Vegetarianism
Definition
Vegetarianism is the voluntary abstinence from eating meat.
Vegetarians refrain from eating meat for various reasons, including religious,
health, and ethical ones. Lacto-ovo vegetarians supplement their diet with dairy
(lactose) products and eggs (ovo). Vegans (pronounced vee-guns) do not eat any
animal-derived products at all.
Purpose
Vegetarianism is recommended as a dietary therapy for a variety of
conditions, including heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, and stroke.
Vegetarianism is a major dietary therapy in the alternative treatment of cancer.
Other conditions treated with a dietary therapy of vegetarianism include
obesity, osteoporosis, arthritis, allergies, asthma, environmental illness,
hypertension, gout, gallstones, hemorrhoids, kidney stones, ulcers, colitis,
premenstrual syndrome, anxiety, and depression. Vegetarians often report higher
energy levels, better digestion, and mental clarity. Vegetarianism is an
economical and easily implemented preventative practice as well.
Description
The term vegetarian was coined in 1847 by the founders of the
Vegetarian Society of Great Britain, but vegetarianism has been around as long
as people have created diets. Some of the world's oldest cultures advocate a
vegetarian diet for health and religious purposes. In
India, millions of
Hindus are vegetarians because of their religious beliefs. One of the ancient
mythological works of Hinduism, the Mahabharata, states that, "Those who
desire to possess good memory, beauty, long life with perfect health, and
physical, moral and spiritual strength, should abstain from animal foods." The
yoga system of living and health is vegetarian, because its dietary practices
are based on the belief that healthy food contains prana. Prana is the
universal life energy, which yoga experts believe is abundant in fresh fruits,
grains, nuts and vegetables, but absent in meat because meat has been killed.
Yogis also believe that spiritual health is influenced by the practice of
ahimsa, or not harming living beings. The principle of ahimsa
(non-violence) appears in the Upanishads (Vedic literature) from c. 600-300 B.C.
Taking of animal life or human life under any circumstances is sinful and
results in rebirth as a lower organism. It became a fundamental element of
Jainism, another religion of India. Some Buddhists in Japan and China are also
vegetarian because of spiritual beliefs. In the Christian tradition, the
Trappist Monks of the Catholic Church are vegetarian, and some vegetarians argue
that there is evidence that Jesus and his early followers were vegetarian. Other
traditional cultures, such as those in the
Middle East
and the Mediterranean regions, have evolved diets that frequently consist of
vegetarian foods. The Mediterranean diet, which a Harvard study declared to be
one of the world's healthiest, is primarily, although not strictly, vegetarian.
The list of famous vegetarians forms an illustrious group. The
ancient Greek philosophers, including Socrates, Plato, and Pythagoras, advocated
vegetarianism. In modern times, the word to describe someone who likes to feast
on food and wine is "epicure," but it is little known that Epicurus, the ancient
philosopher, was himself a diligent vegetarian. Other famous vegetarians include
Leonardo da Vinci, Sir Isaac Newton, Leo Tolstoy, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry
Thoreau. This century's celebrated vegetarians include Gandhi, the physician
Albert Schweitzer, writer George Bernard Shaw, musician Paul McCartney, and
champion triathlete Dave Scott. Albert Einstein, although not a strict
vegetarian himself, stated that a vegetarian diet would be an evolutionary step
for the human race.
Vegetarianism in
America received a
lot of interest during the last half of the nineteenth century and the beginning
of the twentieth century, during periods of experimentation with diets and
health practices. Vegetarianism has also been a religious practice for some
Americans, including the Seventh-day Adventists, whose lacto-ovo vegetarian
diets have been studied for their health benefits. Vegetarianism has been
steadily gaining acceptance as an alternative to the meat-and-potatoes bias of
the traditional American diet. In 1997, Vegetarian Resource Group performed a
Roper poll that showed that 13 million Americans, or 5% of the population,
identified themselves as vegetarians.
Several factors contribute to the interest in vegetarianism in
America. Outbreaks of
food poisoning from meat products, as well as increased concern over the
additives in meat such as hormones and antibiotics, have led some people and
professionals to question meat's safety. There is also an increased awareness of
the questionable treatment of farm animals in factory farming. But the growing
health consciousness of Americans is probably the major reason for the surge in
interest in vegetarianism. Nutrition experts have built up convincing evidence
that there are major problems with the conventional American diet, which is
centered around meat products that are high in cholesterol and saturated fat and
low in fiber. Heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, which cause 68% of all deaths
in America, are all believed to be influenced by this diet. Nutritionists have
repeatedly shown in studies that a healthy diet consists of plenty of fresh
vegetables and fruits, complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, and foods
that are high in fiber and low in cholesterol and saturated fat. Vegetarianism,
a diet that fulfills all these criteria, has become part of many healthy
lifestyles. In alternative medicine, vegetarianism is a cornerstone dietary
therapy, used in Ayurvedic medicine, detoxification treatments, macrobiotics,
the Ornish diet for heart disease, and in therapies for many chronic conditions.
