Vegetarian Diet (Adults)

What is a vegetarian diet?

A vegetarian diet is a diet that does not include meat. People who follow a vegetarian diet are called vegetarians. They do not eat animal meat, poultry, or fish. Many vegetarians also do not eat other animal products such as gelatin, rennet (used in making cheese), and animal fats (often used in cooking).

Vegetarians who include eggs and dairy products in their diets are called ovo-lacto vegetarians. People who do not eat any animal products (including honey) are called vegans.

Semi or partial vegetarians sometimes eat poultry or fish but not beef or pork.

What are the advantages of a vegetarian diet?

A well-planned vegetarian diet can be good for your health. By not eating meat, you consume less cholesterol and saturated fat. This may reduce your risk of heart disease, gallstones, stroke, and certain types of cancer.

Will I get all of the nutrients I need in a vegetarian diet?

All of the rules for a healthy diet are also true for a vegetarian diet. You still need to eat a variety of foods in moderate amounts. Getting all of the nutrients you need, however, may take more effort than when your diet includes meat. It is even more challenging to get all of the necessary nutrients from a vegan diet that does not include eggs or dairy products.

If the diet is well planned, a vegetarian diet is safe. If a vegetarian diet is too restricted or too high in sweets, sodas, and snack foods, some important nutrients will be missing and the diet may be unhealthy. Even if you eat healthy salads with whole grains and drink fruit juice, you may not be getting enough important nutrients such as protein, iron, and calcium.

Ovo-lacto vegetarians typically get enough calcium, vitamin D, protein, riboflavin, and B-12 because these nutrients are in milk, other dairy products, and eggs. Iron and zinc may still be lacking and may need to be supplemented.

It is getting easier to eat a healthy vegan diet because so many fortified and convenience foods such as soy milk, meat analogs (veggie burgers and dogs), and frozen entrees are available now. However, vegans may still need to make a special effort to get enough calcium, iron, zinc, riboflavin, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids, especially as they get older. Both calcium and vitamin D absorption decrease with age. This affects bone health and increases the risk of fractures. Your ability to absorb B-12 also decreases with age. You need vitamin B-12 for normal nerve function.

• Calcium: The amount of calcium in your diet may be too low if you are not eating any animal products. Good nondairy sources of calcium that vegans can eat are tofu prepared with calcium (nigan), pink salmon with bones, bok choy, collard greens, blackstrap molasses, and legumes (peas, beans, lentils). Breakfast cereals, orange juice, and soy drinks that are fortified with calcium are also good sources of calcium. Keep in mind that the calcium found in plant foods and even some fortified foods is not easily absorbed. Try to choose fortified foods with no more than 500 milligrams (mg) of calcium per serving. Calcium is absorbed better in smaller amounts throughout the day. If you are a vegan, discuss with your healthcare provider how you can get enough calcium. You may need to take calcium supplements.
• Iron: Typical vegetarian diets provide enough iron. The problem is that the body does not easily absorb iron. Iron in meat, poultry, and fish is absorbed much better than iron from plants. Eat foods containing vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, broccoli, and tomatoes, when you eat plant foods that contain iron. Eating these foods together helps the body to absorb the iron better. Good nonmeat iron sources are fortified cereals, soybeans, legumes (peas, beans, lentils), potatoes baked with their skins, spinach, blackstrap molasses, prune juice, prunes, raisins, and apricots.
• Zinc: Zinc is not as easily absorbed from plant foods as it is from animal products. Because of this, vegetarians may need up to 50% more zinc than people who eat meat. It is very important for vegetarians to include good sources of zinc in their diet. Plant foods that do contain zinc are fortified whole grains and cereals, legumes (peas, beans, lentils, peanuts), nuts and seeds, and soy foods (soy beans, soy milk, tofu, tempeh, and fortified veggie meats).
• Riboflavin: Milk and eggs are good sources of riboflavin. Good nonanimal sources of this vitamin are fortified cereals and soy milk, almonds, asparagus, bananas, legumes, sweet potatoes, tofu, wheat germ, and enriched breads.
• Vitamin B-12: Vegans need supplemental vitamin B-12 because it is available naturally only in animal products. Vitamin B-12 is added to some fortified cereals, fortified soy milk, nutritional yeasts, and some meat substitutes. When you read food labels, look for the words cyanocobalamin or cobalamin in the ingredient list. These are the forms of Vitamin B-12 that are most easily absorbed. This vitamin is found naturally in dairy products and eggs.
• Vitamin D: Vegans often have diets that have low amounts of vitamin D. This vitamin is routinely added to milk, so it is not a problem for vegetarians who drink milk. It is rarely added to other dairy products, such as cheese or yogurt, but it is often added to fortified cereals and fortified soy milk. Your skin makes vitamin D when it is exposed to direct sunshine, so spending some time outdoors is important. Many vegetarians take vitamin D supplements to make sure that they are getting enough.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: It is recommended that vegetarians include good sources of linolenic acid (omega 3) in their diet. Omega-3 fatty acids are naturally found in fish and eggs. Plant foods high in linolenic acid are flaxseed and flaxseed oil, canola oil, walnuts, soybeans, and soybean oil.

There are many nonanimal sources of protein. To start, get in the habit of having some kind of cooked beans (legumes) every day. Some examples of legumes are lentils; peanuts; split peas; pinto beans; soy (beans, tofu, tempeh); garbanzo beans; and black, white, kidney, and navy beans. One cup of cooked beans gives you the same amount of protein as 2 ounces of meat. Nuts are a good source of protein as well, but they are also high in fat and calories. If you are watching your weight, you should eat no more than 1/4 cup of nuts per day. Most importantly, eat a wide variety of foods.

How do I know if I am eating healthfully?

If you are not getting enough vitamins or minerals, you may have symptoms such as:

• skin rashes
• a painful, swollen tongue
• fatigue
• irritability
• pale skin
• mental slowness
• trouble breathing.

Check with your healthcare provider if you are worried about not getting enough vitamins or minerals.

Where can I get more information about vegetarianism?

Additional information on vegetarianism can be found at your local library. Several Web sites have information about vegetarian diets and vegetarian recipes. Some helpful sites include:

• http://www.VRG.org
• http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/nutritionfaq.html
• http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/index.html (available in Spanish)
• http://www.eatright.org.

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Call your provider during office hours if:

• You are not sure if your diet is healthy.
• You would like more information about nutrition and a vegetarian diet.
• You have other questions or concerns.