Vegetarianism

People become vegetarians for a whole range of reasons. Whatever the reason, it is important to have a well planned and balanced diet in order to be healthy and fit with energy to enjoy life and fun times.

Some socialists say the main reason to be a vegetarian is to reduce animal suffering. Farm animals such as chickens, pigs, sheep, and cows are sentient living beings like us - they are our evolutionary cousins and like us they can feel pleasure and pain. It is wrong to farm and kill these animals for food . The methods of farming and slaughter of these animals are often barbaric and cruel - even on supposedly 'free range' farms. 

Also, in most countries, animals farmed for food are not covered by animal welfare laws that protect other animals. Animals have rights and it is wrong to kill them needlessly. Humans are animals too . Like us, animals can feel pleasure and pain, and they suffer if they are shut up and forced to live and eat in unnatural ways. Many religious people believe that all life is sacred, and that nothing should be made to suffer without need. For these reasons killing and eating animals is a form of murder .Farming animals for meat is very unnatural. Some animals do kill others for food, but at least prey species live free and any suffering in the hunt is almost always over quickly. And unlike lions or wolves, humans are moral beings, who are aware of the suffering they can cause and able to choose a different way of life. 

Animal Slaughterin

Meat-eating is risky as it is linked to a range of serious illness. Almost all dangerous types of food-poisoning (e.g. E-coli, salmonella) are passed on through meat or eggs. Close contact between humans and animals also leads to zoonosis – diseases such as bird ‘flu which can be passed on from animals to humans.

Beef Farming 

Modern farming is one of the main sources of pollution in our rivers. Beef farming is one of the main causes of deforestation, and as long as people continue to buy fast food in their billions, there will be a financial incentive to continue cutting down trees to make room for cattle. Because of our desire to eat fish, our rivers and seas are being emptied of fish and many species are facing extinction. Energy resources are used up much more greedily by meat farming than my farming cereals, pulses etc. Eating meat and fish not only causes cruelty to animals, it causes serious harm to the environment and to biodiversity.

Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, and poultry. Vegans are vegetarians who abstain from eating or using all animal products, including milk, cheese, other dairy items, eggs, honey, wool, silk, or leather. Among the many reasons for being a vegetarian are health, environmental, and ethical concerns; dislike of meat; non-violent beliefs; compassion for animals; and economics. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has affirmed that a vegetarian diet can meet all known nutrient needs. The key to a healthy vegetarian diet, as with any other diet, is to eat a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Limit your intake of sweets and fatty foods.

Becoming a vegetarian is an environmentally friendly thing to do. There are significant health benefits to 'go veggie'; a vegetarian diet contains high quantities of fibre, vitamins, and minerals, and is low in fat. A vegetarian diet reduces the risk of serious diseases and, because it is low in fat, also helps to prevent you becoming overweight. There are plenty of vegetarian sources of protein, such as beans and bean curd; and spinach is one of the best sources of iron.

What about nutrition?

Protein   Vegetarians easily meet their protein needs by eating a varied diet, as long as they consume enough calories to maintain their weight. It is not necessary to plan combinations of foods. A mixture of proteins throughout the day will provide enough essential amino acids. 

Sources of protein Beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds, tempeh, chickpeas, peas. Many common foods, such as whole grain bread, greens, potatoes, and corn, quickly add to protein intake.

Sources of iron Dried beans, tofu, tempeh, spinach, chard, baked potatoes, cashews, dried fruits, bulgur, and iron-fortified foods (such as cereals, instant oatmeal, and veggie "meats") are all good sources of iron. To increase the amount of iron absorbed at a meal, eat a food containing vitamin C, such as citrus fruit or juices, tomatoes, or broccoli. Using iron cookware also adds to iron intake.

Sources of calcium Good sources include broccoli, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, tofu prepared with calcium, fortified soymilk, and fortified orange juice.

Vitamin B12 The adult recommended intake for vitamin B12 is very low, but this is an essential nutrient so vegetarians should be aware of good sources. Fortified foods, such as some brands of cereal, nutritional yeast, soymilk are good non-animal sources. To be on the safe side, if you do not consume dairy products, eggs, or fortified foods regularly, you should take a non-animal derived supplement.

