Topic 1: I would not say that a vegan diet is necessarily more healthful than a regular old animal food diet. I would say that there are benefits to both types of diets. I actually don’t know much about vegan diets but I would say that I have a stereotype about the people that are on vegan diets which I know I need to work on changing. There are definitely some benefits to a vegan diet where no animal products are consumed. Our book discusses the probability that a vegan diet will reduced the amount of bad fats eaten and in turn help lower risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. It also helps that the majority of food a vegan consumes are vegetables and fruits so they are taking in more anti-oxidants and good fiber. According to our text vegans may have a hard time getting adequate amounts of protein, calcium, zinc, iron and vitamin B if they do not remain mindful of what they are consuming. On the website VRG.org (Vegetarian Resource Group) they offer a sample menu for a day of vegan eating that will provide enough nutrients, including protein, for a vegan to remain healthy. Here is the menu: Protein (grams) Breakfast: 1 cup Oatmeal 6 1 cup Soy Milk 7 1 medium Bagel 10 Lunch: 2 slices Whole Wheat Bread 7 1 cup Vegetarian Baked Beans 12 Dinner: 5 oz firm Tofu 12 1 cup cooked Broccoli 4 1 cup cooked Brown Rice 5 2 Tbsp Almonds 4 Snack: 2 Tbsp Peanut Butter 8 6 Crackers 2 TOTAL 77 grams As you can see a vegan diet can provide plenty of protein if the right foods are consumed each day! Proteins are not equal in value. Take beans for example, one cup of black beans produces 15 grams of proteins whereas one cup of soybeans produc... ... middle of paper ... ...ch leads to cutting out carbohydrates can cause numerous health issues. Some of them are hypoglycemia, increased risk for heart disease and apparently increased risk of some types of cancer. The debate also discusses that high protein diets can impair brain function. To me, this sounds extremely dangerous! However, at the end of this article it does begin to discuss that participants in a study of the Atkins diet showed some positive things as well. Like most things we’ve learned so far in this class I’m realizing that there are good and bad sides to each nutrient and idea. There is no right or wrong perfect answer. Moderation seems to be a consistent theme. Being mindful of how much of something you consume and aiming to consume the good carbohydrates, proteins and fats as opposed to the bad ones. There are a lot of things to keep in mind while trying to be healthy!
This is actually not true. A vegan diet is no worse or better than a meat diet, it all depends on how balanced your diet is (Anisman-Reiner). Like with any diet a person has to be sure they are eating enough and receiving enough nutrients that their body needs to run. In any diet a person can have too much bad and not enough good, if a person eats too many fats and processed food they could become at risk for many health issues; a person on either a meat or vegan diet can be affected by this. What many people don’t know is that on a vegan diet a person can get all the nutrients a person can get on the traditional meat diet. One thing that many people often wonder is “Where do you get calcium if you don’t eat dairy?” A misleading fact in today’s society is that you need dairy to get calcium but this isn’t true. Countless other foods have calcium and a person on a vegan diet will eat more of these foods than a non-vegan making it easy for them to get all the calcium they need. A person who consumes 2,000 calories a day should have the equivalent of
Rachel K. Johnson, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association and professor of nutrition and Medicine at the University of Vermont says, “[Your risk of heart disease reduces] because of the fatty red meats and many processed meats that are high in saturated fat, which raises LDL cholesterol which increases risk of coronary heart disease.” Being vegetarian doesn’t just help women with heart disease, but it helps with so much more. For one it helps lower your blood pressure, in a research that was done on a group of people it was found that only vegetarians were found with the lowest blood pressure (Alexandra p.1). Secondly it helps lower the risk of death. A 2013 study showed that more than 70,000 people found that vegetarians had a twelve percent lower risk of death compared with non-vegetarians (Alexandra p.2) With the absence of the saturated fat and cholesterol that clogs arteries, vegetarians are at a lower risk for chronic disease overall. Thirdly, when being a vegetarian you are also in a better mood. “ A 2012 study randomly split participants into three diets: all-meat allowed, fish-only and vegetarian no-meat. The researchers found that after two weeks, the people on the vegetarian diet reported more mood improvements than those on the other two diets.”(Alexandra p.3). Being a vegetarian also gives you a less risk of being over weight, which we all know has been one of the biggest problems here in America. Too many people are overweight and are not doing
Diets high in plant protein, such as the vegetarian diet, are linked with many health benefits. Studies suggest vegetarians tend to have a lower body weight, lower cholesterol, lower risk of diabetes, lower blood pressure levels. (21) (18) They also have a lower risk of stroke, cancer and death from heart disease than non-vegetarians (15) (16).
