The Dietitian's Guide to Vegetarian Diets: Issues and Applications

"The Dietitian's Guide to Vegetarian Diets" is an excellent professional reference and textbook. It is intended for professional dietitians and other health care professionals (such as nutritionists, doctors, nurses, public health professionals, policy makers, educators, etc.). The book clearly assumes the reader has previously completed an "Introduction to Nutrition" course. This book is suitable for use as a university textbook for students who have previously completed their first nutrition course. Also, anyone who has completed a course in biochemistry will be able to readily follow this book.This is the third edition of this book. It has been fourteen years since the first edition was published; this edition brings the book up to date with current research and, I presume, it incorporates comments from many years of use by professionals.The book seems to cover every possible facet of the subject matter. I can only assume that it was developed from a very meticulous analysis of the dietitian's job. The text provides comprehensive coverage of each topic, supplemented by extensive lists of references to aid those who want to read additional academic papers. With the many cited references, the book provides a great review of literature on the subject.As with many textbooks, the content is dense (in a good way: thorough, complete, and concise) and also a bit "dry." You should give yourself several months to go through this book; it is not intended for a casual weekend read.I think it would be best to go through this book as part of a university course. If your university does not offer a course on vegetarian diets, perhaps your university will give you credit for studying this book under faculty supervision (as an "honor's research project," for example). I would guess that this book is suitable for a three semester hour university course.Chapters:-- Book Intro: An Overview of Vegetarian Diet (pages 1 to 2)1. Demographics and Definitions (pages 3 to 12)2. Health Consequences of Vegetarian Diets (pages 13 to 62)-- Section Intro: Vegetarian Nutrition (pages 63 to 64)3. Protein (pages 65 to 83)4. Fats (pages 84 to 107)5. Calcium (pages 108 to 135)6. Minerals (pages 136 to 178)7. Vitamins (pages 179 to 239)8. Phytochemicals (pages 230 to 248)9. Soyfoods (pages 249 to 289)10. Food Guides for Vegetarians (pages 290 to 298)-- Section Intro: Vegetarian Diets throughout the Life Cycle (pages 299 to 300)11. Pregnancy and Lactation (pages 301 to 331)12. Vegetarian Diets in Infancy (pages 332 to 351)13. Preschool and School-Age Children (pages 352 to 376)14. Vegetarian Diets for Adolescents (pages 377 to 396)15. Vegetarian Diets for Older People (pages 397 to 414)16. Carbohydrates, Fat, and Chronic Disease (pages 417 to 439)17. Vegetarian Food Preparation (pages 440 to 446)

This book is awesome. OK, it is a text book. Not your everyday reading but hey...it lays everything out clearly. From the history of vegetarianism to all of the peer reviewed reports that have been written to support the data. It helps with meal planning and explains the details of how to get all the nutrients you need from a vegetarian diet. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is planning to go vegetarian and more importantly to anyone who loves someone who has gone vegetarian or vegan and would like to understand what is it really about. Reading this book would go along way to dispelling the myths about vegetarianism.

Very informative on vegetarian dietary habits and caveats in nutrition. Some facts out of date and/or wrong. A few spelling errors throughout the text.

I am a Family Physician with special interest in Preventative Medicine. Nutrition plays a major role in preventative medicine and in the era of so many non substantial facts this book is really an asset. Many evidenced based nutritional gems, tables and explanation in a way that even the non-scientists can understand. I'd recommend it to everyone who has any interest in nutrition.

I feel like this textbook was rather expensive for a paperback. But its an easy read. Provides a lot of good information. I bought it for a class. Chapters are concise. Makes use of many references.

It is a textbook but it is very interesting and easy to read!

I have owned previous editions of this book, and have found each of them to be a valuable tool in my work as a dietitian. This third edition is excellent.

This textbook is great for anyone interested in vegetarianism. I particular recommend this book to any dietitian with vegetarian clients.