The Complete Nutrition: The Non-Vegetarian Diet versus Vegetarian Diet - Report Example

14th July The Complete Nutrition: The non-Vegetarian Diet versus Vegetarian Diet Introduction Vegetarianismstems from the practice whereby humans abstain from consumption of animal products and by products such beef, poultry, seafood, and flesh of other animals. People adopt this practice due to a number of reasons chiefly, they cite cruelty to animals as the reason why they do not condone the practice of animal consumption. This reason may be due to cultural, social, economic, political and religious beliefs or they may be due to personal principles. Other fundamental reasons often cited by the adherents to this practice include health and environmental consequences. There are a category of vegetarians who consume only eggs as the only animal product; they are frequently referred to as ovo-vegetarians whereas those who consume dairy products are known as lacto vegetarians. In addition to these two categories, there is the third category frequently known, as the strict vegetarians (vegans) such people do not consume any animal products, not even honey. Those who propagate consumption of animal products they claim that a vegetarian diet is incomplete and that they lack a wide range of nutritional requirement that they might otherwise get when consuming a mixture of both animal and plants. This paper aims to explore if being a vegetarian is not healthy because the individual does not partake of a complete nutritional requirement. Arguments that Disclaim Vegetarian Diet In general a human body needs vital nutritional elements to ensure a healthy and proper growth, often known as the balanced diet upon which scientist insist that for healthy growth humans must partake foods that have carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. These important human body requirements can be found in both in plants and animals albeit to a varying degree. Most animal products are rich in proteins- the component that is essential for general body growth and vital vitamins. On the other hand, plants such as corn and rice are rich in carbohydrates whereas fruits and vegetables are major sources of vitamins and minerals, which are important for the well-being of an individual. According to Messina (221) most the vegetarian diets lack the vital vitamin B12 as it does not naturally occur in plants. This essential element is useful in the central nervous system and human’s digestive system. The nutrient performs the important role by combining with the B vitamin folate that assist in making human body genetics. This goes further in keeping the level of amino acid homocysteine in check- a major factor that reduces the risk of heart disease and the multiplication of red blood cells; which means deficiency in this nutrient can lead to anemia. This nutrient on the other hand naturally occur in animal products particularly flesh such as beef. Other essential minerals needed by the human body that are in animal products as opposed to plants or vegetables include iron prevalent in animal flesh. The human body intakes between fifteen percent and thirty five percent of the heme iron in flesh compared to merely two to twenty intakes non-heme iron found in vegetarians particularly legumes. Fish are rich sources of the vital Omega-three fatty acids such as EPA and DHA, these are crucial for proper brain function as these aid in lowering triglycerides- decreasing incidences of deaths from either strokes and heart attacks. Vegan’s often claim that certain plant products such as olive oils have omega-3fatty acid ALA. However, research has proven that this must be converted into the crucial EPA and DHA , which is as easy as consuming the fish and that the process of conversion does not give cardiovascular benefits as eating fish. Additionally, scientist have pointed out the crucial role that these nutrients perform in the body including the important cognitive and neural function such as eyesight and strengthening the skeletal and muscles. Fats are another important body requirements, this is because saturated fatty acids found in beefs and other animal flesh aids in enhancing the function of the immune and nervous systems. These nutrients perform a myriad of functoions to the human body and include serotonin receptors in the brain and cells health and their building and calcium absorption. For people keen on the dieting, lean meats are often preferred to vegetables. This because lean meats have lower levels calories compared to the usual plant proteins such as beans, in fact, most nutritionists point out that calories in the former might be even half of the latter. It is often said that vegetarians are living healthy and that they have a lower mortality rates, however research has confirmed that contrary to this popular perceptions, the mortality rates of vegetarians and non-vegetarians is the same. Arguments favoring Vegetarian Diet Proponents of vegetarianism often argue that the human digestive system should only support a vegetarian diet. They point out unlike carnivores human beings have a longer intestine approximately ten to eleven times of a typical human length whereas the carnivore intestines are only three to six times their length. By pointing towards the difference in anatomy between carnivores and humans, they argue that humans do not have long sharp or large mouth or the canines of carnivores. That human beings dental formulation is shaped in such a way that it is short and flat for easier chewing of foods that are rich in fibers. In addition, most research claim that unlike the human being’s liver that of the carnivore can easily detoxify the excess Vitamin A from animal flesh. Vegetarians have been encouraged by dietary bodies to consume only plants as they can fully meet the necessary protein body requirement essential providers of amino acids. Further, the American Dietetic Association has suggested that vegetarian diet can provide vitamins, fats, and minerals important in improving an individual’s health. Further, such groups insist that meat is not essential to the dietary requirements of a typical human being. Vegetarians additionally claim that iron in plants is in a more healthy form compared to the form found in animal flesh, with scientist linking the heme iron in red meat to colon and rectal cancer. A vegetarian diet is important in healthy skeletal function as vegetarians in takes more of the crucial nutrient than those consuming animal products particularly meat. This nutrient, calcium, is usually leached from the bones due to the high levels of renal acid in meat. The leaching is a process through which the body neutralizes the renal acid, which finally is drained in urine and lost. It is often claimed that mortality rates from meat consumption is higher vegetarian diet. Watson, Joe and Victor (376) concur by asserting that up to 24 percent of vegetarians may experience reduced mortality from ischemic heart diseases than those who eat more meat. a vegetarian diet that is comprised of whole grains, beans, nuts and the soya beans are crucial in improving glycemic effect in diabetic people whereas animal flesh often increases type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, the proponents cite healthy weight as a result of a vegetarian diet and that relying on research work they assert that eating meat has a 40 percent risk of increasing certain type’s cancer. Conclusion Consumption of a balanced diet aids in nurturing the human body as this helps the body to perform day-to-day activities whereas poor food choice often leads to body harm. It is widely believed that overweight and the cardiovascular diseases are often the consequence of poor food choice. In several sections of the media, animal flesh is often the culprit, particularly gout. However, for one to completely lead a good and healthy lifestyles they must marry components of both animal and plants food products. This paper has shown that a vegetarian diet lacks essential nutrients such as B12, which is crucial for the proper bodily function amongst other nutrients. Therefore, a mixture of both plants and animals food products provide the best way of giving the human body the vital nutrients it needs and hence a vegetarian diet is not healthy as it does not provide complete nutrition. Work Cited Messina, Virginia. The Dietitians Guide to Vegetarian Diets 3e. Jones & Bartlett Publishers, Incorporated, 2010. Print. Watson, Ronald R, Joe K. Gerald, and Victor R. Preedy. Nutrients, Dietary Supplements, and Nutriceuticals: Cost Analysis Versus Clinical Benefits. Totowa, N.J: Humana, 2011. Print. Read More