A vegetarian diet can mean different things to different people, but it generally involves eating little to no meat. The nutritional value of vegetarian meals depends on the specific ingredients used. It is possible to create a healthy menu from strictly vegetarian options when care is taken to include all of the nutrients your body needs.
Types
A vegan diet contains no animal products whatsoever, which means that it consists mostly of plant products such as fruits, vegetables and grains. Vegans may also include mushrooms or other fungi and other non-animal life, such as algae, in their diet. A lacto-vegetarian diet may include dairy products in addition to plants. Lacto-ovo vegetarians add eggs to a lacto-vegetarian diet. Partial vegetarians may exclude some animals, such as beef, pork or lamb, while continuing to eat other forms, such as poultry, fish or seafood.
Overall Nutrition
A well-planned vegetarian diet can be a healthy way to eat, especially since using vegetables, fruits and whole grains as the basis for a diet is recommended by a range of organizations, including the USDA MyPyramid site, the American Dietetic Association, the Mayo Clinic and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to MayoClinic.com, a healthy vegetarian diet should contain six servings of grains, five servings of legumes, nuts or other protein-rich foods, four servings of vegetables, two servings of fruit and two servings of healthy fats every day.
Nutrients of Concern
Vegetarians should pay close attention to their intake of protein and iron, since these nutrients are typically derived mainly from animal sources in most people's diets. Many plants provide incomplete proteins, which must be combined with other sources to get all of the necessary amino acids your body needs. Fortunately, these combinations are easy to make, such as beans and rice or peanut butter and bread. Vitamin B12 is also of concern, since it is not produced by plants but only found in animal products or supplement form. Some vegetarians may also need to increase their intake of zinc, vitamin D, iodine, omega-3 fatty acids and riboflavin.
Special Circumstances
Children who follow a vegetarian diet should be carefully monitored to ensure that they receive all of the nutrition they need for growth and development. Vegetarian children are especially at risk for becoming deficient in calcium, riboflavin, protein and vitamins B12 and D. Vegan children and pregnant women both require vitamin B12 supplements to make up for the lack of this nutrient because deficiencies can cause developmental problems.
Considerations
A vegetarian diet is not automatically healthy just because it doesn't contain meat. Replacing meat with high-fat cheeses or junk food can significantly affect the nutritional value of your meals. Eliminating meat can help keep levels of dietary cholesterol and saturated fat low, but other unhealthy ingredients can be found in vegetarian foods, such as trans fats and added sugar.
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