Vegetarian Diet: Health Implications and Nutrients' Adequacy
Authors
- Aseel Al-Ma'aitah Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
-
Reema F. Tayyem
Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3923/pjn.2020.468.476Keywords:
Biochemical markers, chronic disease, health implications, nutritional status, vegetarian dietsAbstract
Vegetarian diets that exclude meat, fish and poultry and/or egg and dairy products, are based on grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes and seeds. Vegetarian diets are often varied in composition, involving a wide range of dietary practices and individual dietary restrictions. Vegetarian dietary patterns have been reported to be associated with several favorable health outcomes in epidemiological studies. There is good evidence for the protective effects of a vegetarian diet on lipid profile, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, blood insulin and C-reactive protein (CRP). Vegetarian diets typically contain large amounts of antioxidant micronutrients (such as vitamins C and E, phytochemicals and fiber) which may improve inflammatory processes and decrease circulatory levels of inflammatory biomarkers, thereby reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Few comprehensive reviews have addressed the effect of a vegetarian diet on preventing diet-related diseases and its nutrients adequacy for all life stages. Therefore, this review aimed to explore the impact of a vegetarian diet on health outcomes. Additionally, the adequacy of the nutrients of these vegetarian diets (energy, protein, ω-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12) in different stages of the life-cycle was also discussed.
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