Vegetarian Diets Can Be More Nutritious Than Animal Food Diets

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Results from a recent study eliminates the common misconception that vegetarian diets are deficient in important nutrients that most people get from animal foods, according to an article in the July issue of Food Nutrition & Science.

The study conducted by Eastern Michigan University and published in The Journal of the American Dietetic Association, shows that vegetarian diets are nutrient dense, consistent with dietary guidelines, and high in fiber, protein, vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and iron – nutrients that most people get from animal foods.

Researchers looked at a cross-sectional analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2004) dietary and anthropometric data focusing on participants aged 19 and older. All vegetarians were compared to all non-vegetarians. Researchers found that mean intakes of fiber, vitamins A, C and E, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, calcium, magnesium, and iron were all higher for vegetarians than for all non-vegetarians.

"I think this is fascinating," says Phil Lempert, founder of Food Nutrition & Science and CEO of The Lempert Report and SupermarketGuru.com. "These results combined with the plant-based diet guidelines provide food retailers with an opportunity to help their customers better understand how to shop and eat a healthy lifestyle. With only six percent of the population meeting the daily goal for vegetables even those who don't want to be a vegetarian could use this model to improve their health."

Also in the July edition of Food Nutrition & Science, how supermarkets are reducing emissions. According to reports, supermarkets with typical refrigeration systems leak, on average, 25 percent of their refrigerant every year. Pound for pound, the effect of these leaks is up to 3,900 times worse than that of carbon dioxide on the environment. When calculated for their effect on climate change, an average supermarket's refrigerant leaks have a higher impact on our planet than all the electricity used by an average store in one year. The article details how retailers are working with GreenChill, an Environmental Protection Agency program that helps food retailer's transition to environmentally friendlier refrigerants, reduce the amount of refrigerant used, eliminate leaks, and adopt green refrigeration technologies, strategies and practices.

In addition, this month's Food Nutrition & Science shows how Albertson's, LLC, which has stores in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas, is removing self-checkouts in their stores to improve customer service.

"All retailers can learn how to make improvements to their stores by just talking and listening to the needs of their customers," says Lempert.  "I applaud any effort for interaction."

Other articles include news about a news Birds Eye campaign to help make vegetables accessible and enjoyable to everyone and an interview with Jason Rodgers, a South Carolina peach farmer.

Food Nutrition & Science is a free monthly newsletter with articles relating to retailers, manufacturers, farmers, nutritionists, educators, government agencies and more. It's also a newsletter that services members of the National Grocer Association and offers breaking food news and articles on food safety and industry-wide green initiatives.  Food Nutrition & Science is committed to covering topics and trends that interest anyone with a stake in the food industry including supermarket retailers, food manufacturers and consumers.  Each issue contains an interview with a farmer.

For more information or to subscribe to Food Nutrition & Science, please visit www.FoodNutritionScience.com.

About Food Nutrition & Science

With more than 26,000 readers, Food Nutrition & Science from The Lempert Report is the only monthly newsletter that provides readers analysis and offers discussions on all issues relating to the food industry. Founded by food industry analyst and CEO of The Lempert Report and SupermarketGuru.com Phil Lempert, Food Nutrition & Science was created so that all industry players could communicate about the safest, most efficient and healthiest way to get food to our plates. For more information or to subscribe to Food Nutrition & Science, please visit www.FoodNutritionScience.com.

SOURCE Food Nutrition & Science