A vegetarian is someone who lives on a diet of grains, pulses, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and fruits.  While all vegetarians focus on plant-based foods, there are a few variations for vegetarianism:

• Lacto-ovo-vegetarians:  avoid muscle meats, but still consume both dairy products and eggs
• Lacto-vegetarians:   avoid muscle meats and eggs, but still consume dairy products
• Ovo-vegetarians:  avoid muscle meats and dairy, but still consume eggs
• Vegan:  avoid all animal foods including muscle meats, eggs, dairy, and other products which are derived from animals such as honey.
• Vegans:  eat only plant based foods.

While vegetarian and vegan diets can be very healthy, there are a few nutrients to make sure you get enough of.   If you choose to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, be sure to incorporate the following foods into your meals and snacks for the best nutrition.

• Protein foods -  Soy products such as soy milk and meat substitutes, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, nut and seed butters, and whole grains
• Calcium containing foods - Spinach, turnip and collard greens, kale, broccoli, okra, sesame seeds, turnip greens, soybeans, soy yogurt, fortified soymilk, and tofu enriched with calcium
• Vitamin B-12 containing foods - Enriched cereals, fortified soy products, seaweed, and supplements that contains vitamin B-12
• Iron containing foods - Beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, nut and seed butters, enriched cereals, and dried apricots
• Zinc containing foods - Beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, nut and seed butters, and oats

For further questions or concerns on the vegetarian diet, consult a registered dietitian or qualified health professional.