VEGETARIANISM: ANSWERS TO THE MOST
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What's a vegetarian? Why would anyone want to be one?
Vegetarians abstain from eating all animal flesh,
including meat, poultry and fish or other sea animals. People
adopt a vegetarian diet for a number of reasons, including
concern about health, animals, the environment and world
hunger. A lacto-ovo vegetarian eats dairy products and eggs. A
total vegetarian (vegan) consumes no animal products at all.
2. I'm concerned about my health and I've cut down on red
meat. Why do I have to do anything else?
Many medical doctors and government agencies recommend that
people reduce the amount of red meat and overall percentage of
fats in their diet. Excess dietary fat has been linked to several
illnesses, including heart disease and cancer, the two top killers
of Americans. As a result, many people have cut down or eliminated
red meat from their diet. However, recent medical studies have
found greater health benefits from eliminating meat and animal
products completely. Population studies show that vegetarians have
the lowest levels of heart disease and other ailments. A recent
study by Dean Ornish, MD, and reported in the medical journal The
Lancet found that most patients who followed standard medical advice
for coronary artery blockages got worse, while those who adoped a
total vegetarian diet coupled with lifestyle changes showed improvement,
including reversal of coronary artery blockages.
3. Are fish and chicken more healtful than beef?
While poultry and fish do have less saturated fat than beef and pork,
they're still high in fat and have cholesterol. In studies, people who
replaced beef and pork with fish or poultry showed an insignificant
decrease of their serum cholesterol.
Poultry and fish also carry risks
beyond their fat and cholesterol content. Contaminated chicken is a
major source of Salmonella bacteria, which can cause serious and
sometimes fatal infections if the chicken is improperly prepared. The
USDA has estimated that more than 30 percent of all poultry is contaminated
with either Salmonella, Campylobacter or Staphylococcus
bacteria. These same bacteria are also being found with increasing
frequency in eggs, even those with undamaged shells.
Fish carry more environmental pollutants than land animals. Most fish
consumed by people have eaten other fish, resulting in an increased toxic
build-up because of the longer food chain. In addition, shellfish contain
high levels of toxins because of their feeding habits. Toxic chemicals in
fish may accumulate to more than 100,000 times the levels present in the
surrounding water. Fish (as well as meat and poultry) contain about 13 times
as much pesticide residue as vegetables and grains. Many fish are high in fat
and all seafood is devoid ofcarbohydrates, fiber and vitamin C, while
containing too much concentrated protein. Fish is also a common allergen.
4. What about lean meat?
Any reduction in fat intake is of some benefit, but there is
no cut or kind of meat that is really healthy. Beef, pork,poultry and fish
have varying amounts of fat but contain aboutthe same amount of cholesterol.
A cooked well-marbled steak has no more cholesterol than less-marbled meat,
while musclemeat actually has about 50 percent more cholesterol than meat
fat. This is because muscle has a much higher water content than fat
(70 percent compared to 15 - 22.5 percent) and when it is cooked, a lot of
that water is lost, leaving behind a higher concentration of cholesterol.
5. I've heard that some foods such as oat bran,and nutrients such as beta
carotene, offer health protection. What if I just eat more of those?
Many people try these "miracle foods," which have somedemonstrated health
benefits, without making any other dietary or lifestyle changes. No one food
can prevent illness or death from diseases which may have many deep-rooted
causes. The best way to avoid these diseases is to eat a low-fat vegetarian
diet and adopt health-promoting lifestyle changes, including getting enough
exercise and reducing stress. A balanced vegetarian diet contains an abundance
of health-protecting nutrients and fiber.
6. Aren't most cancers caused by environment,chemicals and heredity?
Actually, no. A 1980 article in "Advances in Cancer Research" noted, "None
of the risk factors for cancer is probably more significant than diet and
nutrition." For cancer prevention,the National Research Council suggests a
reduction in fatty foods and an increase in vegetables, whole grains and
fruits. Risk factors for cancer include excess calorie intake and obesity,
high protein intake, a lack of plant foods containing vitamin A, and
insufficient dietary fiber. Chemical carcinogens and cancer viruses in
animal food may also be part of the problem. The statistics are compelling:
- This country's second major killer is cancer.
