Vegetarian Nutrition

Vegetarianism is a nutrition type which generally contains consumption of vegetal foods instead of animal foods. And vegetarian is defined as people who consume the vegetal foods and limitedly consume the animal foods (like red meat, chicken, fish, milk and milk products, eggs) or do not consume these at all.
Vegetarianism defined as not consuming meat or animal products is a dietary habit that has been maintained for many years in Asia and USA especially by communities believing in the religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.
Although vegetarian nutrition diet is classified as vegan, lactovegetarian, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian or partial vegetarian, there are many types of this. These are;
1- Lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet: Diet includes vegetal foods, milk products, and eggs.
2- Lactovegetarian diet: Diet does not include meat, fish, and egg but only milk and milk products and vegetal foods.
3- Ovo-vegetarian diet: Diet does not include meat and milk products. However, vegetal foods and egg are included.
4- Vegan diet: Foods such as all animal products, meat products, milk, and milk products, eggs, honey, etc. are not consumed. Some vegans don’t use even animal products such as leather and silk.
5- Semi-vegetarian diet: This diet does not include meat but a limited amount of poultry meats and water products as well as vegetal foods. Milk and milk products and also eggs can be consumed.
6- Pesco-vegetarian: Meat and poultry meat are not consumed. Fish, milk and milk products and also eggs are included in the diet.
7- Pollo-vegetarian diet: The poultry meats are included in their nutrition programs as well as the vegetal products.
8- Fruitarians: Only vegetables and fruits in the botanic fruit group, as well as nuts, are included in this diet.
9- Macrobiotic: Diet includes grains and grainy foods.

BENEFITS OF VEGETARIAN NUTRITION IN TERMS OF HEALTH

* The saturated fat, cholesterol and animal protein content of the diet is low and it is a nutrition style rich in fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals.
* Since sufficient amount of fiber is taken, constipation is not experienced much.
* It has the effect of stabilizer for the blood cholesterol level.
* The frequency of cardiovascular diseases, being overweight, diabetes and some cancer types is low in the people applying this nutrition type.
* It is protective against hypertension, gallstone, kidney stone, and diverticular diseases.
* Overconsumption of foods containing a high level of protein like meat may cause calcium loss from the bones.
* Homocysteine in the meat, fatty acids being oxidized with cooking and oxidant substances causing many types of cancer are not taken since meat and meat products are not consumed.
* Homocysteine in the meat, fatty acids being oxidized with cooking and oxidant substances causing many types of cancer are not taken since meat and meat products are not consumed.

SUGGESTIONS FOR VEGETARIAN NUTRITION

* Create nutrient variety to take all the nutritional elements into your body
* Sufficiently consume the eggs which substitute meat, legumes and soy, skinned fruits, oilseeds. Have legumes or a meal with eggs as the main meal.
* If you are not consuming any animal nutrients, soy milk instead of milk-yogurt; cheese, the foods such as “soy meat or soy in small pieces” made of so instead of egg. You need to pay more attention to your vitamin B12 and calcium intake in this case.
* If you are a vegetarian not consuming fish, definitely include legumes and thick-skinned fruits into your diet.
* When you don’t eat fish, consume 2 portions of foods containing omega-3 fats per day. 1 portion values of these are; one tablespoon (10 ml) of rapeseed or soy oil; one tablespoon of (10 ml) flaxseed oil; one tablespoon (10 ml) of smashed flaxseed; 2 handfuls (60 g) of walnut.
* Since skinned hard fruits and fatty seeds contain a high amount of fat, you should pay attention not to consume more than suggested.
* Unpurified grain products must be preferred instead of bleached grains. For example; you may eat brown bread made of whole wheat instead of white bread, bulgur instead of rice.
* The overweight vegetarians should not include the sugary foods and beverages with low sustenance and foods such as mayonnaise, potato chips with a high-fat rate in their nutrition.
* It is necessary to pay attention to the B12 vitamin, calcium and iron intake and supplements should be taken if necessary.
* It is necessary to sunbathe regularly and in suitable hours since vitamin D increases taking benefit from calcium and you should use the vitamin D in the dosage that your doctor suggests if you have vitamin D deficiency.
* You should drink 2-2.5 liters of water.
* Tea and coffee should be taken one hour before and one hour after the meals.
* Infant, child, adolescent, elder eating vegetarian and with the special condition should definitely consult with the dietician in order to eat sufficiently and in a balanced way.
* You should do a physical activity (brisk walking, swimming, etc.) at least 3 days a week and for at least 30 minutes at each time.