Aashu’s Curiosity
For the last one week, Aashu has been searching the internet to find a suitable diet plan. He wants a diet plan that is not only balanced but also excludes foods that he needs to avoid in his meals. His search ends at the Lacto diet or Lacto-vegetarian diet.
This particular diet focuses on the consumption of plant foods & avoids all processed foods & all sorts of animal products except for dairy.
The name Lacto-Vegetarian diet itself shows what foods you should include in it. Dairy products are represented by “Lacto” while “Veg” represents all plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses, nuts and seeds.
The main purpose behind adopting this sort of diet by many people is that they want to fully reduce their intake of other animal products such as meat, poultry & seafood due to some ethical & health reasons.
Let us see what Aashu has found about the Lacto Diet, its benefits, its downsides, what food to be eaten & a sample diet for 7 days.
What is Lacto-Vegetarianism?
Lacto-vegetarianism is a dietary concept that emphasizes on consumption of foods that are farmed or harvested such as fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses, nuts and seeds. But excluding foods that are parts of any animal body such as meat, beef, poultry and seafood. Although it allows consuming animal products like Dairy and Honey.
The concept of this diet can be traced to ancient Greek and Indian civilizations. In India, this diet is quite common as per Indian culture dairy foods such as milk, curd, buttermilk, cheese and yogurt are extensively used for preparing curries and gravies.
Also, due to religious obligations, other animal foods that are restricted in the Lacto-vegetarian diet are excluded. The religious phenomenon of Ahimsa in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism is one of the primary reasons for the popularity of this diet.
“World Milk Day was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2001 to recognize the importance of milk as a global food.“.
– Worldmilkday.org
Foods to be Eaten & Foods to be Avoided
As we have discussed earlier, the Lacto-Veggie diet is all about focusing your daily intake on plant foods & with it, you can also add eggs & dairy products.
So here is the list of foods to be avoided & eaten in this particular diet: –
Foods to be Eaten
| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Fruits | Apples, Bananas, Oranges, Berries, Peaches, Melons & Cherries |
| Vegetables | Broccoli, Bell pepper, Spinach, Mushrooms, Cauliflower, Sweet Potatoes. |
| Whole grains | Millets, Barley, Amaranth, Oats, Buckwheat |
| Dairy products | Milk, Yogurt, Cheese, Butter, Curd & Homemade Buttermilk |
| Herbs & Spices | Ginger, Garlic, Cumin, Cinnamon, Coriander, Basil, Mint & Roseberry. |
| Beans and legumes | black beans, peas, peanuts, lentils |
| Nuts & seeds | Cashews, Almonds, Walnuts, Pumpkin seeds, Flax seeds, Peanut butter, Pistachios |
| Healthy fats | Desi ghee, Olive oil, Olives, Nuts, Seeds, Virgin Coconut oil |
Foods to be Avoided
| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Meat | Beef, Lamb, and Pork. |
| Poultry | Chicken and boiler. |
| Seafood | All sorts of Fish, Crab, Prawns except Seaweed. |
| Eggs | Hard-boiled & Omelette. |
| Processed foods | Packaged Juices, Soda & Ketchup. |
| Sweets | Cakes, Pastries, Candies & Artificial Sweeteners. |
| Junk Foods | Samosas, Pizza, Burgers and French fries. |
A 7-day Lacto-Vegetarian Diet Plan
Based on these Foods let us create 7-days Lacto diet Sample plan for you:
| As per standards, A man should take 2200 calories & a woman should take 1800 calories a day. |
| Day 1 | Monday |
|---|---|
| Wake up drink | 1 cup of Green Tea or Black Tea. |
| Breakfast (Men- 600 kcal, Women- 500 kcal) | 1 serving of Tomato Omelette with vegetables (341 kcal) and 1 serving of Chilli Cheese toast (194 kcal). |
| Lunch (Men- 800 kcal, Women- 630 kcal) | 1 serving of Gobi Masala (205 kcal) with 3 medium-sized Multigrain Roti (312 kcal) & 1 bowl of Corn Salad (142 kcal). |
| Healthy snack (Men- 250 kcal, Women- 200 kcal) | 1 ounce of Roasted Almonds (170 kcal) with 100g of Strawberries (33 kcal). |
| Dinner (Men- 550 kcal, Women- 450 kcal) | 1 Veg Cheese Burger (453 kcal) with 1 cup of Sweet Potato soup (115 kcal). |
| Goodnight Drink | 1 glass of Cow Milk with 1 tbsp of Turmeric Powder. |
