Vegetarian diets can be delicious, nutritious and well rounded. The perfect vegetarian diet includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, soy products, low-fat dairy foods and eggs. Herbs, spices, vinegars and oils add flavor to veggie meals, and foods from around the world can be incorporated into your diet. A well-planned vegetarian or vegan diet can provide you with ample vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
Types
Vegetarianism comes in several types, and all can be motivated by health, environmental or animal rights issues. Lacto-ovo vegetarians avoid meat, poultry and seafood, but consume eggs, dairy products and honey. Vegans do not eat any animal products at all. Pescetarians or pescovegetarians include fish and seafood in their diets. Any of these diet options can be a healthy choice for a well-balanced diet.
Benefits
A well-balanced vegetarian diet is typically lower in saturated fat, total fat and cholesterol than a diet that includes meat, according to the American Heart Association. Moreover, choosing a vegetarian diet may result in a reduced risk of obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease and some types of cancer. As with any diet, it is essential that you make smart food choices.
Considerations
Create a smart and healthy vegetarian diet by choosing a variety of foods. The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada recommend that vegetarians consume six servings of grains and five servings of protein-rich foods. Add to that four daily helpings of vegetables and two servings of fruit each day. Include two servings of fat each day and consume sugars and alcohol in moderation.
Features
A balanced vegetarian or vegan diet will usually provide plenty of vitamins, nutrients and ample quantities of most minerals. Vegetarian diets are usually high in fiber and relatively low in fat. Although concerns about the quantity and quality of protein are common, most vegetarians easily consume an adequate amount of protein and will naturally combine vegetable proteins to create all necessary amino acids over the course of a day, according to vegetarian cookbook author Nava Atlas.
Warning
A vegetarian diet can make it somewhat more difficult to get adequate essential fatty acids, iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin D, according to the American Heart Association. Hemp and flax seed oil are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, while supplemented foods, such as soy milk and breakfast cereal, can provide vitamin D and vitamin B12. If you typically consume eggs and dairy products, you are much less likely to need supplemental vitamin D or B12. Include dark green vegetables, beans, whole grains and fortified cereals in your diet to keep your iron intake adequate.
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