Do
vegetarians lose weight faster and are healthier?
Fact: Research shows that people who follow a vegetarian
eating plan, on average, eat fewer calories and less fat
than non-vegetarians. They also tend to have lower body
weights relative to their heights than non-vegetarians.
Choosing a vegetarian eating plan with a low fat content may
be helpful for weight loss. But vegetarians
—like
non-vegetarians—can make food choices that contribute to
weight gain, like eating large amounts of high-fat,
high-calorie foods or foods with little or no nutritional
value.
Vegetarian diets should be as carefully planned as
non-vegetarian diets to make sure they are balanced.
Nutrients that non-vegetarians normally get from animal
products, but that are not always found in a vegetarian
eating plan, are iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12,
zinc, and protein.
Tip: Choose a vegetarian eating plan that is low in fat and
that provides all of the nutrients your body needs. Food and
beverage sources of nutrients that may be lacking in a
vegetarian diet are listed below.
Iron: cashews, spinach, lentils, garbanzo beans, fortified
bread or cereal
Calcium: dairy products, fortified soy-based beverages or
fruit juices, tofu made with calcium sulfate, collard
greens, kale, broccoli
Vitamin D: fortified foods and beverages including milk,
soy-based beverages, fruit juices, or cereal
Vitamin B12: eggs, dairy products, fortified cereal or
soy-based beverages, tempeh, miso (tempeh and miso are foods
made from soybeans)
Zinc: whole grains (especially the germ and bran of the
grain), nuts, tofu, leafy vegetables (spinach, cabbage,
lettuce)
Protein: eggs, dairy products, beans, peas, nuts, seeds,
tofu, tempeh, soy-based burgers.
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