Vegetarian and Vegan Diet

Vegetarian diets are basically plant based, with fruit, vegetables, legumes, seeds and nuts.

A vegetarian diet can be very healthy as many plant foods are lower in saturated fat and higher in dietary fibre. However, a healthy vegetarian diet requires careful planning to make sure it is well balanced, including a wide variety of foods to meet nutritional needs.

A vegetarian diet is based on plant foods. There are different types of vegetarian diets including:

• Vegan - only plant foods are included

• Lacto - dairy food is included

• Ovo-laco - dairy food and eggs are included

Vegetarian diets can be healthful when carefully planned and monitored, they can improve obesity, constipation, coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and diverticular disease. They also may reduce the incidence of breast cancer, colon cancer and gallstones. Vegetarians tend to have less appendicitis, hiatal hemia, irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids and varicose veins. Fibre intake is recommended at 25 – 35g per day and vegetarian diets can easily provide this level.