Vegetarian Diets

What is a vegetarian?
It is a general term to describe people who exclude poultry, fish, meat or other animal derived foods from their diets.

What is a lactovegetarian?
It describe people who include milk products and milk in their diet but exclude poultry, fish, meat, eggs and seafood from their diets.

What is a lacto-ovo-vegetarian?
It describe people who include milk products, milk and eggs to their diet but exclude poultry, fish, meat and seafood from their diets.

Click on the link below to learn more about vegetarian diets, their health benefits, their diet planning and how their Food Guide Pyramid look.



A macrobiotic diet is an extremely restrictive diet limited to vegetables and grains, it is based on metaphysical beliefs and not on nutrition.

What is meat replacements?
It is products that is formulated to taste and look like poultry, fish or meat, and it is usually made of textured vegetable protein.

Tempeh is a fermented soybean food that is rich in fibre and protein.

A textured vegetable protein is processed soybean protein that is used in vegetarian products like soy burgers.

Tofu is a curd that is made from soybeans.  They are rich in Calcium and Protein, and they are used in many vegetarian and Asian dishes to replace meat.

Reasons for being a vegetarian:
Physical health, philosophical concerns and ecological responsibility.
Also world hunger issues, ethical concerns, economic reasons or religious beliefs is motivating factors.

Vegetarians are categorized by their foods. 
They choose to exclude certain foods.  Some only exclude red meat, some also exclude chicken or fish, some also exclude eggs, and others also exclude milk and milk products.
Vegetarians include a variety of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruits, carbohydrates, fibres, vitamins, minerals and a little fat which all promote health and reduce obesity.

The health benefits of a vegetarian diet.
They typically maintain a healthy weight, use little if any alcohol, use no tobacco or illicit drugs and they are physically active.  Research suggest that well planned vegetarian diets give health benefits to adults and sound nutrition. 
They usually have a healthier body weight than non-vegetarians. 
Body weight can increase in frequency with meat consumption.  Vegetarians lower body weight work with the higher intake of fibre and lower fat intake.  Obesity impair health that give vegetarians a health advantage. 
They usually have lower blood pressure and hypertension. 
The Appropriate body weight maintain a healthy blood pressure, and the low fat and saturated fat in a diet with a high fibre, vegetables and fruit go with low blood pressure.  Other lifestyle factors such as smoking and alcohol intake can raise blood pressure and physical activity lower it.
Vegetarians have lower incidence of heart disease and related deaths than meat eaters.
Saturated animal fat is related to heart disease, in general vegetarian diets are lower in total fat, cholesterol and saturated fat.  The fats in plant-based diets is monounsaturated fats of nuts, olives and seeds and the polyunsaturated fats of vegetable oils.  These are associated with a low risk of heart disease.  Vegetarian diets is higher in dietary fibre that control blood lipids that protect against heart disease.
Vegetarian diets include soy products such as tofu and these foods offer additional health benefits.
Even when their intakes of carbohydrates, energy, total fat, unsaturated fat, saturated fat, protein, alcohol and fibre are the same, people who eat tofu have lower triglyceride levels and lower blood cholesterol than those who eat meat.  Soy products such as tofu have phytochemicals that has the ability to lower blood cholesterol.
Vegetarians have a lower rate of cancer.
It may be due to their high intake of vegetables and fruits.
Not only do they have a lower rate in cancer in general but also lower incidence of cancer  in specific areas, most notable, colon cancer.
People with colon cancer eat more saturated fat, more meat, and fewer vegetables.  A High-fat, low-fibre and high-protein diet create an environment in the colon that promote cancer in some people.  Stomach cancer is also associate with a high-meat diet.

Planning a vegetarian diet.
It is the same as meal planning with any other person, you have to use a variety of foods that deliver the needed nutrients within an energy allowance that will maintain a healthy body weight, you are just doing it with fewer options.
If you include milk products and eggs you can get most nutrients.  These diets give enough protein, energy and other nutrients to support growth in children, adolescents and the health of adults.
There is a few modifications to the Daily Food Guide Pyramid. 
Peanut butter, tempeh and tofu gets used in the place of meat.  Soy milk can replace milk.  Tofu is fortified with Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and Calcium.  Dark green vegetables and legumes help with zinc and iron needs.
There is a few food guides made for vegetarian diets. 
They address nutrition concerns.  Vegetable and fruit groups emphasize on good sources of Iron and Calcium.  Green leafy vegetables provide five times as much Calcium per serving.  Dried fruits provides six times as much Iron.  Seeds and nuts are sources of Iron, Protein, Essential Fatty Acids and Zinc.  Vegetable oils are rich in unsaturated fats and Omega 3 Fatty Acids.  Beans, protein foods and soy milks are in the dairy group.  They ensure adequate intakes of Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and Calcium.  They need to select fortified foods or use supplements daily.
Most vegetarians get large quantities of nutrients such as: Thiamine, Vitamins B6, C, A, E and Foliate, but they can lack nutrients such as Iron, Calcium, Vitamin D, B12, and Zinc.