While many of us enjoy tucking into a perfectly cooked steak, it’s clear that a diet heavy on meat and light on fruits and vegetables gets a failing grade in most doctors’ offices. For those concerned about their long-term health, it’s a short step to the next question: is it worth the effort to become a vegetarian?

As with many such questions, the answer depends on whether you make wise choices. Vegetarians tend to eat nutritious food and weigh less than meat-eaters; on the other hand, it is possible to be vegetarian and eat a lot of junk food.

Another factor to consider is replacing the gaps that arise when you eliminate meat from your diet. It’s essential to find those nutrients elsewhere. On that front, the news is good. While some sacrifices may be needed, there is a widening range of choices for those who decide to go the vegetarian route.

There are many types of vegetarians. For instance, lacto-ovo-vegetarians are those who avoid eating animal flesh but eat eggs (ovo) and dairy products (lacto). Lacto vegetarians eat dairy but not eggs, and ovo-vegetarians eat eggs but not dairy. Vegans avoid all products of animal origin, including eggs and dairy products. Near-vegans are well on the road to veganism but do not adhere strictly. Near-vegetarians may eat only a little meat, poultry or fish.

There are pros and cons to vegetarianism, says Dr. Susan Biali, a Vancouver physician with a degree in dietetics. “Vegetarianism has its benefits, in that a vegetarian’s diet tends to be full of, well, vegetables! And fruits. And whole grains, nuts and legumes — all of which are very good for you,” she says. “[On the other hand], my own personal opinion is that our bodies appreciate some form of complete protein, even if limited to chicken and fish.”

GOOD FOR THE HEART

Experts in cancer and cardiovascular disease prevention have their own take on vegetarianism. Carol Dombrow, a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, says vegetarian diets have the potential to be very good for the heart: “Traditional vegetarian food is lower in saturated fat than a meat-based diet. So, from a heart-health perspective, it can be very positive.”

But, as with any kind of diet, it depends on the kind of food a person chooses. If you choose high-fat dairy products to replace meat, you will still be getting lots of saturated fat, she says.

On the cancer front, the message is similar. “Vegetarianism can be a healthy lifestyle if properly implemented,” says Karen Collins, a registered dietitian and nutrition advisor to the American Institute for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C. “People who eat an abundance of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans, and who don’t focus on meat, have the lowest risk of cancer. A vegetarian diet is one way to accomplish this, but not the only way.”

Eliminating meat does not necessarily mean a diet is nutritious. “Lack of meat doesn’t make a vegetarian diet healthful if it’s loaded with deep-fried foods, sweets, white bread and chips,” she says. “I have worked with vegetarians who eat limited ranges of vegetables, don’t use beans or nuts, choose refined grains over whole grains most of the time, and fill up on cookies and chips. This kind of vegetarian diet provides no health advantage, and, in fact, is less healthful than a mostly plant-based diet that was balanced and included modest amounts of poultry, fish and occasional red meat.”

One of the strongest known links between meat and cancer is the finding that colorectal cancer is convincingly linked to excessive consumption of red meat, says Collins. Up to 18 ounces a week is considered safe, but risk increases significantly beyond that. She adds there is no evidence linking poultry or fish consumption to increased risk of cancer. In fact, some evidence suggests fish may reduce the risk of colon cancer, but that evidence is not strong enough to make recommendations.

CANADA’S FOOD GUIDE

The Heart and Stroke Foun-dation recommends a variety of foods, such as those suggested in Canada’s Food Guide. Reducing meat is definitely a good idea, Dombrow adds: “Research is telling us we should be eating more whole grains, more vegetables and more fruit. If we do that, the meat portion should shrink a bit. You don’t need meat seven nights a week.”

@page_break@If you decide to become a vegetarian, you should do some homework. “When you choose a vegetarian diet, you have to be knowledgeable about nutrients,” says Dombrow. “The more foods you eliminate, the more knowledgeable you have to be.”

Besides protein, the nutrients that may be depleted in a vegetarian diet are vitamin B-12 and iron, says Biali. “Most vegans should know they need supplemental B-12,” she says.

Some believe yeast and algae are good sources of B-12, Collins adds, but actually they are not; fortified soy milk and fortified cereals are.

Adds Biali: “Iron may be deficient in a vegetarian diet, given that meat sources of iron are better absorbed by the body than plant sources.”

Milk and eggs are good sources of protein but not of iron. So, it is important to include good sources of iron, such as beans and fortified cereals, Collins says.

Vesanto Melina is a Canadian dietitian, an expert on vegetarianism and co-author of Becoming Vegetarian (Wiley, 2003), a valuable source of advice for those making the switch. She insists it is simple for vegetarians to get the protein they need. “You can easily get enough protein with a combination of plant foods,” she says. “You don’t have to be calculating about it.”

For example, one cup (250 millilitres) of cooked lentils or beans (black, kidney, cranberry, garbanzo, navy, pinto) provides 14 to 18 grams of protein. A cup of cooked soybeans provides 28 grams of protein. One-half cup (125 mL) of peanuts provides 17 grams of protein. The recommended daily protein serving for a small adult is 40 grams. IE