The popularity of vegetarian diets is still rising. There are other benefits of eating vegetarianism in addition to its health advantages. A vegetarian diet may lower your chance of developing diabetes, heart disease, and several types of cancer.
However, some vegetarian diets could rely too much on processed foods that are high in calories, fat, sugar, and salt. There may be insufficient fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nutrient-dense foods in these diets.
A vegetarian diet can accommodate the needs of individuals of all ages, including those who are nursing or pregnant, with careful planning.
The secret is to know what nutrients you require in order to design a diet that satisfies them.
Vegetarian diet types
The foods that are included and excluded in vegetarian diets vary:
Foods including meat, fish, poultry, and eggs are not allowed in a lacto-vegetarian diet. Dairy items include things like butter, cheese, yogurt, and milk.
Eggs are permitted on an ovo-vegetarian diet, but no meat, poultry, fish, or dairy products are allowed.
Diets that are lacto-ovo vegetarian permit dairy products and eggs but prohibit meat, fish, and fowl.
Pescatarian diets accept fish but forgo dairy, eggs, and beef and poultry.
Vegans abstain from eating foods that contain any form of meat, fowl, fish, eggs, or dairy.
Some people eat largely plant-based diets, but occasionally or in modest amounts, they also consume dairy, eggs, chicken, and fish. This diet is also referred to as flexitarian at times.
Organizing a nutritious vegetarian diet
A vegetarian diet should be optimized by selecting a range of nutritious plant-based meals. Whole grains and fruits and vegetables are among them. Legumes, including beans, lentils, and peanuts, as well as nuts, are regarded as nutritious plant-based diets.
Reduce your intake of less healthful options at the same time. These include fruit juices, processed cereals, and beverages with added sugar. You can design a vegetarian diet that works for you with the assistance of a registered dietitian.
Vegetarian diet: Daily amounts based on 2,000-calorie diet
| Food group* | Daily amount |
|---|---|
| *All foods are assumed to be in nutrient-dense form, lean or low-fat, and prepared without added fats, sugars, refined starches or salt. | |
| Source: 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans | |
| Vegetables | 2 1/2 cups a day |
| Fruits | 2 cups a day |
| Grains (mostly whole) | 6 1/2 ounces a day |
| Dairy | 3 cups a day |
| Proteins | 3 1/2 ounces a day |
| Oils | 27 grams a day |
Remember that getting all the nutrients you require can become more difficult the more items you exclude from your diet. For example, a vegan diet eliminates dairy products, which are high in calcium, and naturally occurring food sources of vitamin B-12.
Pay close attention to the following nutrients in your diet to ensure that it is giving your body what it needs:
D and calcium
Building and maintaining strong teeth and bones are aided by calcium. Calcium content is higher in milk and dairy products. If you consume enough dark green veggies, they are good sources of plant material. Kale, broccoli, collard greens, and turnips are a few examples. Supplementary choices consist of fortified and calcium-enriched goods. Certain juices, cereals, soy yogurt, soy milk, and tofu all contain calcium.
Bone health is another area in which vitamin D is crucial. Certain brands of soy and rice milk, cow’s milk, cereals, and margarines all include vitamin D. Always read food labels. Individuals who don’t get enough sun exposure or who don’t eat enough foods fortified with vitamin D may wish to discuss vitamin D supplementation with their healthcare physician. Vitamin D supplements made from plants are available.
Vitamin B-12
Red blood cell production and the prevention of anemia depend on vitamin B-12. Anemia is a disease where the body lacks sufficient healthy red blood cells to supply oxygen to every region of the body. It can be challenging to obtain adequate vitamin B-12 on a vegan diet because it is nearly entirely found in animal sources. A vegan diet may hide a vitamin B-12 deficit from detection. This is due to the high folate content of vegan diets, which can conceal vitamin B-12 deficiencies. This is why vitamin supplements, vitamin-enriched cereals, and fortified soy products should be taken into consideration by vegans.
Protein: Protein maintains the health of the skin, muscles, bones, and organs. You don’t need to eat a lot of food to reach your protein requirements; eggs and dairy products are ideal options. You can get adequate protein by eating a range of plant-based foods throughout the day. Legumes, nuts, seeds, legume products, and meat alternatives made from soy are examples of plant sources.
Fatty acids omega-3
Fish, soybeans, ground flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil, and soy oil are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids. The two forms of omega-3 fatty acids known as DHA and EPA may be insufficient in vegetarian diets devoid of seafood. Consuming EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of heart disease, according to some research. Additionally, the fetal development during pregnancy may benefit from these two omega-3s. There is conflicting research on EPA and DHA’s other health impacts. For those who are vegetarians and don’t consume fish or omega-3 fatty acid sources in their diet, they might want to think about include fortified foods in their diet.
Zinc and Iron
Red blood cells depend on iron. Iron-rich foods include dry beans and peas, lentils, whole-grain goods, enriched cereals, dark leafy green vegetables, and dried fruit. However, the body takes longer to absorb iron from plant sources than it does from animal sources. As a result, vegans should consume nearly twice as much iron as non-vegetarians do. Consume vitamin C-rich foods concurrently with iron-containing foods to aid in your body’s absorption of iron from plants. Citrus fruits, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, and cabbage are foods high in vitamin C.
Zinc is not as readily absorbed from plant sources as it is from animal products, similar to iron. Zinc can be obtained by pescatarians via fish, particularly crab and shrimp. If you consume dairy products, you can get zinc via cheese and yogurt. Wheat germ, beans, almonds, lentils, whole grains, and soy products are examples of plant sources. Zinc aids in cell growth and protein synthesis in the body. Particularly the immune system and vision are supported by zinc, according to dietary research.
iodine
Iodine is a component of thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones have a major impact on muscle growth and assist regulate the body’s metabolism. Iodized salt makes it simple to add iodine to cuisine. Iodine can also be found in dairy products and seafood. Individuals who avoid seafood and dairy products run the danger of not getting enough iodine if they don’t use iodized salt. The thyroid may enlarge in response to a lack of iodine as it attempts to supply the body with thyroid hormones. It’s known as a goiter when it affects the thyroid. For dietary iodine, seaweed is a vegetarian option.
Commencing
Cutting back on meat gradually is one approach to begin a vegetarian diet. Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet at the same time. To get you going, consider these pointers:
Increase the ante. Increase how many vegetarian meals, like stir-fried vegetables or pasta with tomato sauce, you eat each week. Look for ways to incorporate greens into your meals every day. Kale, collards, Swiss chard, and spinach are all excellent choices.
Change it out. Try making your favorite recipes meatless. Make vegetarian chili, for instance, by omitting the ground beef and adding an additional can of black beans.
Or substitute extra-firm tofu for the chicken when making fajitas. You might be shocked to see how many foods can be made vegetarian by making a few easy adjustments.
Expand your horizons. Look up vegetarian menus on the internet. Obtain or check out vegetarian cookbooks. To try new vegetarian foods, visit ethnic restaurants. You can fulfill all of your nutritional demands by including more diversity into your vegetarian diet.
