The Art of Being a Vegetarian

Vegetarian, vegan, ovo-lacto vegetarians, fruitarians…WHAT?  What does all of this mean?  The term vegetarian refers to a person who does not eat certain animal products.  There are actually five different subtypes of vegetarians.

There are vegans – they do not eat any animal products whatsoever.  That means there is no honey, dairy or even eggs in their diet.

Ovo-lacto vegetarians won’t eat any type of animal flesh but do allow eggs and dairy products into their diet.

There are semi-vegetarians.  There is some discrepancy as to whether or not semi-vegetarians are true vegetarians as they do include fowl and fish in their diet but exclude any red or white meat like beef, pork and venison.

As the list progresses to even more extreme types of vegetarians there are Raw Foodists.  These guys only eat plant material and then only if it’s in the raw form.  No cooking of any foods allowed on this plan.  They believe that by cooking the foods, the heat destroys the essential enzymes needed to properly break down and digest the nutrients within the food.

Finally, there are fruitarians.  Fruits are the only food on the list for this diet.  Although not well known, fruits do include tomatoes and avocados.  Sometimes this plan also includes seeds and nuts as they are needed for the protein content.

There are multiple reasons that people become any one of the vegetarians types described above.  Some do so out of the belief that harming animals in any way is wrong and unethical, even if it is for providing food to humans.  Others don’t eat meat due to health concerns.  There are a great number or hormones and antibiotics that can be found in many meat products these days due to the conditions that the livestock are raised in.  For this fact alone, by decreasing the amounts of meat a person ingests there is the increased possibility that the body is cleaner and more able to function at its peak.  For those who do like to eat meat, but are worried about the added chemicals, there is organically raised meat available in many food stores.  Still others won’t eat meat due to sanitary reasons.

One of the health concerns that has been raised with a purely vegetarian diet is how to eat the required amounts of protein.  Most vegetarians are savvy in the need to increase their protein when cutting out animal products by eating a combination diet which includes eating multiple foods with differing amino acid compositions that when combined in a meal provide the complete range of amino acids.  Another concern is how to nourish a baby in the womb on a purely vegetarian diet.  It can certainly be done but should be monitored by a health care provider to ensure adequate nutrition for the growing baby.  Likewise, anyone with health problems of any kind should first consult with their doctor before deciding to switch to a vegetarian diet.

Regardless of why a person chooses to become a vegetarian, there are benefits associated with doing so.  Most vegetarians enjoy better blood chemistry panels when tested by their doctors.  This in turn points to the possibility of leading a healthier and maybe longer life than their meat eating counterparts.  The amount of fiber ingested by vegetarians is great and may be a factor in reducing the risk of colon cancer.  Kidney stones are also less likely in non-meat eaters as are kidney problems in general.

All in all, vegetarianism definitely has a place in our society and in our health.  Choose the type of diet you are most comfortable with that also provides you with the probability of optimal health, and as always, consult a doctor before drastically changing your diet.

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