‘Vegetarian’ is a comprehensive term meaning a diet in which meat, fish and poultry and their products are not consumed. A vegetarian style diet differs according to the limitations in food types.
1. Vegan diet: People who adopt this diet do not consume any animal products.
Subsets of Vegans;
-Zenmacrobiotic diet: This diet consists of cereals, vegetables, fruits and legumes.
-Fruvitarians or Fruitists: These individuals are fed only with fruits and vegetables such as zucchini, tomatoes and cucumbers, which are counted as fruits.
-Ravisists: Ravisists prefer raw food because they think that food costs will be lost with cooking.
2. Lacto-vegetarian diet: They consume milk and dairy products from foods of animal origin.
3. Ovo vegetarian diet: They include eggs in their diet. However, they do not consume meat and milk.
4. Lacto-ovo vegetarian diet: Those who follow this diet do not eat the works of dead animals, but consume the milk and eggs produced while the animal is alive. It is the most common vegetarian diet today.
5-Pesco vegetarians: They do not consume meat and chicken, but they eat fish, eggs and dairy products.
6-Semi-vegetarians: They do not eat only red meat. They consume limited amount of white meat. it is thought to be healthy. Is this the truth? Vegetarian nutrition has many positive effects on health, as well as its disadvantages have been proven by many studies. Let’s take a look at all of these now.
Advantages of Vegetarian Nutrition
Since foods of animal origin have high cholesterol and saturated fat rates, the risk of cardiovascular diseases in a diet that does not include them is 30% lower than those who do not eat vegetarian. People who adopt a vegetarian diet have a lower risk of high blood pressure compared to those who consume a lot of meat and meat products. This is due to the fact that vegetarian diets are poor in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, as well as contain foods with high fiber content such as vegetables, fruits and legumes. It is shown that potassium, magnesium and calcium, which are effective, are taken into the body in a large amount, and sodium intake is low. In addition, people who adopt a vegetarian diet, thanks to their higher fiber content, healthy nuts and plenty of antioxidant intake, can prevent cancer compared to individuals who do not eat vegetarian Obesity and type 2 diabetes are less common health problems than non-vegetarians.
Disadvantages of Vegetarian Nutrition
Following a vegetarian diet does not mean adopting a healthy lifestyle. Of course, a one-way diet will also have disadvantages. It is inevitable to see Fe, Riboflamin, B12, Zinc, Calcium and Protein deficiencies as a result of malnutrition, especially in high-risk individuals (babies, children and pregnant women). can cause serious health problems.
