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Mind Your Body takes a look at the different types, from those who take honey and eggs to fruitarians who eat only fruit, nuts and seeds
Buddhists and Hindus have been advocating vegetarianism for centuries.
These days, a growing number of adherents do so for reasons unrelated to these two faiths.
They include people who choose to become vegetarian for ethical or environmental reasons, or some who do so because they think it will benefit their health.
The term “vegetarian” has in fact become a broad category for different subsets of the practice. It includes those who eat honey, eggs and milk; and vegans, at the other end of the spectrum, who are strictly vegetarian and do not eat any animal products.
Then there are vegetarians who eat only one type of vegetable or fruit, or only those of the same colour, at each meal.
Even within veganism, there are different beliefs, such as fruitarians who eat only fruit, nuts and seeds but no leaves and stems.
With the bad press that fatty meat and processed foods have received, and with chronic diseases on the rise, the vegetarian diet has become a draw for the health-conscious.
Plant food diets tend to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol.
They also have higher levels of dietary fibre, magnesium and potassium, vitamins C and E, folate, carotenoids, flavonoids and other phytochemicals, said Madam Koay Saw Lan, who heads the dietetics and nutrition services at Singapore General Hospital.
Various research findings link these ingredients to a lowered risk for chronic diseases, she added.
For example, a 2004 publication in the Archives Of Internal Medicine by a team of researchers in the United States found that every 10g increase of dietary fibre a day reduced heart diseases by 14 per cent and coronary deaths by 27 per cent.
While the fruit and vegetables in a vegetarian diet do prevent heart disease, it is more important for the diet to be balanced, said cardiology consultant Jack Tan from the National Heart Centre Singapore.
This means eating enough of various nutrients. Diet aside, exercise and a healthy body weight are equally important, he added.
Madam Koay said that vegetarians are also less likely to be saddled with conditions like obesity and constipation. The United Kingdom-based World Cancer Research Fund reported in 2007 that fruit and vegetables can protect against various types of cancer like that of the mouth, stomach and lung. It recommends at least five portions of these foods a day.
However, as in all good things, there are always caveats. Dietitians caution that going vegetarian may not always be a good thing, nor is it suitable for everyone.
Problems with some diets
For instance, vegetarians who include milk and egg products in their diet will usually have adequate nutrients but those on a vegan diet may run into problems. Vegans may lack nutrients like calcium, iron, vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids and certain amino acids unless their diets take these into account.
A lack of calcium in the long run, for example, may lead to lower bone mass and osteoporosis. In particular, elderly vegetarians do end to become osteoporotic.
Orthopaedic doctors attribute this not just to the lack of calcium in their diet but, more importantly, to the presence of the compound phytate in many plant-based foods such as grains and legumes.
Phytate binds to calcium and renders it unabsorbable by the body. So vegetarians who take calcium tablets should do so in the morning or at night when their stomachs are relatively empty.
Children, pregnant or lactating women and the elderly should take extra care of their diets.
For example, pregnant or lactating vegans should get more protein from whole grains and legumes, and calcium from tofu or soya products, advise local gynaecologists. These women should eat more plant-based items high in iron, zinc and vitamin B12, or take supplements.
A vegetarian diet has much bulk and the mother’s overall calorie intake may be insufficient because she may often feel full. So she should snack on dried fruit like raisins and prunes to bump up the calorie count. Otherwise, a vegan diet is generally not a problem for mothers.
VEGETARIAN DIETS NOT ALWAYS HEALTHY
A vegan may be eating high fat foods such as nuts, as well as dishes like fried rice and noodles and fried snacks like potato chips and pastries, local dieticians observe.
Coconut and palm oils, found in non-dairy creamers and some dishes, are high in saturated fat and can raise blood cholesterol.
“Lacto-ovo” vegetarians – who eat eggs and milk – may end up eating unhealthy amounts of them.
Dieticians recommend not more than three eggs a week, and low or non-fat milk, cheese and yoghurt be used instead of full-cream milk.
The bottom line: Doctors and nutritionists say that a vegetarian diet is not necessarily better or worse than a diet that includes both plant and animal food. What is more important is the nutrient balance.
Vegetarians with certain diseases should seek a doctor’s advice on diet.
For example, a kidney patient should watch his potassium intake as leafy green vegetables and fruits like bananas and durians are high in potassium.
A damaged kidney is unable to regulate potassium levels and high levels can lead to irregular heartbeat.
Kidney patients should soak their vegetables for a few hours before cooking to reduce their potassium levels. As for those who prefer to eat raw vegetables, seeds and fruit, beware of unhygienic food preparation and the risk of food poisoning, nutritionists warn.
In Singapore, the number of vegetarian eateries continues to rise. At the Vegetarian Society’s last count, there are more than 500 such establishments here, up from the 300 about five years ago and this does not include restaurants offering vegetarian options.
Vegetarian? Beware of deficiencies
 If you are vegetarian, watch out for deficiencies in these nutrients:
■ Iron
Iron from plants is not as well absorbed and this can lead to anaemia.
Get it from: Green leafy vegetables, figs, peas and broccoli
■ Calcium
Bones get brittle over time if there is a lack of calcium.
Get it from: Calcium-enriched tofu, broccoli, seeds, nuts, kale, bok choy and legumes
■ Protein
Plants lack certain essential amino acids, which are important building blocks for the body.
Get it from: Legumes, soya, beans, nuts, seeds and substitute meat products like vegetable burger patties (these are usually made of soya) and soya dogs
■ Vitamin B12
Most plant foods lack this vitamin, which is needed for metabolic processes. A lack of vitamin B12 may increase one’s risk of dementia.
Get it from: Nutritional supplements
■ Omega-3 fatty acids
Helps to reduce the risk of heart problems and cholesterol levels.
Get it from: Walnuts, canola and soya |