Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet

It is this general background within which this report is positioned. This report will first, identify the constituent elements in a vegetarian diet and then discuss the capacity of a vegetarian diet to meet the nutritional daily requirements of an individual. Next, it will analyze the health and medical benefits of a vegetarian diet. Finally, the report will identify support for vegetarian diets emanating from various reputable health care organizations or associations. It will be argued that properly handled and structured, a vegetarian diet offers positive benefits and such a diet can be enjoyed by people of all ages (Rynk, 2002).

According to the American heart Association (2004, p. 1),

Some people follow a "vegetarian" diet, but there's no single vegetarian eating pattern. The vegan or total vegetarian diet includes only foods from plants: fruits,

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ds of nutritional (brewer's) yeast and other foods (check the labels), as well as vitamin supplements. Vitamin D: Vegans should have a reliable source of vitamin D. Vegans who don't get much sunlight may need a supplement. Calcium: Studies show that vegetarians absorb and retain more calcium from foods than nonvegetarians do. Vegetable greens such as spinach, kale and broccoli, and some legumes and soybean products, are good sources of calcium from plants. Zinc: Zinc is needed for growth and development. Good plant sources include grains, nuts and legumes. Shellfish are an excellent source of zinc. Take care to select supplements containing no more than 15-18 mg zinc. Supplements containing 50 mg or more may lower HDL ("good") cholesterol in some people. However, though a vegetarian diet can be a nutritionally sound diet, Rynk (2002) pointed out that strict vegetarians or vegans are particularly at risk for developing vitamin B-12 insufficiency. Gelles (1992) and Barnard (1993) both state that structuring a vegetarian diet to include appropriate amounts of vital nutrients is no more difficult or complex than structuring a traditional diet to achieve these goals. Automatically including animal fats and proteins in a d
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