Vegetarian Diets and Nutritional Requirements
People eat vegetarian diets for reasons of culture, belief, or health. Most vegetarians eat milk products and eggs, and as a group, these lacto-ovo-vegetarians enjoy excellent health. Vegetarian diets are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines and can meet Recommended Dietary Allowances for nutrients. You can get enough protein from a vegetarian diet as long as the variety and amounts of foods consumed are adequate. Meat, fish, and poultry are major contributors of iron, zinc, and B vitamins in most American diets, and vegetarians should pay special attention to these nutrients.
Vegans eat only food of plant origin. Because animal products are the only sources of vitamin B12, vegans must supplement their diets with a source of this vitamin. In addition, vegan diets, particularly those of children, require care to insure adequacy of vitamin D and calcium, which most Americans obtain from milk products. Eat a Variety of Foods
Foods contain combinations of nutrients and other healthful substances. No single food can supply all nutrients in the amounts you need. For example, oranges provide vitamin C but no vitamin B12; cheese provides vitamin B12 but no vitamin C. To make sure you get all of the nutrients and other substances needed for health, choose the recommended number of daily servings from each of the five major food groups.
Food Groups¹
Daily Servings²
Serving Size
Grains
6-11
1 slice of bread 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta
Vegetables
3-5
1 cup of raw, leafy vegetables 1/2 cup of other vegetables-cooked or chopped raw 3/4 cup of vegetable juice
Fruits
2-4
1 medium apple, banana, orange 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit 3/4 cup of fruit juice
Milk
2-3
1 cup of milk or yoghurt 1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese 2 ounces of processed cheese
Meat and Beans
2-3
2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans or 1 egg counts as 1 ounce of lean meat 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or 1/3 cup of nuts count as 1 ounce of meat
¹. Some foods fit into more than one group. Dry beans, peas, and lentils can be counted as servings in either the meat and beans group or vegetable group. These 'crossover' foods can be counted as servings from either one or the other group, but not both.
². A range of servings is given for each food group. The smaller number is for people who consume about l,600 calories a day, such as the sedentary or women. The larger number is for those who consume about 2,800 calories a day, for the very active or men.
