Vegetarianism Intrductin At a time where many peple are becming mre health and envirnmentally cnscius they are tending t adpt an eating style that cnsists mre f grains, cereals, fruit, and vegetables and less if any flesh fds such as red meat especially amngst yung peple. The reasns are varied but include cncerns abut animal welfare, cst, health issues and religius practices. The vegetarian diet may have many health benefits. Definitin A true vegetarian can be defined a persn wh eats fds f rigin grund nly and excludes all meat and meat prduct, hwever there are varying degrees f vegetarianism. The term vegetarian refers t peple with a range f eating habits: Semi-vegetarians eat dairy fds, eggs, pultry, and fish but avid red meat. Pesc-vegetarians eat dairy fds, eggs, and fish but n ther animal flesh. Lact-v-vegetarians eat dairy fds and eggs but exclude animal flesh frm their diets. Lact-vegetarians eat dairy fds but n eggs r animal flesh. Ov-vegetarians eat eggs but n dairy fds r animal flesh. Ttal vegetarians, r vegans, eat n animal fds f any type. Health Benefits There are many health benefits assciated with a vegetarian diet. Vegetarians generally have less : Heart disease - the diets are usually lw in saturated fats as diets high in this type f fat, which are predminately, present in fds f animal rigin increases the risk f heart disease. Hypertensin (High bld pressure) - the lwer bld pressure levels can be related t besity as well as a high intake f salt. Vegetarians usually eat less calries and salt cmpared with nnvegetarians. Lwer chlesterl levels - fds such as cereal, grains, fruit and vegetables cntain n chlesterl, which is nly present in fds frm animal rigin. Diabetes - due t a greater intake f cereal, grains, fruit and vegetables which generally have a lwer glycemic index which helps maintain ideal bld glucse r sugar levels. Obesity - they are mre likely t have a lwer bdy weight than nn-vegetarians as the diet is high in fds which are generally lw in fat, kiljules/calries as well as being high in fiber which are mre filling than animal based fds such as meat. Greater lngevity - Research cnfirms that it is pssible t extend ur lifespan frm 5-10 years by fllwing a healthy diet and lifestyle. Bwel disrders - the high intake f cereals, grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts seeds and legumes all are high in dietary fiber, which helps the ease with which fd passes thrugh the digestive
system. Diets high in fiber help lwer the risk f cln cancer, diverticulitis and cnstipatin. NOTE: Lifestyle patterns f vegetarians and nn-vegetarians may be very different fr a number f reasns. A significant number f peple wh chse t fllw a vegetarian diet are als nn-smkers, have a lwer bdy weight and exercise regularly. Pssible Disadvantages f a Vegetarian Diet Whilst is true that many vegetarians have a well-balanced diet, hwever there are cases whereby sme individuals wh exclude meat and meat based prducts but d nt replace them with the apprpriate alternatives. This can lead t nutrient deficiencies such as prtein, irn, calcium, zinc, Vitamin B 12 and may lack sufficient kiljules/calries. Prblems als can arise when there is pr nutritin knwledge and meal planning, cncurrent illness r stress, avidance f medical care r excessive use f supplements. Grups at risk f nutrient deficiencies include - Vegans, athletes, children and pregnant females as the need fr nutrients are high. Planning Vegetarian Diets T change frm a Nn-Vegetarian Diet a Lact-Ov Vegetarian Diet (cntains milk prducts and eggs). a. Reduce substantially all empty calrie fds - sugar, sft drinks, cnfectinery, alchl. b. Increase the intake frm all five fd grups t supply adequate calries. c. Omit meat and increase intake f legumes (dried beans and peas), nuts, seeds; use meat analgues (textured vegetable prtein prducts) additinally. d. Increase the intake f breads and cereals, especially f whle-grain prducts. This grup cntributes prtein, B vitamins and irn t the diet. e. Increase the intake f milk and milk prducts (lw fat and nn fat/skim, if verweight r high bld chlesterl). The milk grup replaces part f the prtein and vitamin B12 which is reduced when meat is deleted frm the diet). NOTE: Eating a variety f fds in sufficient amunts t meet prtein requirements usually ensures an adequate supply f ther nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. The need fr a vitamin B12 supplement r B12-frtified sybean drink in vegans is emphasized.