Preparations
Some people, particularly those with severe or chronic conditions
such as heart disease or cancer, may be advised by a health practitioner to
become vegetarian suddenly. For most people, nutritionists recommend that a
vegetarian diet be adopted gradually, to allow people's bodies and lifestyles
time to adjust to new eating habits and food intake.
Some nutritionists have designed transition diets to help people
become vegetarian in stages. Many Americans eat meat products at nearly every
meal, and the first stage of a transition diet is to substitute just a few meals
a week with wholly vegetarian foods. Then, particular meat products can be
slowly reduced and eliminated from the diet and replaced with vegetarian foods.
Red meat can be reduced and then eliminated, followed by pork, poultry, and
fish. For those wishing to become pure vegetarians or vegans, the final step
would be to substitute eggs and dairy products with other nutrient-rich foods.
Individuals should be willing to experiment with transition diets, and should
have patience when learning how combine vegetarianism with social activities
such as dining out.
The transition to vegetarianism can be smoother for those who make
informed choices with dietary practices. Sound nutritional guidelines include
decreasing the intake of fat, increasing fiber, and emphasizing fresh fruits,
vegetables, legumes, and whole grains in the diet while avoiding processed foods
and sugar. Everyone can improve their health by becoming familiar with
recommended dietary and nutritional practices, such as reading labels and
understanding basic nutritional concepts such as daily requirements for
calories, protein, fat, and nutrients. Would-be vegetarians can experiment with
meat substitutes, foods that are high in protein and essential nutrients. Thanks
to the growing interest in vegetarianism, many meat substitutes are now readily
available. Tofu and tempeh are products made from soybeans that are high in
protein, calcium, and other nutrients. There are "veggie-burgers" that can be
grilled like hamburgers, and vegetarian substitutes for turkey and sausage with
surprisingly authentic textures and taste. There are many vegetarian cookbooks
on the market as well.
Precautions
In general, a well-planned vegetarian diet is healthy and safe.
However, vegetarians, and particularly vegans who eat no animal products, need
to be aware of particular nutrients that may be lacking in non-animal diets.
These are amino acids, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron, zinc,
and essential fatty acids. Furthermore, pregnant women, growing children, and
those with health conditions have higher requirements for these nutrients.
Vegetarians should be aware of getting complete protein in
their diets. A complete protein contains all of the essential amino acids, which
are the building blocks for protein essential to the diet because the body
cannot make them. Meat and dairy products generally contain complete proteins,
but most vegetarian foods such as grains and legumes contain incomplete
proteins, lacking one or more of the essential amino acids. However, vegetarians
can easily overcome this by combining particular foods in order to create
complete proteins. For instance, beans are high in the amino acid lysine but low
in tryptophan and methionine, but rice is low in lysine and high in tryptophan
and methionine. Thus, combining rice and beans makes a complete protein. In
general, combining legumes such as soy, lentils, beans, and peas with grains
like rice, wheat, or oats forms complete proteins. Eating dairy products or nuts
with grains also makes proteins complete. Oatmeal with milk on it is complete,
as is peanut butter on whole wheat bread. Proteins do not necessarily need to be
combined in the same meal, but generally within four hours.
Getting enough vitamin B12 may be an issue for some
vegetarians, particularly vegans, because meat and dairy products are the main
sources. Vitamin supplements that contain vitamin B12 are
recommended. Spirulina, a nutritional supplement made from algae, is also a
vegetarian source, as are fortified soy products and nutritional yeast.
Vitamin D can be obtained by vitamins, fortified foods, and sunshine.
Calcium can be obtained in enriched tofu, seeds, nuts, legumes, dairy products,
and dark green vegetables including broccoli, kale, spinach, and collard greens.
Iron is found in raisins, figs, legumes, tofu, whole grains (particularly whole
wheat), potatoes, and dark green leafy vegetables. Iron is absorbed more
efficiently by the body when iron-containing foods are eaten with foods that
contain vitamin C, such as fruits, tomatoes, and green vegetables. Zinc is
abundant in nuts, pumpkin seeds, legumes, whole grains, and tofu. For
vegetarians who don't eat fish, getting enough omega-3 essential fatty acids may
be an issue, and supplements such as flaxseed oil should be considered, as well
as eating walnuts and canola oil.
Vegetarians do not necessarily have healthier diets. Some studies
have shown that some vegetarians consume large amounts of cholesterol and
saturated fat. Eggs and dairy products contain cholesterol and saturated fat,
while nuts, oils, and avocados are vegetable sources of saturated fat. To reap
the full benefits of a vegetarian diet, vegetarians should be conscious of
cholesterol and saturated fat intake. Vegetarians may also consider buying
organic foods, which are grown without the use of synthetic chemicals, as
another health precaution.
