HEALTH CONCERNS
Cousens, Gabriel -- Conscious Eating
This page last reviewed April 5, 2007
Back to the Vegetarian Athlete
While this point may seem obvious, it should be noted that if a
vegetarian is living on tofu dogs, "vice cream,"
and french fries, this will negate many potential health
benefits of a plant-based diet. Ideally, the removal of meat or
other animal products from one's diet would be paired with
increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds,
whole grains, and legumes; wholesome foods with health-promoting
properties. Even if all-out vegetarianism is not one's cup of
tea, simply reducing meat intake is probably good idea
for one consuming the Standard American Diet (so appropriately
abbreviated as SAD).
A whole lot of fat
While a certain amount of fat is necessary for a
healthful diet, saturated fat and cholesterol -- both of which
abound in flesh, eggs, and dairy products -- are not the kinds
of lipids that we should be seeking out. (The flesh of aquatic
creatures tends to contain more of the "good fats"
than the flesh of terrestrial livestock, but there are still
significant concerns about the "healthfulness" of
fish and other sea life; see "toxins and pathogens"
below.) Saturated fat in particular is linked to high blood
cholesterol, particularly LDL or "bad" cholesterol,
which is a major risk factor in developing cardiovascular
disease. In contrast, unsaturated fatty acids found in plant
foods may help to decrease levels of "bad"
cholesterol in the blood. Diets high in saturated fat have also
been linked to certain kinds of cancer, notably breast,
prostate, and colon cancers.
Toxins and pathogens
Even if one chooses leaner cuts of meat, fish, egg whites, and
low-fat dairy alternatives, other nasty surprises may lurk in
products of animal origin. The "mad cow" scare, for
example, has had many a consumer swearing off beef.
E. Coli bacteria, including the deadly strain O157:H7,
may be found in beef or chicken as a result of contamination
on the farm or on the slaughterhouse floor. Salmonella
is found in raw or undercooked eggs, meats, poultry, dairy
products, and shrimp. Camphylobacter bacteria
is also frequently found in foods of animal origin. Pork products
are frequently infected with parasites including
Trichinella spiralis, which causes trichinosis.
Undercooked or raw shellfish can also harbor the hepatitis A
virus.
Environmental toxins such as dioxins and drug
and pesticide residues also tend to accumulate in animals'
bodies; as much as 90% of North Americans' exposure to
commercial pesticides comes not from conventionally grown
produce, but from consuming flesh foods. Milk and other dairy
products often contain remnants of bovine growth hormones which
may have their own detrimental health effects. Mercury, PCBs,
DDT, and other toxins can also be found in supposedly healthy
fish and other sea life, particularly bottom feeders like
catfish and oysters, and carnivorous fish such as salmon, shark,
and swordfish.
Milk, meat, and your bones
The United States, Israel, Sweden, and Finland are the world's
top per capita consumers of dairy products -- supposedly the
richest sources of calcium available. Yet interestingly enough,
these same nations also have the world's highest rates of
osteoporosis. The dairy industry's "3-a-day" campaign
notwithstanding, milk is not the best food source of
calcium; calcium is actually better absorbed from plant sources
such as leafy greens. And while calcium is one
important mineral in bone health, it is certainly not the only
factor.
Too much dietary phosphorus or protein --
which abound in animal products -- can lead to increased urinary
excretion of dietary calcium and contribute to bone breakdown
and osteoporosis. Meat is also particularly heavy in the
sulfur-containing amino acids, which cause bodily acidification
and an increased need to "buffer" with calcium taken
from the bones. This is why too much protein from animal
products is more likely to be detrimental to bone health than
protein from plant sources. Pre-formed vitamin A in large
amounts -- as is found in milk and organ meats -- may also
contribute to bone breakdown. Bear in mind that carotenoids,
the vitamin A precursors found in plant foods, do not have this
same effect.
Other health issues
Meat eaters are statistically far more likely than vegetarians
or vegans to suffer from stroke, cardiac arrest, coronary
artery disease, angina, diverticulosis, ulcers, irritable bowel
syndrome, high blood cholesterol, hypertension, gout, arthritis,
osteoporosis, obesity, kidney stones, gall stones, kidney
disease, liver disease, diabetes, and prostate, colon, and
breast cancers. Vegetarians are also less likely to suffer from
Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
The American Dietetic Association has stated emphatically that
vegetarian and vegan diets are healthy for all people,
including children, athletes, and pregnant or lactating women.
For a person eating a reasonably varied diet, it is difficult
not to obtain all of the essential nutrients (yes,
even protein) from grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
(For more information, please visit the vegetarian nutrition page.)
In fact, only vitamin B12 -- which should be obtained from
supplements or other fortified sources -- is not found naturally
in plant foods. In contrast, animal foods lack dietary fiber,
vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and numerous cancer-fighting
antioxidants and phytonutrients, all of which are only found in
plants. Flesh is not a significant source of the mineral
magnesium, and unless you are eating liver or giblets, you won't
find much folic acid in meat, either.
It bears mention that
while some natural hygienists used to prescribe vegetarianism
as a means of taming the "passions," there is simply
no medical evidence that cutting out meat puts the brakes on
sexual appetite or prowess. If anything, a healthy vegetarian
diet will help keep the "animal" in you alive, and
possibly even improve one's physical relationships. After all,
a healthy body is more conducive to satisfying sexual
experience -- and the popular saying goes that
"vegetarians taste better!"
Folks who are familiar with the USDA's Food Pyramid may
wonder why, with all of the medical evidence to the contrary,
does the Department of Agriculture continue to advocate 2-3
servings of meat and 3 servings of dairy per day. This has more
to do with politics than sound nutritional advice. The USDA is
charged with not only setting dietary guidelines, but at the
same time must promote agriculture, in particular the meat and
dairy industries.
For more information, I recommend Marion Nestle's outstanding
book, Food Politics.
Bibliography and suggestions for further reading:
Hill, John Lawrence -- The Case for Vegetarianism: Philosophy For a Small Planet
Lyman, Howard -- Mad Cowboy: Plain Truth from the Cattle Rancher Who Won't Eat Meat
Marcus, Erik -- Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating
Nestle, Marion -- Food Politics
Quinn, Daniel -- Ishmael
Reinhardt, Mark Warren -- The Perfectly Contented Meat Eater's Guide to Vegetarianism
Rifkin, Jeremy -- Beyond Beef: The Rise and Fall of Cattle Culture
Robbins, John -- The Food Revolution
Saunders, Kerrie -- The Vegan Diet As Chronic Disease Prevention
Schlosser, Eric -- Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All American Meal
Stepaniak, Joanne -- Being Vegan
