Ovo-vegetarian diets exclude all meat, dairy, and meat- and dairy-based condiments and food additives. The above sample meal plan showcases some of the healthy ingredients and balanced dishes you can enjoy on a well-rounded ovo-vegetarian diet.

The ovo-vegetarian diet is a type of vegetarianism that excludes all animal products except for eggs. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

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By Ansley Hill, RD, LD on July 11, What it is Benefits Downsides Foods to eat Foods to avoid Sample menu Bottom line Vegetarians who cut out all animal-based foods from their diet except eggs are ovo-vegetarians. Share on Pinterest. What is an ovo-vegetarian diet? Many potential benefits.

Possible drawbacks. Foods to eat. Foods to avoid. Sample menu. The bottom line. How we reviewed this article: History. Jul 11, Written By Ansley Hill. Share this article. Read this next. The Vegetarian Diet: A Beginner's Guide and Meal Plan.

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By Cecilia Snyder, MS, RD. Countless varieties of vegan milk exist, and nutrition varies drastically from one product to the next.

Some brands are incredibly nutritious, while others are hardly better for you than sugar water. The three most important nutrients to consider are protein, sugar, and calcium.

Additionally, Vitamin D and iodine deserve a mention. Soy milks contain more protein than most other vegan milks—many soy milk brands offer nearly a gram of protein per ounce.

Other vegan milks can contain shockingly little protein. Even though almonds are protein-rich nut, most almond milk brands provide only tiny amounts of protein. For instance, soy milks typically contain around seven grams of protein per serving, compared to around one gram provided by most almond milks.

Coconut milks usually have even less protein than almond milk—so little that you might as well consider them protein-free. While soy milk offers an impressive nutrition profile, a product called Ripple, which is made from organically grown peas, is even better.

Ripple is also vitamin D fortified, and each serving contains omega 3s along with 32 milligrams of DHA. Many vegans fall short of consuming optimal amounts of protein. So if you wish to boost your protein intake, purchase a brand that delivers at least five grams per serving.

Choosing unsweetened vegan milks will also save you a lot of calories. You may be surprised by how quickly your preferences change once you start drinking it.

This calcium usually comes from ground-up limestone,which is chemically pure and well-absorbed. Raw unprocessed milk contains neither of these nutrients. Iodine is likewise an essential nutrient. Ignoring iodine intake is risky since deficiency causes goiters.

If you regularly use iodized salt or if you take a daily multivitamin , your iodine needs should be covered. If you like nut milks, try making your own. All you need is a good blender and a fine-mesh strainer or some cheesecloth. Nothing could be easier to make. Try five parts water to one part cashews, blanched almonds, or hemp seeds.

Add a few drops of vanilla or some cocoa powder, and then perhaps some sweetener. The great thing about homemade nut milks is that you can use virtually any kind of nut. This lets you easily create a variety of delicious concoctions unlike anything produced commercially.

Hazelnuts and Brazil nuts both impart terrific flavors to nut milk. Add some cocoa if you want to make something chocolaty. If you own a Blendtec or a Vitamix blender, this is your golden opportunity to put it to use since these industrial strength blenders can liquefy anything and everything.

To explore vegan cheese making, pick up a copy of This Cheese is Nuts by Julie Piatt or One Hour Dairy-Free Cheese by Claudia Lucero. What about homemade soy milk? For an explanation of why you should probably stick to making nut milk, see my soy milk page.

Discovering a vegan milk you enjoy may inspire you to try out other dairy-free foods. There are excellent vegan alternatives to every popular dairy product you can think of, including: cheese , butter , cream cheese , yogurt , ice cream , and even coffee creamer.

For more information, check out my page on vegan alternatives to popular non-vegan foods. And here are four top brands that you can find in nearly every grocery:.

Copyright © Mocana Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. Vegan Milk: Guide to the Best Dairy-Free Brands. Why Choose Vegan Milk? Even at dairies that reliably offer good animal welfare, the cows are inevitably sent to slaughter.

Milk is full of lactose, a form of sugar that is poorly digested by most people of Asian and African descent. People who stop drinking milk often report that nasal ongestion, acne, and digestive problems spontaneously resolve.

The dairy industry is a major source of methane , a greenhouse gas seven times more potent than carbon dioxide. The Rise of Vegan Milk in Paper Cartons In the s, vegan milks were such a tiny niche market that they were sold only in shelf-stable aseptic juice boxes.

Nutrition Countless varieties of vegan milk exist, and nutrition varies drastically from one product to the next. Protein Soy milks contain more protein than most other vegan milks—many soy milk brands offer nearly a gram of protein per ounce.

Homemade Vegan Milk Possibilities If you like nut milks, try making your own. Making Soy Milk from Scratch What about homemade soy milk?

