Category Archives: Vegetarianism

We all know that vegetables are a great source of nutrients that are vital to maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. But can cutting out meat and animal products and adopting a vegetarian diet increase health benefits and provide you with the proper nutrition you require?

The key to maintaining healthy eating habits is to eat a variety of foods that contain all the essential requirements of good nutrition including fruit, vegetables, and sources of protein and iron, whether vegetarian or not. The following article can provide you with information about the risks and benefits of vegetarianism, and the key to maintaining a healthy diet through balance, variety, and moderation.

What is Vegetarianism?There are several types of vegetarian diets that individuals generally adopt. However, the essence of vegetarianism lies in cutting down the consumption of meat and animal products such as milk or eggs. A healthy vegetarian diet, and healthy vegetarian meals, will ideally derive as much nutrition as possible from plant-based food such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

Of course, vegetarians differ in their attitudes as well as the reasons behind their dietary choices. In general, vegetarian diets are defined by the types of animal-derived foods that are incorporated into a diet, and include the following categories:

The Benefits of VegetarianismBecause a vegetarian diet incorporates less meat products as sources of nutrition, vegetarian diets commonly contain less fat and cholesterol as well as higher levels of fiber derived from vegetarian food. According to The American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, National Cholesterol Education Program and Committee on Diet and Health of the National Research Council, reducing fat intake to 30% of calories with no more than 10% of these consisting of saturated fats is recommended to lower the risk of chronic disease.

Some of the health benefits associated with a vegetarian diet include the following:

Vegetarian diets have been linked to decreased risks of developing various types of cancers. Studies have shown that individuals who consume high levels of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may decrease the risk by up to 50%. Regular fruit and vegetable consumption has also been linked to decreased risks of fatal heart disease such as myocardial infarction, angina, cerebrovascular, and ischemic heart disease.

Risks of VegetarianismBalancing vegetarian food and nutrition is vital to maintaining a healthy vegetarian diet. Strict vegetarians may be at risk of several nutrition deficiencies such as vitamin B-12, riboflavin, zinc, calcium, iron, and essential amino acids such as lysine and methionine. Vegans and vegetarians are also at risk of energy deficiency in the form of calories, particularly in children.

Long-term deficiencies in an inadequate vegetarian diet may lead to the following complications:

Another issue facing vegetarians is low protein quality based on protein digestibility and amino acid composition. The risk associated with the protein quality of plant foods is based on a lack of certain essential amino acids that are found in natural combinations in animal protein. Combining different vegetarian nutrition sources of protein can ensure that all essential amino acids are found in a healthy vegetarian diet.

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A Vegetarian Diet - Epigee.org

Q: What are the types or levels of vegetarianism?

A: There are several levels of vegetarianism, or types of vegetarian diet, that depend on which foods you choose not to eat. Starting from the most restrictive and working our way down, the types of vegetarian are as follows:

Vegans do not consume any animal products or by-products. So vegans of course do not consume red or white meat, fish or fowl. They also do not consume eggs and dairy. Vegans do not use honey or beeswax, gelatin and any other animal by-product ingredients or products. Vegans typically do not use animal products such as silk, leather and wool, as well.

Lacto-vegetarians do not eat red or white meat, fish, fowl or eggs. However, lacto-vegetarians do consume dairy products such as cheese, milk and yogurt.

Ovo-vegetarians do not eat red or white meat, fish, fowl or dairy products. However, ovo-vegetarians do consume egg products.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians do not consume red meat, white meat, fish or fowl. However, lacto-ovo vegetarians do consume dairy products and egg products. This is the most common type of vegetarian.

While technically not a type of vegetarian, these individuals do restrict their meat consumption to fish and seafood only. Pescatarians do not consume red meat, white meat or fowl. This is considered a semi-vegetarian or flexitarian diet.

Much like the pescatarian, this semi-vegetarian diet restricts meat consumption to poultry and fowl only, and is not officially considered a vegetarian. Pollotarians do not consume red meat or fish and seafood

A plant-based diet with the occasional meat item on the menu. These folks do their best to limit meat intake as much as possible and they have an almost entirely plant-based diet. This is not technically considered a vegetarian diet, but we commend the effort!

There are many different ways to approach vegetarianism, and its up to you to make dietary choices that best fit your lifestyle. Consider your health and fitness goals or needs when choosing. Whether you are becoming a vegetarian yourself, or simply trying to better support your vegetarian friends and family, we hope this list and chart have been helpful!

