International Vegetarian Day

“International Vegetarian Day” (also known as World Meatless Day) first started on November 25 in India. On that day, people are going meatless to raise awareness about the environment, wildlife, and health. To celebrate this special day, various slaughterhouses stop killing animals and restaurants serve plant-based foods. Nowadays, vegetarian trend continues to set pace and people have started to embrace plant-based diets. Many restaurants, carnivals and exhibitions have also started to rise the theme of vegetarianism. However, can vegetarianism be harmful to your health? Let’s discover ways to eat healthy with a plant-based diet.

 Vegetarian = Vegan

Vegetarian can be categorized into four types[1], they are:

(1) Strict vegetarian or Vegan: eats only plant-based foods such as crops and vegetables but excludes meat and food products of animal origin such as honey, eggs and dairy product.

(2) Lacto-vegetarian: excludes eggs and animal products with the exception of dairy products.

(3) Ovo-vegetarian: excludes animal and dairy products with the exception of eggs.

(4) Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: excludes animal products with the exception of eggs and dairy products.

Does plant-based diet offer health benefits?

Better Heart Health

According to the American Heart Association, adoption of plant-based diet was found to lower blood cholesterol level and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases[2].  Plant-based foods tend to be rich in dietary fibers and phytochemicals, low in saturated fat and absent in dietary cholesterol and trans-fats. These features may be beneficial in reducing fat absorption and may assist in stabilizing cholesterol level in blood. In addition, vegetables are rich in potassium which is the essential mineral to keep water and electrolyte balance in our body, this may assist in stabilizing blood pressure as well. Therefore, eating two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables is always good for your heart health. However, there is no conclusive evidence proves that plant-based diet can treat diabetes (high blood glucose), hyperlipidemia (high blood cholesterol) and hypertension (high blood pressure). If you have any concerns, consult your doctors for advice before adopting any types of vegetarian diet.

Maintain Normal Weight

The researchers behind a 2015 clinical study reported that vegan diet was more effective than omnivorous and semi-vegetarian diets on weight (BMI index) and fat loss in overweight individuals[3]. This implies that following a plant-based diets allow better control of our body fats because we consumed fewer calories and fats when compared to meat-based diet. But it is important to note that weight gain can have many causes, such as poor diet control, hormonal change, body water retention and side-effects of medication. Therefore, vegetarian diet might not be always effective on weight loss. 

Powerful Antioxidative Effect

Plant-based foods including oranges, strawberries and kiwi are rich in vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid), acting as a natural antioxidant. Vitamin C is thought to promote health of our skin, blood vessels and immune system, in addition to enhance absorption of iron and calcium in our body; Blueberries, egg plants and red onions contain Anthocyanin which can protect our body from free radicles and promote anti-aging effect on skin and blood vessels; Kales, carrots and sweet corns contain Zeaxanthin and Lutein which are effective in protecting eyes from oxidative stress under strong blue light and UV; Garlic, white onion and radish contain Allicin which can demonstrate antibacterial and antioxidant effects[4].

Guide to a healthy vegetarian diet

You would probably think that moving to a plant-based diet sounds good, but it is dangerously easy to eat incorrectly. You should understand how to make a varied and balanced plant-based diet plan to make sure getting all the nutrients you need.  

1. 1.       Choose Raw and Less-Processed Foods

A large amount of oils and condiments are often added to some traditional vegetarian dishes, such as vegan sweet & sour pork and taro fish, for better taste and texture. However, excessive intake of such will be harmful to health. Vegetarians should choose raw and less-processed foods so as to maximize the nutritional value of the foods you eat. Here is an example of 1-day plant-based meal plan!

1. 2.Eat A Variety of Foods

In fact, vegetarian diets when compared to meat-based diets are more likely to be deficient in vital nutrients, such as protein, calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and D. Therefore, you should better know what to eat instead of just about what not to eat. Let’s start with foods that are rich in vital nutrients!

Figure 1：Guide to Incorporate Vital Nutrients in a Vegetarian Diet

1.3   Take Supplementation if needed

For pregnant and lactating mothers, getting enough nutrients such as DHA, iron, calcium, vitamin B12 and D is important for the development of brain, eyes, and skeletal structure of a baby. It is advised to consult dietitians for an individualized diet plan and supplement with essential nutrients in order to meet the nutritional needs during pregnancy period.

For children, adolescents and elderlies, they need 1200-1300mg of calcium (equivalent to 4-5cups of milk) each day to maintain healthy bones and teeth. It can be a challenge to get enough calcium because there are limited plant sources of calcium. It is recommended people who do not consume dairy products to obtain extra calcium through supplementation.

Iron and Vitamin B12 deficiency can be the nutritional problems for vegetarians, especially women and people with anemia as iron is the crucial element in red blood cell development, while vitamin B12 is needed for the maturation of red blood cells. According to the Centre for Food Safety, adult women need at least 18mg of iron daily and it is equivalent to 550g of beef or 3 bowls of spinach6. Therefore, it is rather important for vegetarians with special needs to take some additional supplements.

Reference：

1. Centre for Health Protection (Guidelines for Vegetarian Diet)
2. Andrea, J. G., et al. (2021). Relationship Between a Plant‐Based Dietary Portfolio and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Findings from the Women's Health Initiative Prospective Cohort Study. Journal of the American Heart Association, 10(16)
3. Hana, K., et al. (2018). A plant-based diet in overweight individuals in a 16-week randomized clinical trial: metabolic benefits of plant protein. Nutrition & Diabetes, 8(1):58
4. Asefaw B., et al. (2016). Anti-Bacterial Effect of Garlic (Allium sativum) against Clinical Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli from Patients Attending Hawassa Referral Hospital, Ethiopia. J Infec Dis Treat, 2:2
5. Monsen, E. R. (1988). Iron nutrition and absorption: dietary factors which impact iron bioavailability. J AM Diet Assoc, 88(7):786-790
6. Centre for Food Safety (Food Nutrient Calculator)