A vegetarian diet usually has high fiber and is low in fat and calories. This is why a vegetarian diet is a great option for someone who wants to lose weight. However, a diet too low in fat and calories can be a problem for children and teenagers who are still growing (Becoming a Vegetarian 2014). It is important that someone does not start a new diet without asking a healthcare professional first. Another benefit of a vegetarian diet is that it might be helpful in reducing the risk of heart disease. In a study on 76,000 people, vegetarians were 25% less likely to die of heart disease then someone who eats meat (Harvard Health).Becoming a vegetarian has a lot of health
The term vegan, devised in 1944 via Donald Watson, is referred to as an individual that follows veganism, which is the exclusion of all animal products to be consumed, predominantly in their diet (Kahn, 2011). Veganism is primarily supported due to preventing animal cruelty, as well as its health benefits and environmental consequences (Craig, 2009). Adolescence is referred to as the transition from childhood to adulthood, due to biological changes that occur via the onset of puberty (Ellis, 2004). Essential nutrients that are vital to be consumed during adolescence are proteins, which are in the category of macronutrients as they are required in large amounts, as well as calcium and iron, which are categorised as micronutrients, thus being required in smaller amounts (Bialostosky, Wright, Kennedy-Stephenson, McDowell & Johnson, 2002). Protein, calcium and iron are claimed to be essential nutrients in an adolescent female following a vegan diet as they are at higher risk to be lacked via plant-based sources if the consumption of these nutrients are inadequate, which may implicate negative effects on the growth and development during the pubertal growth spurt (Craig, 2009; Ilich-Ernst et al., 1998). This essay will be regarding to a 14 year old female named Jenny Brown, whom is currently following a vegan diet and is not consuming any supplementation in order to obtain adequate nutrition. As Jenny Brown is at the age of adolescence, this essay will discuss the biological changes that occur during puberty, followed on by a discussion on each of the vital nutrients including the macronutrient protein, as well as the micronutrients calcium and iron that are essential to be adequately consumed in order to attain nutritional competence ...
There's little doubt that the Earth is in a crisis. The human population is hungrily burning through its resources while simultaneously destroying its ecological balance. While catastrophe seems imminent, there is one small change each person could make in life that would lessen the devestating impact and minimalize our ecological footprint: Veganism.
While plant-based diet have been around for decades, veganism did not make headlines until the late 1990’s. ‘Vegetarian’ first appears in a title of an article on September 16th, 1852, five years after the Vegetarian Society was formed (Vegetarian Society). Although veganism has clearly risen in popularity in the 21st century, it can not be concluded that American’s view plant-based eating positively. Multiple articles have been published bashing the lifestyle. ‘Vegan’ first appeared in a title of an article on December 6th, 1998, fifty-four years after the first vegan society was formed (Vegan Society). The article was titled, “All Species Welcome At A Vegan Mixer.” The author wrote about veganism as a foreign idea and made jokes on vegan’s behalf. The second time veganism appeared in the New York Times was in December of the same year. The article exposed a vegan eco-terrorist group, giving all vegans a bad reputation. Two years later, on February 1st, 2000,
People who are against vegetarianism believe that vegetarians don’t get enough nutrients in their diet. Vegetarians and vegans could easily become deficient in vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium, and the fatty acids EPA & DHA, and vitamins A & D that are fat-soluble. Vitamin B12 deficiency is the most common among vegetarians and vegans which could lead to fatigue, weakness, memory loss, anemia, neurological, and psychiatric problems. In Western vegetarians, zinc deficiency can fall below the recommended levels
Many people have always wondered why people who had always ate meat their entire lives, decide to become vegetarians. People would presume that they wanted to lose weight, become healthier, or even just to try it out. Several would say non-vegetarianism is healthier and could help your body; however, vegetarians can be healthy too by what they eat and how much they eat of that particular food. Although I eat meat and I’m not a vegetarian, being a vegetarian can help your body in more ways than one and have many advantages in helping your body. Many become vegetarians to remove non-healthy things from their body, are animal lovers, or even religious or cultural reasons.