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Types of Vegetarian Diets | Levels of Vegetarianism

ByAmanda Bell/Sept. 15, 2016 6:09 pm EST/Updated: Dec. 17, 2020 1:24 pm EST

Cutting out meat from your diet can be tricky, but luckily there are many products on the market that make it a bit easier these days. That's good news because becoming a vegetarian may yield great results for your physique that make the effort worthwhile. Not only is it more environmentally friendly to skip these animal proteins, but it can reduce your risk factor for certain diseases, have positive effects on your appearance, and potentially increase your lifespan. There are also drawbacks that may require preventative measures on the new vegetarian's part, so here's a breakdown of what will happen to your body, inside and out, if and when you decide to declare yourself a herbivore.

Cutting out meat and switching to a veggie-centric diet may be good news for your waistline. According to research by Dr. Neal Barnard at George Washington University, the average person who turned to a plant-based diet under their project supervision lost about 10 pounds in the span of about 44 weeks. "The take-home message is that a plant-based diet can help you lose weight without counting calories and without ramping up your exercise routine," the physician reported.

The downside? A lot of new vegetarians report experiencing some temporary bloating when making the big change to a meatless lifestyle, especially if the new diet includes an increase in carbohydrates like beans.

Believe it or not, if you stop eating meat your skin might even start to look better, but only if you're eating plenty of nutritious fruits and veggies. The vitamins in fruits and vegetables (including our friends A, C, and E) are known to combat free radicalsin the body, which are common causes of skin blemishes. Some foods that have been shown to have high levels of antioxidant activity include berries, cherries, citrus, prunes, and olives.

Of all the things you can do to prevent cancer, no longer eating meat could be one of the easiest.

According to research, at least 30 percent of cancer cases have been linked to dietary habits, and in a patient study, it was shown that vegetarianism of the milk- and egg-eating variety tended to have a lower risk of contracting cancers than those who ate meat. Vegetarians tend to have a reduced rate of various types of cancer, including that of the colon (since the added fiber helps move carcinogens through the digestive tract more quickly), stomach, bladder, ovaries, breast, and lymphatic and hematopoietic tissues (due to the antioxidants contained in plant-based foods).

Not eating meat has also proven to be a heart-healthy approach to nommage. Researchers have found that those who choose the eliminate meats from their diets enjoyed a significant drop in cholesterol levels (up to 35 percent for those who subbed in other proteins, like soy or nuts), which in turn reduced their risk for cardiovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, and strokes.

Not only that, but it's also been linked to a reduction in blood pressure levels (hypertension), obesity, inflammationthroughout the body, and Type 2 Diabetes. Chronic inflammation is associated with a ton of long-term issues, including arthritis, cancer, heart disease, asthma, and other degenerative disorders, and vegetarian-friendly foods like kale, cauliflower, spinach, and certain fruits, among others, are rich in anti-inflammatory properties, while meat tends to cause an inflammatory reaction.

If you have chronic upset stomach, you may want to stop eating meat (or at least think about it). Several academic studies have shown that there are positive microbial effects associated with ditching the consumption of animal by-products, including a reduction of harmful pathogens and an increase in protective microorganisms. This may be connected to the reduction in inflammation throughout the body that's been associated with vegetarianism, which has other major health benefits (we'll get to that).

Other digestive benefits to vegetarianism include the fact that studies show a reduction in risk for diverticular disease that is, a buildup of pockets or sacs in the walls of your colon associated with the diet, and the increased fibers that'll come with that extra helping of vegetables will help make your bathroom habits more regular.

Experts caution that these benefits are only available to those who engaged in a "well-planned vegetarian diet," which incorporates a high intake of fruits and vegetables. If approached correctly, your tummy will likely thank you for resisting the carnivorous route to sustenance.

The decision to stop eating meat comes with a lot of pros, but it isn't all good news. A vegetarian diet may require the use of certain supplements, which can ensure the requisite amounts of nutrients that might be lost in transition.

One common problem people have when flushing out the flesh foods is a zinc deficiency, since that vitamin is most often found in red meat and shellfish. Plus, vegetarian foods are high in phytic acid which interferes with zinc absorption. The effects of that deficiency may include a weakened immune system, loss of memory, eyesight and tastebuds, an onset of diarrhea, allergic reactions, hair loss, and body rashes.

Other essential vitamins that may become depleted in the process of becoming a meat-free eater include B12, calcium, iron. For those that are careful with their menus, however, this can be addressed without the use of vitamin supplements. Vitamin B12 is found in yeast and certain cereals, while calcium can be derived from foods like almonds, bread, milk, and sesame seeds. Nuts, dried fruit, beans, and broccoli are all high in iron and would be assets to a vegetarian's diet.