- Women who eat meat daily have a 4 times greater riskof breast cancer
than those who eat it less than once a week.
- Men who eat animal products every day develop fatal prostate cancer 3.6
times more often than total-vegetarian men.
- Ovarian cancer is twice as likely to develop in womenon high-fat diets
as in those on low-fat regimens.
- Populations around the world that have high meatintakes also have high
rates of colon cancer. Those populations with low meat intakes have
correspondingly lower rates.
7. Where will I get protein if I don't eat meat? Isn't it complicated
to make sure you're getting enough of the various amino acids?
Getting enough protein is not a problem if you are eating a varied
diet and are getting enough calories to meet your energy needs. In fact,
the only ways to guarantee a protein deficiency on a vegetarian diet would
be to consistently consume too few calories to maintain normal weight,
eat only those foods which fall below 10 percent protein on a per-calorie
basis (certain fruits and refined oils), or eat exclusively junk food.
For most Americans the problem is consuming far too much protein, which is
linked to a number of ills, including osteoporosis, obesity, liver disease
and kidney failure.
Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are found in
all plants, and this includes the eight essential amino acids humans must
obtain from food. Those vegetarian foods highest in overall protein content
include legumes or pulses (dried beans and peas), soy products of various
kinds (tofu, tempeh, meatanalogs), eggs and dairy products for those who
consume them, and some nuts. While at one time, some nutritionists thought
it was important to eat complementary proteins at the same meal,more recent
studies have shown that this practice is unnecessary.
8. Where would I get vitamins and minerals?
Most vitamins and minerals are found in abundance in plant foods, but
some people may wonder about specific nutrients such as iron, calcium,
vitamins B12 and D.
Iron can be readily obtained from leafy greens, dried
fruits (e.g. apricots, prunes and raisins), broccoli, wheat, peas,beans
and dulse, a sea vegetable. Iron absorption is increased when iron-rich
foods are eaten with a source of Vitamin C.
Calcium is abundant in dark
leafy greens, broccoli,almonds, chick peas, soybeans, figs, carob and sea
vegetables.Phosphorus and calcium must be in a delicate balance in order
to best utilize calcium. The amount of calcium that is unused or excreted
by the body increases dramatically in those people who eat a diet high in
protein, especially dairy products and fatal meat which are also high in
phosphorus. Dairy products, touted as good sources of calcium, are actually
calcium inhibitors because of their high protein content. The highest rates
of osteoporosis are found in countries where calcium intake is greatest and
most of that calcium comes from protein-rich dairy products.
Vitamin B12, which is produced by bacteria, is needed in microscopic
amounts and is essential for the nervous system and all cell growth.
Deficiency can lead to spinal cord degeneration and death. Almost every case
of B12 deficiency is caused by malabsorption by the individual, not by a
deficient diet. New vegans (total vegetarians) usually have body stores
adequate for at least three years. Long-time vegans, children, pregnant and
lactating women should get B12 from specially fortified foods, including
several brands of nutritional yeast, some vegetarian convenience foods, and
various common boxed cereals. Read labels to be sure. B12 tablets (derived
from non-animal sources) are available as a supplement. Vegetarians who
eat dairy products and eggs also obtain B12 from those sources.
Vitamin D is actually a hormone, not a true vitamin, and is
related to calcium metabolism. Deficiency can lead to rickets in children.
Our bodies are designed to obtain vitamin D through exposure to sunlight.
Because vitamin D is fat-soluble and can be stored in the body, reasonable
time spent in the sunshine during warmer months (as little as 15 minutes per
day) should provide enough to last the winter. Dark-skinned children and
those who live in northern latitudes or in cloudy or smoggy areas should be
sure to have reliable dietary sources of Vitamin D. To avoid toxicity,
nutritionists recommend we ingest no more than the RDA of 400 I.U. of
vitamin D.
