Vegetarian diets versus eating meat - Essay Example

Vegetarian diet versus eating meat Introduction The debate of vegetarian diets versus eating meat has been at the forefront of health magazines. Different nutrition specialists offer different positions on the issue of vegetarianism. Most of the supporters of vegetarianism argue from a health perspective with claims that meat, especially red meat is unhealthy. People who are against vegetarianism also offer contradicting arguments to support their allegations. However, it is still debatable whether to eat meat or be vegetarian. According to various evidences and advantages of vegetarianism, we should be vegetarians and not eat meat. The issue of eating meat versus vegetarianism is a hot debate that often raises controversies among many people. Like abortion, eating animals is one of those topics that it is possible to miss some of the most important details. As such, people are prone to disagreements regarding the topic. In most cases, these discussions cut straight into people’s discomforts and often provoke aggression and defensiveness. The issues is a slippery, frustrating and resonant subject that you may find yourself defending a position to an extent that is more than you actually believe or willing to follow. In such an opinion-dominated discussion, one is tempted to take a side. I am aware the matter is very sensitive and I respect opposing opinions from other people. However, experts on diets and nutrition agree that vegetarian diets are better than a diet consisting of eating meat. Craig & Mangels, nutrition experts at the American Dietetic Association we should eat vegetarian diets frequently because of the many advantages of the diet. According to Craig and Mangels (2009), an appropriately planned vegetarian diet such as total vegetarian or vegan diets are healthful to individuals, nutritionally adequate as well as offering many health benefits. The benefits are significant at all stages of the life cycle from infancy through adolescence to adulthood. (p. 1266) According to Leitzmann (2005), meat contains saturated fat that can affect people’s health. Saturated fat usually blocks the absorption of essential fats that are necessary for maintaining the normal cellular structure of the human body. Surplus consumption of saturated fat present in meat can also make the body cells less flexible. Thus, affect the flow of nutrients within the cells. In addition, high intakes of certain types of saturated fat can increase the amounts of cholesterol in the human blood (p. 154). High cholesterol levels in the human blood can cause a chronic condition such as heart and kidney diseases. On the contrary, the lower protein requirements of a vegetarian diet can be beneficial to human health because high protein intake is linked to kidney failure and osteoporosis. Antioxidants that are present in the vegetarian diets are essential for defending our bodies against free radicals that cause early ageing and disease. People who eat antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables are about half-unlikely to be diagnosed with cancer compared with people eating low intakes of these foods. There is an enormous scientific body of evidence indicating that wholesome vegetarian diets contain many benefits. However, due to the divergent diets of vegetarians prior studies excluded essential nutrients that are vital in the vegetarian diet. Lietzmann (2005), also agrees that a well-balanced vegetarian life cycle is beneficial to all life cycle stages of human beings (p. 150). However, the reason for choosing a vegetarian diet often surpasses the perceived health benefits and human well-being and includes other economic, ecological, and social concerns. Besides serving the health benefit to humans, a well-planned vegetarian diet can be cheap to users. Other than the health perspective of eating vegetables, a close look at the chicken production in factory farms gives us another reason not to eat meat. According to Scott Bronstein(1991) article on poultry inspection of the nations poultry plants, every week, millions of chicken leaking yellow puss, stained feces, contaminated by diseases causing bacteria, with lung, heart and skin infections are shipped for sale to consumers. Scott continues that, the birds are beheaded and gutted by powerful machines. Contaminations often occur at this point as the high-speed machines rip open the intestines commonly spilling the feces on the meat and body cavities. Such contamination is what we eat in the chicken we often purchase. It is high time individuals decide whether it is cheap chicken or their health. I am supporting my opinion on a vegetarian diet. It a non-complicated position or decision. My opinion regarding vegetarianism is that I support for vegetarianism, but also a position on wiser animal agriculture. It is also a stance for the acceptance of a more omnivore diet. The safety of our animals products especially factory meat is questionable. The contamination and inconsistencies in following health protocols and ensuring the food products are of safe is a concern. On the contrary, it is clear that a vegetarian diet may pose less threat to our health compared to factory animal products. Despite the fact that eating vegetable requires no consumption of dairy products , fish, seafood, meat, or other animal related products, it is more nutritious than eating the real meat. Even though the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends approximately 10 to 30 percent of a person’s daily calories are accounted for by proteins, a well balanced vegan diet is easily able to provide all of a person’s protein for a day (Key, Appleby, & Rosell, 2006). It offers same quantity of protein, for example, a quarter a cup of cooked beans, a tablespoon of a peanut butter and half an ounce of nuts as well as seed are all equal to 1 ounce of meat (McEvoy, Temple, & Woodside, 2012). Additionally, the same diet provides adequate amounts of all essential amino acids, as long as the vegetarian diet contains a combination of grains, legumes and bean every day. There is a growing number of evidence provided by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) study that vegetarians are healthier than non-vegetarians. The JAMA study shows that vegetarians have lower risk of a number of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure). This is because vegan diet is normally rich