Vegetarians should also make sure that they're incorporating enough protein into their daily meals, which can be accomplished by eating eggs, cheeses, lentils, black beans, and tofu.

Studies are mixed on whether a decision to stop eating meat and adopting a vegetarian diet will improve or impair your mental wellbeing. Some doctors have found an increase in lethargy, anxiety, and depression associated with patients who adopted the lifestyle, while others have found that non meat-eaters have no worsening of mood conditions.

Psychologists suggest a supplementation of Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12 to counter any potential ill effects of going meat-free on mental health (supplementation is particularly important for vegans). Vegetarians who would rather not take supplement pills can find Omega-3s in salmon (if you eat fish, practically any fish will do), walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed and egg yolks.

Giving up eating meat and becoming a vegetarian can be extremely gratifying for your body and mind and not just because you're reducing your carbon footprint. It also has proven health benefits that include certain disease prevention and digestive health increases. However, it requires some attentive planning on the meal front to ensure that you're getting all of the nutrients your body needs.

The best way to avoid the unpleasant effects of nutritional depletion is by formulating a solid plan for your daily diet. Make sure that you consider which nutritional elements you'll lose from excluding meat and adjust your food intake accordingly this is the best way to ensure that your body reaps all the potential rewards from increasing your intake of plant-based goods.

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What Happens To Your Body When You Stop Eating Meat

It was no big deal diets are personal choices that ought to be respected. Years ago, a friend whose family raised beef cattle returned from college and said that he had stopped consuming meat, eggs and milk because a new girlfriend convinced him the meat industry was inhumane.

Being a meat-and-potatoes person and farm-raised, I objected to his condemnation of an entire industry. A farmer who abuses livestock wont last long in a demanding industry. The livestock community also works at self-policing and urges farmers to use best husbandry practices.

Per capita consumption of livestock and poultry meats since 1960 reached a high of 149.6 pounds in 1971 and stood at 110.1 pounds in 2020. Approximately 3% of the U.S. population considers themselves vegetarians, which represents a modest growth in recent years.

There was a time when it seemed that nearly every Hollywood starlet credited vegetarianism for maintaining their youthful appearance and some celebrity doctors urged avoiding meat. The pendulum has swung a bit back to all things in moderation.

It was unthinkable that my friends eating habits, and philosophy, could be turned on its head after one year of college.

He said he felt healthier eating more fruits and vegetables and admitted to but one vice Jell-O, which was introduced more than 100 years before. Pearle Wait and his wife, May, made cough medicine in their home before concocting a fruit-flavored dessert they called Jell-O. Lacking funds to develop the product, they sold the trademark to a deep-pocketed businessman for $450.

My friend may not have been well-informed about vegetarianism because he did not know that a key ingredient in Jell-O is gelatin, which is an animal collagen found in animal tendons, ligaments, and bones. A bit self-defensive, he said at least his vices dont include hot dogs.

Do you know whats in a hot dog? he asked.

I never needed to know mostly because Mother possessed great skill in curing our meat in the smokehouse, a small and modest building that resembled a one-seater outhouse. Hams, bacon and sausage were smoked with hard maple and corncobs. Blood and liver sausage as well as headcheese kept us well fed.

Headcheese ingredients head jowl, tongue, and other meat made for a great sandwich splashed with vinegar. Mother mixed the sausage ingredients in the same huge metal bowl that she used in bread-making.

Eldest daughter Sarah upended our household when it was decided to butcher her 4-H steer. Sarah vowed that if we followed through on the decision, she would never eat meat again. A compromise was reached in which we traded her steer for a neighbors fattened animal. A similar standoff ensued and eventually solved when daughter Rachels pet turkey was harvested.

The German prisoners of war who weeded fields were thankful that they hadnt been captured by the Soviets and had plenty of food to eat. As the war took its grim toll back at home, the German population filled their bellies with bread with sawdust as its main ingredient. Sawdust shaped in pork roast form eased hunger pangs.

Vegetarian or meat eater, the United States is blessed with abundant food. We are reminded as the weather turns cold, and Thanksgiving approaches that food insecurity is worsening. Local food shelves need donations to restock shelves as the holidays approach.

Consumers, in recent months, have been shocked that some items that they routinely purchase cannot be found on store shelves. Suppliers say that spot shortages will gradually work themselves out as the pandemic eases.

To read more of Mychal Wilmes' Farm Boy Memories, click here.

Mychal Wilmes is the retired managing editor of Agri News. He lives in West Concord, Minn., with his wife, Kathy.

