Have you been giving thought to a vegetarian lifestyle? There are environmental and health issues which you need to take into consideration if you are still part of the meat-eating population.
For the most part, those whose diet consists mostly of plant-based food make up a smaller percentage of the population. But what is it about meat that makes people want to become vegetarians?
Is it the way the animals are treated? Does it have something to do with the negative affects of a meat-based diet on the health? For you to make an informed decision, you should first learn about the pros and cons of these two types of diets: meat-based and vegetarian based.
Examination of a Vegetarian Based Diet
The diet of a vegetarian contains a lower level of saturated fats, and a higher amount of fiber and antioxidants. More importantly, your risk of developing chronic and lifestyle-related diseases is reduced.
A downside of a vegetarian diet to consider is that you will not have a primary source of high-quality protein. You may also develop a deficiency in Omega-3 fatty acids, iron, vitamin B12, zinc, iodine, calcium and selenium.
To counteract this, vegetarians should always have a solid meal plan to ensure that they are getting all the nutrients their body needs to function properly. A growing solution to combat these possible deviancies is the addition of soy foods. Soy is high in protein and contains many nutrients.
The Negatives of a Meat-Based Diet
First, you should know that both white and red meat is considered a great source of high-quality proteins. Red meat, in particular, contains the essential amino acids that the body needs. Iron, phosphorus and vitamin B12 are the other essential nutrients that you will be lacking if you decide to take on a mostly plant-based diet.
The major problems people encounter with a meat-based diet:
* Meat-based diets are generally high in fat.
* If you eat big, juicy burgers, for example, the quality of the beef that you are consuming may not be desirable for your health.
* Meat raises your cholesterol levels.
* You are more prone to cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure with a meat-based diet.
* Gout, arthritis and degenerative diseases are some of the health risks that meat-eaters may suffer, to which vegetarians are not usually subject.
You Decide: Meat-Based Diet or Vegetarian-Based Diet
At the end of the day, it is still a matter of personal preference. If you think you can work through the problems of a meat-based diet and not give it up, then you can certainly do so. Making an informed decision is the key to making any type of diet work to the maximum benefit of your health.
Being a vegan doesn’t mean being delimited for choice as long as varieties of non-animal products exist. In fact, being a vegan means liberated to choose from quite lots of eating choices, especially when the option with regard to sort of foods to consume can be fairly vast.
There is no doubt about the fact that a vegan diet will mean being liberated to opt from a lot of combinations. Then it will ascertain you that you can always live on top of your pick of diet. Thus, why must feel severe to be a vegan.
Loads of Benefits
The advantages of being a vegan are especially apparent when you get off a diet that consists of meats or other products derived from animal slaughter. This is especially if know this facts; to make a single pound of meat demands using sixteen pounds of grain together with two thousand five hundred gallons of water. Meanwhile, if the same amount of grain is given to people, it can supply for sixteen standard sized humans.
A vegan is one who doesn’t eat animal products either completely or to the greatest possible extent. Many vegans are actually committed enough to even avoiding from using medicines that are made out of animal products. Therefore vegans won’t buy or even use animal products including steaks, eggs, and leather. This is because they try to do something good which will end result in reducing animal suffering.
The primary reason why someone will move to becoming a vegan is because they judge that it is inhuman to kill animals and thus is especially contrasting to slaughter of animals just to feed humans. Another reason is owing to concerns with regard to the environment, because animal agriculture can devastate the environment and also the earth and it is also believed to be inefficient as far as producing food goes.
Nevertheless, the foremost reason why an individual becomes a vegan is for the reason of health. There’s a worry that eating animal fats and proteins leads to serious health conditions such as, lung cancer, obesity, high blood pressure and heart diseases. Therefore, consuming little or no animal products can be the answer to not only a person’s health, but also to keeping the environment protected.
So, if you would like to be a vegan, you should study more about vegan food.
