposure, a vitamin D supplement may be necessary.
SUMMARY
A vegetarian diet can be a very healthy diet. However, the less variety in the diet, the more careful people need to be to get all the nutrients they need. Vegans should be especially careful to get vitamins B12 and D, and the mineral iron. Vegan children should have their growth monitored to make sure they're getting enough calories to meet their needs.
Here is a sample vegan menu:
BREAKFAST
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup homemade granola (toasted oatmeal, almonds and raisins) with 1 cup soy milk
whole grain bagel with jam
coffee (not clarified with egg)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup homemade granola (toasted oatmeal, almonds and raisins) with 1 cup soy milk
whole grain bagel with jam
coffee (not clarified with egg)
LUNCH
1/2 cup V8 juice
(2 Tbsp.) peanut butter (1/2) banana sandwich on whole wheat bread (2 slices)
carrot sticks (one carrot worth)
1/2 cup V8 juice
(2 Tbsp.) peanut butter (1/2) banana sandwich on whole wheat bread (2 slices)
carrot sticks (one carrot worth)
DINNER
tossed salad (lettuce, spinach, tomato, cucumber, garbanzo beans, green pepper, sunflower seeds) with oil and vinegar dressing 2 cups spaghetti with 1 cup seasoned tomato sauce with garbanzo beans and mushrooms
1 slice Italian bread
fresh pear
sparkling water with a twist of lime
tossed salad (lettuce, spinach, tomato, cucumber, garbanzo beans, green pepper, sunflower seeds) with oil and vinegar dressing 2 cups spaghetti with 1 cup seasoned tomato sauce with garbanzo beans and mushrooms
1 slice Italian bread
fresh pear
sparkling water with a twist of lime
SNACK
3 cups popcorn, oil popped and salted
3 cups popcorn, oil popped and salted
HELPFUL HINTS FOR VEGAN SHOPPING
If these words are found on a nutrition label, that food has milk in it: caseinate, casein, curds, dry milk solids, nonfat dry milk, and whey. Products which often contain milk include baked products, chocolate desserts and candies, sherbet, puddings, nondairy creamers and whipped toppings, margarine, and whipped potatoes.
If these words are on a label, the food is made with egg: albumin, ovomucin, ovomucoid, vitellin, ovovitellin, livetin, powdered or dried egg, and ovoglobulin. Eggs are often found in baking mixes, batter-fried foods, baked products, breads, custard, sherbet, coffee, root beer, noodles, egg substitutes, sauces, and soups.
Source: National Research Council, Recommended Dietary Allowances, 10th edition, 1989.
Position of The American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets, JADA 93:11:1317 - 1993.
Position of The American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets, JADA 93:11:1317 - 1993.
The Cooperative Extension Service, The University of Georgia College of Agriculture offers educational programs, assistance and materials to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex or handicap status.
Protein has many important functions in the body and is essential for growth and maintenance. Protein needs can easily be met by eating a variety of plant-based foods. Combining different protein sources in the same meal is not necessary. Sources of protein for vegetarians include beans, nuts, nut butters, peas, and soy products (tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers). Milk products and eggs are also good protein sources for lacto-ovo vegetarians.
pasta primavera or pasta with marinara or pesto sauce