Check out our list of the best vegan butter, cheese, milk, yogurt, and ice cream Vegan Diet: Non-dairy milk alternatives · 1. Almond milk · 2. Soy milk · 3. Coconut milk · 4. Oat milk · 5. Hemp milk · 6. Cashew milk Non-dairy milk (Ripple Pea Protein Milk, Silk Organic Soymilk, Good Karma Flaxmilk) ; Plant-based yogurt (Siggi's Plant-Based Yogurt, Nancy's

Affordable dairy for vegetarian diets - Missing Check out our list of the best vegan butter, cheese, milk, yogurt, and ice cream Vegan Diet: Non-dairy milk alternatives · 1. Almond milk · 2. Soy milk · 3. Coconut milk · 4. Oat milk · 5. Hemp milk · 6. Cashew milk Non-dairy milk (Ripple Pea Protein Milk, Silk Organic Soymilk, Good Karma Flaxmilk) ; Plant-based yogurt (Siggi's Plant-Based Yogurt, Nancy's

To get the most out of a vegetarian diet, choose a variety of healthy plant-based foods. These include whole fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Nuts and legumes, such as lentils, beans and peanuts, also are considered healthy plant-based foods. At the same time, cut back on less healthy choices.

These include sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juices and refined grains. A registered dietitian can help you create a vegetarian plan that's right for you. Keep in mind that the more foods you cut out of your diet, the harder it can be to get all the nutrients you need.

A vegan diet, for example, cuts out natural food sources of vitamin B, as well as milk products, which are good sources of calcium.

To be sure that your diet provides what your body needs, pay special attention to the following nutrients:. Calcium helps build and maintain strong teeth and bones. Milk and dairy foods are highest in calcium.

Dark green vegetables are good plant sources if you eat enough of them. Examples include turnip and collard greens, kale and broccoli. Other options include calcium-enriched and fortified products. Calcium is added to some juices, cereals, soy milk, soy yogurt and tofu.

Vitamin D also plays an important role in bone health. Vitamin D is added to cow's milk, some brands of soy and rice milk, and some cereals and margarines. Be sure to check food labels.

People who don't eat enough fortified foods and have limited sun exposure may want to talk with a health care provider about vitamin D supplements. Plant-derived vitamin D supplements are available. Vitamin B is necessary to produce red blood cells and prevent anemia.

Anemia a condition in which the body doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to all parts of the body. Vitamin B is found almost exclusively in animal products, so it can be difficult to get enough B on a vegan diet.

Vitamin B deficiency may go undetected in people who eat a vegan diet. This is because the vegan diet is rich in a vitamin called folate that can mask vitamin B deficiency.

For this reason, it's important for vegans to consider vitamin supplements, vitamin-enriched cereals and fortified soy products. Protein helps keep skin, bones, muscles and organs healthy.

Eggs and dairy products are good sources, and you don't need to eat large amounts to meet your protein needs. Eating a variety of plant-based foods throughout the day also can provide enough protein.

Plant sources include soy products and meat substitutes, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, canola oil, soy oil, walnuts, ground flaxseed and soybeans. Vegetarian diets that do not include fish may be low in two types of omega-3 fatty acids called DHA and EPA.

Some evidence suggests that taking in EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may lower the risk for heart disease. Also, these two omega-3s may be important during pregnancy for fetal development.

Research on other health effects of EPA and DHA varies. Vegetarians who do not eat fish or include sources of omega-3 fatty acids in their diet may consider adding fortified products to their diet.

Iron is important to red blood cells. Dried beans and peas, lentils, enriched cereals, whole-grain products, dark leafy green vegetables, and dried fruit are sources of iron.

But the body doesn't absorb iron from plant sources as easily as animal sources. So the recommended intake of iron for vegetarians is almost double that recommended for nonvegetarians. To help your body absorb iron from plants, eat foods rich in vitamin C at the same time as you're eating iron-containing foods.

Vitamin C-rich foods include peppers, strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli. Like iron, zinc is not as easily absorbed from plant sources as it is from animal products. Fish, including crab and shrimp, are sources of zinc for pescatarians. Cheese and yogurt are sources of zinc if you eat dairy products.

Plant sources include whole grains, soy products, lentils, beans, nuts and wheat germ. Zinc helps the body make proteins and grow cells. Research on zinc in the diet has found that it supports the immune system and vision, specifically. Thyroid hormones are made partly of iodine.

Thyroid hormones help control the body's metabolism and play an important role in muscle growth. Iodine can easily be added to food by using iodized salt. Seafood and dairy also are sources of iodine. People who do not eat seafood or dairy may be at risk of iodine deficiency if they do not use iodized salt.

Iodine deficiency can lead to the thyroid getting bigger as it tries to meet the body's need for thyroid hormones. When that happens to the thyroid it's called goiter. Seaweed is vegetarian option for dietary iodine. One way to start on a vegetarian diet is to slowly reduce the meat in your diet.