Some people who have moved over to a vegetarian diet are convinced that it has been responsible for curing their diabetes but can this really be the case or is there something else at work here?
Diet is a very important factor when it comes to diabetes but here we are normally talking principally about controlling the level of sugar in the bloodstream and so we are looking at changes to our dietary habits which control our intake of sugar. So can a vegetarian diet help in this respect?
Vegetarians fall into three categories – vegans, lacto-vegetarians and lacto-ovo vegetarians. Vegans eat no animal products, including products derived from animals such as eggs and milk, and their diet is confined solely to plant-based foods. Lacto-vegetarians add milk and some milk based products to an otherwise plant-based diet, but exclude eggs. Finally, lacto-ovo-vegetarians add milk, milk based products such as cheese and yogurt and eggs to a plant-based diet.
In all of these cases, because the diet is essentially centered on fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and possibly some dairy products, it is essentially a low cholesterol, low fat, high fiber diet and tends, by its very nature, to reduce sugar intake and so assist with the control of diabetes.
However, in many people who convert to a vegetarian diet there is something else hard at work in combating diabetes.
The substantial rise in diabetes, especially in the West, is due in no small measure to the fact that we are gaining weight at an alarming rate and that obesity has now reached epidemic proportions in many countries, with the United States leading the field. Weight gain is a major risk factor for diabetes and many people are developing the disease for no other reason than the fact that they are gaining weight.
The solution of course, in the first instance and before the problem gets out of hand, is simply to go on a diet, start taking some exercise and lose weight and what could be better for accomplishing this than a low cholesterol, low fat, low sugar, high fiber vegetarian diet.
So, returning to our original question – can you cure your diabetes by becoming a vegetarian? – the simple answer is yes but it is not the diet itself which will cure your diabetes, but the fact that it can both help you to control your sugar intake and lose weight which is doing the trick. To this end it is a change in diet which is the answer and, while this could be to a vegetarian diet, this does not have to be the case.
Weight gain has long been blamed on consuming fats, however, we are now being told that there are good fats and bad fats that are very different. Can you lose weight using omega-3 fatty acids or do they cause you to gain weight?
The reduction of fats has caused the opposite of what was intended when people were told that it would reduce cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, according to Udo Erasmus, an expert on oils in nutrition. Even though the consumption of fats has, on average decreased, cancer and diabetes has increased, cardiovascular disease has not decreased and there has been more than double the obesity, all of which is the opposite of what we were told to expect. Udo Erasmus says this is because we have been given the wrong facts about fats.
Rather than making you fat, essential fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acid actually aid a person to lose weight. Fats aid in stabilizing the levels of insulin and suppress the appetite. Omega-3 fatty acids actually have a more direct contribution to losing weight, which is an additional advantage.
Energy levels and metabolic rates improve because omega-3 fatty acids improve thyroid function, resulting in weight loss. Other benefits of omega-3 are improved kidney function, reduction in water retention and the alleviation of depression.
A big contributing factor in obesity for many people is water retention. Omega-3 fatty acids improve kidney function so that they are better able to process fluid wastes, which, in turn, allows people to lose weight easier.
Depression and a lack of energy often hinder getting sufficient physical activity to increase metabolic rates and burn calories. Mood improving seratonin levels and improved thyroid function resulting in added energy has been noted to make it possible for people to get sufficient exercise to aid them to lose weight.
Blood sugar levels are stabilized by omega-3 fatty acids and that helps with a dieter’s struggle to resist food cravings and hunger pangs. The food cravings and hunger pangs are a result of low blood sugar and can only be stopped by eating. A diet too high in carbohydrates frequently causes high/low spikes as well as low blood sugar.
The alleviation of depression, increased energy, improved kidney and thyroid function, stabilized blood sugar levels and appetite suppression are benefits of increased omega-3 fatty acids as part of a weight loss program. It doesn’t seem possible to gain weight from getting too much of the omega-3 fatty acids.
