Vegetarian Diets

If properly planned, vegetarian diets can provide all the nutrients you need. In addition to that, being a vegetarian can actually be better for you. In general, vegetarians:¹

• Weigh less than people who eat meat.
• Are less likely to die of heart disease.
• Have lower cholesterol levels.
• Are less likely to get:
  • High blood pressure.
  • Prostate cancer.
  • Colon cancer.
  • Type 2 diabetes.

Part of the reason for this good health could be that vegetarians tend to have healthier lifestyles. While there are always exceptions, as a group they tend to be nonsmokers and tend to drink less alcohol. They also tend to keep their weight down.²

MyPyramid

As a vegetarian, you can still use MyPyramid . Use the following substitutions:

• In the meat and meat substitutes group, use the following as a substitute for 1 oz (28 g) of meat:
  • ¼ cup cooked dried beans, peas, or lentils
  • 1 egg or 2 egg whites, or ¼ cup egg substitute
  • ½ oz (1 Tbsp) nuts or seeds
  • ¼ cup tofu or tempeh
  • 1 Tbsp peanut butter
• If you do not use milk, use soy milk fortified with calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. Count 1 cup (8 fl oz) as one serving. You can also use fortified soy cheese or soy yogurt.