AHA

What are the nutrients to consider in a vegetarian diet?
If you are thinking of adopting a vegetarian diet, it's important to include the following nutrients in your diet.

• Protein: You do not need to eat animal products to have enough protein in your diet. Plant proteins alone can provide enough of the essential and non-essential amino acids, as long as sources of dietary protein are fairly varied and caloric intake is high enough to meet energy needs.
• Whole grains, legumes, vegetables, seeds and nuts all contain both essential and non-essential amino acids. You do not need to consciously combine these foods ("complementary proteins") within a given meal.
• Soy protein has been shown to be equal in nutritional value to proteins of animal origin. It can be the sole protein source if desired.
• Iron: Vegetarians are not at greater risk of iron deficiency than nonvegetarians. The richest sources of iron are red meat, liver and egg yolk - all high in cholesterol. Dried beans, spinach, enriched products, brewer's yeast and dried fruits are all good plant sources of iron.
• Vitamin B-12: Comes naturally from animal sources only. Vegans should have a reliable source of vitamin B-12. It can be found in some fortified (not enriched) breakfast cereals, fortified soy beverages, some brands of nutritional (brewer's) yeast and other foods (check the labels) and in vitamin supplements.
• Vitamin D: Vegans should have a reliable source of vitamin D. A supplement may be needed for vegans who get little sunlight.
• Calcium: Studies have shown that vegetarians absorb and retain more calcium from foods than do nonvegetarians. Vegetable greens such as spinach, kale and broccoli, and some legumes and soybean products, are good sources of calcium from plants.
• Zinc: Needed for growth and development. Good plant sources of zinc include grains, nuts and legumes.

Vegetarian Diets
Some people choose to follow a "vegetarian" diet, but there is no single vegetarian eating pattern. Here are some helpful definitions of vegetarian types and diets:

Vegetarian Type		Diet Includes

Vegan or Total Vegetarian		Only foods of plant origin: fruits, vegetables, legumes (dried beans and peas), grains, seeds and nuts.

Lactovegetarian		Plant foods plus cheese and other dairy products.

Ovo- lactovegetarian or Lacto- ovovegetarian		Plant foods plus cheese and other dairy products; also includes eggs.

Semi- vegetarian		No red meat but includes chicken and fish with plant foods, dairy products and eggs.

What meal plans are recommended?
Vegetarian diets of any type should include a wide variety of foods and enough calories to meet your energy needs. Here are AHA recommendations that all vegetarian types should keep in mind:

• Keep your intake of sweets and fatty foods, which are low in nutrient density, as low as possible.
• Choose whole or unrefined grain products when possible, or use fortified or enriched cereal products.
• Use a variety of fruits and vegetables, including foods that are good sources of vitamin C.
• If you use milk or dairy products, choose low-fat or nonfat varieties.
• Limit intake of egg yolks.

Are vegetarian diets healthful?
It is the position of The American Dietetic Association that vegetarian diets are healthful and nutritionally adequate when appropriately planned.

According to The American Dietetic Association, "Vegetarian diets that are low in animal products are typically lower than nonvegetarian diets in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol..." These components of food are associated with increased risk of obesity, coronary heart disease (heart attack), high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and some forms of cancer.