Children According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarian and vegan diets can meet all nutrient needs for infants and children. Diets for infants and children should contain enough calories to support growth and have reliable sources of key nutrients, such as iron, zinc, vitamin D, and vitamin B12.

Types of vegetarians :

1. Vegetarians avoid all meat and fish products.
2. Vegans eat fruit, grains, nuts, legumes and vegetables but avoid all food that comes from animals including meat, eggs, and dairy foods (such as milk and cheese).
3. A lacto-vegetarian eats fruit, vegetables, etc and dairy foods.
4. An ovo-vegetarian eats eggs as well as fruit, vegetables, legumes etc.
5. A lacto-ovo-vegetarian eats dairy foods, eggs and fruit, vegetables legumes etc.
6. Pesco-vegetarians eat fish, dairy foods, eggs and fruit, vegetables, legumes etc.
7. Semi-vegetarians eat dairy foods, eggs, fish and chicken, fruit, vegetables, etc but no red meat - which is not being a vegetarian

Benefits of vegetarianism:

• A vegetarian diet delivers complete nutrition and can provide health benefits. According to the American Dietetic Association, a vegetarian diet can meet protein requirements, provide all the essential amino-acids (the building blocks of protein), and improve health. It can also provide all the necessary vitamins, fats, and minerals, and can improve one’s health.
• A vegetarian diet can help alleviate world hunger. Over 10 pounds of plant protein are used to produce one pound of beef protein. If these grains were fed to humans instead of animals, more food would be available for the 925 million people in chronic hunger worldwide.
• A vegetarian diet reduces the chances of developing kidney stones and gallstones.Diets high in animal protein cause the body to excrete calcium, oxalate, and uric acid —the main components of kidney stones and gallstones. A diet high in animal protein is responsible for the high rates for kidney stones.
• A vegetarian diet provides a more healthful form of iron than a meat-based diet.Studies have linked heme iron found in red meat with an increased risk of colon and rectal cancer. Vegetarian sources of iron like leafy greens and beans contain non-heme iron.
• A vegetarian diet helps build healthy bones because vegetarians absorb more calcium than meat eaters.Meat has high renal acid levels which the body must neutralize by leaching calcium from the bones, which is then passed into urine and lost. [5]There are many sources of healthy vegetarian calcium including tofu, dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collard greens, as well as fortified cereals.
• Eating meat increases the risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Eating meat increases the risk of getting type 2 diabetes in women and eating processed meat increases the risk in men. A vegetarian diet rich in whole grains, legumes, nuts, and soy proteins helps to improve glycemic control in people who already have diabetes.
• Vegetarians live longer. People found that eating red meat was associated with an increased risk of death from cancer and    cardiovascular disease.  
• A vegetarian diet conserves water. It takes about 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, and about 660 gallons to make a pound of chicken. It only takes about 220 gallons to make a pound of tofu and 180 to make a pound of wheat flour.  
• A vegetarian diet leads to lower greenhouse gas emissions.Greenhouse gases are created byenteric fermentation (aka animal farts and burps), manure decomposition, and deforestation to make room for grazing animals and growing feed. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, raising animals for food creates 18% of global greenhouse gases - more than the transportation sector.Producing a pound of hamburger meat contributes as much greenhouse gas as driving a small car nearly 20 miles. A pound of pork equals about 5 miles, and a pound of potatoes only 0.34 miles.A June 2014 peer-reviewed study found that diets including meat cause the creation of up to 54% more greenhouse gas emissions than vegetarian diets.According to the United Nations Environment Programme, a "worldwide diet change away from animal products" is necessary to stop the worst effects of global climate change.   
• Raising animals for food contributes to air and water pollution.Manure produces toxic hydrogen sulfide and ammonia which pollute the air and leach poisonous nitrates into nearby waters.  
• Many animals raised for food in the United States are not slaughtered humanely.The Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (HMSA) mandates that livestock be stunned unconscious before slaughter to minimize suffering. However , birds such as chickens and turkey are exempted from the HMSA, and many US slaughterhouses routinely ignore the HMSA.
• Raising animals in confinement is cruel.Raising animals in confinement is cruel. About 50% of meat produced in the United States comes from confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) where animals live in filthy, overcrowded spaces. In CAFOs pigs have their tails cut off, chickens have their toenails and beaks clipped off, and cows have their horns removed and tails cut off with no painkillers. Pregnant pigs are kept in metal gestation crates barely bigger than they are. Baby cows raised for veal are tied up and confined in tiny stalls their entire short lives (3-18 weeks).. 
• A vegetarian diet reduces overuse of antibiotics.70% of antibiotics sold in the United States go to livestock like cows, pigs, and chickens to prevent the spread of disease in CAFOs where animals live cramped together.National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences found that overuse of antibiotics in CAFOs causes antibiotic resistant bacteria to develop, which may endanger human health.                   
• Being vegetarian reduces risk of food poisoning.Almost all dangerous types of food poisoning are passed on through meat or eggs.  So Campylobacter bacteria, the most common cause of food poisoning in England, are usually found in raw meat and poultry, unpasteurised milk and untreated water. Salmonella come from raw meat, poultry and dairy products and most cases of escherichia coli (E-Coli) food poisoning occur after eating undercooked beef or drinking unpasteurised milk.
• Ease the symptoms of menopause.Many foods contain nutrients beneficial to perimenopausal and menopausal women. Certain foods are rich in phytoestrogens, the plant-based chemical compounds that mimic the behavior of estrogen. Since phytoestrogens can increase and decrease estrogen and progesterone levels, maintaining a balance of them in your diet helps ensure a more comfortable passage through menopause. Soy is by far the most abundant natural source of phytoestrogens, but these compounds also can be found in hundreds of other foods such as apples, beets, cherries, dates, garlic, olives, plums, raspberries, squash and yams. Because menopause is also associated with weight gain and a slowed metabolism, a low-fat, high-fiber vegetarian diet can help ward off extra pounds.  
• Save money.Meat accounts for 10 percent of Americans food spending. Eating vegetables, grains and fruits in place of the 200 pounds of beef, chicken and fish each non-vegetarian eats annually would cut individual food bills by an average of $4,000 a year.                                                                                                  

