What are the factors that must be considered in planning a vegetarian diet?

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, are also considered healthy plant-based foods. People have many reasons to become vegetarians.

Some want to eat more healthy foods. Others have religious or economic reasons or are concerned about animal welfare. Susan Krebs-Smith, who monitors trends in cancer risk factors. Whether you're a vegetarian or not, Fisher says, you can benefit from the high fiber, low fat and rich nutrients of a vegetarian diet.

This is important for babies who follow vegetarian and vegan diets, as vegetarian sources of iron (“non-heme” iron) tend not to be as easily absorbed by the body as animal sources of iron (“heme” iron). People choose to become vegetarian for many different reasons, but there are a few things to consider before starting a vegetarian diet.