| Day 2 | Tuesday |
|---|---|
| Wake up drink | 1 cup of Green Tea or Black Tea. |
| Breakfast (Men- 600 kcal, Women- 500 kcal) | 1 cup of Banana and yogurt smoothie (259 kcal) with 1 medium-sized Aloo/Potato Paratha (278 kcal). |
| Lunch (Men- 800 kcal, Women- 630 kcal) | 2 servings of Kathi Roll (500 kcal) with 1 bowl of Paneer soup (143 kcal). |
| Healthy snack (Men- 250 kcal, Women- 200 kcal) | 1 ounce of Pumpkin seeds (126 kcal) with 1 large sliced Apple (116 kcal). |
| Dinner (Men- 550 kcal, Women- 450 kcal) | 1 serving of Veg Fried Rice (360 kcal) with 1 bowl of Rajma Salad (86 kcal). |
| Goodnight Drink | 1 glass of Cow Milk with 1 tbsp of Turmeric Powder. |
| Day 3 | Wednesday |
|---|---|
| Wake up drink | 1 cup of Green Tea or Black Tea. |
| Breakfast (Men- 600 kcal, Women- 500 kcal) | 1 serving of Curd Oatmeal (291 kcal) with 1 serving of Apple Toast (300 kcal). |
| Lunch (Men- 800 kcal, Women- 630 kcal) | 1 serving of Chickpea Curry (285 kcal) with 2 medium-sized Wheat Chapati (240 kcal) & 1 bowl of Tomato Salad (180 kcal). |
| Healthy snack (Men- 250 kcal, Women- 200 kcal) | 5 Dates (115 kcal) with 1 medium-sized Papaya (119 kcal). |
| Dinner (Men- 550 kcal, Women- 450 kcal) | 1 serving of Khichdi (182 kcal) & 2 Roasted Papad (140 kcal) with 1 serving of Tomato soup (148 kcal). |
| Goodnight Drink | 1 glass of Cow Milk with 1 tbsp of Turmeric Powder. |
| Day 4 | Thursday |
|---|---|
| Wake up drink | 1 cup of Green Tea or Black Tea. |
| Breakfast (Men- 600 kcal, Women- 500 kcal) | 1 medium-sized Spinach Tomato omelette (290 kcal) and 1 glass of Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake (260 kcal). |
| Lunch (Men- 800 kcal, Women- 630 kcal) | 1 Spiced Potato curry (202 kcal) & 2 medium-sized Multigrain Chapati (288 kcal) with 1 bowl of Fennel Salad (79 kcal). |
| Healthy snack (Men- 250 kcal, Women- 200 kcal) | 100g of Grapes (67 kcal) with 2 Walnuts (52 kcal) & 5 Prunes (115 kcal). |
| Dinner (Men- 550 kcal, Women- 450 kcal) | 1 serving of Rajma Pulao (392 kcal) with 1 bowl of Miso soup (118 kcal). |
| Goodnight Drink | 1 glass of Cow Milk with 1 tbsp of Turmeric Powder. |
| Day 5 | Friday |
|---|---|
| Wake up drink | 1 cup of Green Tea or Black Tea. |
| Breakfast (Men- 600 kcal, Women- 500 kcal) | 2 servings of Quinoa & Oats Breakfast (410 kcal) with 1 cup of Orange Juice (111 kcal). |
| Lunch (Men- 800 kcal, Women- 630 kcal) | 2 servings of Red Kidney Beans Wraps (540 kcal) with 1 serving of Carrot Raita (161 kcal). |
| Healthy snack (Men- 250 kcal, Women- 200 kcal) | 1 cup of Roasted Makhana (216 kcal) with 100g of Watermelon (30 kcal). |
| Dinner (Men- 550 kcal, Women- 450 kcal) | 1 serving of Vegetable Brown Rice with Red Cabbage (370 kcal) & 1 serving of Garlic Soup (165 kcal). |
| Goodnight Drink | 1 glass of Cow Milk with 1 tbsp of Turmeric Powder. |
| Day 6 | Saturday |
|---|---|
| Wake up drink | 1 cup of Green Tea or Black Tea. |
| Breakfast (Men- 600 kcal, Women- 500 kcal) | 1 serving of Chia Pudding (369 kcal) with 1 glass of Pineapple Juice (132 kcal). |
| Lunch (Men- 800 kcal, Women- 630 kcal) | 1 serving of Stuffed Zucchini (335 kcal) with 1 cup of Blueberry curd (279 kcal) & 1 medium-sized Masala Papad (110 kcal). |
| Healthy snack (Men- 250 kcal, Women- 200 kcal) | 5 pcs of Dates (115 kcal) & 1 large Custard Apple (146 kcal). |
| Dinner (Men- 550 kcal, Women- 450 kcal) | 1 serving of Masala Pasta (344 kcal) with 1 bowl of Roasted Vegetables (220 kcal). |
| Goodnight Drink | 1 glass of Cow Milk with 1 tbsp of Turmeric Powder. |
| Day 7 | Sunday |
|---|---|
| Wake up drink | 1 cup of Green Tea or Black Tea. |
| Breakfast (Men- 600 kcal, Women- 500 kcal) | 1 serving of Tomato Omelette (341 kcal) with 1 cup of Onion Soup (214 kcal). |
| Lunch (Men- 800 kcal, Women- 630 kcal) | 1 serving of Fruit Custard (300 kcal) with 1 bowl of Chinese Noodles (431 kcal). |
| Healthy snack (Men- 250 kcal, Women- 200 kcal) | 1 large Pomegranate (233 kcal). |
| Dinner (Men- 550 kcal, Women- 450 kcal) | 1 serving of Baked Feta Cheese & Tomato Pasta (386 kcal) with 1 bowl of Rajma Salad (86 kcal). |
| Goodnight Drink | 1 glass of Cow Milk with 1 tbsp of Turmeric Powder. |
These is just a recommended diet plan, you can make changes as per your daily need. Take consultation from Dietitian before implementing this meal plan.
