I have recently become a vegetarian, and I need some guidance. Do I need additional vitamins? How do I balance my diet? What are the health risks of being a vegetarian?
It’s true that one can have a healthy vegetarian diet and an unhealthy vegetarian diet. Some vegetarians are at risk from eating too many carbohydrates, insufficient protein and a lack of essential fatty acids. Whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables and maybe a small amount of low/non-fat dairy should constitute the fundamentals of your diet. Then, you just have to make sure you don’t go for the sugar, French fries, potato chips, scones, bagels, etc.
For the most part, vegetarians have lower risks of all the degenerative diseases and cancers: lower rates of breast cancer, colon cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis and many more, are associated with vegetarian diets. The health risks are really just related to vegetarians who don’t take care to eat a balanced diet, not to being a vegetarian per se. There are individual variations in all of us and I now believe that some people really do need more protein. However, I don’t think this has to necessarily be in the form of animal proteins. If I were to generalize, I would say the optimal diet is a high fiber, low fat, well-balanced vegetarian diet including fish and maybe a small amount of low fat dairy.
You don’t necessarily need a multivitamin/mineral supplement. However, as you are learning how to be a vegetarian, it might be a good idea. Look for a supplement that is not made with gelatin capsules if you want to be very strict about your vegetarianism. There are several excellent vegetarian books on the market. The McDougall Program comes to mind, although it is vegan (no dairy). Traditional Seventh-Day Adventists have a vegetarian diet, and there are some books on the subject. You might also check out Nutrition for Vegetarians by Agatha Thrash.
Licensed Naturopathic Physicians are an excellent source of information. A naturopath could give you some individualized guidance specific to your particular body type and health status. Hopefully you live in an area where you can find one in practice. Contact the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians for a referral in your area. Good luck — being a vegetarian is an admirable choice, and can be the best health insurance plan going.