Originally posted here:
Meat eater or not, the U.S.'s abundant food supply is to thank for our choices - AG Week

A biologist, an anthropologist, and an English professor team up for Kilachand Honors College course The Secret Life of Plants

Students in a BU class on plantstheir biology, anthropology, and literary rolestoured the Arnold Arboretum in Boston last month.

ClassesA biologist, an anthropologist, and an English professor team up for Kilachand Honors College course The Secret Life of Plants

You just knew sex was bound to come up in a class called The Secret Life of Plants.

Its mid-October as 20-plus Terriers tour the Arnold Arboretum, Harvards 281-acre botanical preserve. Their guide addresses an old question in biologywhat exactly is a species? Michael Dosmann, keeper of the Arboretums living collections, offers one definition, which distinguishes a species by its inability to reproduce with other, different organisms. The principle is seen in animals, but in plants, theres a little more fluidity, Dosmann says, citing the oak tree towering nearby. Oaks are highly, umumadventurous.

Interfertile, Les Kaufman, one of three professors teaching the interdisciplinary course, helpfully suggests. Interfertile, yes, thats probably a better way, Dosmann says. Oaks love to hybridize.

As risqu goes, it might not have been Bridgerton. But after all, this class is for students in the academically high-powered Kilachand Honors College. As they roam the Arboretums verdant copses, freckled with mid-autumn yellows and crimsons, the students learn other facts that make plants seem, well, sort of human. Such as arboreal suicide, Kaufmans term for how a trees own roots can strangle it.

The anthropomorphizing is intentional. Mixing insights from life science (Kaufman, a College of Arts & Sciences professor of biology), anthropology (Caterina Scaramelli, a CAS research assistant professor of anthropology), and literature (Adriana Craciun, a CAS professor and Emma MacLachlan Metcalf Chair in English), the class ponders floras possible intelligence and communication abilities, a theme flagged by the syllabus: What do plants know?

We led into that segment by looking at carnivorous plants, says Nashr El Auliya (ENG24). They actually have a method of getting food that seems a lot like hunting. Its like trapping animals. That brings up the question of, all right, this looks like it has agency, buthow do we define agency? That was really mind-warping to me. I was like, do I really want to think of plants that way?But that is the entire point of the class.

This class kind of makes me think a little bit differently about the world, agrees Nourhan El Sherif (ENG24). One interesting topic that we talked about was plant ethics and how plants interact with one another in the space of nature.

Oaks are highly, umumadventurous.

Agency? Ethics? Such talk has given biochemistry major Tyler Critz (CAS24) a newfound appreciation for our leafy, rooted, flowering friends.

All of my life, Ive been a very good plant killer, specifically house plant killer, he says. I overwater them, or I dont water them enough. With this class, it kind of opens up a new door to say there are things other than just how a plant looks, how the flowers look.

But if plants have agency, does that raise the same moral issues for vegetarianism as for meat-eating? I have been thinking about that for my entire life! says Craciun, a vegetarian for almost four decades. I am sure that it will be one of the things we discuss at the end of the class about students changing conceptions of plant life, because I am curious. Plants and food, and food politics, will be looming large at the end of the class.

Did we mention The Secret Life of Plants is interdisciplinary?

There must be a joke somewhere about bringing an anthropologist, an English professor/historian of science, and a biologist in a room, muses Scaramelli. Maybe by the end of the semester, we can get you a punchline. She recounts the class genesis during a CAS dinner in February 2020their last such gathering before COVID-19 halted indoor assembliesas she and Craciun were discussing their intersecting interests. Craciun suggested they co-teach a course on plants with a biologist.

My own work is unusually interdisciplinary for a literature professor, Craciun says. (Shes researching a book on a Norwegian seed storage facility used for global food security, and the ways in which scientific and cultural understandings of plants have changed dramatically and surprisingly since the 17th century Scientific Revolution.)

I do anthropology of the environment and science, and did research on wetlands for some time, Scaramelli says, and now have been interested in agrobiodiversity and questions of traditional garden/vegetable varieties.

Kaufman, meanwhile, cites his obsessive interest in carnivorous plants and his former hobby of raising orchids. Although my principal work is in marine systems, he notes more seriously, an important sideline of my research program deals with the recovery of tropical forest communities after deforestation or natural disturbances.

All of which is to say that plants touch multiple aspects of life. Our class is focused on the questions of what plants do, says Scaramelli, how they move, grow, sprout, form symbiotic relationships, transmit information, and how they transform place. For me, a takeaway is that the world of humans is really mediated by plants. We cant think of plants outside of the social, historical, ecological context in which they live, and outside of the relationships they form and are implicated in.