Glossary:
Essential fatty acids: Fatty acids are vital for physical and mental wellbeing, which cannot be produced by the body.
Omega 3 fatty acids: A group of fatty acids that are necessary for physical and mental wellbeing including the individual fatty acids – ALA, GLA and DHA
Pumpkin season is here – whether it’s for Jack-o-Lanterns at Halloween or Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving, we can all agree that autumn is pumpkin time.
What may not instantly come to mind is the seeds that come with the pumpkins and the nutrition value they hold.
Pumpkin seeds, also called “pepitas,” are small, flat, and usually dark green seeds. They are sometimes surrounded by a yellow/white husk, depending on what variety of pumpkin they are from.
They are probably most well known in their roasted form, but also come as an ingredient to many other foods and dishes, such as pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup, etc. sometimes pumpkin seeds are also sprinkled over salads or other dishes in order to add nutrients and flavor. They are especially well-known as ingredients of traditional Mexican dishes.
There are many varieties of pumpkins, and they produce seeds with or without shells.
Pumpkin seeds have a chewy texture and a sweetish nutty flavor.
While roasted pumpkins seeds are probably best known as the seasonal Halloween treat, there is absolutely no reason not to eat them throughout the year.
Pumpkin seeds provide a wide range of necessary daily nutrients, such as fibers, healthy fats and protein. They are also a great source of minerals such as magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron and copper.
In as little as a handful of pumpkin seeds, you will receive about half of the daily recommended intake of magnesium, half of the daily recommended intake of manganese, about a quarter of the recommended daily intake of copper and iron, and about a fifth of the recommended daily intake of protein and zinc.
Of course these are not all that is required for a healthy balanced diet. But as a between-meals healthy snack, pumpkin seeds are one of the true treasures that mother nature has to offer.
Other Beneficial Qualities of Pumpkin Seeds:
Pumpkin seeds can also be beneficial for people with high cholesterol levels. Pumpkin seeds are rich in phytosterols (compounds found in plants similar to cholesterol and active in reducing cholesterol when present in a large quantities), and as such could be part of a low cholesterol diet.
Pumpkin also improve the immune system and lower the risks of certain cancers.
Pumpkin seeds should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This way, they will maintain their freshness for the longest possible time. Although still edible they start to loose their freshness after about 2 months. If the seeds start to smell musty or rancid they should not be consumed.
Preparing Your Own Pumpkin Seeds:
While pumpkin seeds can be bought almost anywhere, it is also possible to make your own.
- Remove the seeds from inside the pumpkin
- Spread them out on a tray, and let them dry overnight.
- Then roast them at a low temperature (70 Celsius/160-170) Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes. Roasting them for a short period at a low temperature preserves valuable healthy oils that will be lost if you roast them at higher temperatures. One can of course also add spices or other flavorings while roasting them, should one wish to do so.
Tips on How to Preserve Pumpkin Seeds:
- Add a pumpkin seeds to mixed salads (they go best with green salads, but others are not ruled out).
- Pumpkin seeds can also be ground up and added to salad dressings.
- I personally like to add a few pumpkin seeds to stir-fry vegetable dishes.
- You can add pumpkin seeds to fruit and nut mixes (trail mix).
- They can be added to corn flakes or other cereals (hot or cold).
- When baking bread, they can be added to the dough.
- Add them to your oatmeal and raisin cookie recipes or to your granola recipe.
I hope this helps to better prepare you for the pumpkin season!
If you are thinking of following vegetarian diet for certain causes – religious belief, health reason, economic reason, animal rights – you will face a barrage of uninformed arguments from skeptical relatives and friends. A common argument about vegetarianism is the difficulty of preparing vegetarian meals. Don’t get swayed or discouraged by this argument because there is a lot of choice for vegetarians. A vegetarian diet consists of ordinary everyday foods like grains, vegetables, nuts, and fruits. Legumes and starches like potatoes and rice are also part of the diet. Fish, poultry, and dairy products can also be incorporated depending on what type of vegetarianism you follow. These are all available in your average grocery store. Also, there is a variety of easy vegetarian recipes available in many sources. Books, magazines, newsletters, and even TV shows are veritable sources of healthy vegetarian recipes. You will not miss anything because the choices are limitless.
