Are You a Healthy Vegetarian?

More and more people are turning to vegetarian diets, and for good reason. Vegetarian diets have been associated with lower body weights, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and lower rates of type 2 diabetes and some cancers, such as those of the breast, prostate, and colon. The problem arises when the vegetarian diet becomes unhealthy.

I am seeing more and more clients who have eliminated meat from their diets and think they are now eating healthy. But simply replacing a hamburger for a veggie burger (which, by the way, is still a high-sodium, processed food item) and then still eating the fries and drinking a soda doesn't equal a healthy meal.

Food manufacturers are getting into the act now, stuffing the refrigerated- and frozen-foods sections with vegetarian products. Consumers are thinking, "It must be easy to be a vegetarian if you can just eat a few soy dogs!"

But not all vegetarian diets are equal. Think about the different types of vegetarians. Vegans consume a diet of 100-percent plant foods. A lacto-vegetarian includes milk, whereas an ovo-vegetarian includes eggs. While these aren't necessarily bad diets, whatever foods are replacing the meat must fill in the nutritional blanks.

A vegetarian diet takes some work and meal planning. It should include plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains such as quinoa, as well as legumes, nuts, and forms of soy as protein.

Variety is the key to a good vegetarian diet that meets protein, vitamin, and mineral needs. If you ate just a few vegetarian foods all the time, you would have to eat more of them to meet your nutrient needs. If you have more variety in your diet, you can eat controlled portions and still fit in all the nutrients you need.

If you are a vegetarian or are thinking of becoming a vegetarian, share some of your tips for a healthy vegetarian diet.

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