Question 1
1. Do you believe that vegetarian diets are deficient in certain nutrients? Where do you think this perception comes from?
posted by Michela Fyler @ 6:27 PM
16 comments
ISU Dietetic Internship Journal Club
Objective: To become familiar with current scientific literature on a variety of nutrition topics and to gain experience in gathering, organizing, critically evaluating, presenting and facilitating group discussion of the literature and the implications to practice.
16 Comments:
I think that a vegetarian diet can be nutritionally adequate in all nutrients as long as the vegetarian is aware of their needs and how to get them through food or supplementation if needed.I think that this perception comes from a lack of education in the public. Many people probably think that certain nutrients such as iron and protein can only come from animals sources or that it is not possible to get enough without eating meat.
I believe that vegetarian diets can be low in B-12, calcium, and iron if an individual is not adequately educated and also depending on what type of vegetarian diet they choose. My perception comes from the knowledge and classwork I've learned about the different nutrients in foods. Because meat and dairy products are a good source of calcium, protein, B-12, and heme-iron, I would then believe an individual who does not consume meat or possibly meat products could have a lower intake of these nutrients. I was slightly surprised to hear that the vegetarians where not low in calcium or iron for this reason, but since the study was not looking at vegans, it makes sense that the individuals consuming diary products could obtain adequate amounts of these nutrients in their diets.
While I think vegetarians need to be more conscious than the general public about nutrient requirements, I don't think their diets are necessarily deficient in anything. The perception that vegetarians can't get enough protein and iron in their diet comes from a lack of education. The other day, I was asked if I was anemic because I'm vegetarian. I am not, and I talked about how vegetarians can get iron in their diets. I think people are curious about how vegetarians can stay healthy, so there are always opportunities for education.
When a vegetarian diet is properly balanced, there are little, if no, deficiencies in nutrients. If a vegetarian does not balance certain nutrients by either consuming supplements or other dietary sources high in different nutrients that might be missing in a vegetarian diet (like iron and vitamin b12) there will be some deficiencies. This perception could have possibly come about if a vegetarian planned their own meals without guidance or education and might have been missing essentials food that would contain these nutrients.
You can eat any way you want and not be deficient in anything. You can be vegan for instance and as long as you eat rich sources of riboflavin, zinc, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12 or supplement them in some way than the diet would not be the cause of a deficiency. You can also place no restrictions on your diet and still have a deficient of a vitamin or mineral. It’s not the diet but the eater that determines it. People's misconception arise due to the factor that the diet is restricting certain foods. Which to them equal a deficientcy.
The common theme is education. I think there are those people out there that unfortunately become vegetarian without understanding complete proteins and the importance of a balanced diet. And thats where we come in.
As others have stated, I think education is the key to whether or not there is a deficiency in a person's diet. Like Kevin said, any diet can be deficient in certain nutrients if it's not planned well. Planning and education are musts for vegetarians and vegans. With the proper knowledge and meal planning, vegetarians can have a diet that is nutritionally complete. I think the perception that vegetarian diets are deficient in certain nutrients comes from lack of education. Many people may think that they can get certain nutrients only from certain food groups while there may be many other foods that contain the necessary nutrients.
Brooke- I was surprised that they were not low in calcium and iron as well. I would like more information about the participants of the study and their level of education. They could possibly have knowledge of nutrition which could have an effect on the results.
I believe that all diets, vegetarian or not, can have the potential to nutritionally inaduate. Vegetarianism becomes a larger focus since an entire grouping of food is removed and without proper replacements can be potentially harmful and lead to a lacking diet. However, with proper precautions a vegetarian diet can provide a nutritionally complete diet.
Stephanie,
I completely agree with you on the concept of there being a common misconception of meat alternative sources of certai nutrients, especially the two you pointed out protein and iron. I know that in professional and casual conversation many individuals have displayed a concern for a lack of these nutrients in non-meat containing meals.
I believe the reason why vegetarian diets are nutrient-lacking is due to the knowledge level of nutrients by the individual. It has been stated that many professional athletes are vegetarians and their diets were found to be plentiful in protein and nutrients. With an increased awareness of complementary proteins, zinc, and thiamin sources, any individual can consume a nutrient-rich vegetarian diet.
It appears that we all conclude that the misconception of vegetarian diets not providing enough nutrients is due the lack of knowledge on protein, B vitamins, and mineral sources
I think that a vegetarian diet can be low in Iron and B-12 if not carefully planned. As long as someone who is vegetarian is aware of common deficiencies and eats to avoid these it is very possible to eat a balanced diet. I think this perception comes from the idea that we need meat to survive. So many people think protein from meat is essential to the body and do not consider or understand that plant sources are acceptable.
Brooke I think you make an interesting point that all diets can be lacking in nutrition if people do not eat a variety of foods. Since a vegetarian excludes meat people think they are excluding a category but they still consume foods form the protein category, which can confuse people.
Jamie-
I like your point about how some might think certain nutrients might only come from certain food groups. A common misconception I often hear is that you can only get iron from meat produts.
Jordan-
It's very interesting that many people do believe that meat is essential. This is something that needs more education and awareness!
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