Vegetarian Diets

With careful attention to nutrition, dietary experts agree that a vegetarian diet can be a healthy lifestyle choice for teenagers, as long as the diet includes a variety of food that supplies enough calories and nutrients for normal body growth and function.

Typical types of vegetarian diets include vegan, lacto-vegetarian, and lacto-ovo-vegetarian, depending on whether the teenager prefers to avoid all or only some animal products. A strict vegan diet includes vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes (beans and peas), seeds, and nuts, but no animal products of any type—no meat, no eggs, no dairy products. A lacto-vegetarian diet is identical to a vegan diet, except it also includes dairy foods. A lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet is the same as a vegan diet, except it includes dairy foods and eggs.

Some teens consider themselves vegetarian, but they are technically semi-vegetarians because they also eat fish and chicken.

Teens who are interested in following a vegetarian diet should be careful to eat a balanced diet, making sure to get enough calories, protein, and iron.

Calories
Fruits, vegetables, and grains are relatively high in fiber and low in calories and fat compared with meat, eggs, and dairy products. Teens should make sure to get enough calories, including at least 20 percent from fat.

Protein
Protein supplies amino acids necessary for the growth, repair, and maintenance of body tissues. Teens will get sufficient amino acids by eating a variety of grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and vegetables.
One of the best sources is soy, which is considered to be nutritionally equivalent to the protein found in meat.

Iron
Foods high in iron include dried beans, tofu, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, iron-fortified cereals, and breads. Absorption of iron is improved by eating iron-rich foods along with foods high in vitamin C.

Calcium
Dairy products are high in calcium. Teens who want to avoid eating dairy products can get calcium in calcium-fortified orange juice, green leafy vegetables, tofu, calcium-enriched soymilk, and sardines.

Vitamin B12
This important vitamin is found only in animal foods, including eggs and dairy products. Vegans can get the vitamin B12 they need in foods fortified with vitamin B12, such as soymilk or cereal. Teen also should take a multivitamin that includes vitamin B12.

Vitamin D
Vitamin D is added to milk and most soy beverages. The body also makes vitamin D when the sun shines on the skin.

Zinc
The body needs this mineral to fight infections and keep the skin healthy. Good vegetarian sources include whole-grain cereals, nuts, and legumes.