Vegetarianism is the practice of not eating meat. Strict vegetarians regard the flesh of all animals, including that of fish and poultry, as meat. Many vegetarians avoid eating meat for moral or religious beliefs. They believe it is wrong to kill animals for food. Other vegetarians consider eating meat unhealthy.
Vegetarians vary in the kinds of foods they consider acceptable. For example, lacto-ovo-vegetarians include milk and eggs in their diet. Lacto-vegetarians do not eat eggs, but they do eat dairy products. Vegans avoid all foods derived from animals, including gelatin and honey. Some vegetarians eat the flesh of certain animals, a practice sometimes called semivegetarianism. Pesco-vegetarians, for example, eat fish but no meat or poultry.
Daily meals for vegetarians should include appropriate servings of grains, vegetables, fruits, and protein. Nonvegetarians get much protein from meat, fish, and poultry. Vegetarians, on the other hand, get much of their protein from legumes, beans, eggs, nuts, and seeds. Protein from individual plant sources contains only some of the amino acids (building blocks of proteins) required by the body. But a mixed and varied vegetarian diet that includes many nutritious foods will supply enough protein to grow and repair the body.
Vegans must be especially careful to ensure that their diets provide sufficient protein, calcium, and vitamins D, riboflavin, and B12. Dairy alternatives, such as soy milk, often replace the nutrients from dairy products, especially calcium. Food manufacturers may fortify cereals, dairy alternatives, or meat alternatives with vitamin B12. Plant foods do not provide any of this important vitamin, though they may be rich in other B vitamins. Vegans, especially teenagers and nursing mothers, must take a vitamin B12 supplement.
A well-balanced vegetarian diet offers certain health benefits over a diet that includes meat. For example, vegetarians generally consume less saturated fat and cholesterol. A high level of cholesterol in the blood is associated with heart disease. Studies have shown that vegetarians in many parts of the world often have less risk of developing certain diseases, such as heart disease and high blood pressure. Some studies suggest that a vegetarian diet can help people live longer. Such longevity may result in part from antioxidants—chemicals that protect cells against certain types of damage—and other healthy phytochemicals (plant-derived compounds) in vegetarian diets. Most vegetarian diets also contain fewer calories than diets that include meat.
Some religious groups call on their members to follow vegetarian diets, especially the Buddhists, Hindus, and Seventh-day Adventists. Other people choose vegetarian diets because they believe that consumption of meat, especially beef, reduces the world food supply. They think that grain used to fatten cattle would nourish more people if eaten directly. Other vegetarians judge that meat production creates unnecessary pollution and wastes resources, particularly water.