Kilachand draws students from across BUs schools and colleges; most of those in this class are CAS majors in biology or natural sciences. But what El Auliya calls the weird combination of disciplines is precisely the draw for a STEM student like him: It just seemed like a really wild, outlandish idea, where you just join all three professors in this really interesting setup.

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The Secret Life of Plants | BU Today - BU Today

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A meat-free diet is linked to higher levels of depression and anxiety than omnivorous eating, according to a recent analysisin the journal Food Science and Nutrition.

That analysis examined 20 studies on meat consumption and mental health, and found an association between vegetarianism or veganism and poorer mental-health outcomes.

"How many people have you met that are both happy and diet all the time?" Urska Dobersek, a psychologist at the University of Southern Indiana who co-authored the analysis, told Insider. "Probably very few and there is a strong, scientific reason for that restrictive diets make people unhealthy and unhappy in the long term."

Any potential causal link, however, is still debated. Although some studies suggest that nutritional deficiencies associated with vegan diets can be linked to depression, it's possible that depression and anxiety may precede someone's decision to go meat-free.

"Meat avoidance may be both the 'chicken' and the 'egg' when it comes to mental illness," Dobersek said.

The research included in the new analysis spans the years from 2001 to mid-2020, and includes nearly 172,000 participants across four continents. Of that group, about 158,000 people ate meat and 13,000 did not.

All but two of the studies relied on questionnaires in which respondents self-reported whether they ate meat or not, then answered prompts about whether they experienced anxiety and depression.

The analysis concluded that "meat abstention is clearly associated with poorer mental health."

That was true regardless of a person's sex, though the researchers weren't able to see the whether other factors influence the correlation such as a person's age, the particular types of meat they eat, their socioeconomic status, their history of mental illness, or how long they've abstained from meat.

Still, the finding builds on previous research demonstrating similar trends, so Dobersek said she wasn't surprised. Her own team, in fact, published an analysis last year that suggested abstaining from meat is associated with a higher risk of depression, anxiety, and self-harm.

An August analysis from a team in Germany, meanwhile, also found that vegetarians were more depressed than meat eaters.

"The idea that we can become healthier, or happier, by eliminating foods and beverages is simplistic, unscientific, and not supported by valid evidence," Dobersek said.

However, there's no evidence a meat-free diet directly leads mental health to decline.

"We cannot say that meat-free diets cause mental illness. What we did find is that the research doesn't support the idea that eliminating meat can improve mental health," Edward Archer, who co-authored the 2020 paper with Dobersek, previously told Insider.

Although severalstudies have found that vegetarians are more depressed than meat-eaters, other research has shown the opposite. There's also the question of chronology: Do people stop eating meat first, then develop a higher risk of depression? Or do more people who are already depressed chose to become vegan or vegetarian? Very few studies offer answers, though research from 2012 suggested that depression may precede a switch to vegetarianism.

Other possible explanations for the link, according to Dobersek and Archer, could be that people try meat-free diets to address existing mental health issues, or people with depression may be more likely to empathize with animals and make nutritional choices based on personal ethics.

"Individuals struggling with mental illness often alter their diets as a form of self-treatment," Dobersek said. "And it appears that many people choose veganism as an ethical response to the cruelty inherent in 'nature' and human societies."

It's possible, too, that individuals who are depressed or anxious about climate change are more likely to make dietary choices that lower carbon emissions. Globally, the livestock industry is responsible for about 15% of annual emissions.

Dobersek noted, though, that strict vegan diets can sometimes lead to nutrient deficiencies, especially in pregnant women. That, in turn, can increase the risk of physical and mental illness. For example, vitamin B-12, folate, and Omega-3 fatty acids are only in animal products, and a deficit of those nutrients is linked to depression, low energy, and poor metabolism.

When Dobersek's 2020 analysis came out, some who read it thought it demonstrated that meat-eating improves mental health, but Archer said "that's patently false."

Additionally, critics of those same findings pointed out that Dobersek had recieved more than $10,000 in grant money from the National Cattlemen's Beef Association "to conduct a systematic review on 'Beef for a Happier and Healthier Life.'"

The new analysis, too, was funded in part by a grant through the beef association. The authors noted, however, that the sponsor did not influence the research design, data collection, or study conclusions.

Dobersek said she thinks the results could still have implications for how dietary guidelines are created and communicated.

"With each edition, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans became more restrictive," she said. (In 2020, for instance, federal recommendations suggested Americans limit their intake of red meat, whereas no such recommendation was in the 2005 version.)

"Yet the US population has become more diabetic, more anxious, and more depressed," Dobersek continued. "I do not think this is a coincidence."

Original post:
Vegans report higher depression and anxiety than meat eaters: analysis - Business Insider