Diet Chart For lacto ovo vegetarian

The Lacto-ovo vegetarian diet is based on fruits, grains, and vegetables, legumes (peas, lentils, dried beans), seeds, dairy products, eggs, nuts. It does not include meat, poultry, fish, or any products that contain these foods. Most Indian vegetarians follow this diet already and there are many dishes that use these food items.

Lacto-ovo vegetarian diet includes proteins, iron, carbohydrates and fats. Eggs, dairy and certain plant-based foods, such as soy, quinoa, and buckwheat, tofu, roccoli, asparagus, garlic, turnip greens, spinach and tomatoes are rich in proteins. Beans and dark green leafy vegetables like Lamb’s quarters (Bathua), spinach, pigweed (Amaranth leaves) can be included in the diet as they are rich in iron. It is more important to control the correct type of carbohydrate, instead of correcting the amount of carbohydrate. For example, vegetables, whole grains, fruits and beans are healthier. Fats are important for the body. Foods containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats lower disease risk. Vegetable oils (such as olive, canola, sunflower, soy, and corn), nuts, seeds, and fish have high content of fat in them.

Compared to meat eaters, the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet has higher content of vitamins C and E, dietary fibre, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and phytochemicals. This diet also contains less saturated fat and cholesterol as compared to meat and fish.

1. Red Meat, Fish and Poultry : Lacto-ovo vegetarians omit all meat, fish and poultry from their diet. Since meats are typically high in protein, iron, vitamin B12 and zinc, those nutrients will need to be consumed from other food sources or supplementation.
2. Gelatin : Gelatin is typically made from meat by-products which vegetarians try to avoid. Foods that may contain gelatin include gummy candies, marshmallows, gelatin desserts and some types of yogurt.
3. High-Fat Dairy Products : Since lacto-ovo vegetarians include dairy products in their diet, it’s important to limit dairy foods that are high in saturated fat to help maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk for certain diseases.
4. Some Broth-Based Soups : Since many soup broths are made from chicken or beef stock, vegetarians should look for soups containing vegetable-based broths.
5. Some Types of Supplements : Many omega-3 supplements contain fish oils, which are not only omitted from lacto-ovo vegetarian diets, but can contain unknown amounts of mercury.

Do's:

1. Eat foods rich in, or fortified with, calcium
2. Pair iron-rich foods with vitamin C
3. Be mindful of protein: About 20% of your total calories should come from protein.

Don'ts:

1. Eat mostly processed sources of protein
2. Think going veg is automatically making your diet healthier
3. Get stuck in a diet rut

1. Eggs : Classic egg dishes include omelets, baked eggs in souffles, and hard-boiled eggs combined with mayonnaise to make an old-fashioned egg salad. If you areconcerned about cholesterol counts, use egg whites only.
2. Dairy : Dairy in all forms is part of a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. Typically, dairy products include milk — ranging from skim milk to whole or full-fat milk — and cream products.
3. Grains : The Mayo Clinic recommends eating six portions of grains each day. Brown rice is in the grain food group, as is barley. Most grains are mild or neutral tasting, so they accept highly spiced sauces well.
4. Beans/Nuts :Beans, pulses and nuts provide complex carbohydrates, and when combined with some grains such as rice, they also provide some complete protein.
5. Vegetables/Starch : Vegetables also play and important part in a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. Eating a lot of leafy green vegetables helps ensure that you get enough iron. Combine iron sources with a lot of vitamin C to help absorption into your body.