Lacto ovo vegetarians based their diet on plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, but also include dairy products and eggs to their diet, according to the Mayo Clinic. Most vegetarians, by eliminating some food groups completely from their diet, are at higher risk of some nutrient deficiencies, such as protein, iron, calcium, zinc and vitamin B12, as explained by Medline Plus. The lacto ovo vegetarian diet is not as strict and offers many advantages.
Plant Foods
Like all vegetarians diets, the lacto ovo diet includes an abundance of plants foods, including vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains, which provides an array of health-protective nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients. These healthy compounds can help reduce the risk of developing chronic disease, such as cardiovascular diseases, stroke and some cancers.
Calcium
By excluding dairy products, most vegetarian diets are deficient in calcium, which can lead to osteoporosis in the long-term. However, the lacto ovo vegetarian diet allow the consumption of dairy products, including milk, yogurt and cheese, which are rich in the mineral calcium. Healthy adults require 1,000 to 1,300mg a day and 1 cup of milk provides 302mg, 1/2 cup of yogurt has 207mg and 1 oz. of cheddar cheese contains 204mg, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is present in a very limited number of foods, fortified milk being the principal source for Americans, although it can also be found in fortified soy milk. For this reason, the lacto ovo vegetarian diet has the advantage of providing the sunshine vitamin all year-round.
Protein
Strict vegetarians may have difficulty consuming enough protein through plant foods. Protein can be found in legumes, tofu and other vegetarian meat substitutes, but eating dairy products and eggs is a great way to boost the protein intake and avoid deficiencies. The recommended amount of protein needed corresponds to 0.8g per kilogram of body weight, according to the Vegetarian Resource Group.
Vitamin B12
Vegetarians diets often lack vitamin B12, because this B vitamin is only found in animal products. However, by including dairy products and eggs, lacto ovo vegetarians are not as much at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. The requirements for healthy adults is 2.4mcg a day according to Medline Plus. One egg contains 0.56mcg and 1 cup of milk contains 1.06mcg , according to the USDA National Nutrient Database.
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