Whether for health reasons, a concern for animals or the environment, a vegetarian diet can be a great alternative to eating meat. It does however, require planning to ensure that all nutrients are being accounted for.

Types of Vegetarian

In its broadest definition, "being vegetarian" means eating no meat, poultry or fish, but several varieties of vegetarianism exist. Here are some of the ways that vegetarians are often described:

Lacto-ovo-vegetarian

1. eats dairy products and eggs but no meat, poultry or fish
2. most vegetarians in North America fall into this category

Lacto-vegetarian

1. eats dairy products but no meat, poultry, fish or eggs

Vegan

1. avoids all animal products; meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, lard and often margarine (with milk solids) and honey
2. may also be known as "strict vegetarian"

Semi-vegetarian

1. may eat meat occasionally or may avoid eating red meat

Potential Health Benefits of Vegetarianism

A large body of evidence exists suggesting that vegetarians have a reduced risk of developing such conditions as obesity, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, breast and colon cancer. However, it is important to note that because vegetarians are also more likely to exercise regularly and abstain from smoking, the extent to which diet plays a role in chronic disease risk reduction is unknown. What is clear is that a vegetarian diet makes it easier to get an abundance of certain nutrients - antioxidants and fibre, for example - that are known to reduce the risk of some chronic diseases.

Cautions of a Vegetarian Diet

If a vegetarian diet is varied and balanced, all essential nutrients can be provided in adequate quantities. If no dairy products are consumed, however, it is very difficult to meet vitamin B-12 and vitamin D requirements. In this case, a balanced multivitamin/mineral supplement is recommended. Because of this, some nutrition experts do not recommend feeding vegan diets (those that contain no animal products) to children under the age of 5, as they may be at a higher risk for anemia, B-12 deficiency, rickets, and delayed development. Vegan diets may also be unwise for pregnant or lactating women, who have an increased protein requirement. Please consult your dietitian or doctor for advice.

Vegetarian Nutrition 101

Variety is the key to a healthy vegetarian diet. Make sure to choose from grain, vegetables, legumes, beans, nuts, seeds and fruits. Eggs and dairy products are optional. With this in mind, you will also need to pay particular attention to the following nutrients as more planning is required to obtain them solely from plant sources:

References

Dieticians of Canada (http://www.dietitians.ca/Nutrition-Resources-A-Z/Factsheets/Vegetarian/Getting-all-nutrients-on-a-vegetarian-diet.aspx)