Post by Alena on Dec 28, 2006 18:47:32 GMT -5
Vegetarian Myths
by Julie Smith Riley, MS, RD
Meat-free diets—once associated with radical lifestyles—are gaining in popularity as an increasing number of research studies confirm the health benefits of plant-based diets. But say the word "vegetarian," and many people conjure up strange foods, restrictive rules and food combining. Most of these ideas are outdated, exaggerated, or simply erroneous.
Myth Number One: Vegetarians Don't Get Enough Protein
Not true. It's tough to find anyone in the United States—vegetarian or not—who is protein-deprived. Most Americans consume up to twice as much protein as they need every day. Even the average vegetarian fits in about 1½ times as much as the body needs. There's no doubt that meat is protein-packed, but almost all foods contain at least small amounts of proteins; this means that just by eating a variety of foods, vegetarians get plenty.
More good news: nutritionists used to think that vegetarians needed to do some complicated combining of foods to make the plant proteins they eat "complete." That theory has been laid to rest; as long as vegetarians eat a reasonably varied diet, there is no need to consciously combine proteins.
Myth Number Two: It Is Difficult to Eat in a Restaurant With Vegetarians
Not true. Diners are demanding more meatless menu options and restaurants are responding. Meatless dining out is easier than ever. Even if the vegetarian pickings themselves are slim, with a little creativity, it's not difficult to put together a tasty meal. Most restaurants are happy to prepare items without meat. Even fast food restaurants will usually accommodate requests for burgers ordered as "hold the meat, add extra vegetables."
Myth Number Three: Vegetarian Diets Take Meticulous Planning to Avoid Nutrient Deficiencies
Not true. There's no need to break out the graph paper and a pocket calculator to eat vegetarian-style. Of course, overly restrictive diets of any type can bring on health problems. It's not healthier to eat nothing but brown rice than it is to dine solely on ham and eggs. And "junk food" vegetarians who eat nothing but, say, french fries and chocolate cake, are not doing their bodies any favors, either.
Vegetarians, like meat eaters, should follow the pattern set out by the USDA Food Guide Pyramid and eat a diet based on whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, with smaller amounts of low-fat dairy products and protein foods and limited amounts of added fats and sweets.
Vegans—who choose not to eat any animal products, including dairy—must take supplemental vitamin B-12, which is not found in usable form in any non-animal food. Some soymilks are now fortified with the vitamin, and supplements are available as well.
Calcium deficiency is also a potential problem for vegans. While it is commonly said that some vegetables contain more calcium by weight than milk, this is misleading. A cup of powdered kelp may have more calcium than a cup of milk, but since no one can eat a few cups of powdered kelp daily this is irrelevant.
Calcium per serving is a more meaningful measure, and no plant food approaches the calcium content of dairy products on a reasonable per-serving basis. It is true that our caveman ancestors managed to obtain high levels of calcium without eating dairy products, but they ate several thousand calories a day, and consumed highly nutrient rich wild plants that are unpalatable to modern tastes. The solution: a good quality vegan calcium supplement.
Myth Number Four: Vegetarian Diets Are Dangerous for Pregnant Women or Children
Not true. Even the most confident pregnant vegetarian will waver when well-meaning friends and families gasp, "But you have to eat meat—for the baby!"
But according to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), "well-planned...vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy." Moreover, says the ADA, meatless diets, when appropriately planned, also "satisfy nutrient needs of infants, children, and adolescents."
Researchers have found that babies born to vegetarians are just as likely to be a healthy, normal weight as those born to nonvegetarian mothers. In fact, there may even be an advantage of eating meatless during pregnancy. Vegetarian women tend to eat more foods that are rich in folate, a vitamin that helps decrease the risk of having a baby born with certain birth defects.
Kids are fine without meat, too. Vegetarian children grow normally and, as a bonus, tend to be leaner than their meat-eating counterparts. And, by learning lifelong healthy eating habits, vegetarian kids may be less likely to develop diseases like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer as adults.
It's probably a good idea to see a registered dietitian who can spot any potential problem areas and address fears that parents might have. Parents who want to raise their children on a vegan diet, which contains no animal products at all, should definitely make a visit to a registered dietitian for some menu planning advice. While kids can thrive on vegan diets, it does take more careful planning to ensure that calcium, vitamin B-12, zinc, and vitamin D needs are met.
Myth Number Five: A Vegetarian Diet Is Always Healthier Than One That Includes Meat
Not true. While some research appears to show that vegetarians are at a lower risk of many chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer, these are all observational studies, and therefore subject to producing misleading results.
It is quite possible that people who choose to be vegetarian are health conscious in other ways, and these might be the primary causes of the apparent benefits seen. Even if vegetarianism is healthy, by cutting back on meat portions and heaping your plate with more health-promoting fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, you might still experience all the health benefits of vegetarianism: in other words, you can have your meat and eat it, too!
Remember also, avoiding meat does not necessarily mean eating healthier. A vegetarian who eats a diet full of fried foods and foods packed with refined sugar (like cake and candy) is not eating well.
Myth Number Six: Vegetarians Have to Eat Weird Foods Like Tofu
Not true. There are plenty of vegetarians who have never allowed tofu to pass their lips. In general, though, vegetarians are an adventurous lot and tend to experiment with different foods to replace the meat that they may have grown up with.
But this is not a requirement of the vegetarian way of life. Vegetable pizza, bean burritos, broccoli stir-fry, pasta with marinara sauce, and other "classics" that you grew up with are all meatless dishes. And then there's macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, french toast....
