A vegetarian diet can be part of a healthy, active lifestyle. A well-planned vegetarian diet can offer health benefits such as lower risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, prostate and colon cancer and a lower body mass index (BMI).
About 900,000 people in Canada are vegetarian. Well-planned vegan and other vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle including infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and even during pregnancy and lactation.
To follow a well-planned vegetarian diet you need to ensure you are eating enough key nutrients such as protein, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids. This fact sheet will help you plan your vegan or vegetarian diet to make sure you are eating all the nutrients you need to be healthy.
Types of Vegetarian Eating
There are different kinds of vegetarian eating plans. Usually a person who follows a vegetarian diet does not eat meat, fish or poultry.
Semi – eats meat less than 1 time per week.
Lacto-ovo – excludes red meats, poultry and fish.
Lacto – excludes red meats, poultry, fish and eggs.
Vegan – excludes all foods of animal origin including red meats, poultry, fish, eggs, milk and milk products.
Vegetarian Food Guide
The following guide is a simple plan to help you get started with a healthy vegetarian diet. You need to eat specific foods from this guide to get all the vitamins and nutrients you need, or you may need to take a vitamin and mineral supplement.
Vegetarian basics
- hoose a variety of foods including whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and if desired milk products and eggs.
- Choose whole, unrefined foods often.
- Choose highly sweetened, alcoholic or fatty foods and drinks in moderation.
- Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables.
- If milk products are used, adults should choose lower-fat milk products. Young children do not need to restrict their fat intake.
- Choose foods rich in vitamin B12 and vitamin D daily.
Food Guide Survival Tips
- The number of servings listed on the next page is the minimum number of servings a child or adult should eat daily. You may need to eat more than this.
- Calcium-rich foods also count as a serving of food from other food groups. For example, 1 cup (250 mL) of cooked broccoli counts as 1 serving of calcium-rich foods as well as 2 servings of vegetables.
Vegetarian Food Guide (PDF)
Nutrients of concern
Protein
Protein foods are needed for the growth and repair of your body tissues and to help your body to fight infections. An assortment of plant foods eaten over the day can provide enough protein to meet your needs. Good sources of plant protein are found in the legumes, nuts and other protein rich foods group.
If you are a vegetarian athlete you will need to ensure you eat a wide variety of protein-rich foods such as soy products, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds. You do not need to take a protein supplement in order to get enough protein.
Calcium and Vitamin D
Calcium and vitamin D help to keep your bones healthy as you grow older. Vegans may have difficulty eating enough foods rich in calcium and vitamin D to meet their requirements.
Calcium-rich foods: minimum daily servings
Child, 4-8 years 6 servings a day
Adolescent, 9-18 years 10 servings a day
Adults 8 servings a day
Adults need to consume at least 8 servings a day of calcium-rich foods from the Vegetarian Food Guide to meet their calcium requirement.
You will also need to get enough vitamin D from fortified cow's milk, fortified soy or rice beverages (check the label), margarine, eggs or fortified cereals.
A calcium and vitamin D supplement may be needed if you do not regularly consume enough calcium and vitamin D in the food you are eating. See a pharmacist or dietitian for more information.
Iron
Iron is needed by your body to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen in your blood. Vegetarians need about 2 times more iron than non-vegetarians.
Choose iron-rich foods every day
These include: dark green leafy vegetables, grain products made with iron-enriched flour, whole grains, molasses, nuts, seeds, dried fruit such as raisins, dates and apricots, tofu, eggs and legumes (beans and lentils).
The amount of iron your body can take from plant-foods is sensitive to inhibitors and enhancers.
Iron inhibitors decrease the amount of iron you can enhances from food. They include:
- Fibre- found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
- Phytates- found in the husks of grains, legumes (beans and lentils) and seeds. They attach to the iron in food so your body can't absorb it.
- Calcium – found in milk products
- Teas- some herbal and regular
- Coffee and cocoa
Iron enhancers increase the amount of iron you can absorb from food. They include:
- The vitamin C found in fruits and vegetables. Foods such as oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes, green peppers, strawberries, and cantaloupe are all high in vitamin C.
Tips
Note: For more information on food sources of iron request the handout "The Strength of Iron".
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is needed to make healthy nerves and red blood cells. It is found naturally only in animal products such as meat, milk products and eggs. Plant foods do not contain a significant amount of vitamin B12, unless they have been fortified. The vitamin B12 found naturally in some plant foods, such as spirulina or fermented soy products, does not provide a reliable source of vitamin B12 to the body.
Vitamin B12 : minimum daily food servings
Child, 4-13 years 2 servings a day
Adolescent, 14-18 years 3 servings a day
Adults 3 servings a day
Pregnant or breast feeding 4 servings a day
One serving of vitamin B12 rich food equals:
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) of Red Star vegetarian support formula nutritional yeast
- 1 cup (250 mL) fortified soy beverage
- ½ cup (125 mL) cow's milk
- ¾ cup (175 mL) yogurt
- 1 large egg
- 1 oz (30 g) fortified breakfast cereal
- 1 ½ oz (45 g) of fortified meat substitute
For vegetarians aged 14 and over, a vitamin B12 supplement (5-10 ųg daily or 2000 ųg weekly) may be taken if the above recommendation cannot be met.
FACT: About 10-30% of people over the age of 50 lose their ability to digest the vitamin B12 in animal products such as eggs and milk.
SOLUTION: Adults over the age of 50 should consider using a vitamin B12 supplement or eating enough fortified foods daily. See a pharmacist or dietitian for more information.
Zinc
Zinc is important because it helps your body heal injuries and fight off infections. Vegetarian diets are usually high in phytate and fibre that can reduce the absorption of zinc. It is important to ensure you eat foods that are rich in zinc often.
Choose foods rich in zinc often
These include: hard cheeses, eggs, yogurt, mushrooms, green peas, fortified cereals, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sesame tahini, almonds, peanuts, navy beans, canned vegetarian baked beans, chick peas, lentils, fortified veggie "meats", soybeans, and tofu.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
It is important to include sources of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet every day. If you don't regularly eat fish, eggs, or generous amounts of sea vegetables such as arame, dulse, nori, kelp, kombu, or wakame, you may not be eating enough omega-3 fatty acids.
Choose 2 servings of omega-3 rich foods every day. One serving of omega-3 rich food includes:
- ¼ cup (50 mL) nuts OR 2 Tbsp (30 mL) nut butter
- 1 tsp (5 mL) flaxseed oil, OR 1 Tbsp (15 mL) canola or soybean oil
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) ground flax seed
- ¼ cup (50 mL) walnuts
For the best balance of fats in your diet use canola and olive oil in cooking.
FACT: If you are pregnant or lactating, or if you have a chronic disease such as diabetes, you may not consume enough omega-3 fatty acids.
SOLUTION: You may benefit from an omega-3 fatty acid supplement. A vegan supplement is available and is produced from microalgae. In stores, this may be called an omega-3 fatty acid or DHA supplement (docosahexaenoic acid). See a pharmacist or dietitian for more information.
Disclaimer
Reviewed by Alberta clinical experts. Brought to you by HealthLink Alberta. Copyright.
This material is designed for information purposes only. It should not be used in place of medical advice, instruction and/or treatment. For more health advice call Capital Health Link at 780-408-LINK (5465) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In Alberta, call Toll-free: 1-866-408-LINK (5465)
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