Vegetarian meals do not deviate much from a regular diet except for the absence of meat. Skeptics argue that this could mean missing out on essential proteins. But this is hardly true nor correct. All healthy vegetarian recipes are well-balanced. They have the required amounts of essential vitamins, minerals, and protein. Examples of protein choices are legumes, nuts, beans, fish, poultry, dairy, and the popular tofu. Calcium, a mineral often associated with milk, is not missed either. Middle Easterners and native Africans are known to have strong teeth and bones but their diets rarely contain dairy or meat. They get their calcium from vegetables and root crops. So there is no reason you couldn’t get your calcium requirements from vegetarian foods. In terms of nutrition, a vegetarian diet is even superior to diets with meat. There is less fat and bacteria that enter the body which can cause heart diseases and infections. You can watch meat lover bloat and get fat while maintaining your own healthy body with vegetarianism.
After proclaiming that you are eating healthier with vegetarianism, you’d think that the non-believers will stop bugging you. But no, they’re back and possibly bearing the most difficult question for hedonists. They’ll ask if you’re not depriving yourself of the hearty pleasure and satisfaction only the flavor of meat can give. Fret not because vegetarianism has an answer to that. When vegetarians state that there are easy vegetarian recipes, they don’t just mean easy to prepare but also easy on the palate. Contrary to what the skeptics are thinking about vegetarian meals (you know, limp lettuce and carrot sticks), vegetarian meals are flavorful and varied. Recipes range from curries, soups, burgers, steaks, hotdogs, casseroles, pasta, and delicious desserts all made with true vegetarian goodness. In fact, vegetarian meals are more flavorful because they make full use of herbs and natural flavors unlike meats which use a lot of salt.
If your friends and relatives still won’t stop bugging you about your vegetarian diet, get a load of healthy vegetarian recipes and cook them a feast. When they see that you didn’t even break a sweat preparing the delicious feast, they’ll be convinced of the ease of vegetarianism. Give them copies of easy vegetarian recipes and don’t be surprised if they’ll ask you to go produce-shopping in the following days.
In our Western society, a common nutritional belief is that meat and animal products must be consumed in order to maintain a well-balanced, muscle-building healthy diet.
Those who turn away from this traditional way of eating and choose a vegetarian diet are often considered “granola-head hippies”…or even just plain odd.
But more and more people these days are discovering the many health benefits of a vegetarian diet. Additionally, more physicians and scientists are prescribing and endorsing plant-based meals in order to promote health, prevent and treat certain diseases, and even to reduce weight.
Although vegetarianism may seem like a modern fad, in reality, its health benefits have been known for centuries in many cultures world-wide. India and many Asian countries make up the largest percentage of the world’s vegetarians, both for health and spiritual reasons. One group of people, the Hunza — who live near the Himalayan mountains — have an exclusively vegetarian diet. Members of their community reportedly often live to be over 100 years old.
The American Dietetic Association states that the benefits of a vegetarian diet include: 1) lowered cholesterol; 2) lower levels of saturated fat; 3) higher levels of important minerals and antioxidant vitamins; 4) lower body fat; 5) lower rates of heart disease; 6) lower blood pressure; 7) lower rates of type-2 diabetes; and 
lower instances of some cancers.
Obesity, one of the major health concerns in this country, can be addressed with a vegetarian diet, one that eliminates excess protein and animal fat consumption, and increases fiber in the form of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Those who consume a vegetarian diet maintain a lower body mass index (BMI), which significantly aids in the treatment and management of other chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes.
