The Vegetarian Food Pyramid

The food pyramid to the above along with the table below provide a guide to planning a balanced and nutritious meal.

Nutrition and a Vegetarian Diet

The health benefits of a vegetarian diet have been extolled in numerous research journals, books, magazines and newspaper articles. Doctors and nutritionists widely recommend that people reduce their consumption of meat, high-fat foods and eggs as a health measure. They encourage the increased use of vegetables, fruits and whole grains in one’s diet to cut down on cholesterol in the body and to minimize the risks of heart attacks, high blood pressure, strokes and cancer.

Some people are concerned that a vegetarian diet does not provide sufficient protein. However, there are many foods that vegetarians eat that are high in protein including milk, cheese, yogurt, legumes and beans, peas, and nuts. For example, a cut of cottage cheese has 33 grams and an ear of corn, stalk of broccoli, or a baked potato has 6 grams. A cup of rice or beans has 15 grams.

There are several types of vegetarians:

Lacto-Vegetarians – eat no meat, fish, fowl or eggs but do eat dairy. This is the diet that is practiced by the Science of Spirituality.
Ovo-Vegetarian – do not eat meat, fish, fowl or dairy but do eat eggs.
Lacto-Ovo – do not eat meat, fish, fowl but they do eat eggs and dairy.
Vegans – eat no meat, fish, fowl, eggs or dairy.

Food Group	One Serving Equals One Item	Nutrient Contributions	Food Choice Examples
Grains 3-6 servings daily	1 slice bread ½ cup hot cereal 1 cup dry cereal ¼ cup granola ½ cup rice or pasta 1 tortilla 1 chapati ½ bagel or English Muffin 3-4 crackers ½ muffin	Complex CHO Fiber Protein Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Vitamin B6 & Niacin Iron Magnesium Calcium Trace Minerals	Grains: oats, brown rice, barley, millet, bulgar wheat, rye, corn, whole wheat, multi-grain, etc.

Vegetables 3-5 servings daily	1 cup raw, leafy vegetable salad ½ cup chopped raw vegetables ½ cup cooked vegetables ¾ cup vegetable juice	Fiber Potassium Beta-Carotene Folate Vitamin C Calcium Magnesium	Vegetables: broccoli, kale, cabbage, collards, spinach, pumpkin, carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes, parsnips, rutabagas, turnips, tomatoes, beets, eggplant, okra, summer squash, cauliflower

Fruits 3-5 servings daily	1 medium, whole fruit ½ cup canned fruit ¼ cup dried fruit 1 cup berries ¾ cup fruit juice	Vitamin C Beta-Carotene Fiber Potassium Folate Magnesium	Fruits: oranges, grapefruit, lemons, apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, persimmons, apples, pears, kiwi, papaya, mango, pineapple, bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries Dried Fruits: raisins, dates, pears, pineapple, prunes, peaches, figs

Milk 2-3 servings daily	1 cup milk, nonfat or lowfat 1 cup soymilk (fortified) ½ cup lowfat cottage cheese ½ cup soy cheese 1-½ oz. fresh cheese 1 cup lowfat or nonfat yogurt 1 Tbs (½ oz) cream cheese	Calcium Protein Vitamins A and D Riboflavin (B2) Vitamin B12	Daily: milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ricotta, other fresh cheeses. Fortified Alternatives: soy or tofu milk, soy cheese

Beans, Nuts, and Meat Substitutes 3-4 servings daily	½ cup cooked beans/peas ½ cup tofu ¼ cup seeds ¼ cup (1 oz) nuts 2 Tbs (1 oz) nut butter ¼ cup meat alternative	Protein Zinc Iron Fiber Calcium Vitamin B6 Vitamin E Niacin (B3) Linoelic Acid	Beans: pinto, black, white, navy, soybeans, garbanzos, lentils, blackeye, green pea, split pea, peanuts Nuts: almonds, walnuts, filberts, chestnuts, brazil, pecans, cashews Seeds: pine nuts, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin Meat Substitutes: tofu, vegetarian burgers/ deli slices

Vegetable Fats and Oils, Sweets, and Salt

Eat sparingly

Use visible fats sparingly
Limit desserts to two or three per week
Use honey, jams, jelly, corn syrups, molasses, sugar sparingly
Use soft drinks and candies very sparingly, if at all
Limit foods high in salt

1 tsp salt = 2000 mg sodium
1 Tbs oil = 13.6 gm fat, 120.0 calories

1 Tbs margarine
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs sour cream
1 Tbs cream cheese
1 Tbs cream
1 Tbs sugar
1 tsp sugar

- 11.4 gm fat
- 12.0 gm fat
- 3.0 gm fat
- 5.0 gm fat
- 15.0 gm fat
- 12.0 gm
- 4.0 gm

102 calories
108 calories
30 calories
52 calories
52 calories
48 calories
16 calories

0 mg, cholesterol
33 mg, cholesterol
5 mg, cholesterol
15 mg, cholesterol
21 mg, cholesterol