Antioxidant status in vegetarians versus omnivores

Every day, vegetarians consume many carbohydrate-rich plant foods such as f ruits and vegetables, cereals, pulses, and nuts. As a consequense, their di et contains more antioxidant vitamins (vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carot ene) and copper than that of omnivores. Intake of zinc is generally compara ble to that by omnivores. However, the bioavailability of zinc in vegetaria n diets is generally lower than that of omnivores. Dietary intake of seleni um is variable in both groups and depends on the selenium content of the so il. Measurements of antioxidant body levels in vegetarians show that a vege tarian diet maintains higher antioxidant vitamin status (vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene) but variable antioxidant trace element status as compare d with an omnivorous diet. To evaluate the antioxidative potential of a veg etarian diet versus an omnivorous diet, more studies are needed in which th e total antioxidant capacity is determined rather than the status of a sing le antioxidant nutrient. Nutrition 2000;16:111-119. (C) Elsevier Science In c. 2000.