Q&A: My son's says vegetarian diets are healthier. Is this true?

Not necessarily, says Dr. Debby Demory-Luce, a research dietitian with the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine.  A diet consisting of French fries and bananas is vegetarian, but few people would consider such a diet very healthy.  On the other hand, a diet that includes plenty of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and a good source of calcium like low-fat dairy products is healthy whether it features moderate portions of lean meat or legumes, seeds and soy-based meat substitutes as the main protein source.

It is true, however, that well-planned vegetarian diets tend to be higher in fiber and protective phytonutrients and lower in saturated fat than the typical American diet.  This healthier diet helps explain why vegetarians tend to have less cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and fewer weight problems than their meat-loving counterparts. 

Although vegetarian diets can be very healthy, nutritional awareness is still important. Vegetarian teens, like their meat-eating friends, often fall short on calcium, iron and zinc.  Also, those who eliminate all animal-based foods and dairy products from their diets need to get a daily dose of vitamin B12.  Fortified ready-to-eat cereals or a daily multivitamin supplement with B12 can help prevent pernicious anemia, a serious form of anemia that can lead to permanent nerve damage.