College is a time of exploration for everything from majors to relationships. Yet, something that often goes unlooked is students exploring their diet. Twelve percent of college-aged students consider themselves vegetarians, according to a 2009-2010 Bon Appetit Management company survey. While some students become vegetarians after having a traumatic experience in biology, others change their diet to eat healthier, especially after being turned off by the meat served up in the dining hall. In fact there are even health benefits of a vegetarian diet, as it can help reduce your risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancers and obesity. But, before you make the switch to become a vegetarian, there are some important things to consider for staying healthy and maintaining a well-balanced diet.
Health Risks of a Vegetarian Diet
When you eliminate animal products from your diet, including meat, fish, poultry and dairy, you also eliminate key nutrients that need to be supplemented through other foods. Having a lack of protein is typically the main concern of people on a vegetarian diet, but the truth of the matter is that vegetarian or not, Americans on average not only meet their daily protein requirements, but they even exceed it. According to the Institute of Medicine, American men should consume 71 to 101 grams daily, while women should consume 55 to 62 grams.
Considering the staples in a college student’s diet: cereal, granola bars and yogurt for breakfast, a peanut butter sandwich for lunch, a protein shake before working out and french fries as a side for dinner, protein consumption easily bypasses the daily recommendation. In fact, this list does not even include meat or meat substitute products which are protein rich themselves. So, rather than focusing your attentions on protein, the following vitamins need to be carefully incorporated into your new vegetarian diet: iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids.
Iron:
While iron is found in plant foods, it is harder to absorb in this form than in meat. For this reason, vegetarians generally require 1 ½ times more iron in their diet. While consuming vitamin C helps with the absorption of iron, be sure to include iron-fortified cereal, broccoli, enriched pasta, and potatoes in your diet.
Zinc
Because zinc absorption is enhanced by animal protein, vegetarians are likely to have a deficiency and might need as much as 50 percent more of this nutrient. Good sources of zinc include mushrooms, soy milk and tofu.
Calcium
Depending on what type of vegetarian you become, certain diets do not allow for the consumption of dairy foods, which naturally are high in calcium. If you chose not to eat dairy products, you can get your calcium through calcium-fortified soy milk, orange juice and tofu, along with greens like bok choy and kale.
Vitamin D
While the body produces vitamin D from the absorption of sunlight, some vegetarians and non-vegetarians can be deficient in this nutrient. Additional sources can be consumed through vitamin D-fortified foods like milk, soy products and cereal.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 only occurs naturally in foods with animal origins, and therefore this vitamin in particular must be taken into account when planning meals, especially if you are not consuming dairy products. Good sources of this nutrient include fortified cereals, milk and soy products.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is also only found in animal foods, but you can also get it from consuming beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A inside the body. Foods containing beta-carotene include apricots, cantaloupe, mangos, pumpkin and spinach.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are found highest in fish, especially in salmon and sardines. Alternate sources of this nutrient include walnuts, flaxseed and canola oil.
Meat Substitutes: Pros and Cons
While all of the nutrient needs for a vegetarian can be met by eating fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes, American supermarkets are stocked with meat substitutes. With companies making everything from veggie dogs, meatballs and ribs, to a stuffed “Tofurky Roast” for the holidays, you can still have your favorite American staples without the emotional guilt of consuming an animal product. However, while these products are quite convenient to eat for a dinner in your dorm room, they should not become a staple in your diet.
Meat substitutes can be full of sodium and preservatives, and because they are processed in a factory, the have extensive ingredient lists making them seem to be anything but healthy and natural. Instead, use these products to help you transition to your new diet, but focus on going back to the basics of eating whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and basic soy products. Besides tofu, try cooking with tempeh, seitan and mochi.
Dangers of Consuming Too Much Soy
American grocery stores are filled with product labels boasting about their soy content. For some vegetarians, soy is a diet staple, and nearly every processed meat substitute product contains some form of soy. However, behind the scenes, researchers have been debating the health benefits of soy consumption in the United States.
Phytochemicals are a type of plant chemical that is used in treating medical conditions. One type of this chemical is phytoestrogens, which are found in plant foods. While phytoestrogens act like estrogen, a female hormone, it is weaker than the naturally produced estrogen found in the body. A specific group of phytoestrogens are isoflavones, found in soy-based foods, which compete with natural estrogen.
Some studies have found isoflavones’ competition healthy, working to reduce the risk of breast cancer. On the other hand, there is concern that isoflavones can also initiate the production of cancer cells. The driving force behind much of this research came from studies out of Asian countries which showed that Asian women had a lower rate of developing breast cancer when compared to women in the United States. However, it is hard to know if this information in transferable to Americans. Asian women have consumed soy since a young age, and their sources of soy are from fermented products. Americans largely get their soy from processed foods that are enriched with soy protein.
As with any new diet, there are always pros and cons, and being a vegetarian is no different. If you choose to explore this diet, be sure to thoroughly research how to modify your diet. The USDA and choosemyplate.gov are excellent websites to provide you with accurate information to help you make healthy choices. Also, be sure to check out the following sources for even more information!
http://ww5.komen.org/ContentSimpleLeft.aspx?id=6442451776
http://www.livestrong.com/article/510511-isoflavones-vs-phytoestrogen/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1480510/
http://www.soyfoods.org/nutrition-health/soy-for-healthy-living/soy-for-…
http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2011/06/07/colleg…
http://www.morningstarfarms.com/products.html
http://www.tofurky.com/tofurkyproducts/holiday_products.html
http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/meat-replacements.aspx