Download benefits of a vegetarian diet

A vegetarian is one who eats no animal flesh and/or limits the consumption of animal products
Why Vegetarianism?
People become vegetarians for many reasons. These may include religious (Hindu, Moslem, Buddhist, Seventh
Day Adventist), health, fad, economic, environmental, or moral reasons (objection to the killing of animals).
Our western society, particularly the US and Canada, relies heavily on animals for our primary nutritional
needs. Our diets are full of beef, pork, poultry, eggs, cheese and milk. To eliminate animal proteins from our
diets is a daunting task. So what’s wrong with a diet full of animal proteins? After all, they are a great source
of protein and B vitamins that provide energy and build strong bodies. Milk and other dairy products contain
high levels of calcium to build strong bones. And the fat they provide is critical for the healthy development of
young children. Doctors tell us that we need milk to prevent osteoporosis But do we really need these foods to
provide essential nutrients? There are many varieties of fruits and vegetables that are high in a variety of
vitamins and minerals, including calcium. And soybeans (plus tofu, soy milk, etc.) are high in protein. Essential
fatty acids are readily available in flax seed, olive, sesame seed and canola oils. So why do we need animals?
We continue to maintain diets full of animal proteins because that is what we have always done. Our taste
buds have been trained to prefer meat and dairy over fruits and vegetables. If we can retrain our bodies to
enjoy plant food sources, we can eliminate meat and dairy from our diets and reap the benefits of better health.
Protein, contrary to popular opinion is not usually a nutritional problem of vegetarians. Vegetarian diets
provide less protein than non-vegetarian diets, but it's still enough. Most non-vegetarians get much more
protein (perhaps 5x as much) than is really needed. Plant food proteins are not as high quality as meat, dairy
or egg proteins. Plant foods contain less of the essential amino acids (building blocks of protein) necessary for
the body to make complete proteins. But a plant-based diet still provides enough quality protein if a mixture of
plant foods is eaten. It is not necessary that protein complements be eaten at the same meal. If protein
complements are eaten within a day, the body will still be able to make complete proteins with the available
amino acids. It is important for vegans to use whole grain cereals and flours for protein. Refined cereal and
flours have less protein.
Types of Vegetarians
* Lacto-Ovo-vegetarian eats foods from the soil, as well as eggs (ovo) and dairy (lacto) products. Animal
flesh from meat, fish, and poultry is avoided, however. Most vegetarians are lacto-ovo vegetarians.
*Lacto-vegetarian eats plant foods and dairy products, like milk, cheese, and yogurt. Eggs, and animal flesh
from meat, fish, and poultry are avoided. Ovo-vegetarians eat eggs and plants but avoid dairy products.
*Vegan (pronounced VEE gun) A vegan only eats plant food and strictly avoids all animal products including
red meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, and honey. Vegans also avoid products that may contain
derivatives of animal products such as casein, lactose, lecithin, gelatin, etc. A vegan reads food labels very
carefully.
*Meat restrictor A meat restrictor avoids red meat, but may eat fish and poultry. Meat restrictors are not
vegetarians in the true sense of the word, but could be described as being on the road toward vegetarianism
*Fruitarians eat only foods of plant origin that can be obtained without killing the plant: fruits, nuts and
seeds, for example
BENEFITS OF A VEGETARIAN DIET
1. Vegetarians in the U.S. have a lower incidence of heart disease than the general U.S. population. This may
be because most vegetarian diets are low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Vegetarian may decrease
blood cholesterol levels. (A high blood cholesterol level is a major risk factor for heart disease.) However, some
lacto-ovo vegetarians eat a diet that is very high in fat and saturated fat. If these people were separated out,
they might have a rate of heart disease similar to the general population.
2.Vegetarians generally have a lower incidence of high blood pressure and a lower rate of Type 2 diabetes than
do non-vegetarians. These benefits may also be due to decreased fat and/or increased fiber in the diet. They
could also be due to decreased incidence of smoking, increased physical activity, and/or less obesity, often
associated with vegans (more health conscious).
3.Vegetarians of the Seventh Day Adventist faith have lower rates of death from colon cancer than the general
U.S. population. This may be due in part to increased fiber intake, decreased fat, and/or increased amounts of
fruits and vegetables in the diet (which may be protective against cancer).
4. Vegetarians, especially vegans, have less incidence of obesity. This may be due to eating less total calories,
less fat, more fiber and/or to increased physical activity, and/or less obesity, often associated with vegans.
5. There's some evidence that vegetarians have lower rates of osteoporosis, kidney stones, gallstones, and
diverticular disease. However, studies relating a vegetarian diet with these benefits are still inconclusive.
6. Lower protein diets are associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis. This may be because high protein
intakes can increase calcium excretion. Studies from other countries show that people who eat lower protein
diets do not require as much calcium as the U.S. RDA for calcium which is based on a high protein diet.
