The Case For A Vegetarian Diet
THE THREE TYPES OF VEGETARIANS
1. Lacto-ovo-vegetarians: Don't eat any animal flesh (red meat, white
meat, or fish). They do eat dairy products and eggs.
2. Lacto vegetarians: Don't eat any animal flesh or eggs. They do eat
dairy products.
3. Vegans: Don't eat any animal flesh, eggs, or dairy products. They
only eat plant foods.
ADVANTAGES OF A VEGETARIAN DIET
1. It tends to be lower in cholesterol. High cholesterol diets tend to
clog the arteries, increasing the risk of coronary artery disease.
2. It tends to be lower in fat. The typical high fat American diet leads
to obesity, heart disease, and other ailments.
3. It tends to contain more complex carbohydrates and fiber (things
which decrease the risk of heart disease and cancer).
4. It contains fewer toxins. Hundreds of man-made chemicals are placed
in the feed of livestock or injected into their bloodstreams (steroids
and other growth hormones, antibiotics, fertility drugs, etc.). All of
these chemicals wind up in the animal flesh the consumer purchases.
5. It can be cheaper (have you ever compared the prices of vegetarian
entrees at a restaurant with the prices of meat entrees?)
6. It is better for the environment. Millions of acres of forest are
cleared every year to create pastures for cattle to graze in.7. It
requires fewer resources. Sixteen pounds of grain go into the production
of one pound of beef. If the demand for beef decreased, more grain and
soybeans would be available to the hungry of the world.
8. It is kinder to animals. The era when men when out into the wild and
killed animals in order to survive is over. At that time, animals lived
free until they were killed by man.
Today they are artificially inseminated and suffer terribly in factory
farms. There is nothing "natural" about eating meat anymore.
CAN VEGETARIANS GET ENOUGH PROTEIN?
Easily! A well balanced vegetarian diet contains all of the amino acids
required for protein synthesis. And not all essential amino acids must
be consumed each meal to
ensure that protein synthesis will occur--the body stores essential
amino acids and uses them when it needs to. There are also a number of
common vegetarian protein
supplements available.
WHAT ABOUT B12 AND CALCIUM DEFICIENCIES?
Vegetarians can get all the vitamin B12 they need in dairy products. Or,
if they are vegan, they can take a B12 supplement (commonly found in
multivitamins).
Dairy products, dark green vegetables, cauliflower, and other vegetables
are rich in calcium. And virtually all multivitamins contain calcium.
TRY A SLOW MIGRATION TO VEGETARIANISM
As a first step toward a healthier diet, give up red meat but continue
to eat chicken and fish. Or you may want to go further and give up everything but fish. Its really not as hard to
do as it sounds. What is left for you to
eat.
Mexican, Chinese, Italian, Indian, and American foods! There are
thousands of dishes which can be prepared with grains, vegetables,
legumes, fruits, seeds, and nuts. You will probably never get to try even
a tenth of them!
A note worthy example of a vegetarian bodybuilder
is Mr Universe Bill Pearl.
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