Vegan life is healthier for the nutritional benefits are better when compared to non-vegan eating. The majority of people in the world consume a diet, which contains food derived from animals. Those who have animal derived diets follow such a diet due to commonly known nutrition benefits and taste that come with the diet. Although, most people were told that such a diet was healthy, they wouldn’t follow such a diet if they knew the harm that came with it. Furthermore, several people know they require fruits, vegetables, and grains, according to the commonly known food nutrition chart. However, some people do not know that animal derived food is not necessary and that there are other healthier foods to replace them. Vegan diets follow the food chart needs without consuming food that come from animals by replacing the nutritional benefits that come from animals with plant-based foods that also have the same nutritional benefits.
Some people consider it “unhealthy” to lead a vegetarian diet, because they don’t think they would get all the necessary nutrients that are needed. But as long as a person supplements for meat, they can maintain a very healthy life! Tofo is a meat-replaced food that many vegetarians eat. They also consume a lot of beans which are an excellent source of protein. Dairy products produced in cruelty free facilities can also be purchased. To maintain a healthy vegetarian diets, supplements can also be found for iron, calcium, vitamin D and B12, and zinc.
According to Bonnie Beezhold et.al found that vegans and vegetarians, “…report better mood than non-vegetarians, suggesting that even less animal food intake is associated with better mood” (293). Also, Beezhold et.al, “…have found that the risk of major chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and type-2 diabetes may be reduced by adopting a completely plant-based diet vs. an omnivore diet” (Beezhold et.al 289). Overall, the medical community has agreed that veganism is a healthy option to avoid disease, but their concerns are that vegans will be deficient in certain vitamins and minerals that the regular omnivores are not deficient in. If a vegan is deficit in a certain mineral or vitamin that person can take supplements to combat it. People can say that if I take supplements will that make me healthy even though I consume meat? No, because you are consuming meat and that can clog arteries and increase cholesterol. I think that veganism is probably one of the healthiest options available for everyone. I also think that it is the healthiest because you do not see people become fat off of eating vegetables and fruits. I also agree with Beezhold et.al findings which show that vegans have less stress and anxiety because of the food they ate. Beezhold et.al think this may be because omnivores consume meat and the food the animals were fed where “…higher in certain
Numerous people believe that a vegetarian diet is unhealthy for the reason that one is not consuming enough protein since there is a decrease in the consumption of meat. However, meat is not the only source of protein. Nuts and grains contain great amounts of protein, and by eating these in the place of meat, one not only gets protein, but avoids the harmful carbohydrates and fats that are in animal meats. Consuming supplements can also help gain nutrients if the diet is not providing enough. There are countless amounts of nutritional supplements that one can purchase, including fish oil and omega 3s. These can be fairly cheap if purchased at the right place, and easily give bodies the nutrients they crave to function.
All of these nutrients aid in providing the body with the minerals that can help prevent health diseases. As can be seen with the vegetarian diet, there are many health benefits that can prevent, or be treated for, health diseases. According to the American Dietetic Association, the vegetarian diet is healthy and recommended for obtaining the nutrients needed for better health. A vegetarian diet is low in cholesterol and fatty acids, and these are the factors that contribute to many health diseases. The nutrients that the vegetarian diet contains are beneficial and reduce the chances of becoming obese, getting heart disease, and being diagnosed with cancer.
Promoters of the vegan lifestyle emphasize that chronic diseases are diminished, protein can be obtained through vegetable sources, and animals would not have to be slaughtered if they have their way. They also list the following advantages of being a vegan.