In contemporary society, Vegan diets have become prolific, especially among youths and adolescent females. Unlike Vegetarians who do not eat meat (the flesh of animals), Vegans do not consume any food sources of animal origin e.g. milk, butter. Many vegans also refrain from using animal products such as wool and leather. The reasons for these nutritional preferences can include, environmental issues, ethical issues on the treatment of animals, the health benefits of a Vegan diet, and the fear of animal-borne diseases. Jenny Brown, a fair-skinned teenager initiated her Vegan diet two years ago. She does not take any nutrition supplements and is currently 14 years old. Jenny’s vegan diet can reduce her risk of chronic disease later in adulthood as studies show that adult vegans have lower rates of obesity, cancer and cardiovascular disease than omnivorous persons. Although her current diet is abundant in plant-source nutrients such as vitamins E and C, magnesium, fibre, folic acid and unsaturated fat content, it is lacking in other important nutrients that include iron, iodine, Vitamins D and B-12, zinc, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, protein and energy. Jenny has to regularly consume foods that contain these vital nutrients or else she will increase her own risk of developing certain nutritional deficiencies and various health problems. It is during these periods of growth that Jenny is susceptible to great risks associated with nutrient deficiency in her diet.
A vegan diet consisting of high-fibre and low caloric density, often does not allow an adequate amount of energy to be consumed before the person feels full. Children require adequate energy for growth and development. Without sufficient energy, it becomes difficult to meet...
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... of vegetarians and even vegan children is within the normal range, although are usually leaner than omnivorous children. Adversely, poor planning and preparation or severely restricted diets can lead to compromise or delay of growth due to various nutrient deficiencies. Adequate nutrition can be provided by a vegan diet when parents or guardians are knowledgeable. To safely manage her vegan diet, Jenny may consult with a dietician who is acquainted and experienced in this area. Unlike a balanced vegetarian diet, which may satisfy all nutritional needs, Jenny will at least have to take vitamin B12 supplements and take extra precaution and consideration based on her age and stage of development. As a young, growing adolescent, it is of utmost importance that Jenny’s diet is restricted as little as possible to decrease her risks of developing nutritional deficiencies.
I will first show the lack of validity and soundness to Howard’s claim that A) a vegan lifestyle is a healthier choice and B) his claim that one must switch to that lifestyle to enjoy these said benefits. To the claim made in A, Howard uses his own health problems he endured on his meat diet, and uses it as a constant variable comparing it to his now relative healthy lifestyle as a vegan. On first glance anyone who eats a calorie-laden, unbalanced diet and ends up weighing 300 pounds, as Lyman himself admitted, will have health problems regardless of his orientation to meat or vegetables. With this said his comparing analogy is inertly flawed and must be disregarded from the argument he presents. On march 8 before the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, Mary K Young, MS.,R.D,NCBA Director of Nutrition Research and Information, presented the benefits of eating meat. Using Data from the 1995 USDA Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSI) she confirms that red meat enhances one overall diet quality. Young goes on to point out that red meat is the number one source for protein, B12, and zinc, number 2 source for B6 and third greatest source for iron, niacin and potassium. She also pointed out that red meat alone has the greatest concentrates of iron and zinc together. Also included cited in Young’s report was the research recently published in the Journal of the American...
However, a child raised on a vegan diet can prove to be just as healthy as a child raised on a standard diet. As true with any diet, an unbalanced vegan diet lacking in necessary vitamins and minerals or having excess fat can lead to an unhealthy child and because children have smaller appetites and with the range of food available to eat already limited it might be hard to find food they will eat (Mann). This makes raising a child on a vegan diet a little more difficult than raising a child on a standard diet but not impossible. “Many dieticians believe it is possible to bring up a healthy vegan child [but] ... ‘you do have to make sure you know what you are doing.’(Mann).” With a vegan diet that is, on its own, restrictive a parent just has to ensure that their child is getting everything they need just like an adult on a vegan diet. Children have more nutritional requirements to ensure that they get enough of what they need you just have to plan each meal. Nut butters are extremely rich in protein and many grains are calcium fortified. There are also meat substitutes made of beans, soy, and vegetables that can appeal to children and are full of many of the vitamins a vegan could need. It is perfectly safe for a child to be raise vegan as long as they are consuming a proper balance of what they need
Whitney, E., DeBruyne, L. K., Pinna, K., & Rolfes, S. R. (2007). Nutrition through the Life Span: Childhood and Adolescence . Nutrition for health and health care (3rd ed., pp. 301-329). Belmount: Thomson/Wadsworth.