RESOURCES:
American Dietetic Association
www.eatright.org
International Vegetarian Union
www.ivu.org
The Vegetarian Resource Group
www.vrg.org
by Julie Smith Riley, MS, RD
Meat-free diets—once associated with radical lifestyles—are gaining in popularity as an increasing number of research studies confirm the health benefits of plant-based diets. But say the word "vegetarian," and many people conjure up strange foods, restrictive rules and food combining. Most of these ideas are outdated, exaggerated, or simply erroneous.
Myth Number One: Vegetarians Don't Get Enough Protein
Not true. It's tough to find anyone in the United States—vegetarian or not—who is protein-deprived. Most Americans consume up to twice as much protein as they need every day. Even the average vegetarian fits in about 1½ times as much as the body needs. There's no doubt that meat is protein-packed, but almost all foods contain at least small amounts of proteins; this means that just by eating a variety of foods, vegetarians get plenty.
More good news: nutritionists used to think that vegetarians needed to do some complicated combining of foods to make the plant proteins they eat "complete." That theory has been laid to rest; as long as vegetarians eat a reasonably varied diet, there is no need to consciously combine proteins.
Myth Number Two: It Is Difficult to Eat in a Restaurant With Vegetarians
Not true. Diners are demanding more meatless menu options and restaurants are responding. Meatless dining out is easier than ever. Even if the vegetarian pickings themselves are slim, with a little creativity, it's not difficult to put together a tasty meal. Most restaurants are happy to prepare items without meat. Even fast food restaurants will usually accommodate requests for burgers ordered as "hold the meat, add extra vegetables."
Myth Number Three: Vegetarian Diets Take Meticulous Planning to Avoid Nutrient Deficiencies
Not true. There's no need to break out the graph paper and a pocket calculator to eat vegetarian-style. Of course, overly restrictive diets of any type can bring on health problems. It's not healthier to eat nothing but brown rice than it is to dine solely on ham and eggs. And "junk food" vegetarians who eat nothing but, say, french fries and chocolate cake, are not doing their bodies any favors, either.
Vegetarians, like meat eaters, should follow the pattern set out by the USDA Food Guide Pyramid and eat a diet based on whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, with smaller amounts of low-fat dairy products and protein foods and limited amounts of added fats and sweets.
Vegans—who choose not to eat any animal products, including dairy—must take supplemental vitamin B-12, which is not found in usable form in any non-animal food. Some soymilks are now fortified with the vitamin, and supplements are available as well.
Calcium deficiency is also a potential problem for vegans. While it is commonly said that some vegetables contain more calcium by weight than milk, this is misleading. A cup of powdered kelp may have more calcium than a cup of milk, but since no one can eat a few cups of powdered kelp daily this is irrelevant.
Calcium per serving is a more meaningful measure, and no plant food approaches the calcium content of dairy products on a reasonable per-serving basis. It is true that our caveman ancestors managed to obtain high levels of calcium without eating dairy products, but they ate several thousand calories a day, and consumed highly nutrient rich wild plants that are unpalatable to modern tastes. The solution: a good quality vegan calcium supplement.
Myth Number Four: Vegetarian Diets Are Dangerous for Pregnant Women or Children
Not true. Even the most confident pregnant vegetarian will waver when well-meaning friends and families gasp, "But you have to eat meat—for the baby!"
But according to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), "well-planned...vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy." Moreover, says the ADA, meatless diets, when appropriately planned, also "satisfy nutrient needs of infants, children, and adolescents."
Researchers have found that babies born to vegetarians are just as likely to be a healthy, normal weight as those born to nonvegetarian mothers. In fact, there may even be an advantage of eating meatless during pregnancy. Vegetarian women tend to eat more foods that are rich in folate, a vitamin that helps decrease the risk of having a baby born with certain birth defects.
Kids are fine without meat, too. Vegetarian children grow normally and, as a bonus, tend to be leaner than their meat-eating counterparts. And, by learning lifelong healthy eating habits, vegetarian kids may be less likely to develop diseases like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer as adults.
It's probably a good idea to see a registered dietitian who can spot any potential problem areas and address fears that parents might have. Parents who want to raise their children on a vegan diet, which contains no animal products at all, should definitely make a visit to a registered dietitian for some menu planning advice. While kids can thrive on vegan diets, it does take more careful planning to ensure that calcium, vitamin B-12, zinc, and vitamin D needs are met.
Myth Number Five: A Vegetarian Diet Is Always Healthier Than One That Includes Meat
Not true. While some research appears to show that vegetarians are at a lower risk of many chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer, these are all observational studies, and therefore subject to producing misleading results.
It is quite possible that people who choose to be vegetarian are health conscious in other ways, and these might be the primary causes of the apparent benefits seen. Even if vegetarianism is healthy, by cutting back on meat portions and heaping your plate with more health-promoting fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, you might still experience all the health benefits of vegetarianism: in other words, you can have your meat and eat it, too!
Remember also, avoiding meat does not necessarily mean eating healthier. A vegetarian who eats a diet full of fried foods and foods packed with refined sugar (like cake and candy) is not eating well.
Myth Number Six: Vegetarians Have to Eat Weird Foods Like Tofu
Not true. There are plenty of vegetarians who have never allowed tofu to pass their lips. In general, though, vegetarians are an adventurous lot and tend to experiment with different foods to replace the meat that they may have grown up with.
But this is not a requirement of the vegetarian way of life. Vegetable pizza, bean burritos, broccoli stir-fry, pasta with marinara sauce, and other "classics" that you grew up with are all meatless dishes. And then there's macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, french toast....
RESOURCES:
American Dietetic Association
www.eatright.org
International Vegetarian Union
www.ivu.org
The Vegetarian Resource Group
www.vrg.org