Vegetarianism is getting very fashionable. However, before deciding to use it, it is worth considering the justification for such a diet. It is worth bearing in mind that an improperly implemented veg-style diet can do more harm than good.
According to the encyclopedic definitionvegetarianismis a method of eating that eliminates animal products from the daily diet (mainlymeatand its products ), combined with the philosophy of not harming living creatures and cleansing the body of excess animalprotein .
Vegetarianism in many ways
In the common opinion, vegetarians are those who have deleted meat and its products from their menu once and for all. However, some vegetarians have modified the culinary precepts, and some have made even more restrictive austerities. Others, on the other hand, have slightly expanded the list of allowed products. So the vege family includes:
- Vegans - eat only plant-based foods
- Raw fooders - eat only raw vegetables and fruit
- Fruitarians - they restrict themselves to eating only fruits
- Lactovegetarians - their menu includes milk and its products, plant products, while eggs are deleted
- Lacto-ovo-vegetarians - supplement the diet with milk, dairy products and eggs
- Peskowegetarians - enrich their meatless diet with fish
- Semivegetarians - do not eat mammalian meat, but allowed dairy, poultry and fish
- Macrobiotics - they eat only local seasonal produce
Plus vegetarianism
A significant amount of research conducted on vegetarians proves that the diet they follow has a very important preventive value, preventing many diseases, or at least significantly reducing the likelihood of contracting them. Numerous epidemiological studies show that vegetarians are less likely to suffer from diseases such as: hypertension, atherosclerosis, stroke, colorectal cancer, cancer of the stomach, pancreas, breast, uterus, prostate, bladder, colon diverticulosis.
Meatless diet also protects against gallbladder stones, atonic constipation, hemorrhoids, appendicitis,obesity, osteoporosis, calcium stones in the kidneys, rheumatoid arthritis.
Vegetarians are also less likely to suffer from syndrome X (hyperlipidemia, hypertension, type II diabetes, obesity like apple). Skin and hair aging is also slower in vegetarians. The skin tends to wrinkle less and the muscles and tendons are more supple and flexible.
For this reason, many people from the world of music and film have opted for a vegetarian diet. Many people have found that a vegetarian diet provides greater clarity of mind and a deeper spiritual life. The lifestyle that accompanies vegetarianism confirms this position. Many Adventists, as well as Eastern people and asceticists, adopted a vegetarian diet in order to develop spiritually. Some, such as Hindus, are vegetarians because of their religious tradition.
Many people, including members of the Vegan Society, adhere to vegetarianism, thus expressing their opposition to the cruelty that accompanies the massive breeding and killing of animals. An important justification of vegetarianism are also ecological considerations.
There has recently been a precedent in European countries for feeding pigs with amounts of antibiotics far beyond the norm. Research shows that a person eating meat of such an animal can become resistant to the effects of antibiotics, and thus he will be threatened by a much greater number of diseases. Another dangers associated with meat consumption are: dioxins in chicken meat, foot-and-mouth disease in pigs and mad cow disease.
What ingredients of vegetarian diets prevent disease?
These include: antioxidants (antioxidant vitamins: E, A, ß-carotene, vitamin C), lycopene, flavonoids, selenium, zinc. Other compounds with a preventive effect are: dietary fiber, phytoestrogens (soy), omega 3 fats, soy saponins, cruciferous thiocyanins. Spices such as: curry, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, contain polyphenolic antioxidant compounds.
Being veg is very fashionable now. However, it's not just fashion, it's more than that. Can avoiding meat and animal products change the fate of the world? These questions (and many others related to being veg) were answered by Joanna Lotkowska and Marcin Tischner from ProVeg Polska, who were hosted in the program Drogowskazy by Michał Poklękowski on Eski Rock:
Cons of vegetarian food
Some doctors call vegetarianism a suicide diet because most people do not change the rest of the diet by giving up meat. As a result, the body runs out of protein, iron and vitamins. Meanwhile, each of us to keephe alth, needs a variety of nutrients. Their supply is ensured by a mixed diet rich in fruits, vegetables, dairy products, grain products and meat. This does not mean, however, that you cannot arrange a meatless menu in such a way as to avoid the above-mentioned deficiencies. However, this has to be learned before deciding that the meat should be removed from the plate. A vegetarian diet is very complicated and not adapted to our climatic conditions. It takes time and experience. Eating vegetables, fruits and seeds in large amounts is he althy, but the complete elimination of meat from the diet has not been considered by dietitians to be safe and advisable. Vegetarianism, therefore, comes from philosophy, not from medicine, and should be thought of as such. A meatless diet is not an easy diet. The biggest problems for beginner vegetarians is to provide the body with an adequate amount of wholesome protein, i.e. animal protein. It contains all the amino acids necessary for building cells. Therefore, vegetarians must eat plant foods rich in this nutrient, such as legumes. You can also supplement the diet with dairy, i.e. milk and its products, and eggs. Then the protein deficiency will not threaten us. If the vegetarian menu is incorrectly composed, after some time, we may feel deficiencies of iron and vitamin B12, which the body can hardly absorb from plants. We then lose our immunity and become susceptible to infections. This can be avoided by consuming a lot of buckwheat, which is rich in vitamin B12. The iron level is supplemented with nuts, wholemeal bread and vitamin C, which facilitates the absorption of this element. It is also worth buying cereals enriched with iron and vitamin B12.
Diet not for everyone
Supporters of the vegetarian diet enthusiastically recommend this type of diet to their relatives, claiming that only by giving up meat, they felt really he althy, and at the same time free from guilt for the death of animals. Doctors warn, however, that vegetarianism can be harmful to:
- children and adolescents - their body needs a lot of wholesome protein and minerals;
- pregnant women - they may lack folic acid, necessary for the development of the fetus;
- Elderly people - they absorb vitamins and minerals less well, therefore the menu should be as varied as possible.
When used wisely, vegetarianism can ensure longevity and he alth. It can prevent obesity, atherosclerosis, diabetes and even cancer. But a poor vegetarian diet can devastate the body - lead to anemia, rickets, and even brain underdevelopment.