Vegetarian Diets

People choose vegetarian diets for a number of reasons; an aversion to killing animals, a reluctance to eat meat, or a simple choice towards a different way of life.

There are a number of different vegetarian diets. Although it need not be a completely restrictive diet. The core theme across all vegetarian diets is the avoidance of all red meat (such as beef, lamb, and pork).

Types of Vegetarian

• Vegan - Eats no food sourced from animals
• Lacto-ovo - Includes milk and eggs.
• Lacto - Allows milk but will not eat eggs.
• Ovo - Eats eggs only - but no other animal foods.
• Pesco - Eats fish but no other animal foods (pescetarian)
• Pollo - Allows chicken
• Fruitarian (sub-set of vegan - includes only fruiting portion of plant).

As vegetarian diets are based on consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains, these diets are high in fiber. They have other health advantages in that they are normally lower in calories, saturated fat, and refined sugars.

With the correct understanding and careful planning, all types of vegetarian diet can provide adequate nutrition.

Nutrients to be aware of

The main nutrients that must be emphasized are; protein, iron, calcium, zinc, riboflavin, and vitamin B12.

Lacto/ovo diets provide protein by means of milk and egg white.

On a vegan diet, protein needs must be met by legumes (nuts, peas, lentils, beans, etc). Combining beans and other legumes with various dishes can provide the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of protein - normally a gram per kilogram of body weight. While Soy milk is an excellent source of protein, it has high estrogen levels which, being a factor in the physical maturing process, is undesirable for the vegan child. Calcium for vegans is available in vegetables like broccoli.

Typical Vegetarian Eating Plan

LACTO-OVO	LACTO	VEGAN
Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast
Cereal / cooked oats / muesli (granola) with full-cream / low-fat milk. Grapefruit / grapefruit juice Wholemeal toast with butter (or margarine) Full-cream or low-fat milk Water, tea, coffees, herbal tea	Cottage cheese Wholemeal toast with butter (or margarine) plus other spreads. Orange or orange juice Low-fat milk, water, tea, coffee, herbal tea.	Muesli (granola) or oatmeal with soya milk and honey or sugar. Wholemeal toast with margarine plus spreads. Orange or orange juice.
Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
Barley soup Mixed green salad with salad dressing Cottage cheese Wholemeal bread with butter (or margarine) Fruit	Bean soup Sesame crackers Salad Baked apple Low-fat milk	Split pea soup Wholemeal bread with margarine plus spreads Fruit and seed salad, and tofu ice cream
Dinner	Dinner	Dinner
Soya bean and brown rice casserole Bake pumpkin Coleslaw and mayonnaise Wholemeal bread with butter	Fresh fruit Vegetables Wholemeal bread roll with butter or margarine Fruit yogurt	Vegetable paella Spinach Pear
Snacks	Snacks	Snacks
Sunflower seeds Milk Popcorn Raisins Pear	Cheese Wholemeal crackers Prunes Roasted soya beans Wholemeal roll Buttermilk	Shelled almonds Peach Raisins

See Also

VegSoc.org - The Vegetarian Society
Vrg.org - The Vegetarian Resource Group