Research and
general acceptance
A vegetarian diet has many well-documented health benefits. It has
been shown that vegetarians have a higher life expectancy, as much as several
years, than those who eat a meat-centered diet. The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has stated that data has shown vegetarians to have a strong
or significant probability against contracting obesity, heart disease, lung
cancer, colon cancer, alcoholism, hypertension, diabetes, gallstones, gout,
kidney stones, and ulcers. However, the FDA also points out that vegetarians
tend to have healthy lifestyle habits, so other factors may contribute to their
increased health besides diet alone.
A vegetarian diet, as prescribed by Dr. Dean Ornish, has been shown
to improve heart disease and reverse the effects of atherosclerosis, or
hardening of the arteries. It should be noted that Dr. Ornish's diet was used in
conjunction with exercise, stress reduction, and other holistic methods. The
Ornish diet is lacto-ovo vegetarian, because it allows the use of egg whites and
non-fat dairy products.
Vegetarians have a resource of statistics in their favor when it
comes to presenting persuasive arguments in favor of their eating habits.
Vegetarians claim that a vegetarian diet is a major step in improving the health
of citizens and the environment. Americans eat over 200 lbs (91 kg) of meat per
person per year. The incidence of heart disease, cancer diabetes, and other
diseases has increased along with a dramatic increase in meat consumption during
the past century. Many statistics show significantly smaller risks for
vegetarians contracting certain conditions. The risks of women getting breast
cancer and men contracting prostrate cancer are nearly four times as high for
frequent meat eaters as for those who eat meat sparingly or not at all. For
heart attacks, American men have a 50% risk of having one, but the risk drops
down to 15% for lacto-ovo vegetarians and to only 4% for vegans. For cancer,
studies of populations around the world have implied that plant-based diets have
lower associated risks for certain types of cancer.
Vegetarians claim other reasons for adopting a meat-free diet. One
major concern is the amount of pesticides and synthetic additives such as
hormones that show up in meat products. Chemicals tend to accumulate in the
tissue of animals that are higher in the food chain, a process called
bioaccumulation. Vegetarians, by not eating meat, can avoid the exposure to
these accumulated toxins, many of which are known to influence the development
of cancer. One study showed that DDT, a cancer-causing pesticide, was present in
significant levels in mother's milk for 99% of American women, but only 8% of
vegetarian women had significant levels of the pesticide. Women who eat meat had
35 times higher levels of particular pesticides than vegetarian women. The
synthetic hormones and antibiotics added to American cattle has led some
European countries to ban American beef altogether. The widespread use of
antibiotics in livestock has made many infectious agents more resistant to them,
making some diseases harder to treat.
Vegetarians resort to ethical and environmental arguments as well
when supporting their food choices. Much of
U.S. agriculture is
dedicated to producing meat, which is an expensive and resource-depleting
practice. It has been estimated that 1.3 billion people could be fed with the
grain that America uses to feed livestock, and starvation is a major problem in
world health. Producing meat places a heavy burden on natural resources, as
compared to growing grain and vegetables. One acre of land can grow
approximately 40,000 lbs (18,000 kg) of potatoes or 250 lbs (113 kg) of beef,
and it takes 50,000 gal (200,000 l) of water to produce 1 lb (0.45 kg) of
California beef but only 25 gal (100 l) of water to produce 1 lb (0.45 kg) of
wheat. Half of all water used in America is for livestock production.
Vegetarians argue that the American consumption of beef may also be contributing
to global warming, by the large amounts of fossil fuels used in its production.
The South American rainforest is being cleared to support American's beef
consumption, as the United States yearly imports 300 million lbs (136 million
kg) of meat from Central and South America. The production of meat has been
estimated as causing up to 85% of the loss of topsoil of America's farmlands.
Despite the favorable statistics, vegetarianism does have its
opponents. The meat industry in
America is a powerful
organization that has spent millions of dollars over decades advertising the
benefits of eating meat. Vegetarians point out that life-long eating habits are
difficult to change for many people, despite research showing that vegetarian
diets can provide the same nutrients as meat-centered diets.
Cholesterol
A steroid fat found in animal foods
that is also produced in the body from saturated fat for several important
functions. Excess cholesterol intake is linked to many diseases.
Complex carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are broken down
by the body into simple sugars for energy, are found in grains, fruits and
vegetables. They are generally recommended in the diet over refined sugar and
honey, because they are a more steady source of energy and often contain fiber
and nutrients as well.
Legume
Group of plant foods including beans,
peas, and lentils, which are high in protein, fiber, and other nutrients.
Organic food
Food grown without the use of
synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
Saturated fat
Fat that is usually solid at room
temperature, found mainly in meat and dairy products but also in vegetable
sources such as some nuts, seeds, and avocados.
Unsaturated fat
Fat found in plant foods that is
typically liquid (oil) at room temperature. They can be monounsaturated or
polyunsaturated, depending on the chemical structure. Unsaturated fats are the
most recommended dietary fats.
