Vegetarian and Vegans

Vegetarian Statistics

2008-03-28T04:02:00.003-07:00

Many nonvegetarians and some vegetarians alike question
whether being a vegetarian really makes any difference
at all. Some bring up blurry ethical situations to make it
impossible to see a vegetarian lifestyle as ethical.

If you are a prospective vegetarian for ethical reasons,
but aren't sure whether or not a vegetarian lifestyle is
truly a more ethical choice, here are some statistics
from EarthSave to help you make your choice (for
or against):

1. Over 1.3 billion human beings could be fed each year
from the grain and soybeans that go to livestock in the
United States.

This means that the entire population of the United States
could be fed (without losing any nutritional value) and there
would still be enough food left over to feed one billion
people.

In a world where millions of people die each year of
starvation, that type of food excess and inefficiency
could be considered unethical.

2. Livestock in the US produces roughly 30 times more
excrement than human beings. While humans in the US have
complex sewage systems to collect and treat human waste,
there are no such systems on feedlots. As a result, most
of this waste leeches into water.

This means that large-scale, massive production and
slaughter of animals is not only unethical, but it also
causes serious environmental degradation.

3. It takes 7.5 pounds of protein feed to create 1 pound of
consumable hog protein; and it takes 5 pounds of protein
feed to create 1 pound of consumable chicken protein. Close
to 90% of protein from wheat and beans is lost to feed
cycling.

This means that an enormous amount of resources are
dedicated to producing wheat and soy just for the purpose
of feeding it to animals, which will be slaughtered as "a
source of protein"--even though they only provide about
1/5 of the amount they consume.

Not only can the production of meat be considered an
injustice against animals, but it can also be considered an
injustice against human beings, as well as the environment
in general.

Why Some Vegetarians Do Not Wear Leather And Silk

2008-03-28T04:02:00.001-07:00

Most vegetarians who stop eating meat for ethical
reasons also take measures to avoid contributing to the
suffering and death of animals (and even insects) in other
capacities. For instance, a number of vegetarians refuse to
wear leather and silk because they see it as an ethical
violation of their respect for all living things.

Vegetarians who refuse to wear silk argue that the process
involves unnecessary cruelty to moth larvae. Rather than
allowing the moth to grow and leave the cocoon, silk
manufacturers boil the larvae alive, causing them to suffer
and writhe, in order to obtain longer strands of silk.

Leather, by contrast, does not directly contribute to the
suffering of animals in most cases. In most cases, leather
is made from the byproducts of animals that would be
slaughtered for meat, rennet, and other animal
products.

This is precisely why many vegetarians who have an ethical
dilemma with meat have no problem wearing leather: because
they do not see it as the primary reason for killing the
animals, but instead a byproduct of the slaughter.

However, certain groups of vegans oppose wearing leather
on the grounds that it indirectly contributes to the
suffering of animals.

These vegans argue that contributing money to the companies
that own the slaughterhouses (and sell the byproducts for
leather, etc.) is just as bad as actually purchasing and
eating meat yourself because you are still contributing
money to the continuation of institutionalized animal
suffering.

This is certainly something to consider if you are
currently a vegan or a vegetarian for ethical reasons.
It may have been tough to give up meat in the first place,
but if you are truly committed to the cause and you
believe the arguments are strong-enough, you may want
to avoid clothing purchases that will aid institutions
that cause animal suffering.

Why Some Vegetarians Will Not Consume Sugar

2008-03-28T04:01:00.005-07:00

Some vegetarians--usually strict vegans--will not consume
sugar. This is because sugar is often whitened with bone
char from cows.

If you are a vegetarian and you want to continue eating
products that contain sugar, but do not want to cause
suffering in the process, you have a number of options.

Your first option is to only consume products made with
beet sugar. There are two major sources of sugar in the
United States: beet sugar and cane sugar. Cane sugar is
often whitened with bone char from cows; in contrast, beet
sugar is never whitened with bone char.

So, if you want to completely avoid the bone char, you can
do so by eating only beet sugar. The only challenge--and it
is a big one--is finding out which foods contain beet sugar
and which foods contain cane sugar.

To make things more complex, you can also consume a number
of types of cane sugar, as long as you are willing to find
out what the source of the sugar is.

You can do this in a lot of cases by looking at the
nutritional panel on food before you buy it. If it says
fructose or dextrose, the sugar is from a plant source
(either beet or corn). If it says sucrose, it could be from
a number of sources, which could include bone char-whitened
cane sugar.

Now, if you are cooking with sugar, you can personally
verify that is bone-char free by purchasing from the
following companies, which have publicly-stated that they
do not use bone-char: Florida Crystals Refinery, Imperial
Sugar Company, Irish Sugar Ltd., Sugar In the Raw (which is
also less-refined), and American Crystal Sugar Company.

