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Vegetarian Eating: Part 1

Are you meeting your nutrient requirements?

A vegetarian diet can be truly healthy as many plant foods are low in saturated fat and high in phyto-nutrients vitamins, minerals and fiber. However this way of eating does require careful planning to ensure your diet is well balanced including the necessary nutrients your body needs.

There are categories of vegetarians that you may fall into:

  • Lacto–ovo vegetarian: Lacto–ovo vegetarians don’t eat meat, fish or poultry, but do eat eggs and dairy products.
  • Lacto vegetarian: Lacto vegetarians don’t eat meat, fish, poultry or eggs, but do eat dairy products.
  • Ovo vegetarian: Ovo vegetarians don’t eat meat, fish, poultry or dairy, but do eat eggs
  • Pesci–vegetarian: Pesci–vegetarians eat fish, dairy, and eggs but don’t eat meat or poultry.
  • Vegan: Vegans avoid eating any animal products. They don’t eat any meat products, dairy, eggs, honey, or gelatin. Some vegans choose not to wear clothes containing animal products, such as leather, wool, or silk or any products that may have been tested on animals.

The next few blogs will look into the most important nutrients that you may be lacking in your diet

Protein

Protein is supporting important functions such as maintaining muscle and bone mass, and supporting the immune system. Protein from animal origin is of high quality as they provide all 9 essential amino acids while proteins from plan origin fall short on one or more of these amino acids. It is therefore important that vegans use good sources such as tofu, tempeh, soya, lentils and seitan.

Research shows that lacto-ovo vegetarians get the recommended daily amount of protein, which is easily obtained by consuming dairy products namely milk, yogurt, and cheese – not forgetting eggs.

Vitamin B12 

Vitamin B12 is important for the normal metabolism of our body cells and is only found in foods of animal origin. No unfortified plant foods contain a significant amount of vitamin B 12. Lacto-ovo vegetarians can obtain adequate amounts of Vitamin B12, but vegans should actively include Vitamin B 12 by consuming fortified soya/rice milk or breakfast cereals, or alternatively supplement with Vitamin B12.

How much B12 do we need?

We need 2.5mcg of Vitamin B12 is required per day.

Food Sources: Dairy Foods (e.g. milk, yoghurt and cheese), along with eggs, are the only vegetarian food items that naturally contain significant levels of vitamin B12. Plant foods may be fortified with B12 such as soy beverages, meat alternatives, and ready- to eat breakfast cereals. 

A daily B12 supplement (tablet) is necessary when B12 –fortified plant foods are not regularly consumed or a B12 injection on a monthly basis.

 

Keep an eye out for the next part to this blog where we will discuss Omega-3, Zinc and Iron requirements for vegetarians.

References:

  • “Position Of The American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets”. Journal of the American Dietetic Association7 (2009): 1266-1282. Web.
  • Doughman SD, Krupanidhi S, Sanjeevi CB. Omega-3 fatty acids for nutrition and medicine: Considering microalgae oil as a vegetarian source of EPA and DHA. Curr Diabetes Rev. 2007; 3(3):198-203.
  • Vegetarian Nutrition Evidence Analysis Library: http://www.eatright.org