Description
A Vegetarian Diet is a variation of the Regular Diet in which certain or all foods of animal origin are excluded. A wide spectrum of dietary practices are considered vegetarian.
Ovolactovegetarian: Milk and milk products as well as eggs are the only animal products included.
Lactovegetarian: Milk and milk products are the only foods of animal origin included.
Ovovegetarian: Eggs are the only animal product included.
Total vegetarian (vegan): The diet consists of foods of plant origin only.
Indications
Vegetarian diets are adapted for a variety of health, ecological, economical, philosophical, and ethical reasons . Many epidemiologic data suggest a positive relationship between vegetarian lifestyles and risk reduction for several chronic degenerative diseases such as obesity, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and some types of cancer. However, this relationship likely is due to lifestyle factors in addition to diet .
Nutritional Adequacy
Vegetarian diets are healthful and nutritionally adequate when appropriately planned . The diet can be planned to meet the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) as outlined in the Statement on Nutritional Adequacy in Section IA. Nutrients that are often of concern are vitamins B12 and D, calcium, iron, zinc, and linolenic acid. All vegan children should have a reliable source of vitamin B12, and if sun exposure is limited, vitamin D supplements or fortified foods should be emphasized . Pregnant and lactating vegans should receive, respectively, supplements of 2 mg and 2.6 mg of vitamin B12 daily, and if sun exposure is limited, should have their diet supplemented with 10 mg of vitamin D .
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| I am vegetarian, are you? |
How to Order the Diet
Order as “Regular Diet – Vegetarian.” The patient’s particular dietary constraints will be considered.
Planning the Diet
A Vegetarian Diet can be made adequate by careful planning and by giving attention to the following guidelines:
· Keep to a minimum the intake of foods with low-nutrient density, such as sweets and fatty foods.
· Choose a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and, if desired, dairy products and eggs.
· Choose whole or unrefined grain products whenever possible, instead of refined products.
· If milk products are consumed, use lower fat versions.
· Include a regular source of vitamin B12, along with a source of vitamin D if sun exposure is limited.
Protein: Although vegetarian diets usually meet or exceed requirements for protein, they typically provide less protein than non-vegetarian diets.
The body’s need for essential amino acids can be met by consumption of animal or plant sources of protein. Although plant foods contain less of the essential amino acids than do equivalent quantities of animal foods, a plant-based diet can provide adequate amounts of amino acids when a varied diet is consumed on a daily basis. A mixture of different proteins from unrefined grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and vegetables will complement each other in their amino acid profiles so that deficits in one are made up by the others.
Different types of protein that complement each other should be eaten over the course of the day. However, since after absorption, amino acids from exogenous and endogenous sources combine in the body’s protein pool, it is not necessary that complementation of amino acid profiles be precise and present in the same meal .
Vitamin B12: A vegan should supplement his or her diet with vitamin B12 by using a cobalamin Although the requirement for vitamin B12 is minute, vegetarians must include a reliable source of vitamin B12 in their diets or be at risk of eventually developing a deficiency. Supplements are advised for all older vegetarians because absorption of vitamin B12 becomes less efficient as the body ages . Also, breast-fed vegan infants should receive a source of vitamin B12 if the mother’s diet is not supplemented . supplement or by selecting fortified foods such as fortified soy milk or breakfast cereals, to ensure an adequate intake of the active form of the nutrient.
Calcium: Calcium intake of ovolactovegetarians is comparable or higher than that of nonvegetarians. However, vegans’ intake of calcium is generally lower than that of either ovolactovegetarians or omnivores. It should be noted that vegans may have lower calcium needs than nonvegetarians because diets that are low in total protein and have more alkaline have been shown to have a calcium-sparing effect. If vegans do not meet calcium requirements from food, dietary supplements are recommended .
Vitamin D: Reliance on sunlight alone, particularly in northern climates or in cultures where most of the body is concealed in clothing, may not provide all of the vitamin D needed. A vitamin D supplement may be necessary for persons who do not ingest vitamin D-fortified milk products or cereals or do not obtain 5 to 15 minutes of exposure to sunlight daily (5), especially for dark-skinned individuals .
Energy: Vegan diets tend to be high in bulk, making it more challenging for them to meet energy needs, especially for infants, children, and adolescents. Frequent meals, snacks, and eating foods higher in fat can help vegetarian children meet energy needs .
Iron: The non-heme iron found in plant foods is more sensitive than heme iron to both inhibitors and enhancers of iron absorption . Western vegetarians have a relatively high intake of iron from plant foods, such as dark-green leafy vegetables, iron-fortified cereals, and whole grains. Although vegetarian diets are higher in total iron than nonvegetarian diets, iron stores are lower because iron from plant foods are poorly absorbed. However, the frequency of anemia is not any higher in the vegetarian population than in the nonvegetarian population. Vegetarians’ higher vitamin C intake may improve their iron absorption.
Zinc: Vegetarians should strive to meet or exceed the DRI for zinc due to the low bioavailability of zinc from plant sources and because the effects of marginal zinc status are poorly understood.
Linolenic Acid: Diets that do not include fish or eggs lack the long chain n-3 fatty acid docosasahexaenoic acid (DHA). It is recommended that vegetarians include good sources of linolenic acid in their diets, such as walnuts, canola oil, and linseed oil.
