1. Vegetarianism
Beth Sutton
Sophomore Dietetics Student at
SUNY Oneonta

2. Vegetarianism
Topics to be covered:
Types of vegetarians
History of vegetarianism
The position of the ADA
Advantages and disadvantages of a vegetarian diet
How to complete proteins
Adjusting recipes to be vegetarian friendly
This presentation is meant to increase your
knowledge of the vegetarian diet

3. Vegetarianism
At the end of this presentation:
You will have learned at least one new fact about
vegetarianism
You will have a greater understanding of the
vegetarian diet

4. Types of Vegetarians
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians:
Eat plant, egg, and dairy products
Do not consume any animal flesh
Most common type of vegetarian in the US
Lacto Vegetarians:
Eat plant and dairy products
Do not consume any animal flesh or egg products

5. Types of Vegetarians
Vegans:
Do not consume any type of animal product or
derived animal products (such as honey)
Meat Restrictors
Consume no red meat
Eat fish and poultry
Not a true vegetarian

6. History
Egyptians
3200 BC
Karmic beliefs
Pythagoras
Avoid animal cruelty
Slaughtering animals brutalizes the
human soul
Renaissance
Food shortages-meat expensive
Discovery of new plants

7. History
Enlightenment
Beliefs in animal consciousness
Religious beliefs that flesh consumption is against
God’s laws
WWI
Victory Gardens
Food Shortages
Modern Day
Avoiding diseases (Mad Cow, Salmonella, etc.)
Healthy Living

8. Position of the American Dietetic
Association
“It is the position of the American Dietetic Association
and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned
vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate,
and provide health benefits in the prevention and
treatment of certain diseases”

9. Advantages of a Vegetarian Diet
Lower levels of saturated fat
Low or no consumption of cholesterol
High intake of:
Carbohydrates
Fiber
Magnesium
Potassium
Folate
Antioxidants
Phytochemicals

10. Advantages (cont)
Vegetarians have lower reported Body
Mass Indices
Vegetarians reportedly die less often from
heart disease than non-vegetarians
Vegetarians Show:
Lower blood pressure
Lower blood cholesterol
Lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes,
prostate, and colon cancer

11. Disadvantages of Vegetarian Diets
Limiting foods makes adequate
consumption of nutrients difficult
Risk Vitamin B12 deficiency
Inadequate vitamin D consumption
if no dairy is consumed
Can cause rickets in children

12. Disadvantages (cont)
Sometimes hard to consume
adequate amount of calories
High risk of iron deficiency anemia
Risk protein deficiencies

13. Iron
Vegetarians are encouraged to watch iron
consumption more carefully
Consume citrus juice while eating to enhance
absorption
Good iron sources include:
Cereals
Organic acids (citrus)
Legumes

14. Completing Proteins
Plant sources of protein lack certain amino acids and
must be combined to form complete proteins
A legume and a grain
A grain and a nut or seed
A legume and a nut or seed

15. Combine Grains and Combine Grains and Combine Legumes and
Legumes Nuts/Seeds Nuts/Seeds
Peanut butter on Whole-wheat bun with Humus (chickpeas and
whole-wheat bread sesame seeds sesame paste)
Breadsticks rolled with Trail mix (peanuts and
Rice and beans
sesame seeds sunflower seeds)
Rice cakes with peanut
Bean soup and a roll
butter
Salad with chickpeas
and cornbread
Tofu-vegetable stir-fry
over rice or pasta
Vegetarian chili with
bread

16. Adjusting Recipes for Vegetarians
Substitute tofu for meat in any recipe- tofu will
absorb the flavors of whatever you cook it in
Use vegetable stock instead of chicken or beef stock
Add vegetables to whatever you are cooking to add
bulk
Use non-dairy products in place of typical dairy
products

17. Conclusion
Vegetarian diets can be a healthy alternative to
typical meat consumption
There are many variations on vegetarian diets
Consuming adequate nutrients can be difficult
for people who limit their consumption of
certain foods

18. Conclusion
Favorite recipes can be altered to suit
a vegetarian guest or family member
Vegetarianism has a rich and far
reaching history through time

19. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
Visit the website of the American Dietetic
Association at http://www.eatright.org
Look into vegetarian information at the
Vegetarian Resource Group website
http://www.vrg.org
Contact a faculty member of the College at
Oneonta at http://www.oneonta.edu