Healthy eating for vegetarians and vegans
Study after study has revealed the importance of a balanced diet
to good health. Eating a balanced diet, one that is rich in all
the various minerals and vitamins needed for a healthy body, can
present quite a challenge for vegetarians and vegans.
That is because maintaining a good balanced diet in the absence
of one entire food group, such as meat and poultry, can be
difficult. Meat and other animal products contain significant
amounts of important nutrients, such as protein, calcium and B
vitamins.
Vegan diets present an even larger problem, since vegans go a
step farther and eliminate dairy products and eggs as well as
meat. Vegans in particular often have trouble getting the
vitamin B12 they need and often must rely on vitamin supplements
for this important nutrient.
Of course that does not mean that vegetarians and vegans cannot
enjoy good health. Many vegetarians and vegans can and do enjoy
levels of health much better than their carnivorous peers. It
simply means that vegetarians need to pay somewhat closer
attention to their dietary needs, and to be on the lookout for
signs of dietary deficiencies. The key to a healthy vegetarian
or vegan diet, as with all types of diets, is practicing
moderation, eating a variety of foods, and keeping nutritional
needs in balance.
One of the most frequently cited concerns by family members and
friends of vegetarians and vegans is how they will get the
protein they need from a diet devoid of animal flesh. However,
getting sufficient protein is usually not a concern for
vegetarians, since most American diets tend to contain more
protein than they need.
Vegetarians who eat dairy products can get all the protein they
need from dairy products, from soy based products and from
beans, nuts, lentils and seeds. There are many non animal
sources of protein, so most vegetarians should not have a
problem getting sufficient protein.
Even vegans, who eschew all animal based products, even milk and
dairy products, typically do not have a problem with protein
deficiency. That is because nuts, seeds, lentils, pinto beans,
split peas, soybeans, garbanzo beans, black beans, white beans,
kidney beans, navy beans and many more all have lots of protein.
Vegan meals are often rich in tofu and other soy based products,
and these products contain sufficient protein to meet the needs
of most vegans. In addition, the many bean based vegan recipes
are excellent sources of protein. For instance, a cup of cooked
beans contains the same amount of protein as a two ounce serving
of meat.
As with protein, nutritional deficiencies are generally of no
more concern to vegetarians than they are to the general
population. Vegetarians who follow a balanced, nutritious diet
should have no problem meeting their daily nutritional needs.
Vegans on the other hand, are more susceptible than vegetarians
to nutritional deficiencies, particularly vitamin B12, calcium
and vitamin D. That is because the most common sources of these
important nutrients are all animal based, either meat or dairy
products.
Of these three nutrients, the hardest to replace on a vegan diet
is vitamin B12. The primary sources of vitamin B12 in the diet
are all animal based. For this reason, vegans are generally
advised to take vitamin B12 supplement, or to eat foods that
have been fortified with vitamin B12. There are a number of such
foods on the market, including nutritional yeast and soy milk.
Calcium is also a concern for vegans, since the primary sources
of dietary calcium are milk and other dairy products. Again,
calcium fortified foods such as some soy milk and certain
cereals are important to maintaining a healthy vegan diet. The
same is true of vitamin D, another primarily animal based
nutrient.
The bottom line is that it is possible to maintain excellent
health while avoiding meat and dairy products. The key is to
follow a well balanced diet, get plenty of exercise, and make
smart food choices.