If you can’t find these brands, but want to avoid consuming
bone-char sugar if possible, you can avoid these brands,
which have publicly-stated that they do use bone-char:
Domino, Savannah Foods, and C&H Sugar Company.

Is A Vegetarian Diet Safe For My Infant?

2008-03-28T04:01:00.003-07:00

If, for dietary or ethical reasons, you have decided
that you want to put your infant on a vegetarian diet,
you should be very careful in choosing formulas and solid
food for your child.

If you plan to breastfeed the infant and you
are also a vegetarian, you may need to supplement
breastmilk with additional sources of nutrition, depending
on your dietary restrictions. If you are a vegan, or an
ovo-vegetarian, you should add sources of vitamin B-12 to
your child’s diet.

Other than the B-12 supplements, your infant should be
able to receive all micro and macronutrients through
breastfeeding, even if you are on a strictly vegan
diet.

If you plan to use formula rather than breastmilk, you
should stick to commercial formulas, which contain the
proper amounts and ratios of nutrients. If you opt for
a homemade formula or soymilk over a commercial product,
your child could experience developmental problems from
a lack of proper nutrition.

If you want to keep your infant on a vegan diet, you can
select a soy commercial formula, as long as it is
nutritionally-adequate.

After about a year, you can begin to supplement formula
or breastmilk with other sources of nutrition, such as
homemade formulas, soymilk, yogurt, and cow’s milk (if you
are not a vegan).

Nutritionists suggest that you keep your infant on a
full-fat, high protein diet after age one, which includes
vegetarian-friendly foods, such as mashed and pureed
avocados, soy milk, nutrient-fortified tofu, and yogurt.

When you are ready to switch your infant to solid
vegetarian foods, you can introduce solid tofu, pieces of
vegetarian burgers, eggs, and cheese.

If you supplement what a nonvegetarian diet lacks, maintain
a full-fat diet, and increase your infant’s sources of
protein, you should have no problem maintaining a healthful
vegetarian diet during your child’s crucial developmental
stages.

How To Cook For A Vegetarian This Holiday Season

2008-03-28T04:01:00.001-07:00

Are you worried about cooking for a vegetarian in your
family this upcoming holiday season? Well, worry no more.
This article will tell you exactly what you need to do
and know before you start cooking this holiday season.

You can start off by finding out what type of vegetarian
your guest is. For instance, if she is a strict
vegan, then there’s a chance she will not eat food
that contains honey or yeast; however, if on the other
hand, she is a "semi" or "pseudo" vegetarian, there is a
chance she will actually eat the meal as it is prepared,
including the meat. And if she’s a lacto-ovo-vegetarian,
she might eat anything with eggs and milk, but will
probably avoid meat dishes.

If you talk to the vegetarian in your family before you
prepare your holiday meal, you should consider asking the
following five questions:

1. Do you eat certain types of meat or none at all?

If the vegetarian in your family will eat certain meats
(generally fish, chicken, and turkey), then you should
consider preparing that as a side dish or asking them if
they would like to bring a small dish of it for their
own meal.

2. Will you use serving utensils that have been placed in dishes
containing meat?

Some vegetarians experience severe gastrointestinal stress when they
consume meat and grease from meat, so it is a good idea to find
out whether or not they can do so ahead of time. If they can’t,
you can simply put out one utensil for all non-meat dishes and
ask that guests do not cross-contaminate.

3. Do you eat foods that contain milk and eggs?

As I mentioned above, lacto-ovo vegetarians will eat milk
and eggs, but other sub-categories of vegetarian will not.
Some wont do it for health reasons; others wont for
ethical reasons. Whatever the case, you can get around this
problem by either creating more dishes that do not contain
milk and eggs or by using egg replacer, which you can find
at most supermarkets, and milk replacements, such as soy
milk.

4. Do you eat honey and yeast?

Some vegetarians do not eat honey and yeast for ethical
reasons. If you find out that the vegetarian in your family
does not eat honey and yeast ahead of time, you can either
prepare alternate dishes or ask if they are willing to
bring an alternate dish.

5. Would you like to bring your own main dish (to replace
the turkey, ham, etc.)?

Many vegetarians eat popular meat-replacement dishes,
such as "tofurkey" and "veggie burgers." Your guest will
probably be more than willing to bring her own meat-
replacement dish if you ask.

To reiterate, there are a number of things you should take
into consideration when you cook for a vegetarian
this holiday season; however, the single most important
thing you can do is actually approach the vegetarian
and ask how you can accommodate her and if she would
like to cook with you or bring her own dish.

If you keep this in mind, your holiday meal will be a
success with everyone - even the vegetarian in your family!

Is A Vegetarian Diet Safe For My Child?

2008-03-28T04:00:00.005-07:00

If you are vegetarian parent, you have probably considered
putting your child on a vegetarian diet. Not only would
it save time and make meal-planning easier, but for dietary
and ethical reasons, you believe it is a better choice
for your child.

