Category: Diet

Terpenes

Metabolism is the sum of all the chemical reactions that occur inside the organism. The products of photosynthesis, cellular respiration, protein synthesis, lipid synthesis and many others are all beneficial in the existence and survival of the organism. The molecules produced in these processes are essential in the maintenance of structural and functional integrity of the cell. Primary metabolites are molecules that are commonly found inside the cell like amino acids, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. These are also known as the basic molecular machinery of the cell. However, during the synthesis various materials inside the cell there are also other molecules produced other than the basic molecules found inside the cell these are known as secondary metabolites or secondary products. One of these products are groups of molecules known as terpenoids, which are functionally and chemically diverse group of molecules.

Terpenes are examples of terpenoids, which are known as complex lipophilic substances derived from a simple five-carbon unit. The family of terpenes includes hormones gibberelins and abscisic acid; the carotenoid pigments carotene and xanthophyll; sterols like ergosterol, sitosterol, and cholesterol; and sterol derivatives like cardiac glycosides; latex, which is the basis for natural rubber; and many essential oils present in plants which are responsible for their distinctive odors and flavors. Cytokinin and chlorophyll are not terpenes but do contain terpenoid side chains. The biosynthetic pathway for terpenes and terpene derivatives is called mevalonic acid pathway. Terpenoids are also known as isoprenoid compounds which are highly volatile and contributes to air pollution. There are members of the groups which are considered primary metabolites however, majority are secondary metabolites where many of serve as toxins or feeding deterrents to herbivorous insects. All members of terpenoids play significant role in plant growth and development. Other members of terpenoids include steroids and sterols with 30 carbon atoms, polyterpenes with 40 carbon atoms.

Phenolic compounds

Phenolics or polyphenols are large and diverse group of compounds ranging from simple phenolics to very large and complex polymers like tannins and lignin including flavonoid pigments. One of their functions in their involvement in plant-herbivore interactions. The biosynthesis of phenolics follows the shikimic acid pathway where it begins in the synthesis of amino acids phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan. These are further synthesized from phosphoenolpyruvate and erythrose-4-phosphate. For simple phenolics synthesis starts with the deamination of phenylalanine to cinnamic acid, which is made possible by the action of the enzyme phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL). The following are examples of phenolics: Coumarins are lactones which gives new-mown hay its characteristic sweet odor. It is also a constituent of Bergamot oil used to flavor pipe tobacco, tea and other products. Lignin is a highly complex and branched polymer of three simple phenolic alcohols. The alcohols are oxidized to free radicals by the ubiquitous plant enzyme peroxidase. These free radicals then react spontaneously and randomly to form lignin. These are basically found in plant cell walls especially in the xylem.

Its primary function is for mechanical strength and rigidity of woody stems. They are highly insoluble and is second in abundance next to cellulose. Flavonoids are large group pf compounds responsible for brilliant color s of flowers, fruits, bracts and sometimes leaves from various shades of scarlet, pink, purple and blue. This colorization is made by antocyanins which belong to flavonoids. They are phenylpropane derivatives and are popularly used as dyes. Three major groups include flavones, flavonols, and anthocyanidins. Tannins are used to convert hides to leather. These contain phenol derivatives that bind to, and thus denature proteins. Tannins also deter feeding by many animals. It also suppress growth rate and survivorship. They are somewhat classified as toxic to animals. Another important examples of secondary metabolites are alkaloids. Alkaloids are also very large group of secondary metabolites whose function depends on their pharmacological properties and medical applications. The principal characteristics include solubility in water, with at least one nitrogen atom, and high biological activity. They are commonly synthesized from various amino acids like tyrosine, tryptophan, ornithine, argenine and lysine. Examples of these include morphine, codeine, paraverine, berberine, lupinine, senecionine, lycotonine, scopolamine, atropine, vinblastine, vincristine, cocaine, nicotine and caffeine. Generally, they have bitter taste and are considered toxic hence, utmost care must be observed in dealing with many members of this group.

