Vegetarian Diets do well to follow the vegetarian food guide pyramid. The Vegetarian Food Guide Pyramid is a general guide for healthy eating and a balanced diet for vegetarians such as ovo-lacto vegetarians and ovo vegetarians. For optimum vegetarian nutrition and calorie-intake, the vegetarian pyramid advises eating foods from a variety of food groups each day. These dietary guidelines also help you to maintain or improve your fat levels and body weight. The vegetarian food pyramid advises limiting fat intake because most Americans diets are too high in fat, especially saturated fat.

For a balanced vegetarian diet, eat from all food groups. Each of the vegetarian food groups provides some, but not all, of the nutrients you need. Foods in one group can't replace those in another. No one-food group is more important than another and for good health, you need them all. Dietary guidelines for Americans recommend that those who choose foods of only plant origin must supplement the diet with vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and zinc. Adequate intake of these nutrients is even more important for growing children and pregnant and lactating women.

Plant sources of protein alone can provide all the protein required by vegetarians Complementary proteins do not need to be consumed at the same time if they regularly appear in the diet. Although vegetarian diets are higher in total iron content than non-vegetarian diets, iron reserves are lower in vegetarians because the iron from plant foods is less well absorbed. That said, iron deficiency anaemia rates are similar in vegetarians and non-vegetarians diets. Remember that it's easier to absorb iron from food if we eat it with foods that contain Vitamin C, so have some fruit or vegetables containing vitamin C, or some fruit juice with your meal.

Plant foods are not a reliable source of B-12 for vegetarians. Although dairy products and eggs contain vitamin B-12, research indicates that lacto-ovo-vegetarians have low blood levels of vitamin B-12. Thus use of fortified foods or supplements are advised for vegetarians who limit animal foods.

Vitamin D is poorly supplied in all vegetarian diets unless vitamin D-fortified foods are eaten. Exposure to direct sunlight exposure is a major source of vitamin D, so dietary intake is not important if sun exposure is adequate.

Ovo-lacto vegetarians have calcium intakes that are comparable to those of non-vegetarians. Fortunately, calcium is well absorbed from many plant foods, and vegetarian diets can provide adequate calcium provided the diet regularly includes foods rich in calcium.

Most studies show that zinc levels in hair, serum, and saliva are in the normal range in vegetarians. However, because of the lower uptake of zinc from plant foods, vegetarians should attempt to meet or exceed the zinc RDA.

Lacto-ovo-vegetarian and vegetarians diets can meet the nutrient and calorie needs of pregnant women. Birth weights of infants born to well nourished vegetarian women have been shown to be similar to birth-weight norms and to birth weights of infants of non-vegetarians. Supplements of foliate are advised for all pregnant women, although vegetarian women typically have higher intakes than non-vegetarians.

To summarize, a vegetarian diet includes a variety of foods, including whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds and, if eaten, dairy products and eggs. Minimize unrefined foods and intake of highly sweetened, fatty, and heavily refined foods.

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