YOGA & NUTRITION. Vegetarian diets.

The vegetarian diet is one of the most common diets among yogis. This tendency is partially derived from the concept of Satvic foods which consists of fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, tofu, beans, dairy products, and honey, as well as fruit or vegetables juices. However, there are many other reasons for choosing a vegetarian diet; for example, health considerations, environmental and economic factors. Some people may have concerns about animal welfare, while others reflect on world hunger and religious beliefs. Whatever the reason, 7.3 million adults in the U.S. now consider themselves vegetarians.  

A classic definition of a vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat (including fowl) or seafood, or products containing these foods, but is this really that simple? There are a wide variety of vegetarian and semi-vegetarian diets including those who consume dairy products and eggs (lacto-ovo) along with the standard base of grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, and nuts. The lacto-vegetarians exclude eggs, and vegans are sometimes called ‘total vegetarians’ excluding from their diet fish, meat, poultry, dairy, egg, as well as any other animal products.

What about those who only eat fish (pesceterians), or those who only eat vegetables, grains and legumes (macrobiotic diet)? According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly known as the American Dietetic Association), these types of diets are classified as ‘near-vegetarian’ diets. As my husband commented wisely: “Those are the folks who eat hamburger near an Indian restaurant”.  Seriously, a raw food diet can be vegetarian, consisting of mainly uncooked and unprocessed foods, but it can also include unpasteurized dairy products, raw meat and raw fish. (I will comment on the dangers of such eating patterns in my future blogs).

Fruitarian diets are considered vegan and based primarily on fruits, nuts and seeds. They can also include vegetables classified botanically as fruit, such as tomatoes and avocadoes. Of course, there are always folks who will eat meat and fish occasionally, but describe themselves as vegetarians. This particular case will fit under category of semi-vegetarians.

Although not a vegetarian myself, I love making vegetarian dishes. They are always fresh, and often include many ingredients and spices. The good news is that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recognizes those diets as healthy, and when well-planned (nutrient-wise), they may have a number of health advantages. For example, vegetarian diets were associated with lower cholesterol, lower risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure and hypertension, as well as lower body mass index (BMI) and lower risk of type 2 diabetes. So, keep munching and stay tuned! The next blog will be dedicated to macro- and micro-nutrients in vegetarian diets.

---