By Heather (Hedrick) Fink, M.S., R.D.

Eating more plant foods is good for your health. Many national health organizations, including the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association, are urging Americans to consume more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, soy and other plant products to help reduce the risk of various diseases. Therefore, many people are considering moving towards a plant-based, or vegetarian, diet. However, becoming “vegetarian” has many different meanings based on the foods you choose to consume and those you choose to reduce or eliminate from your diet.

Each variety of vegetarianism has a different nutritional focus based on the degree to which animal foods are removed from the diet. Some of the varieties of vegetarianism include:

Semi-vegetarian

Usually followed by individuals exploring vegetarianism or just trying to eat less meat
Characteristic: Avoids meat occasionally
Nutritional Focus: Consume more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes

Pesco-vegetarian

Appropriate for people who do not want to eat meat, but still enjoy seafood
Characteristic: Includes fish, dairy and eggs
Nutritional Focus: Include foods high in iron (tofu, beans, lentils and fortified grains) and zinc (wheat germ, fortified grains, beans and soyfoods)

Lacto-ovo-vegetarian

Describes individuals who avoid animal flesh, but still eat animal products
Characteristic: Includes dairy and eggs
Nutritional Focus: Choose low-fat dairy products and foods high in iron and zinc, and emphasize plant sources of protein (soyfoods, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains)

Vegan

A true plant-based diet
Characteristic: Avoids all animal products
Nutritional Focus: Incorporate food sources rich in iron, zinc, calcium (fortified soy or rice milk, tofu, dark green leafy vegetables, beans and almonds), vitamin D (fortified soymilk, rice milk and breakfast cereals) and protein; Vitamin B-12 supplement or fortified foods are required because B-12 is found only in animal products

The key to moving towards a vegetarian diet is substitution! When an animal product is removed, such as cow‘s milk, it MUST be replaced with a plant alternative, such as soy milk, to ensure adequate nutrients are being consumed. All vegetarian diets can meet an individual‘s nutritional needs as long as it is well-balanced and planned appropriately. If you need help developing plant-based meals and snacks, consult with a registered dietitian.

For additional information, please contact NIFS at 317.274.3432.