Is a Meatless Diet Enough?

No matter how prolific the evidence nor how well presented our website, there will always be someone who asks, "Can a vegetarian diet provide enough?" Enough might mean enough protein, enough variety, enough nutrients, enough of whatever the questioner fears might be lacking.

It's not surprising that this question continues to be asked. The societal belief that a well-balanced diet must include meat, fish, poultry and dairy foods is deeply ingrained and has some roots in the association of these foods with an individual's ability to procure them, that is, one's personal affluence. During World Wars I and II, many foodstuffs were rationed including butter, sugar, meat, and coffee. Transportation of food was limited by fuel rationing and so people began to cultivate their own gardens and raise their own chickens. Thus, Victory Gardens appeared where flowers once grew or cars once parked. The 'Eat locally' movement had begun but with a slightly different intent than today's locavores.

Naturally, with the rationing came a sense of deprivation that persisted until the end of the wars and the relative improvement of choices in the market. As people were able to add some of the former luxuries back into their regular diets, it wasn't long before these luxuries became daily staples.

It's worth noting here that as countries around the world become increasingly more developed and affluent, their diets also change to include the very luxuries mentioned above — fat, sugar, meat and another, alcohol. Patterns of disease in those countries parallel the dietary changes as both become more like disease and diets seen in Western countries.

So the question remains: "Does a vegetarian diet provide enough?"

Consider a sample platter of foods consisting of:

  • White lima beans
    These are this meal's primary source of protein, with one cup providing 16 grams or about 30 percent of an adult woman's daily requirement. The limas' 30 grams of fiber meet the daily recommendation for adults and do a great job of modulating blood sugar, providing satiety and maintaining intestinal health. Besides being rich in potassium, white lima beans pack iron to the tune of 60 percent of the adult recommended daily intake. There are 140 calories in one cup.
  • Sugar snap peas
    Actually a hybrid of English peas and snow peas, these are completely edible. One cup has barely 30 calories but more than 60 percent of recommended vitamin C intake. This is a vitamin K rich vegetable, which is why it is so aptly included in the lunch for pregnant women.
  • Watermelon
    This much-maligned fruit also does its share to support good health by providing vitamins B6, C and K, plus potassium and lycopene, a beneficial phytochemical found only in red-pigmented fruits and vegetables. One cup has about 50 calories, a trace of protein, but no fat or cholesterol. What is fascinating about the protein is that it is comprised of amino acids that can metabolize to nitric oxide, a substance that helps to maintain artery function and thus improve blood pressure.
  • Mixed greens and herb salad
    Without examining the familiar nutrient gifts of this salad, you can see that a lunch comprised of what we have just discussed can be not only quite filling but also nutrient dense, providing almost a third of a woman's daily protein needs, wrapped in a wide variety of vitamins and minerals as well as including enough fiber for the day.

These nutrients promote good health; the fruit and vegetable packages they come in are visually and gastronomically pleasing, and the relatively low caloric load helps to maintain a healthful weight.

Is this not enough to make you curious to learn more about a vegetarian diet?

Sarah Ellis
Sarah Ellis, MS, RD, is a community dietitian and blogger for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Vegetarian Nutrition DPG.