Healthy Vegetarian and Vegan Diets

More and more people are turning to vegetarian and vegan diets, for numerous reasons. Some object to the way animals are treated. Others feel meat is unhealthy. Some are forbidden by their religious beliefs, to eat meat. Eliminating meat can have health benefits such as lowering the risk of death from heart disease and cancer, it can lower blood pressure, incidence of obesity and stroke.

While some worry about the wisdom of eliminating a high protein source with iron and other nutrients, vegetarian and vegan diets can be healthy if careful attention is paid to proper intake of nutrients. This is particularly important for vegans.

The best way to ensure good health is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables of all colors. Eat them as fresh and unprocessed as possible. The key to getting enough protein in vegetarian and vegan diets is to eat legumes, beans, seeds, nuts and tofu.

Because children and adolescents grow rapidly, attention to adequate nutrient intake is crucial for these populations, especially calcium, vitamin D, B12 and iron. Those who forgo dairy products need to find replacements sources for calcium. Small amounts can be found in almonds and in green, leafy vegetables. Vitamin B12, found in dairy and eggs can become deficient in vegans, who eliminate all animal product foods. It takes awhile for deficiencies to develop. Vegans might want to monitor their levels one year into adopting veganism. Vitamin B12 is a critical nutrient. Deficiency can lead to permanent cognitive effects.

Meat is the best source for iron, therefore vegetarians and vegans need to replace iron in their diets. A cast iron skillet will leach iron into the food and provide iron. Supplements are a secondary choice.

So go ahead with a vegan diet, but be mindful of monitoring your essential vitamins.

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http://eatright.org/
http://kidseatright.org/
http://thenutritionsource.org/