Conversely, you might not be a vegetarian yourself, but
have a child who is going through a vegetarian "phase,"
where she rejects meat, but doesn’t consume enough healthy
foods to compensate for the nutritional gap.

Whatever the case is, you may have wondered whether or
not a vegetarian diet is sustainable, healthy choice
for your child. You may have heard that putting your child
on a vegetarian diet could potentially stunt her growth.

These concerns probably prevented you from putting your
child on a vegetarian diet up to this point.

And all of these concerns are legitimate. In fact, if
a vegetarian diet is poorly planned, it can cause serious
short and long term health problems, especially
for children, who are growing and developing--and who
do not yet have sufficient stores of vitamins.

If you aren’t well-prepared to put your child on a
vegetarian diet, you definitely shouldn’t. However,
if you have done your nutritional research and you are
familiar with the nutrients vegetarians commonly lack,
then you know that these problems can easily
be overcome with some meal planning.

You also know that putting your child on a healthful
vegetarian diet can greatly improve her health
in both the short and long term. It can also
reduce her exposure to animal products that contain
hormones and preservatives, which have been linked
to developmental problems and cancer.

If you haven't researched vegetarian diets thoroughly,
but you are anxious to start your child on one now,
you should start by ensuring that you plan meals to
boost amounts of the following nutrients (that most
vegetarians lack):

1. Protein. Make sure your child is consuming enough
protein by adding additional sources, such as wheat,
soybeans, isolated soy protein, and nuts.

2. Calcium. Ensure your child is consuming enough calcium
by adding calcium-fortified processed foods and leafy
green vegetables to his diet.

3. Iron. Add more iron to your child’s diet by increasing
servings of soybeans, pinto beans, tofu, and cereals.

4. Zinc. Enhance your child’s zinc intake by increasing
his servings of almonds, peanut butter, and mushrooms.

If you concentrate on compensating for all of these common
nutritional deficiencies, you absolutely can put your child
on a vegetarian diet without any negative health
consequences.

Just ignore the mythology surrounding vegetarian diets and
instead focus on research and meal-planning.

What Is Vegetarian Cheese?

2008-03-28T04:00:00.003-07:00

Vegetarian cheese is cheese that is not curdled with
rennet, an enzyme that occurs naturally in animal stomachs.
Most vegetarian cheeses are curdled with either plants,
fungi, or bacteria.

Vegetarians who do not consume cheese with rennet
generally choose not to because it involves slaughtering
animals to extract the enzymes.

Vegetarian cheese is hard to distinguish from cheese made
with rennet. This lack of distinguisability often forces
vegetarians who are ethically-opposed to harming animals
to consume cheeses that contain rennet.

Even though more cheeses are being made with vegetable
rennet, it is usually impossible to spot the difference,
unless the package is clearly labeled "vegetarian cheese."
Recently, some grocery stores have started doing this
to aid vegetarian shoppers, who would not otherwise be
able to distinguish the difference between the vegetable
and animal rennet cheeses.

In addition to eating cheeses made with vegetable rennet,
there are more alternatives to eating regular cheese.

Vegans, for instance, do not consume cheese at all because
it is an animal byproduct and subsequently requires animals
to be caged and suffer. Many vegans, however, do
consume cheese substitutes.

Chreese (www.chreese.com) is one of these substitutes.
Chreese is an all natural, non-soy, cheese replacement
that requires substantially less natural resources
and energy to create than cheese with rennet.

And chreese is just one substitute. There are a number
of other all natural alternatives you can find
at local organic and health food stores.

If you are a vegetarian and you don't support animal
suffering on your behalf in any capacity, you may
also want to consider adjusting your dietary habits
if you consume cheese made with animal rennet.

To reiterate, you have three basic options: you can
look for grocery stores that label vegetarian cheese;
you can purchase vegetarian cheese online; or you can
purchase cheese alternatives online or at your local
organic or health food store.

The Difference Between Vegan & Vegetarian

2008-03-28T04:00:00.001-07:00

If you recently started reading about vegetarian
diets, you have probably read all sorts of
strange vegetarian terms and categories like "vegan,"
"ovo-lacto vegetarian," and "semi-vegetarian."
You probably wondered what the big deal was.
Afterall, what is so conceptually tough about not
eating meat?

And you were right!

The distinctions between these sub-categories of
vegetarian are actually small, but each is very important
to members who belong to the groups. For them, these
distinctions aren’t arbitrary lines; they are important
dietary or ethical decisions.

Let’s take a look at some of these groups:

VEGETARIAN:

Vegetarian is a blanket term used to describe a person
who does not consume meat, poultry, fish, or seafood.
This grouping includes vegans and the various sub-
categories of vegetarian; however, it generally implies
someone who has less dietary restrictions than a vegan.

SEMI-VEGETARIAN:

The term semi-vegetarian is usually used to describe
someone who is not actually a vegetarian. Semi-vegetarian
generally implies someone who only eats meat occasionally
or doesn’t eat meat, but eats poultry and fish.

