Vegetarianism is a food system based on complete or partial refusal of meat. Of course, such a "diet" also has the moral side of the issue. But, I must say at once, in this article, it will not be taken into account. Consider vegetarianism as a food system and try to understand its advantages and disadvantages.
Contents
- Vegetarianism pros and cons
- Vegetarianism benefits - pluses of vegetarianism
- Vegetarianism - minuses
- Meatless refusal - pluses
- Meaning of meat abandonment
- How to abandon meat?
- Refusal of meat effects
- Changes in the body after giving up meat
- Tips & Feedback
- Video: Feeding plant food is good and HARM!
Vegetarianism pros and cons
Refusal of meat today in a trend. Most Hollywood actors and other famous people are proud that they do not eat animal products. At the same time they look great.
Doing vegetarianism is an excellent advertisement. But, you need to understand that the possibilities of the average person and the movie actor are, say, slightly different. Therefore, before you abandon food of animal origin, you need to learn all the advantages and disadvantages of this choice.
Vegetarianism is a plus - the benefits of vegetarianism
Since food of vegetable origin contains a minimum amount of fat, refusal of meat allows you to lose excess weight. This is one of the main advantages of a vegetarian food system. Moreover, many have joined this food system precisely because of the opportunity to bring their body in order.
- Vegetable food has little energy value, but it also saturates the stomach well
- If meat is replaced with vegetables and fruits, you can not only reduce subcutaneous fat, but also remove toxins and toxins from the body. Eating vegetable food helps to normalize metabolic processes in the body
- As many studies show, vegetarian adherents suffer less from hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
- Vegetables and fruits are rich in vitamins and trace elements. Such minerals as potassium and magnesium, without which the human body can not work normally, can be obtained mostly from products of vegetable origin: potatoes, bananas, buckwheat
- In plant foods, many complex carbohydrates, which are an excellent source of energy and are not deposited onsides and buttocks in the form of fat. That is why vegetarians look more slim and fit
Vegetarianism - minuses
- In plant foods, many nutrients and vitamins. But, it has very little of the most important substance for all living things - protein
- Yes, it is present in vegetables and fruits. But, vegetable protein has a small amino acid composition. What does not allow it to be used as a replacement for the squirrel from meat. Moreover, vegetable protein is less easily absorbed by the body.
- . The lack of protein can affect the functioning of the immune and reproductive system over time.
- Of course, you can replace the vegetable protein with vegetable. To do this, it is necessary to combine products with different amino acid compositions in your diet. But, it is very difficult to take into account and, at least, it is necessary to have a special education
- But, not only the lack of protein should worry vegetarians. If you decide to give up meat, you need to include in your diet foods rich in iron. This macronutrient is widely distributed in the plant world. But, digested iron from plant products is much worse than from meat
A lack of iron can lead to a decrease in hemoglobin and endocrine disruptions.
IMPORTANT: Iron is best absorbed with lemon or ascorbic acid. And also, with fructose. This should be taken into account when choosing your vegetarian diet.
If you decide to give up meat, you also need to know that your body will most likely lose its vitamins: B2, B12, A, D and trace elements: selenium, copper, zinc and calcium. Therefore, it is very important to increase the consumption of plant products, in which these substances are presented in large quantities.
It is also worth considering the financial side of the issue. Prices for fresh fruits and vegetables are quite high today. Especially in the winter. In addition, many vegetarian recipes require the presence of imported vegetables and fruits, which are difficult to replace with domestic products.
Refusal of meat - pluses
Refusal of meat can really give its pluses. According to the British Journal of Cancer Research, vegetarians have 12% less risk of oncology than people who regularly eat meat. But, unfortunately, the British experts did not give the data about the quantity of meat lovers who used it.
- Vegetable food is easier to digest. Especially if it is not subjected to heat treatment. Therefore, vegetarians, especially raw food, are more quickly restored to
- . They need less time to sleep. This is due to the fact that plant foods, thanks to enzymes, relieve the load from the digestive system. And the body spends less energy on its digestion
- If you abandon the meat can reduce the cholesterol in the body. First, one of the reasons for increasing this substance in the body is fatty food of animal origin. Secondly, plant products contain substances that can remove excess cholesterol from the body. Especially it is famous for garlic
- Also it is necessary to know, that at excessive use of meat products, the intestine can not quickly process them. This will lead to the appearance of putrefactive processes in the body. It will begin to form slags that, when ingested, will cause various problems.