These health benefits found in vegetarians may not be solely due to diet. Lifestyle habits other than diet, such
as exercise, religious practices, smoking, and alcohol can also influence health. The research does not always
separate out whether it is the diet alone which makes the difference or whether these other lifestyle factors also
play a part. Therefore we cannot conclude that a vegetarian diet is the healthiest diet, even though it can be a
very healthy diet. In fact, we know that similar health benefits can come from a non-vegetarian diet which
follows the Dietary Guidelines. But because many people who choose to eat a vegetarian diet also practice
other healthy lifestyle habits, vegetarians as a whole have better health statistics than the rest of the U.S.
population which includes many people who eat poor non-vegetarian diets and who smoke, drink too much,
and don't exercise enough.
THE POSSIBLE PROBLEMS WITH VEGETARIAN DIETS
*Calories: The main possible "problem" with vegan diets is that they may be too low in calories, especially for
children. Many people view this as an advantage of the vegan diet. On a vegan diet, you can eat a greater
quantity of food yet still get less calories. This is because many plant foods are high in fiber. High fiber foods
provide bulk, but are generally low in calories. Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets seem to be as supportive of growth
as a non-vegetarian diet.
*Iron: Vegetarians (as well as non-vegetarians) do not typically get enough iron (especially women, teens and
children). It may be more difficult for vegetarians to get enough iron because the iron from plant foods is not
as well-absorbed as iron from meat. In addition, iron absorption is inhibited by fiber which may be more
abundant in vegetarian diets. However, the iron from plants can be absorbed better if a source of vitamin C is
eaten at the same time as the iron-containing food. Cooking in iron pots also increases the amount of iron in
the diet. Some foods inhibit iron absorption. Tea, coffee, chocolate and soft drinks (including powered soft
drinks like Kool-Aid) contain tannin, caffeine and/or phosphates which inhibit iron absorption.
* B-12: Vegans may have difficulty getting enough vitamin B-12 if they don't take supplements or eat foods
fortified with B-12. This vitamin is synthesized (made) by bacteria, fungi, and algae, but not by yeasts, higher
plants or animals. Non-vegetarians and lacto-ovo vegetarians have no problem getting enough vitamin B-12
because it is in most animal foods, where it has accumulated from bacterial synthesis. However, vegans need to
be careful because vitamin B-12 is only found in animal foods. Although rare, a deficiency of vitamin B-12 is
very serious. It causes a type of anemia and damage to the spinal cord, brain, nerves in the eyes and other
nerves. Usually B-12 deficiency is due to a problem with absorption, rather than a lack of the vitamin in the
diet. But there is a possibility of a lack of B-12 in a vegan diet. Pregnant and nursing women should be
especially careful to get B12. There have been a few cases of B12 deficiency in breastfed infants whose mothers
were vegans. So some vegans choose to drink soymilk that is fortified with B-12 or take B12 supplements. B12
deficiency cannot be cured or prevented by taking iron supplements. The anemia associated with B12 is not
the same type of anemia associated with low iron.
*Vitamin D: Vitamin D may be lacking in the diets of some vegetarians, particularly vegans, because most of
the vitamin D available from foods is from vitamin D fortified milk and dairy products. We can get vitamin D
from sunlight on our skin. Fifteen to twenty minutes of sunlight exposure on hands and face daily will allow
our bodies to make enough vitamin D. However, people don't always get enough from the sun to prevent
rickets. This is because they stay indoors or wear clothes that cover the skin when they are outside. Darker
skinned people especially have a hard time getting enough vitamin D from the sun because darker skin needs
longer exposure to the sun in order to make the same amount of vitamin D. For people who don't use any
vitamin D-fortified milk products or get adequate sunlight exposure, a vitamin D supplement may be
necessary.
A vegetarian diet can be a very healthy diet. However, the less variety in the diet, the more careful people need
to be to get all the nutrients they need. Vegans should be especially careful to get vitamins B12 and D, and the
mineral iron.
More Extreme Views on Vegetarianism
* Digestion: The alkaline-based digestive system of humans will not properly break down substantial acid
substances, the greatest of which is meat. This is caused by the slow evacuation and the putrefaction in the
colon of the remains of meat. Tigers or lions who eat meat and grow strong on it have acid-based digestive
systems. Also, their intestines are in a straight run of about five feet long, not twisted and turned, layer over
layer, compacted into a small area like the human intestine, which is twenty feet long.
Have you ever seen what happens to a piece of meat that stays in the sun for three days? Meat can stay in the
warmth of the intestine for at least four days until it is digested. It does nothing but wait for passage. Often, it
usually stays there for much longer, traces remaining for up to several months. The type and amount of oils in
meat are unhealthy and they turn rancid upon the death of the animal. The flesh and blood also began to
putrefy as soon as the animal is killed. Meat can remain undigested for a long time. Colon cancer is rampant in
meat eaters!
*Cancer: Red meat is associated with cancer due to lack of fiber and increases in free radicals. Meat uses up
the two critical enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin, which are critical to allowing the immune system to kill
cancer cells, Vegetable proteins do not use up those enzymes. Compounds called haemoglobin and myoglobin,
which are found in red meat, trigger a process called nitrosation in the gut, which leads to the formation of
carcinogenic compounds. Another problem might be caused by compounds called heterocyclic amines,
carcinogenic compounds created from cooking red meat. Frequently, when certain animal carcasses are found
to have cancerous growths in the butchering and trimming process, they are simply carved out by the butcher
before it hits the market. How safe is this for human consumption?
