Proven Advantages And Disadvantages Of Vegetarianism

The vegetarian diet is not a new concept but it has been made into one. Since the time immemorial, the cry that the human beings must return to the vegan lifestyle has been echoing in all the places around the world. But some hypocrites have remodeled the claims into something that is very new. It has been said that the vegetarian diet is the most preferred diet all over the world. The vegetarian form of the diet is the most preferred and the most trusted form of the diet in the world. But the parents have expressed duel of the nutritional intake in the vegetarian foods. But the dietary experts have consoled the parents that the well planned and the careful selection of the foods will provide the same amount of the nutrients that the meat based foods provide. But extra care must be provided to the children if the children do not consume enough of meat and dairy products. The nutritional needs of the children differs as they advance in years.

There are the number of reasons for a person to become a vegetarian. Some people adapt the vegetarian lifestyle for health reasons while others adopt it because they have been born or brought up in a vegan family. Even cultural issues also plays a role in making a man to adopt the vegetarian lifestyle. The concern and love for the animals also has a lot to do for the community or a family to become vegans.

Most people are of the opinion that the vegetarian diets are devoid of the proteins and the fats that the animal meat possess. But it is not true. The vegetarian diet also possess these kinds of the nutrients and the people need to carefully select the foods that are rich in them. The meat contains unsaturated fats and cholesterol and these harm the body.

The vegetarianism has been said to be the act of abstaining from all kinds of meat that is obtained from animal slaughter and living exquisitely only on the foods prepared by the dairy products, vegetables, nuts, seeds, pulses, fruits and grains. Some vegetarians include the eggs as a part of their daily diet while others do not. Various pros and cons of Vegetarianism are listed here.,

Advantages Of Being Vegetarianism :

There are many benefits as opposed to the disadvantages of being a vegetarian. But the scientists have forestalled the people by telling them that they have also found that the intake of the vegetarian foods also increases the risks of developing calories. But not that alone, an estimated amount of the diseases like the cancers and other chronic diseases all owe their allegiance to the bad diets. So this has to be addressed and proper eating habits must be enforced. The advantages of vegetarianism are,

1. Protection From The Diseases :

• The vegetarian foods have been known for long to protect the body from the different diseases like the cancer, chronic fatigue, cholesterol problems and diabetes.
• The vegetarian foods are low in the amount of the unsaturated fats and are therefore very healthy to eat.
• The well planned low fat foods are the saviour of the day as they will help to reduce the chances for the person to be affected by the coronary artery problems.
• These problems are the sole reason for the various deaths in the United States of America.
• The vegetarian people have low risks of the cardiovascular problems when compared to the people who follow non vegetarian type of the diet.
• In short, the vegetarian foods are rich in the fiber and antioxidants and have low amounts of the cholesterol and the fats.

2. Maintaining An Ideal Low Weight :

• The ideal food in America is rich in the unsaturated fats, calories and the bad cholesterol.
• These are the main reasons for the people in America to be so obese.
• When they switch to the vegetarian type of the foods, the weights will get reduced and there will be no need for a person to be conscious of their body.
• According to a research conducted by the Society For The Prevention Of The Diseases, it has been proved that the people get to decrease their weights if they include the low fat diets in the daily regime.
• The people who eat only the vegan foods will be able to maintain their ideal weights for a very long time.

3. Longevity :

• It has been proved that the people who thrive only on the vegetarian foods have been blessed with the long life.
• This is due to the fact that the fat that is consumed from the meats will affect the arteries and the veins of the bodies and will also increase the amount of the free radicals in the body.
• This drastically affects the body and as a result of that, the person dies prematurely.
• It has been estimated that a person can add about 13 years to one’s life if they do not waver from the vegan style of food intake.
• To those people who require proofs of the fact, it is in the front of their eyes. The people of japan have been known to live for a very long time and they also die at a very ripe age.
• The secret to this proven fact is they include a diet that is low in carbohydrates and fats and increase the intake of the fibers, vitamins, antioxidants and proteins.

