Vegetarian & Vegan

Diets
By: Annie Nalesnik
Vegetarian vs. Vegan
Beginning Vegetarian
Semi-Vegetarian: no red meats (beef & pork)
Pesco-Vegetarian: no beef, pork, or poultry (fish ok)

Vegetarian
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian: no meat (including fish)

Transitioning Vegan
Lacto-Vegetarian: no meat + no eggs (dairy ok)
Ovo-Vegetarian: no meat + no dairy products (eggs ok)

Vegan
no meat + no animal products

Reasons for Vegetarianism or Veganism
Ethics: Killing & eating animals is wrong.

Diet/Weight Loss/Health: Vegetarians appear to have
lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, lower rates of
hypertension and type 2 diabetesa lower body mass index and
lower overall cancer rates [than nonvegetarians] (ADA 2009).

Environment: 51 percent of greenhouse gas emissions
worldwide can be attributed to "livestock and their byproducts
(World Watch 2009).

Religion: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism (India), some
Christians, Taoism (China), Islam



Meat Substitutes
Tofu: soy product, coagulating soy milk
Tempeh: soy product, fermented soy beans
Seitan: wheat gluten, made by washing wheat flour dough until
the starch dissolves, leaving insoluble gluten

Chicken Steak
Serving Size 3 oz 3 oz
Calories 104 131
Fat 4.5g 6.5g
Sodium 91mg 125mg
Carbohydrates 0g 0g
Dietary Fiber 0g 0g
Protein 19g 17g
Tofu Tempeh Seitan
Serving Size 1/2 cup 3 oz 3 oz
Calories 94 190 90
Fat 5.9g 6g 1g
Sodium 9mg 10mg 380mg
Carbohydrates 2.3g 20g 3g
Dietary Fiber 0.4g 6g 1g
Protein 10g 11g 18g
Protein Sources
Essential/Indispensible Amino Acids (9): amino acids that
your body cannot make and must get through diet
Complete Protein: foods that supply all the essential amino
acids in the proportions needed by the body

Complete Protein Foods
Vegetarian: Eggs, Milk, Greek Yogurt, Yogurt, Cheese
Vegan: Tempeh, Tofu, Soymilk, Soybeans, Hummus, Quinoa

Combinations
Brown Rice + Beans or Lentils or Black Eyed Peas
Whole Wheat Pasta + Beans
Whole Wheat Bread + Peanut Butter or Almond Butter
Lentils + Almonds
Vitamins/ Minerals For Vegans
B12
Recommended: 2.4 micrograms
Fortified Cereals: Total (7.7), Product 19 (6), Wheat Chex (2.4)
Red Star Nutritional Yeast (2.0)

Calcium
1 cup milk = 300 mg
collard greens (356 mg), fortified orange juice (320 mg)
tofu (258 mg), cooked turnip greens (252 mg), cooked spinach (244 mg),
white beans (226 mg), un hulled sesame seeds (218 mg), cooked kale (204
mg)

Iron
Recommended: Men = 10 mg, Women = 15 mg
Belgian Endive (7 g), quinoa (5.3 g), figs (4.2 g), cooked spinach (4 g),
black- eyed peas (3.8g), lentils (3.4 g), kidney beans (3.3 g), Swiss chard
(3.3 g)
Vegan Swap List
Butter = non- dairy vegan margarine
Cheese = soy cheese, nutritional yeast
Chocolate = carob chips, vegan chocolate
Eggs = tofu scrambler
Honey = agave syrup, maple syrup, liquid sweetener
Ice Cream = almond, cashew, coconut, hemp or rice
based ice cream
Milk = almond milk, hemp milk, soymilk, rice milk
Yogurt = arrowroot yogurt, coconut milk yogurt, rice
yogurt, soy yogurt
Tips for Becoming Vegetarian/Vegan
Start slow
Eat a variety of foods
Find go to foods and restaurants
Carry healthy snacks for crunch times
Listen to your cravings
Remember why you became a Vegetarian or Vegan