. Minuses of abandoning meat
- . Refusal of products of animal origin has its drawbacks:
If you still decide to give up meat, then seriously consider your diet. Some amino acids from this product are irreplaceable for the human body and can get into it only from outside
- And if at first the vegetarian does not notice the changes, then in 5-7 years the representative of such a power supply system will decrease the immunity of
- . The absence of animal products on the childorganism. The child needs meat and fish for growth. In addition to protein, these products contain a large number of nutrients that children need for the proper development of
- . With plant food, the body's need for alpha-linolenic acid, but not for omega-3, can be "closed."But, it is this fatty acid that the body needs for the correct functioning of the musculoskeletal system, the nervous and cardiovascular system
- . Without Omega-3 it is impossible to keep the hair and skin in order. Of course, you can include in your diet more walnuts and linseed oil. But, then these products will have all day.
With meat, creatine enters the body. This substance is in large quantities found in beef. With the abandonment of meat vegetarians may develop a creatine deficiency. What will affect the rapid fatigue, reduce physical activity and memory.
IMPORTANT: Refusal of meat at first will give many positive moments. But, when the body starts a shortage of nutrients that can only be obtained from meat, malfunctions in its work may begin. That is why a vegetarian needs to be 5 days a week, allocating for himself two days to meet the body's need for food of animal origin. Remember, at the beginning of the article, no moral aspects of the question were promised. Only science.
How to give up meat?
If you weighed all the pros and cons and decided to all of these refuse meat, then do not immediately start agitating the rest of the seven, let alone set a vegetable diet for your children.
Before the final refusal of meat, you need to prepare your gastrointestinal tract. To do this, you need to make several days of release: kefir, vegetable and fruit. After that you need to gradually give up first from the meat itself, and then from the broths on its basis.
IMPORTANT: Some areas of vegetarianism include eating fish, eggs and other animal products. And unlike the strict directions of such a food system, it affects the body not so negatively.
After you have excluded sausages, smoked products and other "harmful" meat foods from your diet, you can move on and exclude other less harmful products. But, at the same time you need to monitor your diet and make up for the losses. With the help of beans, nuts and soybeans, you can increase the amount of protein, iron and vitamins consumed.
It is very important to include foods rich in calcium in the diet. For example, asparagus, raisins, cabbage and, if beliefs permit, milk and eggs. Soy curd tofu will help to fill the need not only in vitamins, but also in protein. And as a source of zinc, you can choose buckwheat and corn.
After giving up meat, you need to diversify your diet. You have to buy a book of vegetarian recipes and discover a new dish every day. Stew with mushrooms, pate from beans, stuffed vegetables, pizza with pepper and mushrooms, pancakes with fruit filling and the like. All this can help to give up meat forever. Of course, if such a task exists.
Refusal of meat consequences
Vegetarianism has undoubted advantages. Vegetable food is a natural antibiotic that suppresses the pathogenic bacteria that grow in the intestines. In addition, food without products of animal origin, can reduce the level of harmful cholesterol. That reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
But, vegetable food does not contain any important amino acid that our body can not synthesize. What makes it inferior. Moreover, such a food system does not allow the body to get the full amount of vitamin D.
Its quantity in products of plant origin is minimal. Moreover, other substances of such products interfere with the normal absorption of this vitamin. Especially dangerous is the abandonment of meat in childhood. In the US, even there is such a diagnosis as "early nutritive rickets of adolescents."And usually it is put to the children of vegetarians.
Changes in the body after giving up meat
- If you refuse meat, a person starts to lose a few important substances. Including vitamin B12.The importance of this vitamin is difficult to overestimate. It is necessary for the formation and growth of blood cells
- Therefore, its deficiency can lead to irreversible consequences. Some clinical studies have shown that the lack of this substance in the milk of a vegetarian mom even causes anemia in a child who is breastfeeding. About such studies, you can see an article in the journal Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, 2009
- Another negative change that occurs in the body when refusing meat products, is the weakening of bone tissue. By the way, for this also meets the above-mentioned vitamin B12.In addition, vegetarians receive less and vitamin D, which is also responsible for the quality of bone tissue
- This is why the bone mineral density in vegetarians is low. That leads to frequent fractures among representatives of such a food system. This can be read in the journal Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, No. 3, 2010
Tips and Feedback
Cyril. It all depends on the person. If he screams at every corner that he is a vegetarian, and he himself sits on rolls and other flour products, then there will be no benefit from such a power system. Rather, even vice versa. Vegetarianism is not just the lack of meat in the diet. This is the power system. It should be studied and selected a balanced diet. Otherwise, you can damage your body.
Svetlana. My mom works as a gastroenterologist. She says notes a lot of the pluses of vegetarianism, but also says that it's impossible to completely give up meat. Only in meat protein is digested by 98%.And iron from such products is easier to obtain. Vegetarians usually feel fine for themselves for several years. And this strengthens their faith in giving up meat. But, then some substances are completely produced by the body. What can lead to problems with conceiving a child and even anemia.