At the same time, increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Here are a few tips to help you get started:. There is a problem with information submitted for this request.

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Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry. Show references How does plant-forward plant-based eating benefit your health?

American Heart Association. Accessed Jan. Colditz GA. Healthy diet in adults. Demory-Luce D, et al. She has authored or co-authored 10 books for consumers about nutrition at all stages of life. Our traditional, meat-heavy, Western diets have been on the decline, taking a back seat to more plant-based diets or even the vegan diet.

Of note: Plant-based and vegan don't always mean the same thing , which can be confusing, we know. Vegan is always plant-based, but plant-based is not necessarily vegan. Research, like the review in Missouri Medicine , shows plant-centric diets are typically healthier than diets that include meat, dairy and eggs, resulting in better health outcomes like reduced inflammation and reduced risk for chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

But if you want to keep some animal products like beef, fish, eggs and milk in your diet, that's OK, too—just try to avoid the ultra-processed varieties of those foods and focus on eating whole foods. A study in Cell Metabolism found that whether participants ate a plant-based diet or not, eating a diet high in whole foods versus consuming a predominantly ultra-processed diet led to eating fewer calories per day, without even trying to limit intake.

When following a plant-based diet , planning in advance will help you eat a variety of foods and, most importantly, get adequate amounts of essential nutrients like iron, calcium, zinc, iodine, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

This is where a plant-based shopping list comes in. This grocery list is primarily focused on whole foods that should make up the bulk of your diet, but it also features a few items like burgers and desserts that can be enjoyed on occasion. We've included fruits, vegetables, grains, protein-rich foods, nuts, seeds and dairy alternatives, as well as some of our favorite brands to look for at the store.

Why they're good for you: Fruits and vegetables are nutrient-dense. Eating a variety is important so that you get a mix of different plant compounds and nutrients like antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber.

What to look for: When making your weekly shopping list, keep in mind that you need about five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, per the Dietary Guidelines. You'll also find dried fruit in the produce section—the portion size is one-fourth of a cup. Why they're good for you: Whole grains provide a variety of nutrients like iron, B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, copper and selenium.

They're also a source of fiber and protein. You'll also find a few options in the snack aisle and freezer section. Shopping for whole grains can be tricky. A study in Public Health Nutrition from Tufts University found that many consumers have trouble identifying whole grains and are unsure of the amount of whole grains a product contains.

Look for the Whole Grains Stamp on products and the word "whole" listed before a grain, like "whole-wheat" or "whole-grain" in the ingredients list. Why they're good for you: There are nine essential amino acids. Essential means we must get them from our diet—our bodies don't make them—and most plant proteins tend to be low in the amino acid lysine.

Legumes, on the other hand, are unique in that they contain lysine, making them an important part of a plant-based diet. Legumes are also a good source of fiber, iron, potassium and folate. What to look for: You can find most beans and peas in canned and dry form. Look for beans and peas that are "low in sodium" or have "no salt added" mentioned on the label.

You can also rinse them to remove any residual sodium. Canned and dry are both good for you—canned products just save you time in the kitchen. Edamame is often found in the frozen section and hummus is refrigerated. When shopping for peanut butter, look for options with just peanuts and salt optional.

Avoid products with added sugar or palm oil. Why they're good for you: We often think of nuts and seeds as a source of healthy fats—and they are! They're also a good source of fiber and protein.

For instance, according to the USDA, a serving of pistachios 1 ounce has 6 grams of plant-based protein, and 1 ounce of chia seeds has 5 g of protein. Nuts and seeds are also a source of different nutrients, depending on the type—walnuts, hemp seeds and flaxseeds all contain omega-3 fatty acids, while almonds are a good source of vitamin E.

What to look for: When buying whole nuts, avoid products that have been roasted in oil. Instead, if you'd like them roasted, go for the dry-roasted. Also, skip options that are heavily salted or overly sweetened.

When it comes to nut butter, the ingredients should be simple—just the nut or seed and salt optional. Avoid nut and seed butter with added sugar or palm oil. Some yogurts provide protein as well, along with probiotics. When it comes to cheeses and butter, they're not necessarily nutritious, but they do help make following a plant-based diet easier, especially if you're new to this way of eating.

What to look for: When shopping for non-dairy milk and yogurt, look for options with minimal added sugars—unsweetened and plain are best. They should have protein added, too—about 5 g or more per serving. With cheeses and butter, look for products with minimal ingredients and those that use healthier sources of fat and oils, like nuts, avocados and olive oil.

Why they're good for you: These plant-based meat alternatives are typically lower in saturated fat compared to animal proteins, especially red meat.

They're also an easy way to get a large dose of protein. What to look for: You want to look for products that are as minimally processed as possible. The burger options should be enjoyed more sparingly.

The bulk of your plant-based diet should come from whole foods.

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