4. Development of Strong Bones :

• When there is no adequate amount of the calcium in the body, then the blood extracts them from the bloodstream.
• This makes the bones to become porous and as a result they become very brittle.
• This can be supplemented by the intake of the foods that are rich in calcium like the tofu, soybeans, kale, broccoli, collards, turnip greens and other dark green vegetables.
• There are also many supplements that are available in the market and organic stores that help to compensate for the loss of the calcium in the body.
• In fact, the foods that are rich in calcium also provide the other nutrients like the proteins, carbohydrates, antioxidants and vitamins.
• The presence of the nutrients like the phosphorous imbibe the calcium in the body.
• The milk products are also rich in the calcium.
• The people who suffer from the intolerance due to the lactose and fructose can add a little amount of the dairy product in their daily diets.

5. Reduced Chances Of Risky Foods :

• Apart from the people who get admitted in the hospital due to the diseases, there are a considerable amount of the people who get admitted to the hospital for the ill effects of food poisoning.
• So the FDA has drafted some lists that contain the foods that must be totally avoided in order to be safe.
• The non vegetarians foods are the reasons for the infestation in the stomach.
• The meat and the fishes contains toxic materials and the carcinogens.
• These do not get removed even after heating and cooking.
• The non vegetarian foods are also tainted with the chemicals and the steroids that harm the body.

6. Easing The Troubles During The Menopause :

• The vegetarian foods are rich in the phytoestrogens that copy the functions of the female hormone by the name of estrogen.
• So the women who are experiencing menopause and the women after their menopause can be benefitted by the intake of the foods that are rich in the phytoestrogens.
• The balance between the estrogen and the progesterone is achieved by the phytoestrogens.
• The soybeans are said to be the far most important part of the phytoestrogen.
• The other foods that are rich in the phytoestrogen are apples, oranges, broccoli, raspberries, cloves of garlics, dates, squashes, yams, cherries and olives.
• Since the phytoestrogen helps in the process of gaining weight, the body abruptly adds more weight.
• This has to be regulated by the eating of foods that have explicit amount of the fiber.

7. Environmental Concern :

• The meat industry affects the land and the atmosphere by the pollution.
• The smoke from the meat industry that processes the meat emits a considerable amount of the smoke and affects the natural atmosphere of the earth.
• The waste products of the industry also gets thrown on the lands and rivers that causes sickness when consumed and affects the quality of the water and does not make it fit to drink.

8. Pity For Animals :

• The plight of the animals that are locked in the meat farms needs no introduction.
• They are mercilessly cramped and locked in the cages. Some of them are also unable to move their bodies an inch.
• They are also rarely fed and subjected to all forms of torture and mutilation when alive.

9. Money :

• The meat food products are the most expensive forms of the food items.
• The average person spends less amount on the vegan foods and more than than twice the amount that is spent on them for the meat.
• This makes even the poor people to spend more on the foods and go about hungry the other day.
• The cattles are also given grains and other foodstuffs to eat that can be given to the human beings and thus end the rearing of the animals for slaughter.
• The transportation of these foods also leads to a boost in the trades and improves the economy of the nation.

Disadvantages Of Vegetarianism :

Though the advantages of being a vegan is very obvious, there are also some or the other complications that needs to be addressed in order to obtain a clear picture of the mode of the foods that may be eaten. Some people shriek from the idea of the meat free diet. So there are some demerits/cons of vegetarianism also listed here.

1. Inadequate Amounts Of Protein :

• The major concern that makes the people to abstain from becoming the vegetarians are the fear of not getting sufficient levels of protein.
• But this is not so real as there are many foods that the vegetarians can eat to increase the level of the protein in the body.
• This only needs a little exploration into the scientific facts of the nutrients that are in the foods.
• The act of mere removal of the meat from the daily food regime does not help. The people need to go beyond that.
• They have to make some healthy choices and explore new combination of the foods.
• It is suggested to get some books from the library and educate oneself about the proper nutrients that are found in the foods.
• The people must slowly transform from being non-vegetarians into vegetarians.

2. Limited Choices Of Foods :

• The vegetarian foods seem to be limited.
• This is not true as there are many ways and combinations of foods that the people can eat to get the full nutrients.
• There is an endless list of the foods that can be eaten by the vegetarians. It can be done by adding a new food item every week.
• This needs a constant shift from the non vegetarian life into a vegetarian life.
• The novice beginners may not know where to start as they can be tricky.
• But with the proper guidance and instructions this can be effectively brought to effect.