Sya beans are an exceptinally gd surce f high quality prtein. In the dried frm they cntain arund 40% prtein - abut duble the prtein cntent f mst ther legume beans. Sya beans and their prducts are therefre recmmended as part f the vegetarian diet. Sme sy prducts include sybean flur, sybean grits, sybean drink, and textured vegetable prtein (see nte belw). They are generally available frm health fd shps and Sanitarium stres. Sybeans can als be spruted t prvide a gd surce f vitamin C. 1. Meat analgues are prducts made frm vegetable prtein (mainly syabean), and are textured and flavred t resemble prducts such as beef, chicken, ham and fish. They are cmmnly called textured vegetable prtein (TVP), and are sld either in dehydrated frm r as ready-t-serve canned prducts. 2. A vegetarian diet is suitable fr sprt and athletic perfrmance - especially events requiring endurance. A high carbhydrate diet rather than a high prtein/high fat diet builds up larger energy stres (f glycgen) in muscles. T change frm a Lact-Ov Vegetarian Diet t a Ttal Vegetarian Diet (Vegan Diet - n milk prducts r eggs). In additin t Pints (a), (b), (c) and (d) abve, the fllwing recmmendatins are imprtant: a. Maintain calrie requirement. An adequate intake f calries is essential; therwise the bdy will use lean muscle tissue prteins fr energy. b. Increase fds which replace the nutrients fund in significant amunts in milk; especially calcium and ribflavin. Cnsider the use f: (a) Frtified sybean drink preparatin. (b) Increased amunts f green leafy vegetables; e.g. cabbage, brccli, spinach, Brussels spruts, kale, cllards, dandelin greens. c. Increased amunts f legumes, especially sybeans; nuts, particularly almnds; seeds, particularly sesame seeds; dried fruits. d. Use a vitamin B12 supplement, r B12 frtified sybean milk since there is n practical surce f vitamin B12 in plant prducts. Vegetarian Fd Grups Eat frm each f these grups each day fr gd health: Sybeans, dried beans, dried peas, nuts and seeds, eggs (if nt vegan), textured vegetable prtein. Milk and milk prducts (if vegan: sybean milk, B12 frtified), cheese; green vegetables, seeds, nuts, dried fruits, B12 supplement. Bread, cereals, rice, pasta, crn (whlegrain varieties are best). Fruits and vegetables.
Sy Prtein and Phytestrgens - a gd prtein alternative. Phytestrgens are plant cmpunds that are very weak versins f human estrgen. While different types f phytestrgens are widespread in plant fds, it is the isflavnes (Genistein and Diadzn) in sybeans and syfds that has the mst ptent estrgen-like effects n the bdy. In cuntries where peple eat diets high in syfds, such as Japan, China and Krea, breast cancer rates are much lwer than in the West, prstate cancer deaths are minimal and unpleasant symptms f menpause appear scant (There is n wrd fr "ht flush" in Japanese). Breast Cancer: During childbearing years, phytestrgens stave ff breast cancer by blcking sme f the naturally ccurring estrgen thereby acting as anti-estrgens. (Even thugh estrgen is necessary fr reprductin it can als encurage cancerus tumrs t develp in breast tissue.) Menpause Benefits: At menpause, hwever, when a wman's natural estrgen declines by 70 percent, phytestrgens prvide an estrgen "lift" t make up fr the "lack" f the hrmne withut raising the cancer risk. This may reduce the symptms f menpause such as ht flushes, headaches and md swings. Further bnuses fr menpausal wmen cnsuming sy-rich phytestrgens may include: reduced risk f steprsis - by lessening the bne lss that accmpanies estrgen fallff at menpause. reduced risk f heart attack. Estrgen raises the "gd" HDL chlesterl which keeps arteries clear. reduced thinning f vaginal tissues. Prstate Cancer: In men, phytestrgens appear t act as a blcker f teststerne - the male hrmne that, while necessary fr a man's maleness, can spur the grwth f prstate tumrs. Phytestrgens accmplish the task withut making men "feminine". NOTE: Sy prtein can lwer high bld chlesterl levels. Level f Sy Intake: While the actual amunts fr a prtective effect have nt yet been defined, researchers are currently examining intakes f 24-40 grams f sy prtein islate per day.
These amunts can be btained frm 3-5 serves f sy beans r sy-based prducts per day. Fr example, 2 cups f sy drink in place f milk, and ne r mre serves f either sybeans, tfu, tempeh, sy-enriched bread, r sy prducts (e.g. Sanitarium/Sy Healthy). (Many creative recipes exist fr their use.) Extra Ntes n Sy Fds: Sy-enriched bread can cntribute significant amunts f sy prtein and phytestrgens. Sy flur als cntains significant amunts and can be mixed with ther flwers fr baking. Tfu (sybean curd) cmes in sft and firm varieties, and can be used in sups, casserles, burgers and stir-fries. The phytestrgen cntent f sy drinks made frm sy prtein islate (such as S Gd, Gd Life, Sy Life) is similar t brands made frm the whle bean (such as Aussie Sy and S Natural).