9. If I switch to a vegetarian diet, won't I have to eat more dairy
products?
Many people do choose to increase the amount of dairy products in their
diet when they eliminate flesh foods, but this is both unnecessary and
potentially unhealthy. All necessary nutrients can be obtained by those who
eat a total vegetarian diet (no meat, dairy products or eggs).
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine recently called for a
New Four Food Groups (whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes) which
lists meat and dairy products as optional and not necessary.
10. How come vegetarians sometimes seem to eat more and yet are not
overweight?
Some vegetarians do gain weight, but most keep a stable weight even
though they eat a greater volume of food than meat-eaters. The reasons for
this are quite simple. Meat and dairy products are calorie dense and most of
those calories come from protein and fat. Vegetable foods contain far fewer
calories for the same quantity of food and those calories come primarily from
carbohydrates. Calories are not created equal.Dietary fat tends to be
converted into body fat far more readily than do carbohydrates. People can
eat more calories without gaining weight if those calories come primarily
from carbo-hydrates. (Baked potatoes are not fattening by themselves,
but become a dieter's no-no with butter, margarine or sour cream.)
11. A vegetarian diet may be OK for adults, but is it a safe way to raise
children?
A vegetarian diet provides more than ample nutrition for children, and
may actually help protect them from some ill-nesses, including those caused
by pesticides and contaminantsin foods. Vegetables and grains are lower on
the food chain and so contain far less pesticides and contaminants. Parents
should make sure that children eat enough calories (from unrefined,whole
foods, NOT junk foods). Children have small stomachs,so it is wise to include
judicious use of some fats (avocados,nuts, seeds, and nut and seed butters)
and dried fruits to add calories to their diets. All vegetarians, including
children, should eat a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables,
leafy greens, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
12. Aren't people physically designed to eat meat?
Animals closest to us physiologically are vegetarian or nearly vegetarian,
and so were our not too distant evolutionary ancestors. Humans can digest a
wide variety of foods and this ability undoubtedly contributed to our
species' survival throughout history. Unlike most species, humans have choice
about their diet, which is dictated more by tradition and culture than by
physical restrictions. While scientists disagree about specific anatomy and
physiology points, one of the best indications that humans are best suited to
a vegetarian diet is the many health benefits found with plant-based diets
and the many diseases and illnesses linked to eating meat. The ability to eat
an omnivorous diet may have had survival value in the past but it is now
clear that meat-eating threatens human health and planetary survival.
13. Weren't animals put here for food?
Animals have their own lives and destinies separate from human needs.
While some people interpret religious teachings to mean that humans have
dominion over animals, many believe having dominion does not necessarily
mean we have to kill animals for food. Many religions have vegetarian
sub-denominations, and having compassion for animals doesn't contradict
the teachings of any of the major religions.
14. Why should we worry about animals when there's so much human
suffering?
It makes sense to worry about all beings on this planet,because our lives
are interconnected. Much of human suffering is directly linked to animal
consumption, including heart disease,pollution, water scarcity and starvation
The truth is there would be plenty of food for everyone if we were not raising
animals to feed people. Consider:
- 1.3 billlon people could be fed wlth the graln and soybeans eaten by U.S.
livestock. The U.S. populatlon is only 255,600,000.
- 80% of U.S. corn and 95% of our oats are eaten by livestock.
- 90% of protein, 99% of carbohydraye and 100% of dietary fiber
is wasted by cycllng grain through animals.
- 64% of American agricultural land is used for livestock feed.
- An acre can yield 250 pounds of beef vs. 40,000 pounds of potatoes.
- A pound of feedlot beef takes 16 pounds of grains and soybeans.
15 total vegetarians can be fed on the same amount of land needed to feed
one person on a meat-based diet.
15. Aren't there more pressing animal causes?
Many people are concerned about companion animals such as dogs and cats,
or those used and killed in laboratory experiments or trapped for their fur.
Those are important issues but they do not preclude concern about animals
raised for slaughter. Almost 10 times as many animals die for human
consumption as for all other causes combined.
