Vegetarianism - the issues

VEGETARIANISM – The Issues

In this leaflet, I will be discussing all the different issues surrounding Vegetarianism, and the impact on the world population. I will talk about the problems, advantages, and different people’s view on this subject.

I will discuss, in this order :

What is Vegetarianism?
Facts on Vegetarianism
What are the Health Implications of a Vegetarian diet, if any?
What advantages are there, to people and the environment, to having a Vegetarian Diet?
What disadvantages are there, to people and the environment, to having a Vegetarian Diet?
What are the views of the religious communities on Vegetarianism?
What are my views on Vegetarianism?

What is Vegetarianism?

A Vegetarian is a person, who has decided through their own free will, not to eat any meat products (anything that has caused an animal to be slaughtered in the process.

There is a difference between Vegetarians and Vegans, which most people do not think about. A vegetarian will not eat meat, but are comfortable with eating eggs, milk, etc (products that come from animals). Vegans however will not eat animal products of any kind. They solely rely on Fruit and Vegetables, with no dairy or meat products.

A Vegetarian can be classified in one of three groups.

Vegan – No animal products of any kind.
Lacto-vegetarian – Will not eat animal flesh, but will eat milk, cheese, eggs, etc.
Lacto-ovo-vegetarian – Same as a vegan, but will eat eggs in order to include more protein in their diet.

Facts on Vegetarianism

During WWII, there were over 100,000 vegetarians in the UK.
There are now about 4,000,000 vegetarians living in the UK, which is about 7% of the adult population.
10,000,000 no longer eat red meat, so are halfway ...

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A Vegetarian can be classified in one of three groups.

Vegan – No animal products of any kind.
Lacto-vegetarian – Will not eat animal flesh, but will eat milk, cheese, eggs, etc.
Lacto-ovo-vegetarian – Same as a vegan, but will eat eggs in order to include more protein in their diet.

Facts on Vegetarianism

During WWII, there were over 100,000 vegetarians in the UK.
There are now about 4,000,000 vegetarians living in the UK, which is about 7% of the adult population.
10,000,000 no longer eat red meat, so are halfway there!
12% of young people are vegetarian!
5000 people each week turn vegetarian.
Sales of meat-free goods almost doubled between 1996 and 2001.
Vegetarian girls outnumber the boys by around 8 to 1.

What are the Health Issues surrounding a Vegetarian Diet?

Many people believe that turning to a vegetarian diet can be unhealthy and cause deficiency of protein, iron and other important minerals. However, this is not the case. Even fully pledged Vegans, with the correct diet, can sustain a healthy balance of all the nutrients they need to survive.

The main thought surrounding the healthy diet, is that people think that you don’t get enough protein. This is far from true, and in some cases, there can be an intake of too much protein. As long as a vegetarian has a full and varied diet, they should be able to maintain the same standard balance of protein intake.

Most meats contain around 25% protein, while the figure for vegetables and legumes, is much higher. For example, one of the best sources for protein is spinach, as it is 49% protein. Most soybean products contain between 40% and 55% protein, so it can easily satisfy the protein needs of any vegetarian.

Protein sources can be found in most vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, yeasts and dairy products.

What advantages are there to a Vegetarian Diet?

There are many, many advantages to becoming a vegetarian, and it can benefit you and the environment in different ways, including :

A reduction in the number of animals that are slaughtered, just for us to eat.
Some health advantages, as some research points to the fact that meats can lead to heart disease, and high cholesterol.
Being kinder to the natural environment.
Vegetables can provide better source of nutrients, than meat.
Can result in a cheaper shopping bill, as vegetables are cheaper.

What disadvantages are there to a Vegetarian Diet?

Have to go out of your way to plan an effective diet.
Some people like taste of meat.
If everyone is vegetarian, will it to be possible to feed everyone?
Vegans may suffer from calcium defieciency as they don’t get any dairy products
May lack nutrients such as Vitamin B12 and Iron, which are common in meats.

What are the views of the religious communities on Vegetarianism?

Christians allow people their own choice, and don’t say that you should or shouldn’t be vegetarian. They say that if you feel that eating meat is acceptable, then you should do as you feel. However, in the Bible, in Genesis, there is a quote that says, (by God), “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which upon the face of the Earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food”, so I think they encourage vegetarianism, but do not enforce it, as they don’t say, “DON’T EAT MEAT”.

Hindus express the view that you should be a Vegetarian, or even a Vegan, as they believe that every living thing has an Atman, or a soul, and if you kill an animal to eat, you are killing a living being, no matter what level of consciousness it is on. They feel that you should be vegetarian as they teach that you should have respect for all living things, and treat every living being as you wish to be treated yourself.

What are my views on Vegetarianism?

I believe that becoming a vegetarian is purely down to someone’s choice. I am personally comfortable with eating meat, and I also have no problems with vegetarians. Everyone is untitled to their own choices of lifestyle. I think that we have survived for thousands of years by eating meat and vegetables, and there is no reason why we shouldn’t carry on. However, it is concerning how the population is growing and the future is uncertain as to how everyone will be able to have enough food to eat.