Vegetarian Diet Info
Importance of Meal Planning for Vegetarian Diets
ADA Emphasises Importance of Planning Meals For Vegetarian Diets

Vegetarian Healthy Diet Program - VEGETARIAN DIET ARTICLES INDEX

Vegetarian Diets - Importance of Meal Planning

According to the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada, a well-planned vegetarian diet can be a healthy alternative to meat-based diets for all age groups.

In a joint statement, the groups said many health benefits have been linked to vegetarian diets, such as lower intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol, and higher intakes of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E.

"Vegetarians have been reported to have healthier body weight than non-vegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from heart disease, lower blood cholesterol levels and lower rates of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and prostate and colon cancer," said Cynthia Sass, a registered dietitian and ADA spokeswoman.

Sass said planning a healthy vegetarian diet doesn't need to be complicated, but steps should be taken to ensure the diet is nutrient-dense.

"Just as with a meat-based diet, the key to ensuring the body meets all its nutritional needs is to choose a wide variety of foods," she said.

Each day, vegetarians should consume at least six servings of grains, three to five servings of vegetable, two to four servings of fruit and five to seven ounces of beans or meat alternates, according to the ADA.

Some health professionals are concerned that vegetarians often don't get the nutrients they need. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently found neurological problems caused by a vitamin B-12 deficiency in two children breast-fed by their vegetarian mothers.

The CDC recommends pregnant women take 2.6 micrograms of B-12 a day, and nursing mothers should take 2.8 micrograms.

Source: Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Vegetarian Healthy Diet Program