Vegetarian Diet Is a Healthy Priority for all Ages

Today, the vegetarian diet is gaining popularity all over the world. For decades, vegetarian food has been a prominent trend in India. Vegetarianism is a lifestyle choice for millions of people in our country, and scientific evidence has shown that it has health benefits. A vegetarian diet has been associated to a lower risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure, among other things.

Vegan and plant-based diets, as well as vegetarian eating habits, appear to be on the rise. Most of us either know someone who is a vegetarian or are vegetarians ourselves. According to a 2018 Dalhousie University survey, more than 6.4 million Canadians are either decreasing or eliminating meat from their diets, and many more are considering doing so.

Who is a vegetarian?

A vegetarian is a a person who does not consume or does not believe in eating meat, fish, poultry, or, in some situations, any food derived from animals, such as eggs or cheese, but instead subsists on vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and so on.

What is a Vegetarianism?

Vegetarianism is the practice of avoiding meat intake. It may also mean avoiding all byproducts of animal slaughter.

There is more than one type of vegetarian:

• Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat dairy and eggs but do not eat meat, poultry and fish.
• Pesco-vegetarians eat dairy, eggs and fish, but do not eat meat and poultry.
• Vegans do not eat dairy, eggs, meat, poultry and fish.

Any of these vegetarian eating plans are healthy options for children. The main foods for all these diets are vegetables, fruit, grains, legumes (bean, lentils, dried peas), soy products, nuts and seeds.

Healthy at all ages

Children of all ages, from toddler to teen, can be vegetarian. The most important thing is that they obtain the nutrients and energy they require to grow and develop properly. This will necessitate some forethought. Speak with your children's doctor, healthcare provider, or Registered Dietitian before they begin a vegetarian eating pattern.

Nutrients to pay attention to in a vegetarian diet

A well-planned vegetarian diet for your children entails paying close attention to a few key nutrients. Consult your child's doctor, healthcare provider, or a dietitian for information on food sources for these nutrients.

Protein:

• Breast milk or formula for babies
• Soy products – tofu, TVP (textured vegetable protein), veggie burgers
• Milk, cheese, yogurt
• Fortified soy beverages
• Eggs
• Legumes
• Nuts and seeds

Iron:

• Iron-fortified cereal
• Legumes
• Soy products – tofu, TVP, veggie burgers
• Fortified pasta and cereals
• Dried fruit
• Quinoa
• Dark green vegetables

Zinc:

• Legumes
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Whole grains
• Vitamin B12
• Dairy products
• Eggs
• Fortified soy products – beverages, tofu, veggie burgers
• Red Star nutritional yeast
• Supplements

Calcium:

• Fortified soy beverages and non-dairy drinks, or orange juice
• Calcium-set tofu
• Almonds
• Legumes
• Leafy green vegetables

Vitamin D:

• Soft margarine
• Fortified soy beverages
• Supplements

Omega 3 fats:

• Oils: Canola oil, soy oil
• Soy products: Soy beans, tofu
• Walnuts
• Flax seed
• Breastmilk and infant formula (for babies)

Some Benefits of Being Vegetarian

1. Vegetarians have a lower risk of developing diabetes.

According to Caspero, persons who eat mostly plants have considerably lower incidences of type 2 diabetes. And research backs up this vegetarian diet advantage: During a 17-year period, vegetarians were 74% less likely than non-vegetarians to develop diabetes, according to a 2008 study. "The cause is a combination of things, but fiber is the most important," she explains.

2. Vegetarians may have increased longevity.

While not necessarily vegetarian-specific, a review of six studies found that very low meat intake was linked with a significant decrease in risk of death, and when study participants stuck to this eating style for more than two decades, their life expectancy increased by an average of 3.6 years. 

3. Vegetarian diets lower blood pressure.

If your high school health class was a blur, here's a fast refresher: High salt intake has been related to high blood pressure, which is a condition in which blood pushes up against the walls of your arteries at a higher-than-normal pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. A vegetarian diet, on the other hand, can help you maintain a healthy blood pressure. In fact, a review of 32 observational studies published in JAMA Internal Medicine indicated that vegetarians had lower blood pressure than meat-eating omnivores.

4. Vegetarian diets promote a healthy gut.

Bottom line:

Well-planned vegetarian diets can be healthy for people of all ages and can provide you with all the nutrients for good health. But planning is key!