Eating as a vegetarian

People stop eating meat and fish for all sorts of reasons. Once they have, the next question is usually what goes on the plate instead.

What vegetarians eat

The Vegetarian Society, a registered charity, says becoming vegetarian is simple: stop eating meat, fish and chicken.

The British Dietetic Association (BDA), the professional body for dietitians, sets out the main kinds. Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat dairy foods and eggs. Ovo-vegetarians eat eggs but no dairy. Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy foods but no eggs. None of the three eat meat, poultry or seafood.

The NHS says that for vegetarians who eat dairy and eggs, a healthy diet is the same as anyone else's, just without the meat or fish.

Building a meal

The NHS points vegetarians to the same Eatwell Guide as everyone else. Starchy foods such as potatoes, bread, rice and pasta should make up just over a third of what we eat, wholegrain where possible. The guide also asks for at least five portions of fruit and veg each day.

For protein, the NHS names pulses, such as beans, peas and lentils, and calls them particularly important for people who get no protein from meat, fish or dairy. Nuts, seeds and eggs count too, along with tofu, mycoprotein, textured vegetable protein and tempeh. Eating a variety of these gives the body the mix of amino acids it needs.

The Vegetarian Society's own list of easy switches includes beans, tofu and nuts. It also suggests not leaning too hard on cheese, which can be high in saturated fat.

Iron

The NHS says vegetarians are more likely to have lower iron stores than people who eat meat, because iron from plants is harder for the body to absorb. Some vitamin C with the meal helps.

Its list of good vegetarian sources takes in pulses such as kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils, dried apricots, and dark green vegetables like watercress and broccoli. Wholemeal bread, nuts and breakfast cereals with added iron are on it too.

Vitamin B12

The NHS explains that vitamin B12 is found naturally only in animal products. Someone who eats eggs or dairy regularly probably gets enough. Someone who eats only a little, or none, needs a reliable source.

Sources the NHS names include milk, cheese and eggs, and yeast extracts, breakfast cereals, soya products and dairy alternatives that have B12 added.

Calcium, omega-3 and vitamin D

The NHS says most vegetarians usually get enough calcium from dairy foods. Away from dairy, the BDA lists fortified plant drinks, dried figs, almonds, kale, red kidney beans, sesame seeds, tempeh and calcium-set tofu.

For omega-3 fats, the NHS lists flaxseed oil, rapeseed oil, walnuts, seeds such as chia and pumpkin, and eggs enriched with omega-3. It adds that evidence suggests these may not do as much for the heart as the omega-3 in oily fish.

Government advice, as the NHS gives it, is that everyone should consider a daily vitamin D supplement in autumn and winter.

Children and pregnancy

The NHS says a child brought up vegetarian needs a wide variety of foods, for the energy and vitamins they need to grow. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, vegetarians need to make sure they get enough vitamins and minerals for the baby to develop healthily.

Spotting vegetarian food in the shop

The Vegetarian Society runs an Approved trademark, in use since 1969. A product carrying its vegetarian mark contains no ingredients made from animal body parts.

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