A lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet is a dietary pattern that excludes meat, fish, and poultry but includes dairy products and eggs. The terms "lacto" and "ovo" refer to milk and eggs, respectively. In many Western English-speaking countries, this type of vegetarianism is what people typically mean when they use the word "vegetarian." This article explores the lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, its benefits, potential downsides, foods to eat and avoid, and a sample meal plan.
Understanding the Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Diet
A lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet is a primarily plant-based diet that excludes all animal flesh. This means that vegetarians do not eat fowl, seafood, beef, pork, lamb, or other animal meats, such as bison, or exotic meats like ostrich or alligator. They also avoid products containing gelatin or rennin.
The lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet does include plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts, along with dairy products and eggs.
Benefits of a Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Diet
Research suggests that a well-planned and balanced lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet can offer several health benefits.
May Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
Lacto-ovo vegetarians may have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Vegetarian diets increase the intake of healthy foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts while decreasing the intake of saturated and trans fats. These diets have been shown to improve blood sugar control and increase sensitivity to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Plant-based diets are also high in fiber, which slows digestion and improves blood sugar control. Vegetarian diets have been shown to decrease hemoglobin A1c, a marker of long-term blood sugar control.
Read also: Lacto-Ovo Meal Planning
Can Support Healthy Weight Loss
Lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets can help maintain a healthy weight or support weight loss. Vegetarian diets are typically high in fiber and low in calories, which may promote feelings of fullness and prevent overeating. Research indicates that vegetarian diets help prevent and reverse obesity and obesity-related diseases.
Improves Heart Health
Eating meat, certain types of fat, and refined carbs has long been associated with atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of plaque in your arteries that can lead to heart disease. A vegetarian diet has been shown to lower the risk of coronary artery disease and even reverse it, especially when animal foods are limited, as in a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet. Plant-based diets improve blood flow to the heart, improve blood vessel health, and reduce blood pressure, all of which may reduce heart disease risk.
May Reduce Cancer Risk
Vegetarian diets have been associated with a reduced risk of various cancers. Eating a diet rich in plant foods like fruits and vegetables can significantly reduce cancer risk. Some research suggests that diets high in red and processed meat can increase the risk of certain cancers.
May Lower Gallstone Risk
Lacto-ovo vegetarians may have a lower risk of gallstone disease. This may be due to the lower cholesterol intake associated with vegetarian diets.
Potential Downsides and How to Address Them
While a vegetarian diet offers many health benefits, proper planning is essential to prevent adverse health effects.
Read also: Lacto-Vegetarian Meal Planning Guide
The Potential Need for Supplements
A vegetarian diet can be nutritionally adequate, but extra attention should be paid to your intakes of iron, protein, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids. Dietary supplements may be recommended if food sources of these nutrients are lacking.
- Protein: Essential for good health. Vegetarian sources include eggs, dairy, beans, peas, lentils, tofu, grains, nuts, and seeds. Foods rich in the amino acid lysine - a building block of protein often lacking in plant-based diets - include legumes, nuts, seeds, and eggs.
- Iron: Transports oxygen in your body. Vegetarians may need 1.8 times more iron than omnivores. Vegetarian iron sources include tofu, beans, lentils, fortified grains, almonds, and greens. Vitamin-C-rich foods, such as citrus and peppers, can boost absorption.
- Zinc: Supports growth, wound healing, and a healthy immune system. Some plant-based, zinc-rich foods include beans, peas, lentils, tofu, peanut butter, cashews, grains, and fortified cereals.
- Vitamin B12: You need this vitamin to help prevent anemia and have normal nerve function. Eggs and dairy foods have the most B12, so people who follow a vegan diet may have a hard time getting enough. You can get B12 from these foods: Eggs, Milk, yogurt, low-fat cheese, cottage cheese, and other dairy products, Foods that have B12 added to them (fortified), such as cereal and soy products, Nutritional yeast.
- Vitamin D: You need this vitamin for bone health. You can get vitamin D from sun exposure. But you should limit sun exposure due to skin cancer concerns. Depending on where you live and other factors, you most likely will not be able to get enough from sun exposure. You can get vitamin D from these foods: Egg yolks, Foods that are fortified with vitamin D, such as orange juice, cow's milk, soy milk, rice milk, and cereals
- Calcium: Foods high in calcium help keep bones strong. Dairy products have the highest amount of calcium. If you do not eat dairy, it can be hard to get enough. Oxalates, a substance found in plant foods inhibits calcium absorption. Foods that are high in both oxalates and calcium are not good sources of calcium. Examples include, spinach, Swiss chard, and beet greens. You can get calcium from these foods: Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese, Green vegetables, such as collard greens, kale, bok choy, and broccoli, Oranges and figs, Tofu, Almonds, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, tahini, and white beans, Foods fortified with calcium, such as cereal, orange juice, and soy, almond and rice milk
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3s may be important for your heart and brain health. You can get omega-3s from these foods: Nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed, canola oil, chia seeds, Soybeans and soy oil, Foods fortified with omega-3s, such as bread, eggs, juice, and milk
Importance of Diet Quality
With the growing popularity of plant-based diets, there are many vegetarian-friendly foods from which you can choose. However, many foods marketed for lacto-ovo vegetarians are prepackaged and highly processed, meaning they can be high in added sugar, salt, unhealthy fats and oils, and calories. Be sure to look at the ingredient list and nutrition label to decide whether these foods are right for you.
