A vegetarian diet is one where you focus on the consumption of fruits and vegetables; generally, meat, poultry and fish are not consumed. Vegetarian lifestyles can be followed for a variety of reasons: religious, cultural or personal, and there are several kinds of these diets. However, because specific foods are avoided in a vegetarian diet, you must ensure you are consuming the proper alternatives to supply your body with its required nutrients for optimum health.
Types of Vegetarian Diets
The most restrictive of vegetarian diets are vegan diets. These diets exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products, as well as any foods that contain these products. Lacto-vegetarian diets still exclude meat and egg products, but dairy products like cheese, yogurt, milk and butter are allowed. Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets shun only meat, poultry and fish while embracing eggs and dairy products. There are also semi-vegetarian diets where you may include fish but exclude meats, or include all meat, poultry and fish in small instances.
Health of Vegetarian Diets
A big concern with vegetarian diets is replacing meats with healthy alternatives such as soy, whole-wheat grains and unsaturated fats. The American Heart Association states that vegetarians have a lower risk of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, some forms of cancer and diabetes. Vegetarian diets can become unhealthy if you consume too many calories and saturated fat while not getting all of the nutrients that you need.
Nutrients and Foods to Consider
When planning your vegetarian meals, you need to make sure that you are getting all the nutrients that you need. Protein may be a concern to vegetarians, since many Americans get protein from meat sources. However, the American Heart Association explains that plants can give you all the proteins that you need. In fact, soy proteins have been shown to be equal to animal protein in terms of quality.
You will need to include certain foods that have iron in your vegetarian diet. Many vegetarians have to take iron supplements because the richest source of iron can be found in red meat, liver and egg yolk. Food sources that vegetarians can eat for iron include dried fruits, brewer's yeast, spinach, dried beans and enriched products. The American Heart Association states that consuming enough vitamin B-12 is also a problem for vegetarians. This nutrient can be obtained through some fortified breakfast cereals, fortified soy beverages and some brands of brewer's yeast.
Recommended Daily Servings for Vegetarians
In order to make healthy choices for your daily meals, MayoClinic.com recommends that you start with grains. You need six servings of healthy grains daily. Get five servings per day of legumes, nuts and other protein-rich foods. Next are your vegetables and fruits: you need to include four servings per day, two of which should be fruit. Finally, you need to make sure that you are eating two servings of healthy, unsaturated fats daily.
Healthy Vegetarian Diet Suggestions
When planning your meals, choose fat-free or low-fat milk varieties. Keep your sweets and fatty foods intake at a minimum, as these provide only empty calories. Grains should be whole or unrefined whenever possible. If you choose the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, know that egg yolks are high in cholesterol, so limit the use of these foods or choose liquid egg supplements.
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