Vegitarian

Vegetarian/vegan diet***

Strapline:

Excluding meat from your diet may improve your overall health and wellbeing, if this is part of a healthy diet regime.

Overview/headline

A vegetarian diet involves excluding meat, and sometimes fish, dairy and eggs from your diet and replacing these with other plant-based proteins such as pulses and beneficial plant foods.

Approval score:

We gave this an approval rating of 3 stars.  This means that the evidence of benefit is weak but there is a good rationale to support its use and in addition it’s unlikely to be harmful.

How does this work?

Vegans and vegetarians don’t eat meat. Vegetarians tend to consume dairy products, eggs and sometimes fish, whereas a vegan avoids all animal products, including eggs, dairy and fish.

What are the benefits?

There is no evidence to show that a vegetarian or vegan diet can cure your cancer.  However there is some research that following a vegan or vegetarian diet can improve people’s health (see ‘evidence’), below.

However, limiting the consumption of meat in your diet and increasing beneficial plant-based foods can help reduce weight gain or maintain your weight.  In addition, eating more fruits and vegetables is a good way of increasing your vitamin, mineral and fibre intake and will give you more energy, reduce fatigue and support your body’s immunity.  Cancer Research UK recommend eating smaller and fewer portions of red meat and Macmillan also provide advice on meat consumption.

What is the evidence?

We know that reducing your consumption of red meat and increasing your consumption of fruit,  vegetables and fibre can help protect against cancer developing. Take a look at this information on diet and cancer facts from Cancer Research UK and also this article about keeping your weight down.

Who should be careful?

Deciding on a vegetarian or vegan diet is a significant change to both lifestyle and diet.  Strict diets such as macrobiotic or vegan diets do not contain dairy or animal products. This can stop you getting enough nutrients for your body to work properly. You can also lose a lot of weight.  Consult your doctor or specialist before making any changes. 

What do I need to do?

Consult your GP or specialist if you’re considering a vegetarian or vegan diet.  Record your intentions in your personal PlanBe.

If you decide to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you will need to think about what foods you need to buy and plan your meals on a daily or weekly basis.  Consult your chosen online resource to help you to do this and record your plans in your personal PlanBe.

Setting goals and monitoring your progress

Set yourself a simple goal, for example having having 2 nights a week meat-free, or trying a vegetarian diet for one or more weeks. 

Record your progress in your PlanBe daily or weekly.

Summary

• Eating a meat-free diet may improve your overall health.
• There are many resources you can consult to assess whether you want to begin to be meat-free.
• Remember that being vegetarian or vegan may be a significant change to your diet and you may need to consult a doctor.

Resources

Your local GP, hospital or cancer therapy centre will have lots of advice on how to eat healthily.  Some will hold local health and wellbeing events.  Contact your local centre for more information.

Visit the Christie’s online resources on diet and nutrition.  In addition, Macmillan's resources on diet and cancer are helpful as are those of Cancer Research UK.

If you decide on a full vegetarian or vegan diet, there are many online resources available, such as the Vegetarian Society.