OVO-LACTO-VEGETARIAN:

Ovo-lacto vegetarians are vegetarians who do not consume
meat, poultry, fish, and seafood, but do consume eggs and
milk. This is the largest group of vegetarians.

OVO-VEGETARIAN:

Ovo-vegetarian is a term used to describe someone who
would be a vegan if they did not consume eggs.

LACTO-VEGETARIAN:

Lacto-vegetarian is a term used to describe someone
who would be a vegan if they did not consume milk.

VEGAN:

Vegan is the strictest sub-category of vegetarians.
Vegans do not consume any animal products or byproducts.
Some even go as far as not consuming honey and yeast.
Others do not wear any clothing made from animal
products.

Take some time to figure out what group you will belong
to when you become a vegetarian. You will want to consider
both dietary and ethical reasons for choosing this
lifestyle.

Why Some Vegans Do Not Wear Wool

2008-03-28T03:59:00.004-07:00

Many vegans quit eating meat, eggs, milk, honey, and yeast
for one very specific reason: they have a deep reverence
for all living things and subsequently want to prevent
all living things from suffering on their behalf.

This reverence for all living things drives some vegans
to what nonvegetarians might consider extremes. Some live
greatly restricted lives, but for a noble cause: to
prevent suffering and death wherever possible.

In addition to preventing death and suffering through
dietary selections, some vegans have vow to prevent it
in all other capacities.

For instance, some vegans do not wear wool because they
believe it contributes to animal suffering.

These vegans often cite how scientists have bred sheep
over the years to generate unnatural amounts of wool for
human needs. This breeding has resulted in the Merino
sheep of today, which often has enough wool to equal its
body weight.

As a result of this counter-evolutionary trait, the Merino
sheep that exists today often has far more wool than it
needs, which is evidenced by the high amount of sheep that
die of heat exhaustion. In addition to overheating
in hot temperatures, many sheep end up freezing to
death after they are sheared.

The wool shearing process can also cause quite a bit
of suffering for the sheep. Almost a quarter of all wool
sheared from sheep is "skin wool," which is so close to
the sheep’s skin that it is actually must be torn off.

If you currently are a vegetarian for ethical reasons,
take some time to consider whether or not wearing wool
compromises your commitment to end or at least stop
contributing to animal suffering.

For some vegetarians, wearing wool is just as bad as
eating meat; and for others, it simply isn’t an issue
because they do not believe it causes an unreasonable
amount of suffering. Which are you?

Why Vegans Don't Eat Eggs

2008-03-28T03:59:00.003-07:00

As a prospective vegan, you may be wondering exactly
why vegans make the dietary choices they make. And you
may also be hesitant to adopt these choices until you
yourself understand and accept them.

In this article, I will explain the two major vegetarian
positions on eating eggs to help you make your decision.

The sub-category of vegetarian I will cover,
ovo-vegetarians, accept the normal consumption of eggs
because they do not believe that doing so conflicts
with an ethical vegetarian diet. They do not see eggs
as living things and subsequently do not make the
connection between consuming eggs and causing animal
suffering or death.

In addition to this, many ovo-vegetarians see complete
veganism as limiting their options unnecessarily,
especially when eggs are an excellent source of complete
protein and a viable nutritional alternative to meat.

Many vegetarians who do consume eggs opt for "free range"
eggs over normal--or "battery"--eggs. This is usually out
of ethical concern for the treatment of egg-laying hens.

Vegans, by contrast, do not consume eggs normally and
generally oppose the institution altogether. They argue
that purchasing "battery hen" eggs supports an institution
that cages up to nine birds together, debeaks them, and
forces them to continually lay eggs until they are calcium
-depleted and on the verge of death--at which point, they
are slaughtered.

In addition, vegans also go further to disapprove of
"free range" eggs, which do not require a hen to be caged.
They argue that most free range hens are actually packed
into houses, where they have minimal access to the outside.

They also note that even producing "free range" eggs
requires having fertile eggs--half of which will hatch into
male chicks, which will then be slaughtered after birth or
fed to a certain weight only to be culled.

In addition to these two positions, there are also
vegetarians who don’t consume eggs for other reasons. Some
of these vegetarians don’t eat eggs because they are high
in cholesterol; and others do not consume them because they
believe that the animal farming institution contributes to
environmental degradation.

Take some time to determine where you stand--ethically
and nutritionally--and then make your decision from there.

Why Vegans Don't Consume Dairy Products

2008-03-28T03:59:00.001-07:00

As with most dietary questions, vegans are split
on the issue of dairy products--not so much on the question
of whether or not they are acceptable, but instead for what
reasons they should not be consumed.

All vegans (or at least true vegans) abstain from consuming
dairy products. Some do so for nutritional reasons;
others abstain for ethical reasons.

