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Vegetarian Arument: Take THAT David! >D |
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Is eating meat necessary to live a healthy lifestyle? The vegetarian lifestyle is growing more and more popular. One of the reasons for its growing popularity is the health benefits it holds. A large body of scientific literature suggests that the consumption of a diet of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, and fruits, with the avoidance of meat and high-fat animal products, along with a regular exercise program is consistently associated with lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, less obesity and consequently less heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and mortality (8, vegnutrition). Now, many individuals are investigating vegetarianism for the health benefits. Some meat-eaters argue, however, that eating meat is a necessity to a healthy lifestyle. Is it? Some arguments used to back up this claim are that vegetarian foods have as many health risks as meat, that fats contained in meat are healthy to consume in moderation, or that vegetarians are only healthy due to their health-consciousness and not to their diet; however, although some of these arguments may be true (to an extent) eating meat is not necessary to live a healthy lifestyle. In this day and age, in nearly any food we eat there is bound to be concerns of contaminants such as pesticides, hormones, or genes implanted into food during genetic modification (among the many); however, that does not justify why eating meat should be considered a necessity to a healthy lifestyle. Fruits and vegetables – predominant in a vegetarian diet – include just as serious risks for being contaminated as meat products. Genetically modified crops and pesticide residue are a constant concern. By genetically modifying food and placing a gene into a plant there is a possibility that it may create a new allergen or cause an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals (190, csadiscovery). There is also a worry that genetically modifying food could bring about an unknown disease of some sort (although there is no scientifically approved research to prove this as of yet). Pesticide residue on food is also a serious concern. According to the United State’s Environmental Protection Agency, laboratory studies have shown that pesticides can cause serious health problems, such as birth defects, nerve damage, cancer, and other effects that might occur over a long period of time (1, epa). Although fruits and vegetables carry dangerous health risks, contaminants found in meat are equally as severe. There is notable research that has been done to show that there may be a relationship between consuming red meat and an increased mortality rate as well as the likeliness to attain heart disease and/or cancer (1-24, smithsonian). As an example, United States cattle are implanted with natural or synthetic sex hormones prior to entering feed lots 100 days prior to slaughter in order to increase their meat yield. Not surprisingly, United States meat is contaminated with high levels of sex hormones. Based on these concerns, and as warned by the Cancer Prevention Coalition and five leading national experts, United States meat poses increased risks of hormonal cancers, which have escalated since 1975: breast by 23 percent, prostate by 60 percent, and testis by 60 percent (36, healthychild). Not surprisingly, United States meat is banned in some leading countries (62, healthychild). Plus meat (especially if undercooked or not prepared properly) can cause dangerous types of food poisoning such as E-coli or salmonella. No matter what food you choose to eat – meat or fruits and vegetables – there will always be a risk for contaminants. While we should make sure that all of our foods is produced in a safe and healthy way that does not prove why meat should be a necessity for a healthy diet. The next argument people use to back up the claim that meat is essential to a healthy lifestyle is that fats in animal meat can be healthy if consumed in moderation. This is true. We have been encouraged to believe that saturated fats and cholesterol, both found in animal fats, are the main causes of chronic degenerative diseases; however, these two variables can actually be good for you. (18, drbenkim) Saturated fats can enhance our immune system, help incorporate calcium into our bones, and some of them have antimicrobial properties that protect us against harmful microorganisms in our digestive tracts. Cholesterol helps maintain a healthy intestinal lining, assists us in dealing with stress, and converts into vitamin D (26, drbenkim). So why are we told saturated fats and cholesterol are so bad for us when they hold such healthy properties? The danger comes when we eat fats and cholesterol that have been damaged by heat, oxygen, and unnatural farming practices. Damaged fats and cholesterol can lead to injury to the walls of our blood vessels, promoting a build-up of plaque that heals the injured areas. It is this build-up of plaque that impairs