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Vegetarian Diets
If properly planned, vegetarian diets can provide all the nutrients you need. In addition to that, being a vegetarian can actually be better for you. In general, vegetarians:1
- Weigh less than people who eat meat.
- Are less likely to die of heart disease.
- Have lower cholesterol levels.
- Are less likely to get:
Good health could be related to a diet of mostly fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
MyPyramid
As a vegetarian, you can still use
MyPyramid 
. Use the following substitutions:
- In the meat and meat substitutes group, use the
following as a substitute for
1 oz (28 g) of meat:
- ¼ cup cooked dried beans, peas, or lentils
- 1 egg or 2 egg whites, or ¼ cup egg substitute
- ½ oz (1 Tbsp) nuts or seeds
- ¼ cup tofu or tempeh
- 1 Tbsp peanut butter
- If you do not use milk, use soy milk fortified with calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. Count 1 cup (8 fl oz) as one serving. You can also use fortified soy cheese or soy yogurt.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: February 4, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Rhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Certified Diabetes Educator | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
