The Vegetarian Diet Nutrition
Vegetarianism can be a very healthy option but only if your vegetarian diet plan is well balanced. This means eating a variety of foods including grains, fruit and vegetables, beans, pulses, nuts or seeds, a small amount of fat, with or without dairy products.
Vegetarian Pyramid Offers Best Vegetarian Nutrition ===================================================
For optimum nutrition as a vegetarian, follow the Vegetarian Food Pyramid.
Table 1. Vegetarian Food Pyramid ================================
Eggs, Sweets
Eat occasionally or in small quantities
Nuts & Seeds
Egg Whites, Soy Milks Dairy
Plant Oils
Eat daily
…show more content…
Complementary proteins do not need to be consumed at the same time if they regularly appear in the diet.
Vegetarian Diet Nutrition - Iron ================================
Although vegetarian diets are higher in total iron content than nonvegetarian diets, iron reserves are lower in vegetarians because the iron from plant foods is less well absorbed. That said, iron deficiency anemia rates are similar in vegetarians and nonvegetarians. Remember that it's easier to absorb iron from food if we eat it with foods that contain Vitamin C, so have some fruit or veg containing vitamin C, or some fruit juice with your meal.
Vegetarian Diet Nutrition - Vitamin B12 =======================================
Plant foods are not a reliable source of B-12 for vegetarians. Vitamin B-12 in spirulina, sea vegetables, tempeh, and miso has been shown to be inactive B-12 analog rather than the active vitamin. Although dairy products and eggs contain vitamin B-12, research indicates that lacto-ovo-vegetarians have low blood levels of vitamin B-12. Thus use of fortified foods or supplements are advised for vegans or vegetarians who limit animal foods.
Vegetarian Diet Nutrition - Vitamin D =====================================
Vitamin D is poorly supplied in all vegetarian diets unless vitamin D-fortified foods are eaten. However, vegan vitamin D-fortified foods - such as soy
In his article "Vegetarianism and the Other Weight Problem", James Rachels argues that meat eating is immoral and it is a moral duty to be vegetarian. In order to discuss the problems and come up with his conclusions, Rachels considers two arguments for vegetarianism.
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Vegetarianism is a custom practiced in six out of the seven continents and has become more popular over the years. Vegetarianism can be defined as the exclusion of animal products such as meat and fish from one’s diet. Dairy products and eggs are often times excluded as well. Although there are many reasons one may decide to become a Vegetarian or follow such a code of ethics, the most common include: moral, religious or health reasons.
Some may believe, that vegetarians are more likely to be anemic due to the lack of meat in their diet. But in fact, all eleven necessary vitamins and minerals are easily obtained by consuming either
There are many reasons why people become vegetarians, but is it really as healthy as it seems. Can simply eating veggies supply you with all the vitamins and proteins your body needs to survive. An estimated 6-8 million people do not eat meat, poultry, or fish. Harris Interactive poll commissioned by the Vegetarian Resource Group (Journal of the American Dietetic Association, July 2009).Having your diet mainly consist of fruits and vegetables allows you to consume less saturated fats and cholesterol. Also since you be consuming more plants you will be taking in mote vitamins like vitamins C and E, More fiber, potassium and magnesium. Resulting in a stronger immune system, as well as, lower cholesterol and blood pressure. “Traditionally, vegetarianism focused mainly on potential nutritional deficiencies, but in recent years, the pendulum has swung the other way, and studies are confirming the health benefits of meat-free eating. Nowadays, plant-based eating is recognized as not only nutritionally sufficient but also as a way to reduce the risk for many chronic illnesses”.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can become a problem and should be a significant concern for health care providers. Some of the nutrients of concern include: Vitamin B-12, Iron, Omega-3 fatty acids, and zinc. A deficiency in any of these can lead to a variety of health problems. A deficiency in B-12 can cause fatigue and, although less likely, anemia. The risk of anemia is increased greatly in the presence of inflammatory bowl disease. Deficiency of Omega-3 fatty acid, which is also of concern with a vegetarian diet, increases the risk of both colitis and Crohn’s disease. An increased homocysteine level, which is an early sign of heart disease, is also associated with low levels of vitamin B12. Iron deficiency is also problematic for vegetarians, possibly leading to iron deficiency anemia. While it is found in some beans and vegetables, iron is most easily absorbed from red meat sources. Zinc is a mineral required for many processes, including supporting a healthy immune system. Deficiencies will cause patients to be more susceptible to pathogens and
Since I already practice what I preach inturn, it's time for me to preach what I practice. The way I plan on reforming the overall medical community is by getting on a social-media platform and writing articles on benefits of a vegan diet. The social-media platform I would like to join is probably YouTube because joining that community I can reach a different group of people. Some people in the vegan community are comedians, blunt, all smiles, or just positive. I also want to write articles on the environmental benefits of a vegan diet. Since most people will not take the average vegan seriously yet someone in a white coat, why not be the person in the white coat? I will use my medical degree as a source because of the intense 2 hour nutritional
In the beginning of chapter 33 Persons says "When a set of interdependent phenomena shows sufficiently definite patterning and stability over time, then we can say that it has a "structure" and that it is fruitful to treat it as a "system" (421). If we were to apply the social system to our lives and create our own personal system, it would allow us to expand ourselves. We would have to continuously need to do something until it becomes a solid pattern in our lives. We then move on to allowing new patterns to become part of the system we have created for ourselves. For example, if I decided to become a vegetarian, I would have to follow certain rule/steps to officially become and say I have converted to a vegetarian. It doesn't become part of my lifestyle until it shows sufficiency.
