This just in: Vegetarian diets are fine

Vegetarians have been pretty confident about this -- and it likely comes as no surprise to anyone capable of understanding a nutrition label. But the new assessment comes from the American Dietetic Assn. so might carry some weight with disease-threatened people on the fence.

The judgment is offered up in the organization's updated position paper on the matter. And the more relevant aspect is that the paper says going meat-free may help prevent or treat some chronic diseases.

"It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life-cycle including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence and for athletes."

The paper was published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Assn. Here's the news release and the abstract.

On a more helpful note, the association is also offering up a detailed nutritional chart of various vegetarian burgers and hot dogs.

In the burger category, MorningStar Farms' Grillers Original and the Boca All American Classic top the protein list with 15 grams of protein each. (The Boca also tops the sodium list, with 500 milligrams.)

The hot dog category is considerably smaller, with only four varieties listed. Of those, the Yves Meatless Hot Dog has the most protein, with 10 grams. 

The chart also includes comparisons with real meat.

No surprise, the vegetarian burgers and hot dogs tend to have less fat and more fiber (both good) than real meat, but more sodium and less protein (not so good). Here's an overview of the results.

-- Tami Dennis 

Photo: Going meatless doesn't mean you have to give up the barbecue.

Credit: Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times
 

Comments

[Matt C.]

I am not a real vegetarian though I lean more and more in that direction. But, I am a recent convert to the Morning Star Farms Grillers Original burgers (the one that says "84% less fat" on the box, as opposed to 58%). They taste considerably like actual hamburgers, and I have found no other veggie burger that even comes close in texture or taste.

[Duke]

Why did the ADA include a list of processed vegetarian junk foods? Those aren't going to make anyone healthy. It's man-made junk that the human body is ill-suited to properly metabolize.

[Roy Mankovitz]

I support those who wish to experiment with vegan and vegetarian diets. However, as a research scientist, I do wish to comment on the insanity of what the ADA recommends as healthy.

Morningstar Farms Grillers Ingredients:

"Textured vegetable protein (wheat gluten, soy protein concentrate, water for hydration), egg whites, corn oil, calcium caseinate, contains two percent or less of modified tapioca starch, onion powder, canola oil, triglycerides from coconut oil, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (corn gluten, wheat gluten, soy protein), dextrose, salt, soy protein isolate, autolyzed yeast extract, sugar, natural and artificial flavors from non-meat sources, caramel color, cultured whey, maltodextrin, garlic powder, spice, cellulose gum, disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, soy sauce (water, soybeans, salt, wheat), vitamins and minerals (niacinamide, iron [ferrous sulfate], thiamin mononitrate [vitamin b1], pyridoxine hydrochloride [vitamin b6], riboflavin [vitamin b2], vitamin b12), sesame seed oil, celery extract, soy lecithin." Allergen information: contains wheat, soy, egg and milk ingredients.

If soy lovers actually knew how these and similar Frankenfoods were made in chemical factories, they would be horrified. Read "The Whole Soy Story" by Kaayla Daniel and I doubt you will continue to eat soy. I don't eat any food that contains more than one ingredient, or which cannot be eaten without human processing.

For those interested in research on what Nature intended us to eat, as opposed to the nutrition industry, read my books :The Wellness Project" or "The Original Diet." I donate copies to public libraries.

Roy Mankovitz, Director
http://www.MontecitoWellness.com

[I wanna be Vegan too!]

Is this advertising for commercial taste-like-meat by products. I'd like to think that a real health conscious vegan/vegetarian would avoid commercial products like the one mentioned in this advertisement. Notice how there is nothing mentioned about what a 'well planned" vegetarian diet is?

You too can be a vegetarian...just buy a no-meat patty and you will healthy as a nut!

[Robert]

I've been a vegetarian for over 35 years and I'm still alive.

[Jeannie]

I've been an ethical vegan for 22 years and am still alive!

I think the comments above on the highly processed nature of meat-analogues are well taken, but I think if you compare them directly against their animal-based competitors, the analogues win out on the basis of fat content, damage to the environment, and certainly on ethical issues of animal mistreatment.

The analogues have their place in my diet as an occasional item, most notably when attending meat-based social events like barbecues. I think they serve as a great transition tool for folks who want to try out a healthier, cruelty-free diet.

[Kathleen]

I rarely eat meat, poultry, or fish any more, simply because I've lost my taste for it, but I wonder if I'm getting enough iron and B12.

[T. Singh]

I am a vegetarian for religious reasons. I am a healthy man in my 50s and work as hard as much younger men (meat eaters, of course) whether it an office job or work on the farm. I have never had high cholesterol.

I am not a physcian, but I think the diet should be simple containing natural ingredients consists of grains, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and some diary products. If the food label lists too many ingriedients which sound more like a list of chemicals and your grandmother cannot tell what those names mean, it probably is not a good food.

Meat is not a dietary requiement for the human body. You can get protein, iron, vitamins and minerals from many other plant based food sources which are just as good or better. Meat is just a big business for the slaughter houses, food stores, and hospitals. It is one of the major causes for clogged arteries, cancers and other diseases in the US.

T. Singh

[Tami]

B-12 deficiency is relatively uncommon, Kathleen. Most cases have been linked to some underlying intestinal disorder, and the condition is more likely in the elderly. Here are some guidelines from the National Institutes of Health on how much B-12 you need and where to get it:

http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb12.asp#h4

As for iron, that's a little more complex, depending on a variety of factors. Here's a similar fact sheet on iron (it includes symptoms, as does the other one, of deficiency):

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron.asp

Hope this helps.