One common question asked by anyone considering a vegetarian diet is: “Will I get enough protein?”. That is certainly a valid concern, as protein is necessary for the building, maintenance and function of all body cells. However, according the the American Dietetic Association, a varied and well-balanced vegetarian diet provides all the protein the body needs from eating such things as whole grains, beans, nuts and soy products.
In fact, meat-based diets typically provide excess protein, which may actually be harmful. A leading gerontological journal reports that too much protein can cause a person to lose about 30% of their kidney function by the time they become elderly. It can also cause systemic acidity, which the body attempts to counter by pulling calcium out of the bones. This can, unfortunately, lead to osteoporosis.
Becoming a vegetarian does not mean you are limited to eating celery sticks, apples and nuts. There are many types of vegetarians that eat meatless diets in a variety of combinations. Some of the more common types include:
Lacto vegetarians, who do not eat meat or eggs, but do eat dairy products such as milk and cheese.
Lacto-ovo vegetarians do not eat meat, but will eat dairy products and eggs.
Ovo vegetarians do not eat meat or dairy products, but will eat eggs.
Vegans do not eat meat, dairy products, eggs, or any animal products at all.
There are many medical and health organizations that promote, endorse, and support people on a path toward changing their dietary lifestyle to one that includes more plant-based foods.
Additionally, many restaurants and grocery stores provide meals and products to vegetarians, making it simpler to choose this healthy lifestyle.
Research and information exists out there on the internet, as well as through medical providers and vegetarian organizations.
The bottom line: it’s OK to be vegetarian, and the benefits may very well enhance or even save your life!
Diet books and fad diets are nothing new. It seems every few months there´s a new weight loss program being touted by the so-called experts as the new miracle diet. We, as consumers, are bombarded by before and after pictures and testimonials from people who have successfully lost weight with some fabulous new program.
Two years ago, another new diet book hit the shelves. It was called The South Beach Diet, written by Dr. Arthur Agatston. Since its release in 2003, The South Beach Diet has been listed on the New York Times´ bestseller list for an impressive 103 weeks. Dr. Agatston has released companion books, started a fee-based website, and is working with Kraft Foods to create a line of pre-packaged South Beach menu items. How is this diet any different from the others, and more importantly, does it work?
The main idea behind South Beach is to eat three meals a day along with snacks and even dessert, while avoiding highly processed foods. Dr. Agatston says that South Beach is not low carb or low fat, but rather good carb and good fat. The diet is broken down into three phases: phase one is very restrictive and lasts about two weeks, phase two is much more open with food choices and lasts until you reach your goal weight, and phase three is called ´maintenance´, which should guide your food choices for the rest of your life.
During phase one, you can eat until you are full (not stuffed full, just no longer hungry) from a list of approved foods. The list consists of mainly vegetables and lean meat, including seafood, as well as low fat or fat-free dairy products and legumes. You can have sugar-free Jell-o or popsicles as treats; up to 75 calories worth per day. Nuts and natural peanut butter are also on the list, but with limits. You´re basically giving up bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, and sugar in all of its forms. The South Beach Diet book claims that you can lose 8-13 pounds in just two weeks on phase one, and that you will lose belly fat first.
Phase two widens your menu quite a bit. You can now eat whole grain bread and pasta, brown rice, select fruits, and (my personal favourite) sugar-free Jell-o pudding. Still no sugar though, except for the occasional bite of dark chocolate. Good carbs in the form of whole grains and legumes, and good fats in the form of unsaturated, non-hydrogenated things like I Can´t Believe it´s Not Butter spray and olive oil are all approved.
Once you´ve reached your goal weight, you´re pretty much on your own. Phase three lets you eat within the phase two guidelines, adding occasional treats and ´white´ food, but omitting the snacks you´ve come to depend on. There isn´t much guidance here, since by now you should know what your body is able to handle. Dr. Agatston recommends that you return to phase two if you find yourself gaining weight again.
