Interesting article - despite all their silly squabbling, it turns out that almost all "vegetarians" are really meat-eaters after all. Also, the Iron problem gets some comments as well.
The Lean Plate Club: Vegging Out
By Sally Squires
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 9, 2003; Page HE03
link to article
What exactly is it that vegetarians eat?
That's a question asked by researchers in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which has devoted much of this month's issue to the study of those who eat no meat, poultry or fish.
Or, at least profess that they do.
It turns out that a number of people who report being vegetarians actually consume meat, poultry and fish regularly. They just eat these foods less often than the rest of the nation's omnivores.
In a study of daily food records from more than 13,000 Americans collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Loma Linda University researchers discovered that fewer than 1 percent of those surveyed (including self-described vegetarians) reported eating no animal flesh when quizzed in detail about their eating habits.
"Different people define being a vegetarian in different ways," says lead author Ella Hasso-Haddad, an associate professor of nutrition at Loma Linda.
It's commonly understood that vegetarians don't eat meat, poultry or fish. Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat some dairy products and eggs. Vegans, on the other hand, eschew all animal products, whether from land or sea, including dairy products, plus clothing made from wool, silk and leather. "There aren't many of those in the United States," says Hasso-Haddad.
The study found that people who consider themselves vegetarian -- no matter how strictly they actually avoid animal products -- appear to eat more healthfully than their omnivorous counterparts. For example, self-described vegetarians followed diets lower in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol They also consumed more fiber and fruit than the meat-eaters. Strict vegetarians -- that group of less than 1 percent -- consumed more grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit and wine than other self-described vegetarians.
Here's what researchers conclude in their round-up of vegetarian fare:
It's smart to spice it up. Embracing cuisine rich in spices may help enhance a meatless diet, notes J.W. Lampe of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Spices appear to help boost the immune system, reduce inflammation and fight infection, Lampe says.
Seafood is not the only source of healthy fat. Without seafood, some vegetarian diets -- especially vegan regimens -- may fall short of healthful omega-3 fatty acids, reports Pennsylvania State University's Penny Kris-Etherton. Some good plant-based choices to optimize omega-3 intake: flaxseed, canola oil, wild rice and various beans, especially mungo beans -- a black lentil-like bean popular in Indian cooking.
Plant-based foods are good for the heart and the brain. Frank Hu of the Harvard School of Public Health reports that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, nuts and whole grains is associated with a significantly lower risk of coronary artery disease and stroke. These foods probably protect by providing healthful fats, vitamins and minerals, various phytochemicals, fiber and plant protein, Hu says. Healthful vegetarian diets are "not necessarily low in fat," he notes, but should use unsaturated liquid vegetable oil and nuts as the primary source of fat. Whole grains and an "abundance of fruit and vegetables" are best as the main form of carbohydrates, he concludes.
It may be wise to check your hemoglobin levels. Meat is the main dietary source of iron and zinc, two essential minerals. No surprise, then, that studies show vegetarians may have lower levels of these minerals. Whether that translates to a health risk -- or a benefit -- in the well-nourished United States is being determined. Proof for the benefit of iron supplements is also not proven, notes J.R. Hunt of the USDA's Grand Forks Human Research Center in North Dakota, who suggests it may be prudent to test hemoglobin levels occasionally in vegetarian children and women of childbearing age.
-- Sally Squires