ARE VEGETARIANS HEALTHIER?

Vegetarian regimes have been advocated since the eighteenth century by men and women in search of physical and spiritual health. Vegetarian theorists who professed to follow the tenets of the ancient philosopher Pythagoras believed that the diet should be part of an ascetic lifestyle. In a world obsessed with making choices that reflect well on nature most people would readily sympathize with vegetarians. However others will find it such lifestyle as too difficult to practice. So what do you eat? Do you crave for meat? Where do you go to when you want to eat out? This and other questions are bestowed upon vegetarian each day. Veganism denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude-as far as is possible and practical-all forms of exploitation and cruelty to animals for food clothing or any other purpose. In dietary terms it denotes an individual who has adopted a specific diet that reduces or eliminates animal products. Ovo-vegetarians include eggs in their diets while pesco-vegetarians take in fish. Lacto-ovo vegetarians dairy products and eggs in their diets. How ever an omnivore is an individual that eats both animal flesh and vegetable matter. True vegans eat no foods derived in any form from animals

The National Food Guide (NFG) and Food Guide Pyramid (FGP) have been designed to translate recommendations on nutrient intakes to types of and amount of foods, which together provide a diet adequate in nutrients. In determining whether vegetarians and non vegetarians meet their adequate nutrient intake the NFG and FGP can serve as better aids. Both guides consist basically of six groups- fats, oils, and sweets; dairy products; meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts; vegetables; fruits and grains. In diet planning, the vegetables, fruits and grains and fats and sweets group can be equally consumed by both vegetarians and non vegetarians and as such nutrients found in these food groups are readily available to both vegans and non vegans. However problems with nutrients intake and availability among both vegans and non vegans lies with the dairy and meat, fish and alternatives group.

Meat, Poultry, Fish and Alternatives
All carcass meats, meat products , fish and fish products ,poultry ,eggs ,pulses and nuts are in this group. The recommended daily intake should be 3-4 servings, which is equivalent to 6-7 match box (small) sizes of fish or meat or poultry or combined proportions a day and about three eggs a week. It is advisable to limit intake of fatty portions of meats and if possible trim off visible fat before or after cooking. You can also roast, broil, grill, steam or boil these foods rather than frying. For vegetarian to meet the 3-4 servings a day for this group they require 30-40 peanuts or 18-24 almonds/cashew or 2 table spoons of peanut butter or 9-12 flat ladles (local) of cooked beans or any combinations of these a day. Omnivores can vary the plant and animal options to suit their choice.

The main nutrients provided by this group are protein, iron, B- vitamins, zinc, and magnesium. Legumes and nuts are the obvious choices for vegetarians in this group. Legumes generally provide proteins of low biological value except soya beans. The limiting proteins (amino acids) in legumes are methionine and cystine (types of protein), but lysine (type ofproten) is present in significant amounts. Cereals are rich in the two limiting amino acids in legumes but lack lysine. Therefore, if eaten together pulses and cereals provide high biological value protein.

Milk and Dairy Foods
This group includes milk, yogurt and cheese, and key nutrients are identified as calcium, protein, vitamin B12, vitamins A, D and E. The recommended daily intake should be 2-3 servings, which is equivalent to 1 cup of yoghurt or 2 cups of fat free milk (1 cup –whole milk) or 2-3 cups of soymilk or any combined proportions a day (1 cup=250ml/average glass size). It is better to choose lower-fat varieties as the higher the fat content of milk and yoghurt, the greater the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol.

Zinc and Iron
Iron has a role in blood and respiratory transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide and it is also invovle in immune function and cognitive performance. Deficiencies usually result in anaemia. In children decreased iron levels leads to a decline in attention, learning and memory. Zinc is also involved in immune functions and decreased levels results in delayed wound healing, alopecia and skin lesions.

The iron from animal sources (haem-iron) is always relatively well absorbed than iron from plant sources (non-haem iron). The low absorption of iron from plant source is due to inhibition caused by certain substances in plants (phytic acid in cereal grains and legume seeds). The absorption of non-haem iron (plant sources) is reduced by as much as 70% when meat is removed from the diet however prevalence of iron deficiency is not necessarily higher among vegetarians compared with omnivores. Biomarkers of iron status are often reduced in vegetarians, yet, their iron absorption may increase by as much as 300–400% when iron status is low because the percentage of iron absorbed is inversely proportional to the major storage form of iron in the body. The bioavailability of zinc and magnesium from plant foods are reduced by phytic acid as well. Although zinc contents of vegetarian and omnivore diets are similar and intakes are adequate compared with the recommended intake blood and muscle zinc concentrations are significantly lower in vegetarians than in omnivores. However, the vegan diets also tended to be lower in fat and higher in fiber, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, copper and manganese.

Vitamin B-12
Tuna fish, beef and milk products are rich sources of vitamin B-12. Vitamin B-12 is not a normal constituent of plant foods as such both vegans and lacto- vegetarians have low intakes of vitamin B-12. However, plant foods may contain some of this vitamin as a result of microbial contamination or fortification. Tempeh (fermented soya bean product) may have reasonable amounts of vitamin B-12 as a result of bacterial contamination. However, this is controversial, as up to 90 per cent of the levels measured in tempeh may be not be readily used by the body. In some populations vitamin B-12 deficiency was noted in 78% of vegans, 26% of lactovegetarians and 0% of omnivores. The prevalence of vitamin B-12 deficiency is very high in many poorer regions of the world and studies also indicate the vitamin B-12 status of lacto-ovo vegetarians in advanced countries to be considerably worse than that of omnivores, presumably because of the lower amount of vitamin B-12 in milk than in meat.

Lactovegetarians have to consume 3 servings of dairy products daily, as well as fortified breakfast cereals, to provide adequate amounts of vitamin B-12; vegan vegetarians would be advised to choose vitamin B-12–fortified nondairy soy foods and breakfast cereals or to consume a vitamin B-12 supplement daily.

Vitamin D and Calcium
Only a few foods are naturally good sources of vitamin D - fish liver oils, fatty fish and egg yolks as such most people rely on vitamin D–fortified milk and breakfast cereals for dietary vitamin D. Vegetarians (especially infants) consuming strictly vegan diets usually are also at an increased risk for dietary deficiencies of vitamin D. Such children are more likely to have rickets. Although dietary intakes of calcium are often similar among vegetarians and omnivores, bioavailability of this mineral is reduced when vegetarian diets are consumed. Dietary calcium absorption may be elevated in vegetarians due to a negative calcium balance however biochemical indices indicative of calcium is generally reduced in vegetarians and the level of risk may be underestimated. Recent reports suggest that bone mineral densities average 3–5% lower in lactovegetarians than in omnivores, and long-term vegan vegetarians may have lower bone mineral densities than lactovegetarians

Strict vegetarians who have limited exposure to sunlight should choose vitamin D–fortified breakfast cereals and soymilks daily or ingest a daily vitamin. Adult lactovegetarians consuming 2 servings of milk daily (2 cups) receive adequate dietary vitamin D; however, older adult lactovegetarians should regularly consume vitamin D–fortified breakfast cereals in addition to milk.

Lactovegetarians and vegans can also reduced their mineral bioavailability and also increase the protein, calcium, iron, and zinc contents of the meals by including green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, nuts and seeds in their diet.

In meal planning variety and moderation is the key and not a being vegetarian or otherwise. Both groups can eat healthily without any problems however one may consult a dietician for expert advice when the need arises.

The writer is a dietician.email:[email protected]