Sounds simple enough, doesn´t it? The book even claims that you don´t need to exercise to lose weight with this plan (although it does recommend that you add physical activity as part of your weight loss effort) . While the eating plan is certainly healthy, there are some drawbacks to this diet – or at least with the way it is presented.
Phase one is very restrictive. Sure, you´re only on it for two weeks, and the potential weight loss is very encouraging. Many people, however, do not lose the ´guaranteed´ 8-13 pounds in phase one and get discouraged. Not only that, but suddenly dropping all sugar and refined carbs from your diet can cause dizziness, light-headedness, an inability to focus or concentrate, and constipation (believe it or not) . This rapid weight loss phase is designed to control your cravings, but sometimes the side effects just aren´t worth it. If you think you can manage your cravings, head straight for phase two.
South Beach also recommends that you use sugar substitutes, specifically Splenda. Some people have trouble digesting aspartame, while others prefer to avoid one unhealthy substance and substitute it with a chemically processed alternative. Explore your options in this case – there are other ways to sweeten foods without sugar or chemicals.
While you´re on phase two, your weight loss should slow down to one or two pounds a week, according to the book. This is reasonable, and slow weight loss is definitely healthier than dropping pounds rapidly. It is a balanced diet and has great effects on your health, with the added benefit of losing unwanted pounds. What is confusing as far as the book is concerned though is that there are ingredients in the recipes that aren´t found on the recommended Foods to Enjoy list. Also, Dr. Agatston asks that you add grains and fruit back to your diet slowly; only one serving a day to start, and gradually increase your servings until you find your weight loss slowing down. If you follow the daily menu plans in the book though, there are several fruit and grain servings for each day.
For anyone who needs a structured plan based on numbers, The South Beach Diet is not the way to go. But if you like the freedom of not having to count anything and using common sense to lose weight, then South Beach is more of a strategic eating plan than a rigid diet and would work very well for you. Keep in mind that all diets revolve around the same principal: take in fewer calories than you burn off. Burn more calories than you consume, and the weight will come off. Eating well and enjoying healthy food is integral to this process, and that´s where The South Beach Diet shines.
Burn Fat Fast
Now that you already know all of the benefits and advantages that raw food can offer to your body, you might still wonder if this type of dietary scheme would suit you. Do worry; you do not have to eat all raw food “ALLTHE TIME”. You can just eat more fruits, more vegetables and less – or if possible, no – processed foods that can harm your health. Most raw food dietician would recommend that drinking fruit juices until lunch can reduce or stop the craving for unhealthy foods that most people would nibble. A healthy sandwich made of veggies is ideal for lunch. And for dinner, try eating blanched vegetables with cooked meals that do not contain meat.
Once you have steadily removed the harmful toxins or detoxify your body, you will notice remarkable results. Individuals who undergo the process of detoxification will experience fatigue, headaches and rashes on the skin. But as soon as they overcome this phase, they will eventually become energetic and have a lighter and vibrant feeling. Their physical and mental capacities and capabilities will eventually increase making them more and more productive. The body of the individual will be cleansed of all the harmful toxins, thereby reducing the risk of disease and other health disorders. They will also loose the unwanted and excess weight and their immune system will be much stronger.
In addition to that, buying organic foods will help support the agricultural industry. And also, with the raw food diet, you won’t spend much time in the kitchen cooking your meal and as a result will help you save time and money. Most of the meats that are available in the market these days are pumped with substances that provide no benefits to your health; instead, it will only produce toxins in the body. Your skin will have a radiant glow and have a rejuvenating feeling.
The raw food diet will only help slow down a person’s aging process. It will also improve and enhance the body’s senses, making the person much more flexible and fertile. As previously mention, raw food will help enhance the mental capabilities of a person. Making that person a lot more creative, not to mention motivated and more relaxed at work. It will help a person focus more on relationships and more attuned to the environment. The most significant thing that a person will notice once that he or she has adapted a raw food diet is the importance of having a healthy lifestyle.