Those who do it for nutritional reasons cite a range of
health problems related to the consumption of dairy
products, including high cholesterol. Many also have a
problem digesting lactose or have a blood-iron or diabetic
problem related to milk protein, casein. In addition to
this, milk and cheese often contain small portions of
undesirable hormones that are added to dairy cow feeds
to increase production.

Those who abstain from consuming dairy products for
ethical reasons also have a range of reasons for doing so.

Some cite the poor treatment of dairy cows as a main
reason for not consuming milk and cheese. They note that
dairy cows are forced to become pregnant once each
year to maintain a constantly high yield of milk.
They are also fed numerous steroids
to increase production.

Others who abstain for ethical reasons often cite the
maltreatment of dairy cow offspring. They note that calves
are not allowed to spend time with or suckle from the
mother, but instead are prematurely removed to be reared
for either veal production, beef production, or as
replacement dairy cows.

The calves selected for "veal" production are often forced
to live in crates so tiny that they cannot turn around.
They must face in one direction; they cannot groom
themeselves; and they are fed hormone-laden feed until
they are sent off to be slaughtered.

If you are a prospective vegan, you may want to take
some time now to think about what is best for you.
Ask yourself whether you wanted to become a vegan for
ethical reasons, dietary reasons, or both. And from
there, determine whether or not these arguments were
strong enough to compel you to do so. Either way, you
should emerge with a stronger viewpoint and a better
understanding of what you do and do not want.

How To Make A Vegan Cake

2008-03-28T03:58:00.004-07:00

Do you have a strict vegan in the family who
has a birthday or celebration coming up that traditionally
calls for cake? If you’re not familiar with vegan dietary
practices, you might not know what vegans do not eat.
Even worse, you might have no idea how to replace what
they do not eat.

But don't worry. In a few short paragraphs, I’ll explain
exactly what you need to make the perfect cake
for your vegan friend or relative. And best of all, no one
will be able to taste the difference.

Let’s start with what strict vegans do not eat.
They do not eat eggs. They do not drink milk.
They don’t eat certain types of sugar. They don’t
eat butter. And they don’t eat frosting.

Eggs can be replaced by "EnerG Egg Replacer," which you
can purchase at many grocery stores. The box will explain
how much replacer to use per egg.

Cow’s milk can be replaced by organic rice milk, which
doesn’t contain any animal byproducts. You can buy rice
milk at your local grocery store, too.

Many vegans do not consume sugar, either, because it is
often whitened by animal bone char. You can avoid sugar
that is whitened by bone char by purchasing "unbleached"
sugar, sugar in the raw, or beet sugar. There are some cane
sugars, too, which were not whitened using bone char,
but they hard to distinguish from others, unless you know
the exact name brand.

Strict vegans will not eat food made with butter, either.
If your cake recipe calls for butter, you can simply
replace it with margarine or vegetable shortening.

In addition to butter, sugar, milk, and eggs, strict
vegans also will not eat dairy frosting. If your recipe
calls for frosting, you can look for a similar flavor of
"non-dairy" frosting or you can make your own, replacing
butter with margarine.

And there you have it: an ingredient replacement key
for your vegan cake. Simply follow the key, replace vegan
-unfriendly items on your recipe, and your cake will be
perfectly fit for even the strictest vegetarian!

The Top Five Nutrients Vegetarians Lack

2008-03-28T03:58:00.003-07:00

Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets have advantages.
Vegetarian diets tend to be rich in antioxidants, certain
vitamins, and healthy fats. Non-vegetarian diets, by
contrast, tend to contain more protein, iron, zinc,
calcium, and vitamin B-12.

If you already decided to adopt a vegetarian diet,
it is essential you learn how to increase your intake
and absorption of these nutrients to avoid short-term
and long-term health complications.

In the next few paragraphs, I will explain how you
can regularly assimilate larger portions of these
nutrients into your regular diet:

1. Protein. Different types of protein are made up
of different permutations of amino acid chains.
In order to create a "complete protein" or a
protein that can be assimilated into the human
body as tissue, you must consume foods that contain
complementary chains of amino acids.

Wheat, nuts, and beans are three types of vegan-friendly
incomplete proteins; however, wheat is hard to
digest and up to 50% of its protein is lost
during the process.

Isolated soy protein, which you can get from a number
of sources (including soy milk), can be digested
efficiently-enough to match the animal protein yields.

2. Iron. Plant sources contain a significant amount of
iron, but in nonheme form, which is more sensitive
to inhibitors than iron that comes from animal products.
You should do two things to increase your blood-iron
levels: 1) consume more plant iron; and 2) avoid absorption
inhibitors, such as tea, coffee, and fiber.

3. Zinc. Whereas non-vegetarian diets seem to enhance
the absorption of zinc; vegetarian and vegan diets
do the exact opposite--they inhibit it.

Nutritionists suggest that you can overcome
this by consuming more foods that contain zinc,
such as soybeans, cashews, and sunflower
seeds while reducing your intake of inhibitors
by washing vegetables and grains.