Foods to Eat and Avoid
Those following a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet avoid animal-derived foods, except for eggs and dairy products.
Foods to Avoid
You must look at the ingredient label of any packaged food to determine if it contains animal-based ingredients, including:
- Meat: beef, veal, lamb, pork, and processed meats like sausage, bacon, and hot dogs
- Fish: fish, shellfish like crab and lobster, other seafood like shrimp
- Poultry: chicken, duck, goose, quail, turkey
Foods to Eat
Base your diet on whole, unprocessed plant foods, as well as egg and dairy products, including:
Read also: Vegetarian Diet Plan: Carb Cycling
- Fruits: apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries, peaches, melons
- Vegetables: broccoli, kale, bell pepper, spinach, mushrooms, eggplant
- Whole grains: quinoa, barley, amaranth, oats, buckwheat
- Eggs: whole eggs, including whites and yolks
- Dairy products: milk, yogurt, cheese, butter
- Beans and legumes: beans, peas, peanuts, lentils
- Nuts, seeds, and nut butters: cashews, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, peanut butter
- Healthy fats: avocados, olive oil, olives, nuts, seeds
- Vegetarian protein: tofu, seitan, tempeh, and vegetarian protein powder
Eat whole, minimally processed plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, as much as possible. Also, include eggs and dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and butter, as you like.
Sample Meal Plan
Here’s a 5-day meal plan to get you started on a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet. Adjust it to fit your tastes and preferences.
Monday
- Breakfast: scrambled eggs with vegetables and buttered toast
- Lunch: mixed green salad with tofu drizzled with olive oil and vinegar, served with a handful of nuts and raisins
- Dinner: veggie cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and onion on a bun, served with a side of roasted asparagus
Tuesday
- Breakfast: fruit and yogurt smoothie with a hard-boiled egg
- Lunch: pasta salad with beans, cheese, and vegetables, served with a side of grapes
- Dinner: seitan and vegetable stir-fry with a side of berries
Wednesday
- Breakfast: oatmeal with apples and cottage cheese
- Lunch: tempeh and vegetable wrap, served with carrots and hummus
- Dinner: grilled cheese and tomato soup, served with roasted vegetables
Thursday
- Breakfast: spinach quiche and fruit
- Lunch: veggie and cheese pizza on a tortilla
- Dinner: lentil loaf with roasted potatoes
Friday
- Breakfast: avocado and hummus toast and a banana
- Lunch: chickpea salad sandwich with vegetable soup
- Dinner: nachos with “the works,” including beans, cheese, ground soy, sour cream, salsa, avocado, and black olives, served with a side of fruit
Simple Snack Ideas
Here are some easy, lacto-ovo-vegetarian snack ideas if you get hungry between meals:
- hard-boiled eggs
- trail mix made with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit
- banana slices with almond butter
- raw vegetable sticks with hummus
- yogurt with berries and seeds
- roasted chickpeas
- whole-grain crackers with guacamole
- popcorn with Parmesan cheese
- celery with peanut butter and raisins
Dietary Tips for Vegetarians
When following a vegetarian diet, keep in mind the following:
- Eat different kinds of foods, including vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free dairy and eggs if your diet includes these.
- Choose fortified foods, such as cereals, breads, soy or almond milk, and fruits juices to get a full range of nutrients.
- Limit foods that are high in sugar, salt (sodium), and fat.
- Include a protein source with all meals.
- If your diet lacks certain vitamins and minerals, take supplements.
- Learn to read the Nutrition Facts Label on food packages. The label tells you the ingredients and nutrition contents of the food product.
- If you follow a more restrictive diet, you may want to work with a dietitian to make sure you are getting enough nutrients.
Is a Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Diet Right for You?
A lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet is suitable if you’re interested in reducing your intake of animal products but not completely eliminating them from your diet. This diet has been linked to several potential health benefits, including a reduced risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Eating a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet can help you eat more whole, unprocessed plant foods, to which many of the health benefits associated with this way of eating are attributed.
While the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet is generally suitable for most people, consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian to ensure it meets your nutritional and health needs.
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