Vegetarian Diets Can Be Completely Healthy

Vegetarian Diets Healthy for All Says American Dietetic Association


In June 2003, leading nutrition organization, the American Dietetic Association (ADA), released its new position statement on vegetarian diets.

“It is the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.”

The report goes on to discuss a variety of vegetarian health issues and further states:

“Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than nonvegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.”

“Vegetarian diets offer a number of advantages, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein and higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, boron, folate, antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, carotenoids, and phytochemicals.”

To read the full report, please click: http://www.adajournal.org/article/PIIS0002822303002943/fulltext

Federal Government finally says it is OK to be vegetarian!

“Some Americans eat vegetarian diets for reasons of culture, belief or health.  Most vegetarians eat milk products and eggs, and as a group, these lacto-ovo vegetarians enjoy excellent health.  Vegetarian diets are consistent with the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” and can meet Recommended Dietary Allowances for nutrients.  You can get enough protein from a vegetarian diet as long as the variety and amounts of foods consumed are adequate.  Meat, fish and poultry are major contributors of iron, zinc and B vitamins in most American diets, and vegetarians should pay special attention to these nutrients.

Vegans eat only food of plant origin.  Because animal products are the only food source of vitamin B-12, vegans must supplement their diets with a source of this vitamin.  In addition, vegan diets, particularly those of children, require care to ensure adequacy of vitamin D and calcium, which most Americans obtain from milk products.”

-- 1996 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

“The Dietary Guidelines for Americans” was first published in 1980.  By law, the government is required to update the guidelines every five years, in order to incorporate the latest scientific breakthroughs.  The guidelines are the work of a prestigious panel of medical and nutrition experts appointed by the secretaries of Health and Human Services and Agriculture.  That year’s guidelines were developed by an 11-member panel chaired by Dr. Doris Calloway of the University of California at Berkeley.”

-- from the Vegetarian Voice, Vol.21, no. 3, page 5


New Food Guide for North American Vegetarians
    Info from A-Z from the American Dietetic Association available at: 
http://eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/nutrition_5105_ENU_HTML.htm

Nutrition and athletic performance -- Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine available at:
http://eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/advocacy_adap1200_ENU_HTML_(Draft).htm

Get your Vegetarian Starter Kit
from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) at:
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/index.html

    Very USER Friendly 16 page with great illustrations. 
    Good tool for sharing with those you care about.

 

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