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McKesson Clinical Reference Systems: Women's Health Advisor 2002.2
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Vegetarian Diet (Adults)
What is a vegetarian diet?
A vegetarian diet is a diet that avoids meat. This includes
all animal meat, poultry, and fish. People who have a
vegetarian diet are called vegetarians. 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-lactovegetarians. People who do not
eat any animal products (including honey) are called vegans.
Semi- or partial-vegetarians sometimes eat meat (usually
poultry or fish).
What are the advantages of a vegetarian diet?
A well-planned vegetarian diet has health advantages. By
not eating meat, you consume less cholesterol and saturated
fat. Vegetarians are less likely to have heart disease,
gallstones, stroke, and certain types of cancer. They are
also less likely to be overweight, which can cause such
health problems as diabetes.
All the rules for a healthy diet (such as eating a variety
of foods in moderate amounts and trying to get the
nutrients you need) still apply in a vegetarian diet.
Ensuring you get all the nutrients you need for a healthy
vegetarian diet may take more effort than having a diet that
includes meat.
Will I get all the nutrients I need in a vegetarian diet?
If the diet is well planned, a vegetarian diet is safe. If
a vegetarian diet is too restricted, it may be unhealthy.
Some nutrients may be missing. For example, if you eat
potato chips and meatless pizza, and drink sodas, you may
not be getting important nutrients such as iron and calcium.
Vegetarians may need to make a special effort to get enough
calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin B-6, and vitamin
B-12.
- Calcium: Calcium may be very low in vegan diets, when no
animal products are eaten. Good sources of calcium
include broccoli, legumes (peas, beans, lentils), tofu,
calcium-fortified orange juice, collard greens, and
fortified soymilk. If you are a vegan, discuss with your
health care provider how you can get enough calcium. You
may need to take calcium supplements.
- Iron: Typical vegetarian diets usually provide enough
iron. The problem with iron is that it is difficult for the
body to absorb. Iron in meat, poultry, and fish is absorbed
much better than iron from plants. Eating foods containing
vitamin C when you eat foods that contain iron helps the body
to absorb the iron better.
- Zinc: Vegetarians sometimes don't eat enough zinc because
it is not present in many plant foods. Plant foods that do
contain zinc include legumes (peas, beans, lentils),
tofu, corn, and whole grains.
- Vitamin B-6: Also known as pyridoxine, vitamin B-6 is
found in legumes (peas, beans, lentils), sweet potatoes,
corn, soybeans, and avocados.
- Vitamin B-12: Vegans need supplemental vitamin B-12 since
it is available naturally only in animal products.
Vitamin B-12 is added to some fortified cereals,
fortified soymilk, and some meat substitutes. It is
found naturally in diary products and eggs.
- Vitamin D: Vegans often have diets that have low amounts
of vitamin D. Vitamin D is made in the skin when the
skin is exposed to direct sunshine, so some vegetarians
may need more outdoor activity or vitamin D supplements.
Vitamin D is added to some fortified cereals and
fortified soymilk.
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 protein in 2 ounces of meat.
Nuts are high in protein but also have a lot of fat compared
to beans. Enjoy them in moderation. 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
- difficulty breathing.
Check with your health care provider if you are worried about
vitamin or mineral deficiency.
Where can I get more information about vegetarianism?
Additional information on vegetarianism can be found at your
local library. Several internet Web sites have information
about vegetarian diets and vegetarian recipes. Some helpful
sites include: http://www.VRG.org,
http://www.pcrm.org/health/Info_on_Veg_Diets/index.html, and
http://www.eatright.org.
When should I call my health care provider?
Call during office hours if:
- You are not sure if your diet is adequate.
- You would like more specific information about nutrition
and being vegetarian.
- You have other questions or concerns.
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