"Meat is essential to provide people with a healthy diet.”
Vegetarians are people who don’t eat meat or seafood and may not eat eggs or dairy foods. Vegans follow a form of vegetarianism but consume only plant foods.
Vegetarian diets must be Well-planned to provide all the essential vitamins, minerals necessary for a long and healthy life and replace the protein and other nutrients provided by meat.
Lacto means milk, and Ovo means eggs
There are three main types of vegetarianism. These are:
· Lacto-ovo vegetarians – people who avoid meat and seafood, but include dairy foods (such as milk and eggs) and plant foods.
· Lacto-vegetarians – people who avoid meat, seafood and eggs but include dairy foods and plant foods.
· Vegans – people who consume only plant foods.
Is vegetarianism healthy?
A balanced vegetarian diet can be healthy but there are several nutrients which are found mainly or only in animal foods. These include vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium and some omega 3 fats. Care needs to be taken if you restrict animal foods in your diet.
The wider the variety of foods you eat, the easier it will be to meet your nutritional requirements. It is not surprising that each food has a unique group of nutrients and often something special to offer.
• Wholegrain cereals are rich in B vitamins and fibre.
• Fruit and vegetables contain vitamin C and foliate.
• Dairy foods are the best source of calcium.
• Red meats are rich in iron and zinc.
• Fish is an excellent source of omega 3 fats.
• Nuts and vegetable oils are rich in essential fatty acids and vitamin E.
they also protect us against the ageing process
Some essential dietary requirements could be missing from diet if not well planned, include:
1. Protein
Protein is made up of smaller components called amino acids. Protein in meat has all the amino acids necessary. Protein is essential for many bodily processes, including tissue building and repair. Most individual plant foods are not complete proteins they only have some of the amino acids. Soy is one of the only complete vegetable proteins.
2. Omega 3
The omega 3 fats found in fish are not found in common plant foods. These fats have a number of health benefits, particularly for heart function.
3. Minerals
If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you need to make sure you get the right amount of essential dietary minerals. Some of these minerals, and suggested food sources, include:
· Iron and zinc
Iron is present in plant foods; it is less well absorbed than that from meats. Legumes, nuts and cereals are important sources of iron for people who choose not to eat meat. Eating fruits or fruit juices at the same meal will provide some vitamin C to assist iron absorption.
Zinc is better absorbed into the body from meat than plant foods and Performs essential functions in the body, including the development of immune system cells
· Calcium
Vegetarians who avoid milk should also consider calcium-fortified soy beverages or calcium supplements are needed for strong bones and teeth. Good food sources of calcium include dairy products, prepared cereals and fruits juices, prepared soymilk, tahini and some brands of tofu. Leafy dark green vegetables (especially Asian greens), legumes, almonds and Brazil nuts also contain calcium.
· Iodine
Our bodies need iodine for the thyroid gland and other associated hormones to function normally. Iodised salt is the most common source of iodine in the Western diet. Iodine is found in seafood, which is a rich source of this element. Sea vegetables (seaweed) also contain iodine, but are also high in salt.
4. Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is important for the production of red blood cells – it helps to maintain healthy nerves and a healthy brain. Vegans are at risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency because it is not found in plant products. Vitamin B12 absorption becomes less efficient as we age, so supplements may also be needed by older vegetarians. Anaemia is a common result of B12 deficiency.
5. Vitamin D
The main source of vitamin D for most Australians is sunlight. There are few foods that contain significant amounts of vitamin D. There is very little vitamin D in most people’s diets unless they eat fatty fish, eggs, liver or foods fortified with vitamin D (such as margarine). Fortified low fat and skim milk, soymilk and cereals are another source of vitamin D, but the levels are low.
Health benefit
A diet high in fruit and vegetables has lower rates of illness and death. A well-balanced diet can provide many health benefits, such as a reduced risk of chronic diseases, including:
· Obesity
· Coronary artery disease
· Hypertension (high blood pressure)
· Diabetes
· Some types of cancer
Reasons to be vegetarian
Some people don’t eat meat and choose to become vegetarian or vegan for a range of reasons:
Health - Healthy lifestyle choice
Ethical, religious - Ethical, religious reasons. There are also sound social reasons to be a vegetarian.
Environmental - Livestock production places a much heavier burden on water, land and fossil fuel resources than grains and other crops.
Economic - Livestock production accounts for nearly 80 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture worldwide
Summary
Vegetarians are people who don’t eat meat or seafood and may not eat eggs or dairy foods. Vegans consume only plant foods. A vegetarian diet has many health benefits. With careful planning, a vegetarian diet can provide all your essential nutritional needs. More restrictive vegetarian diets, such as vegan and raw food diets are more likely lead to nutritional deficiencies, recommended supplement needed to have completed healthy diet.
