From antiquity, vegetarian diets have been followed for a variety of
reasons, albeit with widely differing nutritional outcomes.
As a result, numerous scientific and professional questions have arisen.
Currently,professional interest in vegetarian nutrition has reached
unprecedented levels. This is only partly explained by the growing
number of vegetarians and the increased popularity of
vegetarian diets. As disease patterns shifted away from nutrient
deficiencies and toward diet-related chronic diseases,
vegetarian nutrition research also changed emphasis, and the benefits
of vegetarian diets have begun to emerge.
In the past 30 years, scientific endeavors in the area of vegetarian
nutrition seem to have progressively shifted from investigating concerns
held by nutritionists and other health professionals to a fertile area of
investigation in which creative solutions for various medical conditions
and preventive approaches to chronic diseases may be found.
Despite this broadening shift in the focus and study of nutrition,
current knowledge regarding the relationship between vegetarian diets
and human health is far from complete.
However, scientific advances made during the last few decades have
noticeably changed the role of vegetarian diets
and other diets largely based on plant foods in human nutrition and
public health. This book on vegetarian nutrition is an attempt to
summarize the large body of literature accumulated on the topic.
Although most of the information presented in this book centers on the
dietary practices of vegetarians, it has sweeping implications for
the general population. In the past few years, scientific literature
has extensively reported on the health effects of plant foods such as
whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and nuts.
Although they are essential components, these dietary factors
are not unique to vegetarian diets. Thus, the information reviewed
on plant foods and health has direct applications for all persons
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