4. Calcium. While vegetarians can easily consume
an adequate amount of calcium without any dietary
additions, it is important that vegetarians avoid
consuming certain foods that are high in oxalates,
which inhibit calcium absorption.

Dietitians suggest that vegetarians do not consume
spinach, beet greens, and swiss chard as the
calcium component of a meal plan. While they are
rich in calcium, they also contain high amounts of
oxalates.

Rather than consuming those foods for calcium,
vegetarians should consider other options, such as
soy yogurt, tofu, beans, almonds, and calcium-
fortified foods.

5. Vitamin B-12. Many vegetarians lack
vitamin B-12 simply because it does not exist
naturally in any non-animal forms. Vegetarians
should seek out vitamin B-12 fortified foods,
such as certain soy milks and cereals to
supplement what they lack.

As I outlined, there are a number of nutrients
vegetarians can lack of they do not research
and plan. This is not meant to discourage
people from becoming vegetarians, but instead
to encourage them to spend time planning a
health approach to their vegetarian diet
before starting it.

When planned adequately, a vegetarian diet
can not only make up for what it lacks from
animal products, but it can far exceed
the healthfulness of most non-vegetarian diets.

Three Health Advantages Of A Vegetarian Diet

2008-03-28T03:58:00.001-07:00

While many people lament the nutritional disadvantages
of a poorly planned vegetarian diet, few stress the
health advantages of adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet.
In this article, I will cover the major three nutritional
advantages of becoming a vegetarian.

The first major advantage of a vegetarian diet is
increased heart health. Vegetarians, on average, consume
more nuts (often as a supplemental form of protein). Nuts
contain "good" fats, such as omega-3 and omega-6. This
promotes good heart health by reducing "bad" cholesterol
and unclogging arteries.

In addition to nuts, vegetarians also consume more soy
milk (often to replace milk), which reduces "bad"
cholesterol and has been linked to good heart health.

The second major advantage vegetarians enjoy is increased
skin health. In addition to consuming larger quantities
of nuts (which contain healthful oils), vegetarians tend
to consume more fruit and vegetables, which are rich in
essential vitamins, including A and E, which are linked
to good skin health.

Fruits and vegetables also contain high amounts of fiber,
which helps flush toxins out of the body, further
contributing to better skin health.

The last health advantage vegetarians enjoy is an increased
natural consumption of antioxidants.

Antioxidants are foods that help prevent cancer by
destroying free radicals. Vitamin C and Vitamin E, two
strong antioxidants, are commonly found in vegetarian
meals.

Vitamin C can be found in berries, tomatoes, citrus fruit,
kale, kiwis, asparagus and peppers.

Vitamin E can be found in wheat germ, seed oils, walnuts,
almonds, and brown rice--all foods that are commonly a
part of a well-balanced vegetarian diet.

So what does this all mean for you as a prospective
vegetarian?

It means the popular mythology about vegetarian diets
is false. Not only can a vegetarian diet be nutritionally
sufficient, but it can also affect better skin
health, prevent cancer, and increase your
heart health.

Important Non-Meat Sources Of Protein For Vegetarians

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Although most vegetarians consume a considerable
amount of protein, they often do not absorb as much
as they would on a nonvegetarian diet. This is because
plant proteins are considerably less digestible than
animal proteins, which contain amino acid chains that
are closer or identical to human amino acid chains.

Consuming animal proteins might yield close to a 1:1
absorption ratio, while consuming plant proteins, such
as wheat, might only yield 50% of the amino acids needed
to build a "complete protein" or a protein that can
readily be assimilated into the human body.

In order for vegetarians to absorb a healthy amount
of protein, they must consume a variety of plant proteins
to form complete amino chains. By eating vegetables,
legumes, seeds, nuts, fruits, and whole grains, vegetarians
can increase the amount of complete proteins they create
by combining a number of varieties of amino acid chains.

Vegetarians must also consume more foods that contain
proteins because plant proteins are generally
harder to digest. While a nutritional label may suggest
that pasta has 5 grams of protein per serving; you may
only be able to digest 2-3 grams of that protein, which
means you must complement the pasta with other sources
of protein.

In addition to natural sources of protein, vegetarians
should also seek foods that are "protein-fortified"--
or artificially-infused with protein.

For example, many supermarkets offer a variety
"protein-fortified" pasta and bread. I have seen pasta
that contains as much as 12 grams of protein per serving.

Soy milk is also a good source of protein for vegetarians.
Studies on isolated soy protein show that it can be
absorbed nearly as well as animal proteins, yielding close
to a 1:1 protein absorption ratio.

For non-vegan vegetarians, yogurt, milk, and
eggs (which contain complete proteins) are all
excellent sources of protein.

As a vegetarian you have a number of options to
boost your protein intake - and you should consider
taking advantage of all of them. You should diversify
your food selections, drink more soy products, and
eat "protein-fortified" breads and pasta.