[Anne]

I'm guessing they just included the veggie burgers/dogs to tie it to upcoming July 4th cookouts. I agree with several of the other commenters - as someone whose diet consists mainly of plant foods, "meat substitutes" are foods that I enjoy only occasionally (such as at a Dodgers game or a backyard barbecue), but the vast majority of my diet consists of whole foods. Even when I do buy veggie burgers, I look for brands with labels that read like a list of ingredients in a recipe - rice, beans, veggies, etc. Gardenburger has some tasty varieties.

When I was first starting in my veg journey, I found the Vegetarian Resource Group's page on vegetarian nutrition to be quite helpful:
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/index.htm
The VRG has articles on B12, calcium, iron, protein, and address many other dietary concerns, whether about a specific nutrient or stage of life (pregnancy, children, teenagers, the elderly, etc).

Vegetarian Times magazine is also very informative, with good health info and tasty recipes.

I also really enjoy the World's Healthiest Foods book and website: http://www.whfoods.com
They have a lot of great articles to browse, plus in-depth information on the nutrients in various whole foods, including easy and quick cooking tips. If you're at all interested in food and nutrition, I highly recommend this site. It's not 100% vegetarian, but the majority of the foods they look at are, and the Q&A linked on the homepage today is about vegetarian diets.

Thanks for this post, and much encouragement to anyone who is interested in exploring vegetarianism and veganism. Do your research so you don't become a junk-food vegetarian and make us healthy folks look bad. ;)

Also - thanks to the meat-eaters out there who are considerate of their veggie friends when it comes to barbecues and other social events involving food. Your thoughtfulness is much appreciated! :)

[Robert]

When people try to make the transition from meat to strictly veg, anything that will help them make that transition is a positive. The most important thing is to get the population off of animal products and the cruelty it produces. A faux steak that didn't invest in murdering a cow is a good thing. After people become vegetarians and vegans they begin to evolve their diets into the healthiest possible. If they need to eat something that reminds them of the taste of meat to actually forgo it, I have no problem with it; necessity is the mother of invention...

[Steve]

I am 60 and a veg for 30 yrs. Low blood pressure. Healthy. I saw cows being slaughtered at 11 yrs old in OH. I will never forget it. Try it. You will go veg too.
There are so many veg choices today. It is easy. 15 yrs avg more life span. Low cancer rate. Low heart disease. 7th Day Adventist research.

[Pandonodrim]

Kathleen:

Just make sure you eat plenty of leafy greens like kale, swiss chard, romaine lettuce, etc. Carrots and broccoli are vital as well.

[N Guinasso]

Why do they add salt to the vegifood?
If people want salt, let them add their own. For many of us, salt is poison.

[Scott]

A good resource , written by a nutritionist is "American Wholefoods Cuisine "- 1300 veg recipies and directions.

[sjy]

PROTEIN MYTH... who's promoting it? We are made of 16% protein and our body has a natural ability to make amino acids (what meat eaters get from animal protein). The concern about how much and where do vegetarians get their protein is based on decades of the dairy and meat industry once again brainwashing us into believing that we need it. Did you know that the the USDA's food pyramid was developed by the meat & dairy industry? Cancer, obesity, heart disease and diabetes is on the raise yet the discussion of prevention isn't promoted; instead we pour millions of dollars on research. Eat a plant-based diet, take care of your heart, body, and soul to prevent these diseases. Some of the strongest and longest living animals are vegetarians... we don't ask a gorilla or elephant, gee, how does he get his protein?

Thanks for all the great posts and the meat-eaters who support our decision. When a vegan says, "we don't eat animal or animal product" please don't reply with "what about fish?"

[VeganJax]

processed vegan foods are only slightly better than regular processed foods. I hate when i hear people say they are going to become vegan/vegetarian to lose weight and all they really do is eat bread, cheese, and french fries. That morningstar thing doesnt even have real soy in it...soy concentrate. If you need these things to slowly ween yourself from meat, fine, but it's best just to skip straight to tofu, seitan, and tempeh. Quinoa, lentils, and beans also have adequate protein as well. I agree with the above comment about "fish". hahaha. that is so annoying. "do you eat eggs? what about egg whites?" OMG.

[Mekhong Kurt]

I just turned 58, and have drifted a little towards eating less meat and more vegetables, though I'm far from being able to lay claim to being vegetarian. Except maybe compared to some of my fellow Americans (and other nationalities, of course).

I live in Asia, where people tend to eat much more vegetables than meat, fish, and poultry. Sure, economics is a consideration (or is for impoverished people, anyway). But taste preferences play a big role, too. And that's had more influence on me than any desire to move away from flesh food to veggies.

Don't get me wrong -- I still eat too much meat, especially in the form of cold-cut sandwiches and hot dogs. But I eat them a lot less than I used to eat them. Now I like to buy street food, especially with rice, some vegetable dish, some fresh (uncooked) vegetables, and some meat. But what's meant to be a single serving of meat usually gets me thre--four meals. I used to swallow a 20-ounce steak in 20 minutes! Now, on the RARE occassion I even order a steak, I'm lucky if I can get through 3 ounces, assuming I have salad, veggies, soup, etc. with it.

One thing that has helped me is that I've fought my weight all my life, and now I've been able to hold my target weight range pretty well for about three years, as the result of strict, even harsh, dieting -- which reduced my appetite greatly, apparently permanently. And one nice thing about Asian dishes is if I fill up after just a few bites, it's easy to pop it into the fridge and eat it later, or, if I'm out, to doggie bag it and take it home.

If I live long enough, I guess I'll eventually basically drift away form meat, maybe not altogether, but, say, 98%. Lucky me, I love stuff like freshly-made tofu!