There are types of vegetarian diets and you will need to select the information relevant to you according to the eating plan you follow. The types we refer to are:

1. Semi or demi vegetarians exclude red meat but still eat fish and other animal products

2. Lacto ovo vegetarians exclude all meat, fish and poultry but still eat dairy products and eggs

3. Lacto vegetarians exclude all meat, fish, poultry and eggs but still include dairy products

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Vegetarian diets, like all diets, need to be planned appropriately to be nutritionally adequate. Having a vegetarian style of eating does not necessarily mean that your diet is healthier. You still need to monitor your fat intake and ensure you are eating the right choice of food to give you adequate carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals

Studies have shown that a vegetarian diet reduces your risk for several common chronic degenerative diseases and conditions, including obesity, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, gallstones and some types of cancer

If you plan your diet carefully you are likely to get all the protein you need from plant based foods alone. Individual plant foods do not contain all the amino acids the body needs and so it is vital to eat a wide variety of foods and combine them together. Combining grains with pulses can lead to a higher quality of protein and this is called protein complementing.

1. Soya products, eggs, milk, cheese and yoghurt contain all the amino acids the body needs

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2. Beans on toast, peanut butter sandwiches, rice with peas or beans, potatoes with egg or cheese, bean casserole with rice, pasta with cheese, rice and milk pudding and cereals with milk are all great options for complete protein

3. Generally, vegetarians have a lower intake of saturated fat but you still need to be careful about your total fat intake. Reading food labels can help. For a food to be considered a low fat choice, no more than 35% of its energy should come from fat. Full fat dairy products and cheese all contain saturated fat. Choose semi skimmed milk, reduced fat cheese, use less of a full fat cheese by grating it rather than cutting off chunks and choose low fat yoghurts

4. Use rapeseed oil, groundnut oil or olive oil or spread for cooking as this provides monounsaturated fat, which can help to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol. Keep your total fat intake low as all fat contains 9kcal per gramme and can contribute to weight gain

5. Choose a wide variety of carbohydrate foods and base your meals around bread, cereals, pasta, potatoes, rice, peas, beans, pulses, lentils, milk and dairy products, soya products, bagels, crumpets, muffins, tea cakes and hot cross buns. Choose wholegrain foods wherever possible to increase your total nutrient and fibre intake

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6. Choose a wide variety of fruit and vegetables t® obtain a balance of antioxidant vitamins and minerals; vitamins A, C, E, lycopene, beta carotene and selenium

7. If you avoid eating red meat, poultry and fish, which are good sources of iron, ensure you replace these with other good sources of iron in the diet. Peas, beans, pulses, green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, fortified cereals and bread are all alternative sources of iron. Include a source of vitamin C with these foods, such as orange juice, to increase the iron absorption

8. Unless you are vegan, you are likely to include milk and milk products in your diet, which may provide adequate calcium. If you don’t have these foods ensure you include other food sources of calcium, eg fortified soya products, bread, green leafy vegetables, beans, apricots and oranges

9. If you include milk and eggs in your diet you should have an adequate intake of vitamin B12, which is needed for the formation of blood cells. Alternative sources include yeast extract, some vegetable stocks, textured vegetable protein, fortified soya milk and breakfast cereals

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10. The UK National Food Guide, the Balance of Good Health still applies to vegetarian diets. Try to make up half of your plate with foods from the bread, rice, cereals and pasta group, a third from the vegetables and fruit group and a sixth from the meat, fish and alternative food group

11. A label that says “suitable for vegetarians” does not mean that it will be nutritionally balanced