A vegetarian diet emphasizes plant foods over animal ones. Vegans consume no animal products at all, while lacto-vegetarians consume dairy, and lacto-ovo vegetarians consume dairy and eggs. A vegetarian diet can provide all the nutrients a person needs as long as dishes are prepared in a healthy manner and a variety of foods are consumed.
Proteins
Vegetarians who eat eggs and dairy can use these foods to make healthy vegetarian meals that meet their protein needs. Healthy, protein-complete vegan dishes combine beans and grains, include tempeh, tofu, soy beans and soy milk, or use rice, peas and hemp proteins to meet daily requirements. Nuts and seeds also provide a source of protein. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Pyramid recommends that the average adult get a minimum of five 1-oz. servings of protein dishes daily. One-half oz. of nuts or ¼ cup of beans counts as one of these servings. Healthy vegetarian dishes include one to two servings of vegetarian protein.
Healthy Dish Features
Healthy vegetarian dishes are based on fresh vegetables and fruits, along with whole grains. Eating a variety of foods ensures exposure to a wide range of nutrients. Instead of the same banana at breakfast, romaine salad at lunch and steamed broccoli with rice at dinner, healthy vegetarian dishes should involve a constant rotation of colorful foods and various grains. Include colored peppers, berries, eggplants, cauliflower, beans, sea vegetables and leafy greens like arugula, kale and watercress along with more commonly eaten produce. Go beyond oatmeal and brown rice to try grains like barley, quinoa, amaranth and teff.
Sample Dishes
Healthy vegetarian breakfasts can include low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese with ½ oz. of chopped almonds and fresh blueberries. A healthy vegan breakfast could consist of a fresh fruit smoothie made with soy milk, frozen bananas and cashew butter. Vegetarians do not always have to eat salad at lunchtime. A lunch can consist of Thai black rice with stir-fried tofu, broccoli and water chestnuts or whole-grain pasta topped with diced tomatoes, white beans and broccoli. At dinner, make an Indian curry with lentils, coconut milk and tamarind and serve with roasted potatoes or black bean chili with carrots, zucchini and corn tortillas. Snacks such as hummus and red pepper strips, nut butter with apples and hemp shakes with peanut butter and almond milk provide nutrition for those following a vegan diet.
Fats
Healthy vegetarian meals are not free of all fat. Unsaturated fats, such as those found in nuts, avocados and seeds, support important bodily functions. Favorable effects on blood cholesterol result when these fats are eaten in place of saturated fats, found in animal products, and trans fats, found in manufactured snacks and fried foods, says the American Heart Association. Vegetarians, on average, eat about 35 percent of their daily calories from fat, notes the Vegetarian Society.
Misconceptions
Vegetarian dishes are not automatically healthy. Many junk foods, like potato chips, refined flour products, such as white pasta, and products made with highly processed soy, like veggie dogs, contain a lot of calories, sodium, trans fats, flavor enhancers and preservatives. Cheese, if consumed in large amounts, can result in too much saturated fat intake.
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