* Gut Bacteria: The environmental conditions of the intestine are perfect for an enormous array of harmful
organisms to breed. Some organisms that breed on the decaying animal substance also attack “friendly”
intestinal bacteria. The friendly bacteria is necessary for life. The "friendly" bacteria normally found in the
intestines are unable to break down the meat substance since it is not their purpose.
*Hormones and Antibiotics: Hormones and other substances are fed to animals. Hormone residues in meat
and meat products can disrupt the natural "endocrine equilibrium" (hormone balance) which exists within
everyone's body It is very common for animals (primarily cattle, pigs and chickens) to be given excessive
amounts of antibiotics (because the living conditions promote illness) and hormones (estrogen to fatten them).
The hormones and antibiotics are present in the meat and dairy products we purchase from the grocery store.
Hormones in meat can increase the risk of breast cancer and other reproductive system cancers, lead to
hormonal imbalances, and trigger early onset of puberty.Is it any wonder that health problems seem to
increase exponentially in those whose diets are full of meat and dairy?
*Arsenic: Did you also know that up until recently one-third of all chickens were leukemic and were still
allowed to be sold? Today, however, powerful chemicals are fed daily to the chickens to attempt to control
chicken leukemia. As a matter of fact, since as far back as 1950, arsenic has been the standard chemical given
to poultry within the entire industry. A farmer just cannot afford not to use arsenic! So the chicken eater
consumes this arsenic legally...and it accumulates without ever being expelled!
*Food Poisoning: Meat eaters suffer more frequently from various types of food poisoning than non-meat
eaters. Bacteria love dead carcasses. Cold temperatures do not kill all species of bacteria. Worse than this, as it
is shipped and stored, most frozen meat is thawed and refrozen many times. This is almost unavoidable. When
you've felt ill, out-of-sorts, had diarrhea, or were just a little sick to your stomach, you may have been poisoned
by scavengers living off the dead carcass you just ate.
*FISH: Next there is the subject of fish. Fish do not have a waste system to expel or handle toxins, and any
fish that inhabits the waters near where fisheries do their fishing, especially in the Eastern part of the country,
are swimming in polluted waters. When you eat fish, you're eating toxins. The FDA only examines 20% of all
fish being sold.
*Irradiation: Irradiation is blasting food with radiation to kill any bacteria living on it. All sausages and many
fruits and vegetables are now being irradiated. The scientific research on its effects is inconclusive and it will
take several years until its dangers are recognized and it can be legislated out of the food industry. The
purpose of irradiation is to destroy the odor of bacterial action on meat when it turns bad; thus you will no
longer be able to smell a piece of meat to see if it has putrefied! Irradiation is legal and the government has
recently turned down a bill that would require a visible symbol on the package indicating to the consumer that
the food has been irradiated. This means meat will stay on the shelves (according to the industry) five times
longer than it does now.
* Excess Protein: Some vegetarians claim they are more satisfied after they eat. The reason for this is that
there are fewer ketones (protein-digestive substances) formed when vegetable protein is digested. For many,
ketones cause a trace amount of nausea which one normally interprets as a decreased desire for food due to this
uncomfortable and slight degree of queasiness. Although the body calls for more food, the taste buds tolerate
less. This is the danger of the popular high-protein diet substances on the market. This abnormally high level
of ketones is called ketosis. Also, when the blood ketone level is too high, it results in abnormally acidic blood,
called acidosis.
* Environment/Cost: Meat is costly and it is the most wasteful source of resources. Meat is the most
inefficient form of food to produce. One fact for those who are not familiar with the waste required to produce
meat: It takes 10,000 gallons of water to produce one pound of steak (for feed, washing, etc.). That could pose
quite a threat to the dwindling and endangered water supplies. It costs less than half as much to eat vegetarian
as it does to eat meat.
* Adventure: Additionally, one can enjoy many other foods that he/she has never tasted because of the meat
rut. Most consumers have eaten no more than five or six varieties of beans and legumes, less than 10% of what
is available and grains, including different appetizing types of wheat, nuts, and seeds. And they can be
prepared very creatively! Other peas, lentils, vegetables, and cereals, commonly found in every grocery or
delicatessen, are usually neglected. These can provide exciting alternatives to the usual meats.
* Personal Growth/Spirituality/Friendship: The spiritually aspiring person attempts to work on
his/herself. Avoiding eating animals can give a person a sense of purpose and identity. Many vegetarians take
up their “vegetarianism” as a cause and socialize with other vegetarians (think PETA), read vegetarian
magazines, join clubs, etc.
* Aggression: Aggression levels may be higher in meat eaters than non-meat eaters! When animals are
slaughtered, fear and aggression enzymes are shot into their cells from their glands and other organs, just as
in humans, and are part of the dead carcass that goes on to the food store. They remain in the meat until the
consumer ingests those same enzymes.