Hi Sue,

My daughter and I have recently become ovo-lacto-vegetarians due to genetic factors predisposing us to heart disease. Other than protein and B-vitamins, are there any other concerns I should have about making sure my daughter is getting all the nutrients she needs? She is four and a wonderful eater willing to try almost anything.

Also, could you please tell me what to say to my parents who insist she is going to be missing important things in her diet if she doesn't eat meat? My mother recently had quintuple bypass surgery and her cardiologist told me to become a vegetarian to reduce our risk. She believes that he meant me and not my daughter!!
--Kim

Dear Kim,

You may want to read an article I wrote about raising children as vegetarians and the nutritional concerns.

In addition to that article, I would like to comment on your switch to being a vegetarian for the purpose of preventing heart disease, and the elimination of meat from your diet. Heart disease is not caused by meat per se, but rather by the fat that it can contribute to your diet. Dietary fat, saturated fat in particular, is the main culprit in heart disease. Dietary cholesterol is not as great a concern, except for a few, genetically predisposed individuals.

Dairy products and eggs can and do contain a great deal of cholesterol and saturated fat. It is possible for a lacto-ovo vegetarian to be at greater risk for heart disease than a meat eater, if that vegetarian eats lots of full fat cheese, several eggs and whole milk, and the meat eater sticks to only the leanest cuts of meat and poultry and includes plenty of fish high in omega 3 fatty acids.

In other words, merely becoming a lacto-ovo vegetarian will not cut your risk. It is how you become that vegetarian. I would also suggest, that if you don't want to, you do not have to eliminate meat from your diet. If you educate yourself as to the leanest cuts of beef, remove all fat before cooking, eat only white meat, skinless poultry, and include a fish meal or two each week, meat can make a very positive contribution to your diet.

Some of the meats lowest in fat and cholesterol are: roasted light meat turkey without the skin, light meat chicken without the skin, pork loin tenderloin roasted, and eye of the round beef.

However, if you wish to stick to being a vegetarian, than it is important for you to eat only low fat or nonfat dairy products such as skim or low fat milk, non fat yogurt and low fat cheeses, and to limit the number of egg yolks in your diet. Increase the amount of whole grains, legumes and fruits and vegetables in your meals, and be sure to consume no more than 30% of your calories from fat, and only 10% of that as saturated fat.

The fat of choice, when you do eat fat, is monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fats lower LDL (bad) cholesterol when it replaces saturated fats in the diet, and they do it without lowering the good cholesterol. Monounsaturated fat is found in peanut and olive oil. Peanut butter and other nut butters can also be included in your diet to a limited extent because their fat is mostly monounsaturated.

Thank you for writing.

Sincerely,
Sue Gilbert

RESOURCES:

• Got a question or comment for Sue? Post it on the Ask the Nutritionist message board.
• Raising a Vegetarian Baby
• How high should my cholesterol be?