More Information About Vegetarian Calorie Control

By Dietitian, Juliette Kellow BSc RD

Q: Surely for a vegetarian calorie intake is lower because the diet contains more vegetables?

A: Most vegetables are low in fat and calories, providing they don’t have oil, butter, mayo or oily salad dressings added to them. And eating more veg can certainly help to fill you up for fewer calories, thanks to them containing plenty of fibre. But many people who follow a vegetarian diet replace the meat and fish in their diets with large amounts of high-calorie foods such as cheese, nuts, seeds and ready-made vegetarian meals that contain high-cal ingredients, including pastry and rich sauces.

This means fat and calorie intakes can end up being even higher than a diet that includes lean red meat and fish. Meanwhile, booze and many fatty and sugary foods such as biscuits, crisps, chocolate, puddings, cakes, confectionery, chips and soft drinks are still often included as part of vegetarian diet – and these are usually high in calories.

So whilst you might eat more low-calorie vegetables as part of a vegetarian diet, you still need to make sure that you stick to your daily calorie allowance overall – and this will mean making sure you don’t eat too many fatty and sugary foods or calorie-laden veggie dishes.

Do not assume vegetarian calorie consumption is automatically going to be lower than a meat based diet. Vegetarian fat intake should also be watched. As a guideline, always check the packaging of ready-made vegetarian dishes or use The Calorie, Carb & Fat Bible to calculate the calorie and fat content in a typical serving – and remember to include it in your daily calorie allowance. A vegetarian calorie controlled diet is perfectly straightforward with a little planning!

Q: So what foods do I typically need to watch out for?

A: Some foods typically included as part of a vegetarian diet may be high in calories. This doesn’t mean you need to avoid them – just remember to count the calories:

• Nuts, seeds and dishes made with these eg nut roast, nutty cereals, cereal bars, flapjacks and biscuits
• Cheese and dishes that include cheese eg cheese sandwiches, cheese on toast
• Vegetarian ready meals, especially those that include cheese eg veggie lasagne, veggie moussaka, macaroni cheese, vegetable bake
• Pastry products eg vegetarian sausage rolls, cheese and onion pasties, vegetable pies, spring rolls, vegetable samosas
• Vegetable pizzas, quiches and flans
• Hummus and soured cream or mayo-based dips
• Cream and creamy sauces and soups
• Takeaways such as vegetable curry, vegetable biryiani, pilau rice, egg fried rice, pancake rolls
• Meat-free sausages, burgers and patés.

Q: Wouldn’t it just be better to avoid nuts and seeds altogether because they are so high in calories and fat?

A: There’s no need to ban any one food from a diet when you’re trying to lose weight, and that includes nuts and seeds. Yes, they are quite high in calories, but they are also a rich source of protein and fibre and are packed with important vitamins and minerals that are often found in meat and fish.

In particular, most nuts and seeds are rich in iron, zinc and selenium – all nutrients that are found in good amounts in meat and fish. They are also a good source of calcium, making them particularly important for people who follow a vegan diet that avoids dairy products, which tend to be the main sources of this nutrient in most people’s diets. And whilst nuts and seeds are high in fat, most of this fat is heart-healthy unsaturated fat.

If you want to eat these foods, the key is to monitor the amount you eat and remember to include the calories as part of your daily allowance.

Lose Weight Vegetarian Style

A vegetarian balanced diet can be as good as a meat-based diet

Nutritional facts about a low calorie vegetarian diet

Suggested vegetarian weight loss meal plan