ABSTRACT
Alternative foods or organic foods included in alternative, mostly vegetarian diets have been advocated since ancient times. Alternative foods are in general grown in soil enriched with organic fertilizers rather than with chemical or synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Veterinary drug residues have rarely been found in alternative foods. Probably due to the use of synthetic fertilizers, the nitrate content of conventionally grown foods is higher in general than in alternatively grown foods. Animal foods are the major contributors of saturated fats and cholesterol, and they are low in fiber and other components recently related to chronic diseases. Dietary patterns including the low-fat variants rather than the high-fat variants of animal foods are linked to fewer health risks. Comparison of a variety of dietary patterns with dietary guidelines and recommended daily intakes of nutrients shows that all patterns have their pros and cons, including western omnivorous diets, vegetarian diets, and vegan patterns.
