Trace Elements in Medicine (Moscow)
2018, 19(2): 27-33
TOPICAL PAPERS

VEGETARIAN DIET AND MICRONUTRIENTS

T.V. Korobeynikova

ANO Center for biotic medicine − Russian satellite center of Trace Element − Institute for UNESCO, Zemlyanoi Val, 46, 105064, Moscow, Russia

DOI: 10.19112/2413-6174-2018-19-2-34-40 

ABSTRACT. Vegetarians may have shortage of the following micronutrients such as iron, zinc, iodine, calcium, and sometimes selenium. Vegetarian diets can be define as the partial limiting animal products they have some differences in the nutrient composition from conventional nutrition. Types of vegetarian diets can vary. Semi-vegetarian occasionally eats meat, poultry, fish. The lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet includes dairy products and eggs but no red meat, fish or poultry. Pesco-vegetarians may include fish, milk and eggs but no meat or poultry. Vegan avoids all foods of animal origin. Fruitarian diet is usually based on fresh and dried fruits, nuts, seeds and a few vegetables. Raw food diets consist to vegetables, fresh and dried fruits, and seeds, as well as milk and eggs, all of which are mainly eaten raw. Exclusion from diet of foods animal origin can lead to appearance of deficiencies. Vegetarians may have shortage of the following micronutrients such as iron, zinc, iodine, calcium, and sometimes selenium. Plant foods contain only nonheme iron and inhibitors of iron absorption − phytate, calcium, polyphenols. Some vegetarians have diets (vegan diet) that are significantly below recommended intakes for zinc because phytate of plants binds zinc. Studies suggest that vegans and vegetarians who do not consume iodized product may be at risk for iodine deficiency. Calcium intakes of lacto-vegetarians are comparable with or higher than those of nonvegetarians; phytates and oxalates from vegetable raw materials may also inhibit calcium absorption. Selenium may be potentially deficient in vegan diets, its intake depends on the content in the soils. Vegan and vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate if they are carefully planned and include fortified foods.

KEYWORDS: vegetarian diet, vegan diet, deficiency, micronutrients.