DEAR DR. GOTT:
Over the past several years you have occasionally written about proper diets. The one that sticks out in my memory is one from a lady who said she didn’t like meat and wanted to know if it was okay to leave it out of her diet. You told her that we really don’t need meat but I completely disagree with you.
Most nutritionists tell us we need to eat at least three ounces (about the size of a deck of cards) of meat a day. They reason that there are 21 amino acids (which are proteins) we need to ingest to remain healthy and some of them are found only in meat.
Nutritionists tell us that we should eat one serving of meat, two to three servings of vegetables, two to three servings of fruits, four servings of whole grains, two servings of dairy products and one serving of potatoes every day in order to get the nutrients our bodies need. Eating a restricted diet is not a wise thing to do on a long-term basis but short term for weight loss is okay.
You need to let your readers know that it is important to eat meat every day.
DEAR READER:
The most important issue is vegetarian versus omnivorous diets. Despite your letter, I still maintain that meat is not a necessary part of the diet as long as legumes, nuts and other high protein foods are consumed as well.
According to the Mayo Clinic (www.MayoClinic.com/health/vegetarian-diet/HQ01596) there are four major groups of vegetarians. The most strict is the vegan diet which does not contain any animal-based food, preferring plant-based foods only. The next group is the lacto-vegetarians who consume milk and dairy products with their plant-based foods. Then there are the lacto-ovo vegetarians (the most common version of vegetarianism) who consume foods that are plant-based as well as those that come from living animals (eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.). The final group is the flexitarians or semi-vegetarians who consume primarily lacto-ovo vegetarian diets but occasionally eat small amounts of meat, poultry or fish. I am not sure I would consider this part of the vegetarian group, however.
There are several meat alternatives available to vegetarians that simulate the taste and texture of meat such as soy burgers, texturized vegetable protein, tofu hot dogs and more. Soy milk, rice milk and almond milk are available as cows’ milk replacements. It is important to get the vitamin/calcium fortified versions to ensure adequate nutrition. Soy cheese is also a dairy alternative for cows’ or goats’ milk cheeses.
All vegetarians should take vitamin and mineral supplements or increase their intake of foods high in calcium, B-12, iron and zinc. It is also vital to have adequate intake of protein, be it from eggs, dairy, soy, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, or whole grains.
I also recommend anyone interested in a vegetarian diet to speak with his or her physician or request a referral to a nutritionist who can provide information about essential nutrients and what foods are highest in them.
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