It is a fact that, in the past, vegetarians were often seen as being somewhat eccentric or belonging to some odd sect. However, in recent years, the benefits of vegetarianism are becoming more and more attractive to many people. This includes not only the possible health benefits but also the economic benefits as well.
Vegetarianism is a preference that people have in which they choose to eat only vegetables and other plant products in preference to meat and other animal products. However, it includes more than just diet, involving a complete way of life. This life often includes yoga, spiritualism, homeopathy and other natural ways of living.
During the last century, there has been a significant increase in the knowledge of nutrition and the dietary value of fruits and vegetables. People have begun to steer away from the heavy meat-based meals and are leaning more toward the lighter, healthier and more balanced diets.
The reasons for choosing vegetarianism are varied but may be based on economic, ecological, spiritual, or emotional preferences. Often, people who become interested in such pursuits as spiritualism may switch to vegetarianism as a result of the teachings and the beliefs that are followed. Sometimes, of course, a person may simply dislike the taste of meat or other animal products.
There are five main groups of vegetarianism. The least rigorous are those vegetarians who eat white meat and animal products but will not eat red meat.
There are then the vegetarians who will eat no flesh at all but will eat other dairy products such as milk and cheese and they will also eat eggs.
Another group avoids all flesh but will eat dairy products such as milk and cheese. However, they will not eat eggs because they see eggs as flesh because they are considered as embryos.
Next are those who eat a diet of whole grains, cereals and vegetables as well as eating fish. This diet is part of a yoga lifestyle and is known as macrobiotics. People who follow the macrobiotic lifestyle believe that spiritual imbalance is the cause of disease and that this imbalance is restored by awareness of food origins. It is believed that many of the toxins in the body are a result of the consumption of flesh.
Finally, there are those who totally avoid any animal products or any flesh. These people are known as vegans. Those who follow the vegan lifestyle abhor the methods used in dairy farming and in meat production and see the eating of animal products and meat as adding to the cruelty endured by animals destined for the dinner table.
There are definitely some health benefits to vegetarianism because of the low saturated fat and high fibre associated with a vegetarian diet. This is particularly beneficial for heart and digestive health. However, plant protein is considerably lower than animal protein. It is therefore important that the vegetarian diet includes a variety of cereals, nuts, oil seeds, and legumes that contain high levels of protein.
Another health benefit is that vegetarians suffer less from obesity. In people who eat meat and other animal products, the fat accumulates in the coronary arteries, thus leading to an increased risk of heart attack. In vegetarian communities, heart disease is virtually non-existent.
They also have less problems with conditions such as constipation and intestinal diseases due to the high fibre in their diet. A vegetarian diet has also been known to improve diseases such as asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, and migraine.
Before you go rushing into vegetarianism however, it is important to consider other factors of health. When someone switches to a vegetarian diet, they commonly lose weight and this can lead to a feeling of lethargy. Weight loss can be particularly serious in someone who is already underweight.
There are also some conditions that are connected to veganism in particular. One of these conditions is called spinal ataxia which is evidenced by a stooped appearance with unsteady balance and a loss of sensation in the lower limbs. This condition is caused by a deficiency of vitamin B. Another serious condition is megaloblastic anemia, a blood deficiency also caused by a deficiency of vitamin B. it is therefore important to take a vitamin B supplement. This only affects vegans as vitamin B is found in eggs and cheese.
Plant foods also lack vitamin D but this can be found in sunlight. However, it is unwise to expose young children to too much sun. A vitamin D supplement can be taken in the form of drops.
Choosing a diet that is right for yourself and your family should be a carefully planned process, taking into account the pros and cons of each one. The main consideration, regardless of whether you choose vegetarianism or not, is to eat a diet which is properly balanced with the appropriate amounts of proteins, vitamins and minerals, carbohydrates and fats.
If you have been a meat eater and are considering the change to vegetarianism, it would be wise to first consult a dietician so as to avoid sending your body into shock. A gradual transition should make things more comfortable.
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