Annual consumption of red meat and poultry is about 178 pounds per person.
Each year, the average American non-vegetarian family of four eats half a
steer, a whole pig, 100 chickens, 556 eggs, and 280 gallons of milk products.
16. Aren't farm animals raised humanely?
The conditions on many factory farms and at slaughterhouses are deplorable.
Many animals live and die in cramped,filthy quarters that do not allow such
basic physiological needs as sunshine, stretching, or for some, any
unrestrained movement at all. Chickens, for example, are usually squeezed
four to five birds per cage, and this crowding leads to stress-related
diseases.
At the slaughterhouse, many animals are boiled alive or bleed to
death from slit throats. While some laws call for humaneslaughter
(where animals are rendered unconscious first), killing
animals for food can never be considered humane.
17. I am concerned about the environment and I'm doing my part by recycling.
Isn't that enough?
Recycling is a critical part of protecting the environment,but, by simply
changing our food choices, we can make a large positive impact. One of the
greatest hazards facing the environment is meat production.
18. Why is that?
The demand for cheap beef is a major reason for the destruction of Central
American rainforests. This contributes to species extinction and, along
with deforestation, contributes to carbon dioxide pollution, a major factor
in the greenhouse effect.
Tropical rainforests provide a substantial part of the earth's oxygen,
house 80 percent of the planet's land vegetation,and are home to more species
of plant and animal life than all the remainder of the Earth. It takes 55
square feet of rainforest for each quarter-pound hamburger made from imported
cattle.
With every acre destroyed, species become extinct and carbon dioxide
pollution increases, adding to the greenhouse effect. At the same time, the
atmosphere is robbed of oxygen that would have been generated by that
vegetation.
The greenhouse effect is also caused by an excess of methane, a naturally
occurring colorless odorless gas produced in part from the decomposition of
organic matter. Each year around the world, ruminant livestock release some 80
million tons of methane in belches and flatulence, while animal wastes at
feedlots and factory-style farms emit another 35 million tons.These
account for 15 - 20 percent of global methane emissions.
19. That's rainforests. What other dangers are there?
Forests in the United States are also imperiled by thedemand for beef. In
the last 300 years, we have cut down over half the trees in the United
States and exchanged them for vast fields of corn, soy beans, oats, grass
and hay which are primarily fed to livestock. The vast majority of land in
the U.S. currently used to raise cattle is the arid public range in
the west, which is being severely degraded and eroded because of
overgrazing.
Historically, topsoil depletion has been a cause of the demise of many
great civilizations. In the last 200 years, U.S. agricultural practices have
destroyed about 1,500 years' worth of topsoil. Every year U.S. farms lose
over five billion tons of topsoil. Erosion has permanently removed one-third
of original U.S. croplands from food production - and 85 percent of that loss
can be directly linked to raising livestock.
Meat-based diets also waste fossil fuels and raw materials. It takes more
than 15 times as much energy to produce a pound of pork, for example, as it
does to produce a pound of fresh fruits and vegetables. Almost half the
energy used in American agriculture goes into livestock production, the
majority of it for meat.
20. What about water?
Animal agriculture guzzles huge amounts of water. In California and other
western states, livestock agriculture drains one-third of all irrigation
water. It can take up to 2,500 gallons of water to produce a single pound of
meat, the same amount of water used for all purposes by a typical household
in a month. It is far more efficient to produce plants - which require only
about 2 -percent as much water - for human consumption.
Millions of tons of non-recycled wastes are produced by factory-farmed
livestock each year. These wastes can be 10 to a few hundred times more
concentrated than domestic raw sewage, and much of it ends up untreated in
our water. Animal excrement and fertilizers have been blamed for some 40
percent of the nitrogen and 35 percent of the phosphorus released into U.S.
rivers, lakes and streams. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates
that almost half our wells and virtually all surface streams are tainted
with agricultural pollutants.