blood circulation and paves the way to heart disease and other chronic illnesses (46, drbenkim). Damaged fats and cholesterol are often found in meats that have been cooked at high temperatures, especially those that have been fried or deep-fried (57, drbenkim). Unfortunately, fast food restaurants thrive off of fried or deep-fried foods and in an age where there are more than 50,000,000 citizens in the United States depending on fast food it isn’t a surprise why cholesterol and saturated fats get such a bad reputation (1, myfit). The problem with the argument that animal fats are healthy in moderation is that majority of people are misinformed and don’t know how to eat in moderation. Chain restaurants and fast-food joints often super-size meals and give us an unrealistic view of portion size. Food at fast food joints contains high amounts of highly refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, sugars and sodium. They also have very high calorific value and are devoid of all the vital nutrients which play significant roles in the metabolism. High levels of carbohydrates raise the sugar level in the blood, as a result, the liver produce more insulin. High levels of insulin increase the amounts of fat depositions in the body. Because we have such an unrealistic view of portion size we are more likely to eat an extra helping of fried chicken tenders or an extra large French fries order and in this way, fast food leads to obesity – a condition that can lead to Heart Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Dyslipidemia, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Sleep Apnea, Arthritis, Blount’s Disease, Respiratory Problems, Liver Damage and Stroke (47, myfit). It is therefore unreasonable to say fats can be healthy in moderation since fast food industries and some restaurants give us unreasonable ideas about what is “eating in moderation.” Of course, there is the option of trying to eat lean, grilled chicken instead of fried chicken; however, fast food is often a lot cheaper and more convenient for some people than taking the time to sit at home and prepare their own meal (especially prevalent in the poverty stricken) so if you don’t take precautions to make sure to eat animal fats in realistic moderation it will inevitably be detrimental to your health in the long-run. Finally is the claim that vegetarians are only healthy due to their health consciousness. A common misconception is that there are not vegetarians who are obese. Eating “healthfully” does not only encompass what we eat – it also encompasses how much we eat. There is also the factor to consider that not every vegetarian chooses the lifestyle for the health benefits - some choose to pursue the lifestyle because they are animal lovers. In an issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition it states that women who are vegetarians are less likely to be obese than those who eat meat (1, earthtimes). The study quizzed 55,459 healthy middle-aged and older women about their eating habits, weight and other health and lifestyle factors. Vegetarians were found to have the lowest average body mass index (BMI). Additionally, 40 per cent of meat-eaters were found to be obese, while only 25 percent of the vegetarians were overweight (16, earthtimes). Not only does this show there are unhealthy vegetarians, it also shows that there is significant evidence that a vegetarian diet can help lower obesity; hence, lessening the possibility of developing one of the many chronic illnesses the condition can lead to. Growing up we’ve all been taught to have a well-balanced diet but to those who are unfamiliar with or uninformed about the vegetarian diet it may seem puzzling or worrisome. One might wonder whether the vegetarian diet could provide all of the nutrients that a diet with meat incorporated in it could bring. While vegetarians don’t eat meat they are still able to consume other foods which can give them the same or similar health benefits that saturated fats or cholesterol that are found in meat do. The only true deficiency vegetarians are at risk for is vitamin B-12; however, with vitamin supplements there should be no harmful consequences for them. While a vegetarian diet also contains just as much of a serious risk for contamination as a diet that consumes meat, a vegetarian diet is also low in cholesterol and saturated fats which can be extremely unhealthy if you are uninformed and can lead to serious health risks such as obesity which can lead to a series of other dangerous conditions. If you are a vegetarian you wouldn’t have to worry about potentially putting yourself at risk. Lastly, there is no proof that all vegetarians are health conscious – that is undeniably unique to the individual. Therefore, all of this proves that meat is neither necessary nor essential to living a healthy lifestyle. In fact, weighing the pros and con’s between the two – a vegetarian diet seems to be the healthier, less risky lifestyle than one that consumes meat.
Princess Kitaaa · Thu Mar 17, 2011 @ 01:26am · 0 Comments |
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