Vegetarianism is growing in popularity as a way of eating but what exactly does it mean to be a vegetarian? Firstly there are four main types of vegetarians:
1. Lacto Ovo Vegetarian
People following this type of vegetarian diet include dairy as well as eggs on top of a plant based diet.
2. Ovo Vegetarian
Ovo meaning eggs, this form of vegetarianism includes eggs as well as the plant sources of foods.
3. Lacto Vegetarian
Dairy is included on top of the vegetarian choices.
4. Vegan
This is the strictest form of vegetarian as any animal based foods are excluded including any products derived from animals like honey.
Is it safe to be Vegetarian and Vegan?
A diet based on plant based foods can be a healthy choice in all stages of life when followed correctly and support from an Accredited Practicing Dietitian is sought to make sure all the nutrients are met and you are aware of the foods which are important and the combinations of foods which are needed to meet your needs. An example is the importance of eating non haem iron with a vitamin C source and not drinking or having caffeine or having calcium supplements with the meal to help your body take in the iron.
A common mistake is cutting all the protein from the diet and just living on wholegrains like bread or rice. Protein is so important to help you maintain muscle mass and for every cell in your body and you need to understand how to get protein from plant sources for this diet to be healthy. Plant sources of protein can be found in many foods, almost all foods except fruit which have quite low protein. Plant based sources can be found in:
• Wholegrains like brown rice or pasta, quinoa or spelt
• Legumes or beans
• Nuts and seeds
• Tofu
And if you follow the lacto ovo forms of vegetarianism from eggs or dairy as well.
Something to keep in mind is the type of protein which is found plant sources is often an incomplete. The body cannot make all the types of amino acids it needs to make a protein in your body. There are essential amino acids you need to get from food to make the whole protein. Good news is eating a range of different plant proteins can provide all the essential amino acids like oats with seeds or nuts with breakfast or tacos with kidney beans.
Why do people choose to go vegetarian or vegan?
There are two main reasons:
1. Health reasons
A plant based diet is linked to improved health outcomes such as the lower saturated fat which is from animal sources.
2. Ethical Reasons
People may reflect on the animal which needed to die for you to have the meal in front of you and no longer be comfortable with this process. Or ethical reasons around the environment and the harm from farming animals, particularly ruminant animals, is causing to the environment as well as the resources needed to maintain animals.
Another reason which adds as a bonus is it is cheaper to use meat alternatives than animal proteins so you are not only saving the planet and your health but the money in your wallet.
Are there any supplements Vegans need to take?
Yes, is a vitamin which can only be found in sufficiently for your body's needs in animal sources called Vitamin B12. Other nutrients, vitamins and minerals could be low without a properly balanced vegan diet so I suggest getting a blood test and discussing the results with a Dietitian.
How to start:
If you are wanting to follow this diet I recommend starting slowly. Be patient with yourself and adjust slowly to improve self-care and it can be overwhelming to change your entire diet all at once. This way it becomes more of a lifestyle as the small steps are more sustainable. Cold turkey may sound good now but there is so much to learn and you want to give yourself time to learn as you go rather than feel like you have failed if you make mistakes. A good way to start can even be going part time or a few days a week, every small step matters.
I recommend make a list of your common meals and adjust these to become vegetarian. Find ways you can replace the animal meats to plant sources of protein like meat alternatives such as Quorn, egg replaces or cheeses, legumes, nuts or seeds. Incorporating the whole foods like wholegrains, legumes and beans, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables are important to base our diet on as these are the healthiest forms of foods for our body. Saying this it is still important to enjoy treats like vegan ice cream or other non-animals sourced sometimes foods on occasion, feeling deprived is not the goal.
What About Eating Out?
Plan ahead, check out the menu and see what you can eat. Even if it is not a whole meal you can piece together a few sides together to make a balanced meal. Another good option is calling ahead to ask the restaurant what they can make for you, especially if you are vegan.
Take Home Message:
Following a vegetarian or vegan diet can be healthy option for you and the planet. It does require planning to be able to be successful and I recommend anyone thinking of starting this diet sees an Accredited Practicing Dietitian at the start of this journey to promote long term success and a healthy lifestyle choice
