Meatless Diet Balanced?

Kristin Hackney | Avalanche - Journal

You don't need to eat meat to survive. In fact, it may be healthier to give up meat entirely. That's the word from Christie Hust and Jan Fry, two registered dietitians for Texas Tech Physicians.

Balance and moderation are the keys to maintaining a healthy vegetarian diet, said Hust.

One common worry among people considering vegetarianism is how they will get adequate protein in their diets, but Hust said most people consume more than enough protein in their diets - sometimes too much protein. For a healthy person, this shouldn't be a concern, but for someone with kidney disease, too much protein can damage the kidneys, Hust said.

If protein intake is a concern, Fry said protein is available in many sources for vegetarians. An ovo-lactovegetarian, a vegetarian who consumes eggs and dairy, can get protein from eggs or milk, Fry said. For vegans, vegetarians who consume no animal products at all, protein can be found in nuts, peas or beans said Fry. Hust said taking a protein supplement is unnecessary for vegetarians with balanced diets. Adding a protein supplement will increase caloric and fat intake as well, she said.

Another concern some vegetarians may have is how to get iron. Women especially need to be sure they consume enough iron, Fry said, because the menstrual cycle makes women more likely to be iron deficient. However, meat is not the only source of iron.

"If they eat spinach or nuts, that may make the iron more available," Fry said, adding a vegetarian who has problems with anemia should be monitored by a physician.

Hust said while there's a possibility that a vegetarian can become anemic, it doesn't happen very often.

Vegetarians should also be sure to consume enough calcium, Fry said. Women especially should make sure they get enough calcium from their diets because women have an increased risk of developing osteoporosis.

Calcium can be found in dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt, which is helpful for ovo-lactovegetarians and lactovegetarians, who consume milk products but no eggs. However, calcium can also be found in tofu (made from soy), bok choy, broccoli, cabbage collard greens and kale, according to

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