Evaluation of Vegetarian and Vegan Menus Served in University Cafeterias in Terms of Nutritional Value

Résumé fourni par la source

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the planned lunch menus of two state universities in İzmir and Istanbul that offer vegan and vegetarian options through a theoretical analysis of energy and nutrient content.Method: In this descriptive study, one-month (29-day) lunch menus obtained from official university websites were analysed for food groups, energy, and nutrient content. Nutrient values were calculated using standard institutional recipes in the Nutrition Information System (BEBIS) 9.0 and compared with the Turkish Nutrition Guide (TUBER) 2022 to assess lunch-level energy and nutrient adequacy. The analysis reflects theoretical values based on planned menus rather than actual served portions or consumption.Results: The non-vegetarian menu of University B contained higher levels of dietary fibre, vitamins C, B1, B6, B12, iron, zinc, and sodium than University A. In vegetarian menus, University B showed higher values of dietary fibre, vitamins C, B1, B2, B6, and sodium, whereas the vegan menu of University A contained higher energy and fat levels. According to the reference framework used, vegetarian menus appeared to meet most nutrient requirements except vitamin B12, while vitamin B12 and calcium remained below the reference range in vegan menus.Conclusion: This theoretical analysis suggests that vegetarian menus generally align with lunch-level nutrient recommendations and that appropriately planned vegetarian and vegan menus may provide nutritionally adequate meal options, whereas potential insufficiencies in vitamin B12 and calcium may exist in vegan menus. These findings should be interpreted within the context of planned menus rather than actual consumption.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.