Eating A Healthful Vegetarian Diet

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Many people start vegetarian and vegan diets without
devoting an adequate amount of time to nutritional
research and meal planning. As a result, a considerable
amount of people who start vegetarian diets do not last
for more than 1-2 months.

Many dieters who fail to carefully research and plan
complain that they lack energy - and often experience
a significant loss in muscle mass. Others observe a
number of other more peripheral problems that come with a
poorly-planned vegetarian diet.

The first group--the group that most failed dieters fall
into--is actually experiencing a form of protein-energy
malnutrition (PEM). PEM emerges when a person fails to
consume enough protein, leading to muscle loss - and
subsequently feelings of weakness that are often
accompanied by head and muscle aches.

This problem can be circumvented by dietary alterations.
A vegetarian who is experiencing PEM should either a) find
out what foods contain what amino chains, so they can
combine them to form proteins; or b) start consuming
larger amounts and more diversified sources of protein,
such as nuts, soy milk, and yogurt.

The first group is often iron-deficient as well. Because
vegetarians can only consume nonheme iron, which
is more sensitive to iron inhibitors, they often do
not consume enough to maintain healthy blood-iron
levels. This can cause pervasive weakness and
even anemia.

Most nutritionists suggest that vegetarian and vegan
dieters consume roughly twice the recommended amount
of iron while greatly reducing their consumption of iron
inhibitors.

People in the second group--the smaller one--who suffer
from a range of other peripheral, diet-related problems are
often not consuming enough of the nutrients that they would
normally take in unknowingly on a diet that includes meat
and dairy products. These nutrients include, for example,
zinc, calcium, vitamin b, and riboflavin.

Some recent studies have suggested that vegetarians
also process certain types of foods with less
efficiency because they consume different amounts
and varieties of absorption inhibitors and enhancers.

Recent studies also suggest, however, that
a vegetarian or vegan diet, when done right, is
not only as healthful as a non-vegetarian diet, but it
is also much more heart-healthy - and usually
contains higher amounts of antioxidants.

What does this all mean for you as a prospective
vegetarian? It means that eating a healthful vegetarian
diet is not only a good alternative to your current diet,
but it can also lower your chances of getting heart
disease and cancer.

However, in order to eat a HEALTHFUL vegetarian diet,
you must actually put in the time to research and plan;
if you don’t, you most certainly will end up in one of the
two groups discussed above.

Cooking With Tofu

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If you aren’t a vegetarian now and haven’t been one in
the past, you probably also haven’t eaten tofu many
times. In fact, the only time most people hear about tofu
it is in jokes aimed at vegetarians.

So why is it that vegetarians eat this stuff all the time?
Is is it simply because they have no other choice?

The answer is both yes and no.

Being a vegetarian doesn’t mean you have to eat tofu. In
fact, there are many vegetarians who never eat tofu or any
popular meat-replacement dishes--such as "veggie burgers"
or "tofurkey"--for that matter.

As long as they research and create meal plans, vegetarians
can maintain a healthy diet eating traditional meals or
ethnic dishes.

Tofu is often cited as something exclusively vegetarian
because it is a versatile, highly-nutritional, and can
be used to replace meat dishes.

Not only can it be created in textures, consistencies, and
flavors that simulate a range of meats--from turkey to
hamburg--but it can also actually replace and far exceed
the nutritional value of similar meat dishes.

While vegetarians do not actually need to consume tofu,
doing so is often a wise dietary choice--and also the next
best thing to eating similar meat products (for those who
enjoyed meat dishes before they became vegetarians).

Tofu is a low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-calorie food made
out of steamed and compressed soy beans. Not only is it a
great source of protein--which many vegetarians lack--but
it is also heart-healthy and has been linked to a decreased
risk in cancer.

In addition to being served as a meat alternative, tofu is
also served in a number of spicy and ethnic dishes, which
were never intended to contain meat. Many ethnic Indian
dishes contain large amounts of tofu cooked and spiced
in different ways.

So here is my suggestion to you: If you aren’t already
a vegetarian, but want to become one, don’t let tofu
get in your way. You can maintain a healthy vegetarian
diet without ever eating it. However, if you already are
a vegetarian, but haven’t tried tofu, I highly suggest you
do. It is both nutritional and versatile - and it might not
taste as bad as you think.

Vegan Alternatives To Gelatin

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Gelatin serves both nutritional and culinary roles in
nonvegetarian diets; however, a lot of vegetarians and
all vegans do not consume gelatin in its many forms
because it is often created out of boiled pig skins and
dissolved veal cartilage and bones.

This leaves vegetarians with a gap in cooking
functionality when a recipe calls for a gel or thickening
agent. It also leaves vegetarians with fewer options if they
need a source of gelatin to increase bone and cartilage
health.