22. Won't a vegetarian diet cost more money?
It is cheaper to eat a balanced vegetarian diet than a nutritionally
equivalent meat-based diet. Certainly there is a great deal of variety in
a vegetarian diet, and it is possible to buy many convenience and specialty
foods that may cost more. (This is also true on meat-based diets). However,
these foods are not necessary to provide a nutritionally balanced, varied and
interesting vegetarian diet.
As a rule, it is cheaper to buy plant proteins than the equivalent amount
of animal protein.The healthy diets of manypoor countries are based on
staples of grains and beans combined with vegetables, and these foods are
among the least expensive.
The cost of food is not the only factor to consider.There are a number
of hidden costs, including medical costs for those people suffering from
diet-related diseases, lost productivity, and higher taxes. A portion of
every American tax dollar goes to subsidizing animal agriculture, including
the costs of water, feed, grazing land, and cleaning up the resulting pollution.
Don't people get tired of 'just lettuce and carrots?'
This is a common misconception. Vegetarians often eat a wider array of
foods than many meat-eaters. A vegetarian diet can be like opening a window
to a whole new world of foods.
23. Won't it take a long time to prepare?
Here, too, there is a great deal of variability. For some people, there may be
a period of adjustment, especially if they are trying unfamiliar foods. It may
take a little planning ahead,such as soaking dried beans the night before to
cut down on cooking time. But many meals - such as spaghetti,
vegetables and salad - take no longer to prepare. Grocery and health
food stores sell vegetarian convenience foods that can cut down
on preparation time.
24. Isn't it hard to shop?
It doesn't have to be. All the staples of a vegetarian diet can be found on
the shelves of regular supermarkets. Many vegetarian products can also be
found in the gourmet, specialty,ethnic and health food sections. More bulk
and specialty products are now available to meet the growing demands of
consumers concerned about their diets. Health food stores and coops, found
in most areas, offer vegetarian staples and convenience foods. Mail-order
companies also provide vegetarian foods.
25. What about eating out?
It's not as hard as you might think. Growing consumer demand
has prompted many restaurants and airlines to offer vegetarian entrees.
Ethnic restaurants often offer meatless options. When in doubt, ask the
restaurant staff. Most will adjust the ingredients or cook something that
isn't listed on the menu.
26. Where do I get started?
Begin assessing your current diet. Look for meat-free versions of foods
you already enjoy, such as chili without meat,or tofu cutlets instead of
chicken. You may want to look through a few vegetarian cookbooks, or check out
your local health food stores, or natural foods or ethnic restaurants for
ideas. Some make a gradual switch to vegetarianism, some all at once.
27. What are some of the changes I can expect?
- You may eat more food, because you're eating less fat, which is
calorie-dense. Meat, the leading source of fat in the American diet, has
no fiber and is high-calorie. So relax,you may be eating more food, but it
is bulky and has fewer calories per unit of volume than meat.
- You may lose weight. Most people are pleased that healthy vegetarian
foods have less fat and calories.
- You may be less constipated. People who eat a typical American diet
may be constipated and not realize it. Making the switch to a healthier,
high-fiber vegetarian diet can lead to more regular bowel movements.
- People may give you a hard time. Your dietary changes may be perceived by
your family, friends and acquaintances as threatening or as criticism. Be
cheerful about your choices, and remember to let people come to their own
dietary conclusions.
- Most new vegetarians report that they feel great!
Some say they've never felt better in their lives. For some people,there
is a brief adjustment period where they may feel weak or tired. This
should pass quickly if you are eating a varied diet comprised of
unrefined foods. Meat acts as a stimulant, and you may experience
withdrawal, like someone who has just given up coffee. This should pass
within a few days to a month.Many do not experience this adjustment at
all and most find after they adjust that they have more energy and feel
better than ever.
- You will be embarking on an exciting journey! Get ready to enjoy a
wide variety of new foods. Some vegetarians like the many meat
substitutes and analogs available commercially, especially in the
beginning. You may want to try tofu "hot dogs" or soy burgers, for
example. Others find the meat-like texture unpleasant. You will
undoubtedly find your favorite vegetarian foods after you have had a
chance to experiment. Enjoy the experience! Here are some
recipes to get you started.