Vegetarianism Versus Eating Meat

Vegetarianism versus eating meat.

Student’s name

Institution

Vegetarianism versus eating meat.

Introduction

There are various eating lifestyles around the globe and eating healthier has come to dominate the minds of most people. This has been so because there is a direct relationship between our health and the food we consume. Vegetarianism has become almost a cultural norm in all over the world with people embracing it as a much healthier lifestyle. This worldwide adoption can be attributed to the influence impacted by celebrities, influential individuals and the health trends. Others tend to adopt a vegan diet due to animal welfare issues. But basically from numerous studies, it is evident that vegans have much healthier lifestyles than non-vegetarians. From my perspective being a vegan is advantageous since most nutrients to achieve a healthy diet are present and available, but everything has its pros and cons and however few they may be they have to be taken into consideration before undertaking the whole vegan experience. This paper will cover claims and counterclaims on whether a vegan diet is richer in nutrients, whether it helps one lose excess weight, its protection against certain cancers and whether or not it is linked to lower risk of heart disease.

Many people have been going vegan nowadays are growing tremendously. They also have groups such as the Lacto-Ovo vegetarian who consumes milk and eggs only and not the other animal products whereas there is the vegan who does not consume any animal product (Craig, 2009). Claims that ‘greens’ are very healthy and as the primary energy source in the food chain compared to meat which contains saturated fat which is usually bad for one’s health. Vegetarian diets are richer in nutritional fiber, are also richer in elements such as potassium, folic acid and magnesium which are important in most physiological functions in the body (Leitzmann, 2005). These diets have antioxidants; vitamin E and C which provide protective characteristics and cannot be found in meats. They also act as a reliable source of calcium which can be gotten from dark leafy vegetables. They are also rich in vitamins such as vitamin K and essential amino acids. Vegan diets naturally have a low-calorific value and contain a much higher concentration of minerals, vitamins and micronutrients than animal based foods (Craig, 2009). The fibre in the plant foods slows down digestion making one feel full and go for a long time without feeling hungry helping one control their food intake hence reducing weight. Vegan diets especially fruits contribute to keeping one’s blood-sugar stable reducing cravings which lead to junk food consumption and weight gain.