The most common deficiencies in a vegetarian are iron, vitamin B12, iodine, vitamin D, zinc, vitamin B2, and vitamin B6. Many studies have been performed that have researched the prevalence of these types of deficiencies in vegetarians. Some deficiencies, like vitamin B12, vitamin D, iodine, and zinc are as common as one would expect. However, deficiencies in iron, vitamin B2, and vitamin B6 are not as common as one would expect in vegetarians. Studies have shown that even omnivores are deficient in these areas as well. Many precautions can be taken such as making sure one is including a wide variety of foods, supplementing, and being sure one is consuming enough food in a day. It is possible for all groups, including vegetarians and vegans, to receive the daily recommended amounts of all vitamins and
As different crazes and fads are appearing each day, we have come to expect them to simply fade away as the hype passes. However, veganism has stood the test of time in our fad society and is still increasing in popularity. Originally only thought to be a religious lifestyle, many people from different walks of life are becoming vegans. However, this poses many questions and sparks heated debates, mainly from omnivorous people who believe that veganism is against life’s natural order. Vegans, then, argue against an omnivorous lifestyle by bringing up facts about humans’ biological makeup and how humans are, contrary to popular belief, herbivorous by nature, not omnivorous. While both sides present good arguments to some, the veganism lifestyle contains more benefits and less harmful cons than an omnivorous lifestyle.
A vegetarian lifestyle is known to provide the body with many health benefits. According to “Becoming a Vegetarian,” “Compared with meat eaters, vegetarians tend to consume less saturated fat and cholesterol and more vitamins C and E, dietary fiber, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and phytochemicals (plant chemicals), such as carotenoids
The vegetarian diet has many advantages and disadvantages for many. Not eating red meat or white meat could represent a loss of protein and iron that could cause (in extreme cases) health problems such as malnutrition, anemia and weaken the immune system. However, a balanced vegetarian diet (that is, not only cheeses, cereals and the occasional fruit or vegetable) offers many advantages, for example a much lower consumption of saturated fats (which are found in red meat), more fiber and could be cheaper.
Having a healthy dietary method can reduce the chances of receiving many health diseases. These health diseases include obesity, heart disease, and cancer. By consuming certain foods and nutrients in one’s diet the risk factors for these health diseases can be reduced. A healthy dietary method that is beneficial to reducing and/or improving these health diseases is the vegetarian diet. The vegetarian diet follows a dietary pattern that is characterized by the consumption of plant-like foods and the avoidance of flesh foods (meat, poultry, and fish). The foods in this diet provide the body with many essential nutrients. This is why many health benefits have been associated with the vegetarian
Christopher McCandless, a young American who was found dead in summer of 1992 in wild land in Alaska, wrote in his diary about his moral struggle regarding killing a moose for survival. According to Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild, Chris had to abandon most of the meat since he lacked the knowledge of how to dismantle and preserve it (166-168). Not only did he have a moral dilemma to kill a moose, but also had a deep regret that a life he had taken was wasted because of his own fault. He then started recognizing what he ate as a precious gift from the nature and called it “Holy Food” (Krakauer 168). Exploring relationships between human beings and other animals arouses many difficult questions: Which animals are humans allowed to eat and
According to a recent poll 6 to 8 million American’s do not eat meat, fish, or poultry. From these studies, they have been researching about the effects of a vegetarian diet on the body. Compared to most meat based diets, vegetarians consume less saturated fat and cholesterol from not eating meat. Choosing this route will have a person what would be considered a better quality of life and overall good health. Research so far has shown that a vegetarian diet reduces the risk of heart disease. In recent years a study was done using different participants and the results showed that vegetarians were 25% less likely to die from heart related problem. “This is because vegetarians tend to consume more high-fiber, whole grains, and legumes which have a low glycemic index and the body digests slowly. This keeps blood sugar levels steady. Another food item that helps reduce the risk of heart disease is walnuts” (Sixwise). This is because the omega-3s in walnuts help reduce total cholesterol. There is some controversy over this specific topic, thus, are they really that healthy? What does it mean to be a vegetarian, and what do professionals have to say about being a vegetarian?