3. Challenges In Eating :

• It becomes a real task when the vegetarian people go out to have their food.
• Most of the foods in the restaurants target only the non vegetarian people.
• This makes the vegetarian to become sly.
• Some people do not wish to eat food that has been cooked in the same ovens that also cooks the meats.
• Removing the meat from the dish does not help either.
• The nuts, butter fruits and the other vegetables can be used as a substitute for the meat.
• The best thing a vegetarian has to do is to bring the home cooked foods and eat them in the canteen and the dining hall in the corporate places.

4. Social Issues :

• When it comes to parties and get together, the vegetarian people find it very hard to cope up with the other people.
• This is because the other people may include a meat diet with no concern.
• It may be foolish to inform the host about the food preferences of a particular person but it must be informed.
• The organizer must be made known a week before in advance about the eating preferences of a person.
• This makes them spare a lot of time.
• It is also right to take along some food product along with one to a party so that they feel full.
• Even if any of the fellow party makers question the food preferences, they must be politely answered.

5. Differences In Choices To Family And Friends :

• Sometimes when the vegetarian people get to be served another dish other than the ones the family eat.
• This is because they may, sometimes, eat meat foods.
• The vegetarian may get to meet some people who have a difference of opinion that means to bring a strife.
• So in order to avoid them the vegetarian must be ready with his answers and oblige them in a easy manner.
• The vegetarian must explain why he has opted for the vegan mode of life in a thought provoking manner.
• At the times of the certain festivals, it is difficult to abstain from meat which is a part of that festival.
• It is also equally difficult to explain the same to the family.

6. Reading the Labels Every Time :

• The vegans may go a step forward and abstain from even the leather products, soaps, fish oils etc.
• They may have to read the labels of the foods and other stuffs they purchase from the market.
• They easily can surf the internet and get to know about the various stuffs that have no amount of the meat products.

7. Learning To Cook On Their Own :

• At all the places, the people can never be sure of being provided with a meat free diet.
• It is also awkward to also expect so.
• The people must learn to cook their favorite foods at home to avoid the scruples.
• If they wish to add eggs, they may roast some vegetables and sprinkle some grains on them and eat the roasted eggs with a fruit at the side.
• The cooking also is not so difficult.

8. Deficiencies :

• The fact that the vegetarian choice does not contain enough nutrients is false.
• There are some foods that are equal in the amounts of the nutrients that are found in the meat.
• It is due to the improper selection of the foods on the part of the people that they suffer from certain deficiencies.
• There are many deficiencies like the iron deficiency, calcium deficiency and vitamin deficiency etc.

9. Lifestyle Changes :

• Often when the vegetarian people go to visit their friends, they have to make it clear that they have to eat only vegan foods.
• This makes them to limit their food choices and also make them to run to the stores to get some stuffs for cooking.
• Moreover the sweets, snacks and other junk foods are also free totally from the meat products as they are prepared with the help of the animal fats.
• And at the restaurants, the choices to eat food will be limited very much.

Types Of The Vegetarian Diet :

The term vegetarianism is a broad one and it does not confine one to a single aspect. The vegetarian people and the others need to understand the various categories that exists between the vegans. The types of the vegetarian foods depend on the selection of the foods and the types get classified according to it. As of now, it has said that there are four types of the vegetarian people. They are as follows :

a. Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarianism :

The people who follow this type of the vegetarianism will live only on the food items like the dairy products, eggs and the usual plants for food. This is the most common form of the vegetarianism. They do not consume any animal products nor use them.

b. Ovo-vegetarianism :

The people who follow this type of the vegan style will only include eggs and the plant based foods into their daily food regime. These people too do not consume meat products. They do not eat dairy products too.

c. Lacto-vegetarianism :

These people eat the plant based foods as the above said groups of the people and they also consume the dairy products. These people are said to be the perfect types of the vegetarians.

d. Vegans :

These kind of the people eat only plant based foods and they neither include meat and dairy foods.

There is another category of the people who do not consume the red meat but eat the fish along with the plant based foods.