Go Vegetarian

Find out how to forgo meat — and still get good nutrition

There are growing signs that vegetarian diets are gaining acceptance in the United States. In a 2009 position paper, for example, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) gave the green light to well-planned vegetarian or vegan diets for virtually everyone — from pregnant women and infants to teens and athletes. As Andrea Giancoli, a longtime dietician, vegetarian and ADA spokesperson, puts it, “For general health reasons, we all need to be moving toward eating more plants.”

According to the ADA, these reasons include lower cholesterol and blood pressure and less risk of heart disease — not to mention plant-based products’ environmental benefits, such as lower greenhouse gas emissions.
If you’ve been thinking about taking this fork in your dietary road, consider the following.

• Your current meat consumption: To make the transition easier on your stomach, gradually reduce the amount of meat in your diet. “It’s a good idea to have two-thirds to three-quarters of your diet be from plants before making the transition,” advises Giancoli.
• Key nutrients: Meat and dairy products do a good job of providing complete proteins (those with all the essential amino acids), vitamins B12 and D, and easily absorbed iron. The good news is there are plenty of sources of these nutrients in plants. Soy is found in most meat substitutes and provides complete protein. “If you don’t like soy, there’s still a lot of protein in the plant kingdom,” says Giancoli. “Grains and beans together make a complete protein — rice and beans, for example, lentils and couscous, even a peanut butter sandwich on whole-grain bread.” Drinking a dairy substitute such as almond, rice or soy milk can provide vitamins B12 and D; adding vitamin C helps the body absorb meals that are rich in plant-based iron.
• The omega-3 debate: Omega-3 fatty acids are important for heart, eye and brain health. Two crucial omega-3 fatty acids are found mostly in fish. Another variety, alpha-linolenic acids, are common to plant oils, but it’s unclear how well humans can absorb this form. “Personally, I decided to introduce fish into my diet once or twice a week,” says Giancoli, “and err on the side of caution.”