Vegetarian

Enjoy health benefits of a plant based, meatless diet; plan diet to ensure adequate nutrients

Recommended For

Alzheimer's, risk reduction, Arthritis, Blood pressure, high, Blood sugar, high, BMI, high, Cancer, prevention, Carbon footprint reduction, Cholesterol, high , Diabetes, Gut health, support, Heart disease, prevention, treatment, Insulin resistance, Kidney function improvement, Triglycerides, high, Weight loss.

Diet Goals

Diet that omits meat

Ensure adequate plant based proteins
Monitor intake for nutritional deficiencies
Ensure complete amino acids without animal proteins

A meatless diet just requires a little more planning to be sure you're getting complete proteins and meeting your nutritional goals.

Food Recommendations

Foods to Eat

Plant based proteins: Tofu, tempeh, edamame, quinoa, nuts

Beans, Legumes: Lentils, soy, black beans, peas, chickpeas

Whole grains: Whole wheat bread & pasta, oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, brown rice

Nuts, Seeds: Chia seeds, flax, pepitas, almonds, walnuts

Fruits, Vegetables: Berries, avocado, leafy greens, carrots

Low fat dairy: Skim, 1% milk, yogurt, cheeses, buttermilk

Foods to Avoid

Meat: Beef, poultry, fish, pork, sausage, lamb, deli meat

Seafood: Fish, shellfish, crab, lobster, shrimp, clams, oysters

Gelatin: starburst, gummy worms, dramamine, vitamins, jello

Hidden non vegan: Animal broth, pate, fish sauce, non dairy creamer, Caesar dressing

Processed foods: Fast or fried foods, packaged foods, frozen dinners, cakes

Hidden animal rennet: Parmesan, manchego, gorgonzola, pecorino, romano

Diet Rules

Additional Information

Research

Young women with plant based, fiber-rich diets were 25% less likely to get breast cancer later in life; risk of colorectal cancer decreased by 10%.

Vegetarian diet can improve blood sugar, response to insulin; can decrease meds, risk of complications.

Vegetarian diets lower risk of chronic disease, high BP, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, heart disease.

Caveats

Monitor food intake; ensure adequate nutrients without meat, poultry, seafood.

Vegetarian prepackaged foods & meat substitutes can be high in sugar, salt, fat; check label.

Plant sources of iron not absorbed like meat sources; add vitamin C foods to enhance.

Milk, eggs are complete protein (all 9 essential amino acids); Vegetarian sources: quinoa, hemp, chia seeds, buckwheat, spirulina.

References

Vegetarian Nutrition project. (2011). Academy of Nutrition. Website

Alexander, S., Ostfeld, R., Allen, K., & Williams, K. (2017). A plant-based diet and hypertension. NIH, National Library of Medicine, Journal of Geriatric Cardiology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5466938/

Castro MD, M. (2022). Vegetarian diet: Can it help me control my diabetes? https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-answers/diabetes/faq-20058117

Clegg Dr, D., & Hill Gallant, K. (2019). Plant-Based Diets in CKD. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. https://journals.lww.com/cjasn/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2019&issue=01000&article=00023&type=Fulltext

Craig, W. (2010). Nutrition concerns and health effects of vegetarian diets. Nutr Clin Pract. PMID: 21139125. %20https://doi.org/10.1177/0884533610385707

Esposito, L. (2023). MIND Diet. US News. https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/mind-diet

2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines. (n.d.). health.gov. https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/

Staff, H. F. H. (2017). Alternative Diets: What You Need To Know. Henry Ford Live Well. https://www.henryford.com/blog/2017/07/alternative-diets-vegan-gluten-dairy-raw

Hinzey RDN, E. (2023). What Is The Dash Diet? Do’s & Don’ts. US News. https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/dash-diet/dos-vs-donts

Kelikani, P., Reeves MD, M., & Orlich MD, M. (2023). Episode 10: Vegetarian Diet. Loma Linda University Health. https://lluh.org/patients-visitors/health-wellness/live-it/online-health-show/episode-10-vegetarian-diet

Kim, H., Caulfield, L., Garcia-Larsen, V., Steffen, L., Coresh, J., & Rebholz, C. (2019). Plant‐Based Diets Are Associated With a Lower Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Disease Mortality, and All‐Cause Mortality in a General Population of Middle‐Aged Adults. Journal of the American Heart Association. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.119.012865

Le, L., & Sabaté, J. (2014). Beyond Meatless, the Health Effects of Vegan Diets: Findings from the Adventist Cohorts. NIH, National Library of Medicine, Nutrients. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4073139/

Lee, M. (2018). Triglycerides in Vegetarians. SFGATE. https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/triglycerides-vegetarians-9416.html

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Malik, N. (2021). 23 Foods Vegetarians Can’t Eat (But Don’t Know It!). Oh My Veggies. https://ohmyveggies.com/foods-vegetarians-cant-eat-but-dont-know-it/

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McMacken, M., & Shah, S. (2017). A plant-based diet for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. NIH, National Library of Medicine, Journal of Geriatric Cardiology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5466941/

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23 Foods Vegetarians Can’t Eat (But Don’t Know It!). (2017). Oh My Veggies. https://ohmyveggies.com/foods-vegetarians-cant-eat-but-dont-know-it/

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Tonstad, S., Nathan, E., Oda, K., & Fraser, G. (2019). Prevalence of hyperthyroidism according to type of vegetarian diet. NIH, National Library of Medicine, Cambridge University Press. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4377303/

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