VEGETARIANS DIET

The simplest definition of vegetarianism is a diet free of meat, fish, and fowl flesh. But eating habits of vegetarians cover a wide spectrum. At one end are lacto-ovo vegetarians who avoid animal flesh but eat eggs and milk products. At the other end are vegans, who forego eating (and often wearing) all animal-based products, honey included. Raw foodists are vegans who eat mainly raw fruits, vegetables, legumes, sprouts, and nuts.

There are also pescatarians, vegetarians who eat fish and seafood, and lacto-vegetarians, who eat dairy products but not eggs. Fruitarians follow a diet that includes fruits, nuts, seeds, and other plant food. Those who follow a macrobiotic diet eat mostly grains but can also eat fish. They don't necessarily identify as vegetarians.

Reasons for Becoming a Vegetarian

Many adherents of vegetarianism and veganism -- Beatle Paul McCartney and actor Alec Baldwin are a few celebrities who happily promote the cause -- regard a flesh-free diet not only as more healthful, but as a more ethical way to live. They point to the cruel practices and the high environmental cost of raising animals for food as a few reasons for excluding meat from the diet.

Most Americans, however, continue to eat some form of meat or fish. A 2008 Harris Interactive survey commissioned by Vegetarian Times put the number of Americans who do not eat meat or fish at 3.2%, or 7.3 million adults.

Vegetarianism and Health

Most doctors and nutritionists agree that a low-fat diet high in fruits, vegetables, and nuts can be a boon to health. There is also widespread acknowledgment that reducing or eliminating red meat from the diet cuts the risk of heart disease.

Research also has shown that a plant-based diet can improve the health of people with type 2 diabetes. A study in 2004 and 2005 showed that people with diabeteswho followed a low-fat vegan diet had less of a need for diabetes medications. They lost weight and their insulin sensitivity increased. They had improved glycemic and lipid control.

Does Being a Vegetarian Lower Cancer Risk?

Whether being a vegetarian or a vegan lowers cancer risk is less clear. This is mainly because of the diversity within the vegetarian population. Studies, however, have suggested that people who do not eat meat have a lower risk of prostate and gastrointestinal cancers.

Many of the cancer/vegetarian studies often conclude that diets rich in fiber, carotenoids (found in carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach), vitamins, minerals, and isoflavones (found in soybeans and legumes),seem to protect against disease, including cancer. This is in concert with a health-conscious lifestyle.

A British study of 11,000 vegetarians and healthy eaters concluded that daily consumption of fruit was associated with a 20%-plus reduction in mortality from heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and cancers of the stomach, lung,pancreas, large intestine, and rectum. Researchers, however, didn't account for the kind of diet practiced by study participants (whether they ate dairy and fish or drank alcohol, for example). They also didn't check to see if their diets had changed over the course of the 17-year study.

Does Being a Vegetarian Lower Cancer Risk? continued...

A 1998 Dutch survey of 150,000 vegetarians concluded that the benefit of a vegetarian diet comes not just from excluding meat but in eating more whole grains,fruits and vegetables, legumes, and nuts.

Researchers who conducted an 11-year study in Germany came to a similar conclusion. They examined the relationship between a vegetarian diet and coloncancer among 1,900 vegetarians. Researchers noted fewer deaths from cancers of the stomach and colon and even the lung in study participants -- particularly among those who practiced some form of vegetarianism for at least 20 years. They suggested, however, that other factors, like body weight and amount of exercise, likely affected mortality rates in the vegetarians they studied.

Vegetarianism and Nutrition

A vegetarian diet can be a healthy diet, but vegetarians -- especially vegans -- need to make sure they're getting enough vitamin B12, calcium, and iron.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics warns of the risk of vitamin B12 deficiencies in strict vegetarians (vegans). Vitamin B12 is found naturally only in animal products. A lack of vitamin B12 can lead to anemia and blindness. It can also cause muscle weakness, tingling, and numbness.

Calcium is another nutrient that may be lacking in some vegetarian diets. Ovo-vegetarians, who eat eggs but not dairy, need to find foods that compensate for the missing calcium from their diets. Dark green vegetables are a good source of calcium.

Lacto-vegetarians (who don't eat eggs) also need to boost their intake of B12 and iron.

A vegan diet, in particular, may lead to an increased risk of deficiencies of vitamin B12, vitamin B2, calcium, iron, and zinc. To counteract the increased risk, vegans should include B12 supplements, or fortified cereals and veggie burgers in their diets.

Is a Vegan Diet Safe During Pregnancy?

The warnings are a bit more urgent for pregnant and lactating women who are vegan. Having a vitamin B12 deficiency, particularly, has been shown to impair neurological development in infants nursed by vegetarian mothers. A lack of vitamin D and calcium also can result in bone demineralization in breastfeeding women.

Similarly, young children (under 5) reared on vegetarian and vegan diets can suffer impaired growth. That's because of a vitamin B12 deficiency, which can also result in anemia and rickets. Yet a well planned diet can meet all the nutritional needs.

Absorbable calcium is critical, too, for vegans and ovo-vegetarians to protect against weak bones that can lead to osteoporosis.

Key Nutrients for Vegetarians and Vegans

The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers dietary guidelines for vegetarians of all stripes on its web site. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) is also a good source for dietary recommendations.

Regardless of the kind of meat-free diet practiced, vegetarians should focus on getting enough protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12. They also need riboflavin, linolenic acid, and vitamin D.

Here are some ways for vegetarians to incorporate these nutrients into their diets:

• Protein: Is found in tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers, beans, nuts and nut butters, eggs.
• Iron: Eggs, fortified breakfast cereals, soy-based foods, dried prunes and apricots, nuts beans, legumes, whole-wheat bread, and baked potatoes are rich in iron.
• Calcium, which builds bone, is plentiful in cheese, yogurt and milk. Ovo-vegetarians and vegans can get it in soy products, legumes, almonds, sesame tahini, calcium-fortified orange juice, and dark, leafy vegetables like collard greens and bok choy.
• Zinc, which boosts the immune system, is ample in soybeans and soymilk, veggie "meats," eggs, cheese and yogurt, fortified breakfast cereals, nuts, breads, mushrooms, and peas. Wheat germ and pumpkin seeds also have high zinc content
• Vitamin B12: Soy-based beverages, some breakfast cereals, and fortified veggie "meats" are all good sources of vitamin B12
• Riboflavin: Almonds, fortified cereals, cow's milk, yogurt, mushrooms, and soy milk are riboflavin-rich foods.
• Linolenic acid (omega-6): Canola oil and flaxseeds and flaxseed oil contain linolenic acid, along with soybeans, tofu, walnuts, and walnut oil.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Cold-water fish, such as salmon and mackerel, are high in omega-3 fatty acids For vegetarians who do not eat fish, good sources of omega-3s are flaxseed, walnut, soy and canola oils. Supplements are fine, too.