Vegetarian Dietary Patterns for Adults

Author: Professor Walter J. Veith, PhD

Publish date: Jun 30, 2009
Summary: It has been shown that a vegan diet can provide all the body’s needs and can be followed without
fear.
 
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Vegan diets are in general lower in calories than omnivorous diets, and as a result
vegans are normally slimmer than their omnivorous counterparts. It was found that
vegetarians weigh eight kilograms less than meat eaters who are, on average, five to
seven kilograms overweight.i
The lower weight of vegetarians has distinct health advantages in that slim people fall
into lower risk categories regarding cardiovascular diseases and cancer.ii, iii
Obviously the body requires a minimum intake of energy to stay alive, and the number
of calories required varies with gender, size, and body weight. Adults require around
1000-1700 calories per day at rest (basal metabolic rate or BMR), while activity
increases the energy expenditure. The average energy consumed per day is 2000
calories for women and 2700 for men, but heavy manual labor or sporting activity can
increase the requirements to as much as 4000 calories per day.
The vegan diet has a lower fat and protein content and a higher carbohydrate content
than most other diets, and particular attention must be paid to energy intake as the
energy supply from fat is 9,4 kcal/g, whereas carbohydrates and proteins supply only
4,2 and 4,3 kcal/g respectively.
Food guides are useful in teaching, but the average person will not pay much heed to
them unless educated to do so. The vegetarian tribes of the world also do extremely well
without the use of dietary charts and lists of recommended daily allowances (RDA). The
diets that have been established in these tribes have, however, arisen over time and
have been practiced for generations, whereas Western societies must rediscover simple
wholesome eating practices. Moreover, there are so many so-called health foods and
metaphysically inspired health notions that the health-food industry has become a
minefield of misinformation. Under these circumstances it is prudent to make a thorough
investigation of the issue, and not to avoid the voice of science.
The Basic Four

In general the Western societies adhere to the Basic-Four nutritional guide which
correlates adequate nutrition with regular intake of the four basic food types: dairy
products, breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables and meat. It is interesting that even
this Basic-Four Food Guide was found to be lacking in vitamin E, vitamin B-6,
magnesium, zinc and iron.iv
In the past, these four food groups were considered to
be of equal importance—the plate was divided into four
quarters each with one of these food groups. Recently,
however, this Basic-Four diet has come under attack
from health circles, but intensive lobbying by the meat
and dairy industry has managed to keep it at least
partially afloat in the minds of the general public. In the
past American school children were taught that a
healthy diet included meat every day, but now the US government has recognized that a
vegetarian diet can be healthy.
In 1992 the USDA issued a revised recommendation in which the “food pyramid” was
used for the first time. It was suggested that grains and cereals form the bulk of the
diet, vegetables and fruits were suggested as next in importance, followed by animal
products and finally fats, oils, and sugars which were to be used sparingly. The 1996
guidelines are a further advance on this, stating that “Most vegetarians eat dairy
products and eggs and, as a group, these lacto-ovo-vegetarians enjoy excellent health.”
The guidelines, however still warn against a strict vegan diet and supplementation of
iron, zinc, and B-vitamins is suggested.v
The change of heart comes from an overwhelming body of evidence that the
consumption of animal products is a health risk, and it can be expected that more
changes in lifestyle will be recommended in the future. Already, Michael Jacobson,
executive director of the “Centre for Science in the Public Interest” criticized the US
government for not coming out more strongly against meat in the 1996 guidelines.
Vegan vegetarians need different guidelines to those commonly accepted in Western
societies, and they need to plan their eating regimes carefully, nevertheless a
balanced vegan lifestyle is not only possible, but can indeed be desirable in terms of
health.
Healthy Vegetarianism

Ovo-lacto- and lacto-vegetarians have less of a problem in meeting caloric needs than
do vegan vegetarians, and that is why the safety of lacto-ovo-vegetarian eating patterns
is normally emphasized in dietetic recommendations, whilst specialized dietary planning
is recommended for vegan type diets.vi,vii The energy component of ovo-lacto-vegetarian
diets is boosted by the animal fats included in these diets and is therefore not to be
regarded as a positive aspect of these diets.
Vegan vegetarians must plan diets that will compensate for the omission of dairy
products, by ensuring that they include adequate quantities of high energy foods in their
diets. Provided this is done, it has been shown that a vegan diet can provide all the
body’s needs and can be followed without fear. A number of suggested vegan diet
patterns have been analyzed, and it was found that the diet suggested by Selma Chaij-
Rhys came closest to satisfying daily nutritional needs of adults. viii, ix This diet uses a
simple numerical formula and starts off by using grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables, and
adds vegetable-protein foods fortified with vitamin B-12, such as fortified soy milk or
simply a B-12 supplement.
This eating pattern will supply more than double the RDA of iron, particularly as the high
vitamin C content will enhance the utilization and absorption of non-haem
iron.x Riboflavin and niacin needs are also met. The pattern, however, falls short in
protein and energy, particularly in men, but the use of a larger serving size would help
to bridge the energy gap.
The Chaij-Rhys diet plan will supply adequate nutrition for women in all the nutrients
with the exception of calories. Again, a somewhat larger serving will cater for all the
needs, including energy needs.
Correct food combinations are essential when trying to meet protein needs, as various
plant-protein sources complement one another. Legumes are high in lysine but low in
the sulphur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine, and the combination of
legumes with grains, which are high in methionine and threonine and low in lysine, will
provide an excellent protein.xi To achieve a proper amino acid balance is thus not nearly
as complicated as it sounds. For example, the ordinary peanut butter sandwich will
supply complete proteins as it is a combination of a grain (wheat) and a legume
(peanuts).
Read more about nutrition
This article is adapted from the book Diet and Health by Professor Walter Veith.
 

 
i. U. D. Register and L. M. Sonnenberg, "The vegetarian diet,"  J.Am.Diet.Assoc 62 (1973): 253-261.
ii. L. Beil, "Lean living,"  Science News 134 (1988): 142-143.
iii. R. Butrum et. al, "NCI dietary guidelines: rationale," Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 48 (1988): 888-895.
iv. J. L. King et. al., "Evaluation and modification of the Basic Four Food Guide,"  J.Nutr.Educ. 10 (1978): 27-29.
v. K. Kleiner, "Life liberty and the pursuit of vegetables,"  New Scientist 13 (January 1996).
vi. P. B. Mutch, "Food guides for the vegetarian,"  Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 48 (1988): 913-919.
vii. Michigan Department of Public Health,  Basic Nutrition Facts  (Slansing, MI: MDPH, 1980): H-808.
viii. D. Nieman, "Vegetarian dietary practices and endurance performance,"  Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 48 (1988): 754-761.
ix. P. K. Johnston, "Counseling the pregnant vegetarians,"  Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 48 (1988): 901-905.
x. M. V. Smith, "Development of a quick reference guide to accommodate vegetariansim in diet therapy for multiple
disease conditions,"Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 48 (1988): 906-909.
xi. J. T. Dwyer and C. Jacobs, "Vegetarian children appropriate and inappropriate diets,"  Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 48 (1988):
811-818.