If you are a vegetarian and you are looking for something
to replace gelatin, do not despair. Here are some alternative
options for you:

1. Use a rice starch alternative. A&B Ingredients recently
developed a rice starch alternative to gelatins that mimics
the cooking functionality of gelatins closely.

2. Use a soy-based alternative. Soyfoods USA developed
NuSoy Gel, a gelatin alternative which was created
entirely out of of soy isoflavones and contains 100% of
your vitamin c recommended daily allowance.

3. Use seaweed-based alternatives. Agar-agar, for instance,
is a seaweed based alternative to gelatin that can simulate
the culinary functions of gelatin.

4. Increase your calcium intake. One component of gelatin
supplements that allegedly increases joint health is
calcium. If you want to increase your calcium intake
without eating gelatin, you can simply consume more
calcium-fortified foods and even take supplements.

5. Increase your vitamin c intake. Another component of
gelatin supplements that allegedly increases joint health is
vitamin c. You can increase your vitamin c intake by
consuming more citrus fruit.

6. Increase your glucosamine intake. No foods contain
glucosamine, but you can increase your intake by purchasing
supplements at your local grocery store or pharmacy. This
is rumored to improve joint health if taken regularly.

To reiterate - gelatin has two major functions: it works
as a thickening agent for foods and is rumored to improve
joint health; both of these functions can easily
be mimicked by structural and nutritional alternatives.

Does It Really Matter If I Become A Vegetarian?

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As a prospective vegetarian, you probably question
whether or not it really matters if you stop eating meat.
You might wonder how much of a difference one additional
vegetarian can make.

And while it might be true that one vegetarian wont make
huge statistical difference in a world of meat-eaters--
and while it is also true that one more vegetarian
probably isn't going to turn the tide in the movement--
you can do a lot as an individual that will be good for
you and good for hundreds of animals animals.

Take, for instance, the number one cause of death in the
United States and other countries with meat-centered
diets: heart disease.

If it weren’t specifically for meat, eggs, and dairy
products--which are the three largest sources of
cholesterol--heart attacks and other heart and circulatory
problems would be far less prevalent. According to
EarthSave, the average vegetarian has about 1/4 the chance
of having a heart attack as the average nonvegetarian. As
for people who are pure vegans, it gets even lower: they
have less than 1/10 the chance of having a heart attack
as nonvegetarians.

In addition to heart health, you will get a number of other
health benefits as a vegetarian. For instance, you wont be
exposed to nearly as many preservatives, which are common
in meat and are linked to cancer. You wont be exposed to
various hormones (that are packed into animal feed), which
often disrupt normal hormonal processes in the body. And
you wont consume as much lactose, which most people cannot
digest properly--and which some dietitians have suggested
is a cause of digestive problems.

In addition to health benefits you will receive as an
individual, you will also reduce your share of the
suffering human beings inflict on animals.

According to veganoutreach.org, the average American
consumes 2,714 land animals in their lifetime. If you quit
eating meat now, you could literally prevent the suffering
and death of hundreds of animals of the course of a couple
decades.

In addition to this, if you stop eating eggs and drinking
milk, you will also reduce your share in the suffering and
death of battery hens and their offspring, as well as dairy
cows and their offspring, too.

So the answer is yes: it does matter whether or not you
become a vegetarian. It matters to the thousands of
animals you could potentially save and it matters to
you as an individual because you can greatly reduce
your chances of getting cancer and heart disease.

Vegetarian Statistics

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Why People Become Vegetarians

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Many nonvegetarians wonder what drives vegetarians to give
up meat and adopt an entirely different lifestyle.
There is no single answer to this question. Nonvegetarians
become vegetarians for a number of different reasons - some
even for multiple reasons.

Most vegetarians claim that they became a vegetarian for
one of three reasons.

The first reason, which most vegetarians claim, is that
they have ethical problems with eating meat. Most disagree
with how chickens are debeaked, forced to live in small
cages, and are then slaughtered when they do not produce
eggs fast enough.

Most vegetarians also disagree with the crowded and
stressful environments animals are forced into; and
the hormone-laden feed used to make them grow faster
and produce more.

People who become vegetarians for this purpose often
draw ethical boundaries in different spots, depending on
their personal beliefs. For instance, some staunch vegans
wont consume yeast, wear wool, or even eat certain
vegetables, such as carrots, that require killing the
plant to harvest.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, some vegetarians--
sometimes referred to as pseudo-vegetarians--will actually
eat fish and chicken on a regular basis.

The second biggest reason vegetarians claim for not eating
meat is that it conflicts with their dietary preferences.
Some of these vegetarians simply do not like the texture
and taste of meat; others do not eat it because it is high
in cholesterol and often contains high concentrations
of hormones and preservatives.

The third and smallest group of vegetarians cite
environmental reasons for not consuming meat. They complain
that consumption of meat causes farmers to continually
deforest land to create grazing land for cattle.

In addition to these three major groups, there are a number
of other smaller groups of vegetarians who stopped eating
meat for entirely different reasons.