Good morning, Cards, and happy World Vegetarian Day!
Considering that it is World Vegetarian Day, we will be discussing what the vegetarian diet is, it's environmental and health impacts, and strategies to successfully follow this diet.
Different Types of Vegetarian Diet The vegetarian diet is widely known for excluding meat, poultry, or fish. However, there are various different types of vegetarian diets that differ in specific foods they include and exclude. For example, the different vegetarian diets are:
Lacto-vegetarian diet, which allow dairy products & exclude meat, fish, poultry and eggs, as well as foods that contain them.
Ovo-vegetarian diets, which allow eggs & exclude meat, poultry, seafood and dairy products.
Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets, which allow dairy products and eggs & exclude meat, fish and poultry.
Pescatarian diets, which allow fish & exclude meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs.
Vegan diets, which exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products and any foods that contain these products.
Semi vegetarian or the “flexitarian diet,” which is primarily plant-based diet & includes meat, dairy, eggs, poultry and fish on occasion or in small quantities.
Why follow the vegetarian diet?
Now that we understand the different vegetarian diets, why choose to follow one of these diets in the first place? The vegetarian diet offers numerous benefits for the environment and your health. For example, a diet with limited or no meat and dairy products can reduce an individual’s carbon footprint from food by up to 73%. This reduced carbon footprint is due to less greenhouse gases emitted during food production, and less water and land required to grow crops compared to growing crops for animals and then humans. The vegetarian diet also provides positive impacts on one’s health, such as reducing one’s risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and various cancers.
Vegetarian Diet Strategies
Following one of the vegetarian diets requires you to consistently be aware of your nutritional needs and wants. Below are various strategies that can be utilized when following one of the vegetarian diets:
Limit your intake of processed foods.
Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and whole grains.
Learn how to obtain the necessary nutrients into your diet.
Consider transitioning to the vegetarian diet gradually.
Make a weekly grocery shopping and meal plan.
Follow credited recipes pages to learn about new recipes to try!
Research restaurants offering vegetarian dishes and bring your family & friends.
The vegetarian diet requires consistent attention on meeting your daily nutritional need, which can in return have a significant impact on your environment and health. If you need additional help navigating the vegetarian diet, we encourage you to make an appointment with the campus dietician, Ethan. If you are not vegetarian, continue to learn more about the impacts the diet has on the environment and support your friends, peers, and others who are following the vegetarian diet!