in fibre, phytochemicals (natural compounds found in vegetables and fruits) and antioxidants while at the same time are lower in animal fat content (Timko, Hormes, & Chubski, 2012). A number of studies report that vegetarians are healthier than non-vegetarians since they have more healthy lifestyles. They do not smoke, more physically active, they often have lower body mass index (BMI) and limit or exclude alcohol consumption(Key et al., 2006). This is more common with Seventh-day Adventists who minimize behaviors that increase the risk of chronic diseases; however, other studies that investigate the lifestyle and health of both non-vegetarians and vegetarians in the wider community have also revealed health benefits of vegan diet. For example, the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study found out that vegetarians are healthier than meat eaters (Key et al., 2006). It reported in March 2013 that the risk of ischemic heart disease was 32 percent lower among vegetarians that in meat eaters. Although there is a risk that some vegan diets may not contain enough amounts of some nutrients that are required for optimal growth in children and teenagers, proper and careful planning is vital in ensuring that vegetarian diets contain all the nutritional needs (Amit et al., 2010). This will ensure that more restrictive diets that vitamin B12, zinc, iron, and some of the omega 3 fats tend to be low are discouraged and those with sufficient amounts are instead encouraged. Since vegetarian diets tend to have higher levels of constituents like phylate that is able to affect the absorption of minerals such as zinc and iron, the Nutrient Reference Value for Australia and New Zealand recently raised the recommended daily intake of those minerals for vegetarians to 50 percent more zinc and 80 percent more iron that the current recommended consumption for meat eaters (Amit et al., 2010). Vegetarian diets provides much lower concentrations of harmful and unhealthy saturated fats as well as trans fats making them better sources of fats than the real meat. This helps in reducing the cholesterol contained in red meat. Due to the high fat content of red meat, it has been associated with heart disease, cancer, and diabetes as processed meat is often loaded with sodium, which is able to raise blood pressure unlike vegetables. A new study finds that, even though eating turkey as well as chicken, has proved to be a very healthy option, they have been strongly associated with weight gain which is also very harmful. Ruth Frechman, a registered dietitian as well as a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, argues that “If you’re just eating protein, you’re not getting carbohydrates, which you need for energy, so instead you’re burning fat,” (Key et al., 2006) Frenchman argues that it is not as good as it may sound because this process known as ketosis often can result in joint and muscle pain. In addition, high-protein diets are also able to result in a strain on ones kidneys as well as dehydration (Amit et al., 2010). Frenchman adds that “You’ll lose water from your muscles and lose muscle mass.” Vegetarians have high risk of quicker weight loss as their diets tend to be lower in calories. On the other hand, vegan diets have lower protein which protects their immune system as well as building muscle mass. However, with proper planning and hard work, vegetarians can get a balance of all the necessary vitamins thus addressing the problem. According to Jaime Mass, M.S., R.D., a nutritionist and founder of Jaime Mass Nutritional (McEvoy et al., 2012), "Being vegetarian does not guarantee health,” "It is how you approach a vegetarian lifestyle that matters. A vegetarian who consumes legumes, fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts will have a different health profile than a vegetarian who consumes a diet high in refined carbohydrates like muffins, pasta, cookies, and cakes."  Vegetarian or vegan diets should be well planned so as to make sure that certain key nutrients is not lacking. In conclusion, a growing body of scientific evidences shows that wholesome vegetarian diets are able to offer distinct advantages compared to non-vegetarian diets. Such benefits are as a result of lower intakes of cholesterol, saturated fat and animal protein and higher intakes of dietary fiber, complex carbohydrates, folic acid, magnesium, carotenoids, vitamin C and E as well as other phytochemicals. Vegetarian diets have in the past been described as being deficient in numerous nutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin B12, iodine, and calcium. However, with proper meal planning, such a case can be solved. Well balanced vegetarian diets are recommended for all stages of an individual’s life cycle, including pregnant and lactating women, adolescents, children, the elderly as well as competitive athletes. Vegetarian diets are usually beneficial in the prevention of some diseases such as high blood pressure, renal disease and dementia, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cancer and diabetes. The reason for selecting a vegetarian diet usually includes health and well-being for instance, sustainable life styles as well as human development. Work cited Amit, M., Cummings, C., Grueger, B., Feldman, M., Lang, M., Grabowski, J., … Patel, H. (2010). Vegetarian diets in children and adolescents. Paediatrics and Child Health. doi:10.1542/pir.30-1-e1 Brownstein, S. (1991). Chicken: How Safe? The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Craig, W., & Mangels, A. (2009). Position of the American Dietetic Association: Vegeterian Diets. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Vol. 109, No. 7, 1266-1282. Key, T. J., Appleby, P. N., & Rosell, M. S. (2006). Health effects of vegetarian and vegan diets. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 65, 35–41. doi:10.1079/PNS2005481 Leitzmann, C. (2005). Vegetarian diets: what are the advantages? Forum Nutrition, Vol. 57, 147-156. McEvoy, C. T., Temple, N., & Woodside, J. V. (2012). Vegetarian diets, low-meat diets and health: a review. Public Health Nutrition. doi:10.1017/S1368980012000936 Timko, C. A., Hormes, J. M., & Chubski, J. (2012). Will the real vegetarian please stand up? An investigation of dietary restraint and eating disorder symptoms in vegetarians versus non-vegetarians. Appetite, 58, 982–990. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2012.02.005  Read More