VegetarianismDana HrnčířováDpt. of Nutrition, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague

Who is a Vegatarian?• In general, people who exclude meat, poultry,

fish, and animal-derived foods from their diets.

• A wide diversity of dietary practices

Main Types of Vegetarians

• Vegans (total vegetarians)• Lacto-vegetarians• Ovo-vegetarians• Lacto-ovo- vegetarians• Pescaterians• Pollo-vegetarians• Semi-vegetarian (flexitarians)• Raw vegan (raw food diet)

Demographics

• USA 2012 National Poll• 4% of adults are vegetarians/vegans (approx. 9 million)• 1% are vegans (approx. 2 millions)• No much difference between male, female, region, or age for actual vegetarians

(Harris Interactive poll by the Vegetarian Resource Group)

•Veg. Statistics - European vegetarian Union http://www.euroveg.eu/lang/en/info/howmany.php

http://www.wykop.pl/link/1807294/tymczasem-w-maroku/

Reasons for becoming a Vegetarian• Environmental/Ecological • Animal welfare• Religious• Economical • Health• Family lifestyle

• Meat replacements: products made to look and taste like meat, fish, poultry

• Tofu: a curd made from soybean• Tempeh: a fermented soybean food• Textured soy protein (TSP), soy meat: processed

soybeans

TOFU TEMPEH

TSP

Health Benefits• Ischemic Heart Disease• Hypertension• Diabetes• Obesity• Cancer• Osteoporosis• Diverticular Disease• Gallstones• Rheumatoid Arthritis

Ischemic Heart Disease

•Lower risk of death •Adjustment for BMI, smoking habits, social calss• Incidence 24% lower in lifelong vegetarians• Incidence 57% lower in lifelong vegans•Lower TCh, LDL-Ch•Higher intakes of fiber, nuts, soy, and plant sterols•Lower intakes of SFA•Vegetarians 50-100% more fiber than non-vegetarians

Hypertension

•Lower rates of hypertension:• Non-vegetarians > vegetarians > vegans

•Lower blood pressure • Non-vegetarians > vegetarians• diet or lower BMI?

•Beneficial nutrients• Potassium, magnesium, antioxidants, fiber,

fat• 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables

significantly lowers BP

Diabetes

• Positive associations between intakes of red meat and processed meat and risk of diabetes after adjusting for BMI, total energy intake, exercise …

• Beneficial nutrients: vegetables, whole-grain foods, legumes, and nuts

• diets rich in whole-grain foods are associated with improved insulin sensitivity

Obesity

•Vegetarians maintain lower BMI than non-vegetarians

•Non-vegetarians > vegetarians > vegans (BMI)

•Lower weight correlates with high intakes of fiber and low intakes of fat

Cancer• Significantly lower rates of cancer nondependent on smoking (Colorectal and prostate cancer)

•Obesity is significant risk factor for cancer; meat?

•Cancer-protective dietary factors: • Fiber, C, carotenoids, flavonoids, lycopene• fruits, vegetables (lung, mouth, esophagus,

stomach)• Legumes (prostate, stomach)• Soy isoflavones (breast) ???

Osteoporosis• Dairy products, green leafy vegetables, and calcium-

fortified plant foods – calcium for vegetarians

• no differences in bone mineral density between omnivores and lacto-ovo-vegetarians

• Increased intake of friuts and vegetables (K, Mg) - positive effect on the calcium economy

• High protein intake, especially animal protein, can produce increased calciuria

• Low protein intakes may increase the risk of low bone integrity

Nutrients to consider• Protein quality• Vitamin B12

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids• Vitamin D• Calcium• Iron• Zinc• Protein

Complementary Proteins• The combination of plant protein foods which

when eaten together provide all the essential amino acids.

• E.g. combinaton of legumes and grains

Vegetarian Diet Planning

• The more restricted the vegetarian diet, the greater the challenge to achieve a nutritionally adequate diet.• The goal: consume a variety of foods to obtain all of the needed nutrients.• Nutritional consciousness (Fe, vitamin

C, B12, …)

Vegetarian Food Pyramid

Foods 1serving Number of Servings/day

Fruits ½ cup fresh/canned/frozen 3–4

Vegetables ½ cup cooked/1 cup raw 4–6

Whole Grains

1 slice whole-grain bread 1 cup whole-grain cereal, ½ cup cooked rice/pasta

5–8

Legumes

½ cup cooked legumes  ½ cup tofu 1 cup soy milk

3–6

Nuts, Seeds ¼ cup nuts or seeds 1–3

Plant Oils 1 teaspoon up to 5

Eggs 1 egg 4–6 per week

Dairy

1 cup milk/yogurt ¼ cup cheese ½ cup cottage cheese

1–3

Oldways 2013

Resources• Dietary guidelines for Americans 2010• Position paper of American Dietetic Association

2009• American Heart Association• Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine -

Dietary Guidelines Goals and Recommendations• Harvard School of Public Health• Up-to-date research