Perhaps you may have some friends choosing vegetarian diet. Some people think that vegetarian diet is good for health but others think that it leads to malnutrition. What are the pros and cons for vegetarian diet? Let Ms Cherie Cheng, registered dietitian of Central Consultative Clinic introduces them to us.

What is a vegetarian diet? Will vegetarian consume egg and milk?

There are several kinds of vegetarian diet.

Western Vegetarian	Exclude chicken, beef, lamb, pork and poultry but include seafood
Buddhist	Exclude meat, garlic and onion which are regarded as provoking appetites but include seafood such as oyster and mussel, and also unfertilized egg
Lacto-Vegetarian	Exclude meat but include milk and dairy products
Ovo-Vegetarian	Exclude meat but include egg and related food
Fruitarian	Only eat fruit (excluding leaves and stem)
Vegan	Exclude all food that have a relation with organisms, e.g. they don't eat honey as they regard it as a product obtained from abusing bees

What are the pros of vegetarian diet? Why?

According to a nutrition professor in Michigan, USA, researches have discovered that eating food which are rich in dietary fibers such as whole-grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts and fruits, and avoiding too much meat and high-fat animal products from our diet, along with a regular exercise program, can help lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, avoid obesity, and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.

Some researches even indicate that vegetarians are smarter, have longer attention span and easier to cope with pressure, since fresh vegetables are healthier than processed food, a healthier body can therefore result in a healthier brain and mind. Besides, consuming dietary fibers enhance hunger control by prolonging the feeling of fullness and satiety. Therefore, adding dietary fibers in the diet may also enhance weight maintenance.

What are the cons for vegetarian diet?

Non-meat eater will surely lack nutrients such as protein and iron that are found in red meat. Iron deficiency will lead to low blood pressure, anemia, dizziness, muscle fatigue, tiredness. People who don't drink milk or eat dairy products and avoid meats may be calcium and vitamin B12 deficient. Calcium deficiency may lead to muscle spasms, rickets, osteomalacia, and osteoporosis. On the other hand, vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms include chronic fatigue, constipation, depression, dizziness, drowsiness, and pernicious anemia. Therefore, health experts suggest vegetarians choosing a more nutrient balanced lacto-ovo vegetarian diet instead of the strict vegan diet. Lacto-ovo vegetarians can absorb calcium and vitamin B12 from milk, soybeans, tofu and eggs. In addition, fishless diet (especially fatty fish) lacks omega 3 fatty acids. They are necessary for human health but the body can't make them, so we have to get them through food. Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in fish, such as salmon, tuna and halibut; fish oil.

Instead of fish, vegetarians may consume Omega-3 fatty acids from some plants, and nut oils such as flaxseed, flaxseed oil or walnut. Omega 3 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development. They have also become popular because they may reduce the risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon and albacore tuna) at least twice a week.

Besides, since strict diets of vegans might tend to be low in fat, sugar, sodium, and water content, the potassium content in some vegans' bodies might be slightly higher, which leads to losing water content from the body and having low blood pressure.

It seems that vegetarian diet is boring. Could you please suggest some attractive vegetarian dishes?

We can make colourful vegetarian dishes to increase our appetites.

Special thanks：Ms Cherie Cheng, Registered Dietitian of Central Consultative Clinic