Health Benefits of Lacto-Vegetarian Diet
There is plenty of research to prove that a well-planned & balanced Lacto-Vegetarian diet can benefit your health in many different ways.
Helps in Weight Loss
Similar to all other diet plans, weight loss is also a major benefit that you can reap by following the Lacto-Veggie diet. Plant foods are a great source of fibre & they are low in calories which makes them a good tool against overeating.
Obesity, a major concern for many can be easily countered by a vegetarian diet. Even research shows that obesity & diseases related to it can be prevented by having plant foods in your diet.
In one such study, half of the participants were vegetarians while the other half included all non-vegetarians, showed that the average body mass of vegetarians was considerably lower than that of non-vegetarians. The reason is that in non-vegetarian diets, foods carry much protein but lack fibre while in plant foods the concept is fully reversed which helps in weight loss.
Prevent Heart Diseases
Heart diseases are becoming more & more common among the mature population in India & by government estimates, nearly 1.5 crore people succumb to death annually due to heart diseases.
But these deaths are preventable if we make some changes to our diet & turn the focus from animal products to fresh plant foods.
If you take a semi-vegetarian diet such as the Lacto-vegetarian diet then you can certainly reduce the cholesterol deposits in the coronary artery whose blockage is a primary cause of heart attacks.
Even some studies have shown that plant foods can improve blood flow in your body to the heart, strengthen your blood vessels & reduce blood pressure. This all leads to better health of your heart.
Shield Against Cancer
In the case of Cancer, having a vegetarian diet can significantly reduce the chances of cancer occurrence in your body.
Plant foods carry antioxidants & other essential compounds that can prevent mutation in cells which causes cancer in the human body. The Lacto-vegetarian diet encourages its adherents to include many more fruits & vegetables in their daily intake.
There is one study performed on people with vegetarian diets showed that they have reduced their risk of having gastro-intestinal & colorectal cancers significantly compared to others with non-vegetarian diets.
Lowers your Gallstone Risk
A significant benefit of having the Lacto diet is that you can reduce the risk of having a gallstone. A stone-like small piece made up of cholesterol in your gall bladder that hinders the release of the bile duct & causes intense pain.
A study performed on 1000 people for 6 years found that non-vegetarians have 3.8 times more risk of developing a gallstone compared to vegetarians. Even with a semi-vegetarian diet, you can cut down the risk of having gallstones.
Now, as we have seen the benefits let us discuss what you should eat and what you should avoid in this diet.
Downsides of Having a Lacto-Vegetarian Diet
As every coin has 2 faces opposing each other, having a Semi-vegetarian diet also has some adverse effects on your body that come with benefits. Some of those effects are as follows:-
Arise needs to have Supplements
Although a vegetarian diet is balanced with all necessary nutrients, you have to find other sources of nutrients such as Zinc, Calcium, Protein & Omega-3 fatty acids. Sometimes, supplements are recommended to get them if your diet lacks these nutrients.
If you need good health then protein is very essential. Some vegetarian sources such as Lentils, nuts, seeds, beans & dairy can fulfil your daily need for protein. Foods such as legumes & nuts also carry amino acids that work as building blocks of proteins.
Iron is needed to get oxygen transported in your body. Researchers have found that vegetarians need 1.8 times more iron compared to non-vegetarians. Vegetarians can get their iron from foods like almonds, beans, lentils & green-leafy vegetables. Vitamin C can be sourced from citrus fruits & peppers.
Zinc is needed to maintain & heal your immune system. For that, foods such as beans, nuts, cashews, lentils & whole grains are good sources of zinc.
Omega-3 fatty acids are needed to have healthy eyes, skin, heart & brains. Non-vegetarian fulfill their requirements from seafood but vegetarians, walnuts & flax seeds are good sources of Omega-3.
Importance of Diet Quality
Nowadays, semi-vegetarian diets such as the Lacto-Vegetarian diet are becoming popular among working-class sections. Due to lack of time, they avoid fresh and organic food.
They mostly consume ready-to-eat foods that are available to them. But these foods are processed ones carrying lots of added sugar, calories, salts & oils.
So, it is recommended that you check the nutrition list before buying them.
Conclusion
Aashu is now convinced that by reducing the intake of animal products & replacing them with plant foods in the Lacto diet you can get maximum nutrients.
This diet if followed properly, can show major health benefits such as reducing your risk of having heart disease, diabetes & cancer.
Lacto-vegetarian diet is comparatively easier to abide by than other vegetarian diets as he can still enjoy dairy products with plant foods in his meals.
He has also decided that if he buys ready-to-eat semi-vegetarian foods then he will check the nutrition list before buying them.