Veganism is not only a diet, it is a lifestyle. It can affect one’s life drastically. Many notice improvements in their physical and mental health. Emilia Szymasiuk, who has been vegan for over a year, claims that now she feels stronger mentally, which she credits to her change of lifestyle. According to the study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, vegans consume more nutrients, more fiber, and less saturated fat than other people which results in lower rates of diabetes, and heart disease. In addition, breast cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, kidney cancer, colon cancer, as well as benign prostatic hypertrophy can be prevented or reversed on a plant-based diet (Greger). Consequently, plant- based eating
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 ...
Society has recently become increasingly obsessed with health and nutrition, as more and more individuals realize that they can dramatically change their quality of life by adjusting their diet and lifestyle. One way that people have tried to pursue a healthier lifestyle, is by removing meat and other animal products from their diets, whether they become a strict vegetarian who eats no animal byproducts, or a lacto-ovo vegetarian who still eats eggs and dairy. As with any other lifestyle, research is always being done to see if the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, and so far, the results of vegetarian diets have been encouraging. Vegetarian diets have proven to decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and many other health problems. With a little planning and dedication, a vegetarian diet will be healthier and more beneficial than a traditional diet
Children understand that food is important in their life, however they do not know that nutrition also plays a significant role in health as well.
Diet in Hinduism The Hindu Diet, something that had always seemed interesting to me, the general idea of what their diet consisted of and if their religion restricted a certain food. In researching their diet, I was extremely surprised on what I found out. Their diet is not what I, myself, thought it was. I, for example, had always thought that in Hinduism, a vegetarian diet was forced upon everyone, but to my surprise, it isn’t- but I’ll talk about that later in this essay.
According to vegansociety.com, “ Veganism represents a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, other animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, other animals and the environment.“ People that follow this way of living are called vegans. The vegan diet is more a lifestyle choice and a philosophy than just a diet. The vegan life is the best way to live because it’s healthier, helps the environment, and is kinder to animals.
Deficiencies of macronutrient and micronutrient adversely affect growth, body composition, muscle strength, intelligence, body development and quality of life in the pediatric age group.
Society has recently become increasingly obsessed with health and nutrition, as more and more individuals realize that they can dramatically change their quality of life by adjusting their diet and lifestyle. One such way that people have tried to pursue a healthier lifestyle, is by removing meat and other animal products from their diets, whether they become a strict vegetarian who eats no animal byproducts, or a lacto-ovo vegetarian who still eats eggs and dairy. As with any other lifestyle, research is always being done to see if the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, and so far, the results of vegetarian diets have been encouraging. Vegetarian diets have proven to decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and many other health problems. With a little planning and dedication, a vegetarian diet will be healthier and more beneficial than a traditional diet that includes meat and animal products.
Critics of vegetarianism do not believe that going on a plant based diet is the healthier choice. According to Nancy Rodriguez , people need to have a balanced diet consisting of the basic food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy. Vegetarians are getting the important nutrients from vegetables, fruits, grains, and dairy but are missing important vitamins that they would normally get from proteins, such as, vitamin D, vitamin B12, zinc, iron, and calcium. These nutrients are available in other foods but vegetarians are not able to get it in large amounts as they would be in meat. This insufficient amount of nutrients could create health problems in the future, for example, not having enough vitamin D could lead to bad bone structure. It is true that becoming a vegetarian could lead to some nutritional problems in the body however; there are many more positive aspects in becoming a vegetarian than negatives.
Vegetarians tend to be healthier than those who consume meat. This is due to the prevalent unnatural chemicals used in the processing of meats, and eating these are unsuitable for the body. Meats already contain harmful amounts of cholesterol, and over-consumption of red meat can lead to early heart disease. Animals that are raised on farms for their meat are not treated well, and this mistreatment can lead to harm in the meat they are producing. Although one life choice cannot change one’s environmental
Going through life as carnivores, most people do not feel as though it is immoral due to the food chain. They are simply eating what is right to maintain proper nutrition and remain healthy. It is understandable that people do not eat meat due to animal cruelty, love of animals, morals, and ethical reasoning, but in reality, they are just robbing themselves of the proper nutrients. Vegetarians are likely to come across many negative health risks that meat eaters are less likely to come across. By not eating meat, vegetarians are prone to pernicious anemia due to vitamin B deficiency, which can seriously interfere with the production or red blood cells within bone marrow. Other health problems include iron deficiency, animal-protein deficiency, and vitamin D deficiency, as well as having lo...
Compared with other vegetarian diets, vegan diets tend to comprise of less saturated fat and cholesterol and more dietary fiber. However, rejecting all animal products from the diet surges the risk of certain nutritional insufficiencies. Except vegans regularly consume foods that are invigorated with these nutrients, proper supplements should be consumed. With rising worldwide food and water diffidence due to a countless of environmental and socio-economic problems, there's never been a better time to implement a more sustainable way of living. Avoiding animal products is not just one of the greenest ways an individual can reduce the strain on food as well as other resources, it's the simplest way to take a stand against unproductive food systems which disproportionately affects the poorest people all over the