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Vegetarian Nutrition

Vegetarian diets primarily consist of plant-based foods and exclude meat, poultry, and seafood. Vegetarian dietary patterns include vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, and pescetarian diets. These are sometimes described as plant-based diets.

On this page, you will find information on how to meet nutrient needs with different types of vegetarian diets, guides for healthcare practitioners, resources for industry and foodservice professionals, and research publications.

About Vegetarian Eating Patterns

Healthy Vegetarian Dietary Patterns - Dietary Guidelines for Americans

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 provides the Healthy Vegetarian Dietary Pattern for ages 2 and older (Table A3-3, p. 147) and ages 12 through 23 months who are no longer receiving human milk or infant formula (Table A3-4, p. 148).

Healthcare and Dietetics

Patient Handouts

Additional Resources

Plant-Based Food Production and Market Data
Vegetarian Resources for Foodservice and Federal Nutrition Programs

Consumer Resources

Looking to provide your patients or clients with information about vegetarian diets? Find consumer-friendly resources on Nutrition.gov's Eating Vegetarian webpage.

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