A well planned diet is important for your health now and throughout your life .To make up for some of those that are lacking in vegetarian diet please follow below guidelines:

·         Make sure you eat protein - legumes such as lentils, chick peas, red kidney beans, and nuts, eggs, dairy - every day.

·         Eat foods that are rich in iron - lentils, baked beans, some breakfast cereals eg muesli, branflakes, sesame paste, broccoli, spinach, wholemeal bread, iron-fortified cereal.

·         Iron from fruit and vegetables  is digested more easily when combined with foods rich in Vitamin C (fruit juices, tomatoes, oranges, grapefruit, mangoes, bananas, pineapple, capsicum, and broccoli). Bread and breakfast cereals often have added iron. If you make a sandwich of baby spinach and tomatoes or oranges you'll get the iron (in the bread and spinach) and Vitamin C (in the tomato) which helps digest the iron.

·         Eat foods rich in calcium such as milk or calcium enriched soy milk, yoghurts or cheese.You may need some vitamin supplements, most commonly vitamin B12 if you don't have any animal products at all.If you are only eating plant based foods you need to combine certain protein foods together to get enough protein, eg combine:

§  grains with legumes

§  nuts with legumes

§  seeds with legumes.

Ø  Some examples are:

ü  baked beans on multi grain bread

ü   peanut butter on multi grain toast

ü  breakfast cereal with milk

                                                                                                                                                                   

Points to Remember:

•  Your body needs foods which contain calcium, iron and vitamin B12.
•  Vary foods for a good vitamin intake.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Why Vegetarianism??

Vegetarians live longer, healthier lives. That's a fact. Modern medicine can prolong life and medical science is keeping people alive who would die without transplants, bypasses etc; but what of the quality of life? It's simpler not to eat meat. The more plant foods you eat the less room you have for meat food, which clogs the arteries with cholesterol and strain the kidneys with excess protein and burden the heart with saturated fat. Vegetarians eat more fibre. The average Americans eat only 12 grams of fibre a day in their diet. Dietary recommendations call for 3040 grams a day. The more you follow the American diet the more you risk colon cancer. Vegetarians will easily exceed this recommended level.

“By eating meat we share the responsibility of climate change, the destruction of our forests, and the poisoning of our air and water. The simple act of becoming a vegetarian will make a difference in the health of our planet".