health
Staying Healthy Vegetarians and vegans take special steps to get their nutrients with Healthy Eating
By Jeff Briscoe jbriscoe@kansan.com
Vegetarianism isn't just a trend. There are a variety of reasons behind becoming a vegetarian, ranging from religion to health concerns to animal cruelty concerns.
Whatever the reason, though, nutritionists say people should be sure to research dietary choices to prepare their bodies for the switch.Registered dietician Dina Aronson says people considering becoming vegetarian should first consult a dietitian who specializes in vegetarian diets.
particularly important for a vegan to be sure he or she is not consuming any animal products, Bessa says this can be just as important for people who are not even vegetarian.
"I live in a scholarship hall. I see how girls don't pay attention to their vegetables or fruits," Bessa says.
Aronson, who is also president of Welltech Solutions, says vegans and even regular omnivores should take care to get more vitamins D and B12. She says that vitamin D cannot be found in meats but can be found in some milk products and juices On the other hand, B12 can be
at time, but has now stopped.
"I get sick every two or three weeks because I don't get enough iron or protein," Cable says. "I used to take a vitamin, but now I don't. I guess I really should but I haven't really looked into it."
Vegetarians tend to eat less grease and fat and usually consume more nutrients that can help
Cable has seen a doctor about being vegetarian and tries to keep her diet evenly balanced. She says she tends to eat healthier than most of her friends but that it mostly stems from the natural diet of being a vegetarian.
the body. Aronson says vegetarians tend to follow well-planned diets with fewer nutritional pitfalls than those who regularly eat meat.
"Scientific studies show that vegetarians.
compared to non-vegetarians, tend to have lower body weights and lower risk of diseases such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, and certain types of cancer," Aronson says.
Aronson also says that non-vegetarians can have healthier diets than vegetarians simply because they do eat meat. She says that keeping your
She says she has heard a variety of opinions from different people on what vegetarians should be sure to eat but doesn't think everyone knows what they are talking about. Lindgren says she is sure to get plenty of soy and recently started eating eggs again to put more protein in her diet.
Aronson says there are many different classifications of people who are vegetarian, but everyone should be informed about his or her diet. She suggests that, at the very least, people read a well- researched book about the issue. She recommends the books Becoming Vegan and Becoming Vegetarian, both by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis, as good starts to learning about vegetarianism.
Shannon Lindgren, Leawood senior, agrees that people who eat meat can probably be healthier than vegetarians. She has been a vegetarian for more than four years and has experienced no problems with her diet.
consumption to a healthy level and watching what you eat is an important aspect to keeping your diet healthy.
for more information: www.goveg.com
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Photo by: Rachel, Anne, Seymour