Nitrogen–containing compounds

Along with many organic compounds known, nitrogen compounds play very significant role in growth and development of the organism, not forget to mention its role in industrial production of fertilizers essential to plant life and food production. Considering the strong bond that holds N2 gas it is accompanied by greater amount of energy and considered one of the strongest bonds known. In connection to this, the greater energy holds by this element also requires a tantamount energy to break it. Recall that N2 is not directly consumed by plants, it has to be broken down and converted into more soluble form acceptable to the physico-chemical properties of plants. Its addition to organic framework resulted in the production of two families of compounds. These are amines and amides. Amines are derivatives of ammonia and contain carbon-nitrogen bonds. Water solubility of this group is shown in the length of carbon chains where smaller amines are soluble while larger members of the group have lesser solubility. It can be observed that amines have pungent or noxious odors this is evident in ammonia.

This is associated in the breakdown of proteins in animal cells resulting to the production of unpleasant odors. They are economically important in the field of medicine and in industry where dyes are produced. Amides have nitrogen atoms which are attached to carbonyl carbon atoms. Simple amides are derivatives of carboxylic acids. They can also be produced when carboxylic acids react with amines or ammonia. This has a biological importance in the formation of proteins. Among the important polyamides are nylons, these materials are known for their strength and rigidity. There are a variety of drugs from amides like paracetamol, penicillin and LSD. There are also other nitrogen containing compounds like azides, nitrogen oxides and others used as explosives or prepellants. Hence, nitrogen compounds are indeed essential in the survival of organisms.

Chlorophylls and Haems

Chlorophylls also known as the blood of plants because of their similarity in pH. They are known as the most significant pigments in plants because of their highly significant and incomparable role in photosynthesis. Indeed, we owe a lot to these pigments for it is for their ability to capture light that makes it possible to produce the food that we eat. They are known to be vital entities in the biological systems. There are three kinds of chlorophyll, chlorophyll a which is responsible for photosynthesis commonly found in plants, algae and cyanobacteria; chlorophyll b common to green algae and plants; and chlorophyll c found in members of Chromista and dinoflagellates. The first phase of chlorophyll biosynthesis starts in the conversion of glutamic acid to 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA). Later on two molecules of ALA will form porhobilinogen (PBG) to form pyrrole rings in chlorophyll. The four molecules of PBG will form the porphyrin structure.

The final product of this process if protoporphyrin IX. Depending on the type of metal (magnesium or iron) to be inserted into the center of the porphyrin will dictate whether chlorophyll or heme will be formed. If magnesium, chlorophyll will be formed, and if it is an iron, heme will be produced. The succeeding phase in chlorophyll biosynthesis includes the formation of fifth ring (ring E) to form protochlorophyllide, this is made possible by the enzyme protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase (POR). Heme plays significant roles in various molecular processes. They are the most important porphyrin containing compound. It is a ferroprotoporphyrin exhibited by the presence of iron atom. The pyrrole rings are known as I, II, III, IV with bridges as alpha, beta, gamma and delta. Type III is most common in the biological systems. Heme biosynthesis starts in ALA synthesis made possible by ALA synthase. Next, is the formation of PBG. The third step is the formation of uroporphyrinogen (UPG). This is done by enzymes PBG-deaminase (Uroporhyrinogen I-synthase) and Iroporphyrinogen-III-cosynthase. The fourth step is the synthesis of coproporphyrinogen (CPG-III). The fifth step is the synthesis of protoporphyrinogen (PPG-III). The sixth step is the generation of protoporphyrin-9 (PP) by the action of protoporphyrin-III (PP-III). The seventh and the final step is the generation of heme by the participation of enzymes heme synthase or ferrochelatase. Heme is associated in hemoglobin known as the iron—containing substance in the blood. It is also in heme group where higher affinity of oxygen can be observed as well as nitric oxide and carbon monoxide.

It is actually in the heme group where atoms of oxygen bind during transport and circulation. Other functions of heme revolve in respiration, sensing of diatomic gases, drug detoxification, signal transduction and regulation of transcription, translation, various activities in protein synthesis, and differentiation. The significant role of heme lies in many cellular functions and in metabolism.

During this time of Covid-19 it is important to keep our body healthy so we can avoid problems when we become older. A way to keep our body healthy is by choosing a vegetarian diet, which increases our life expectancy and at the same time does not pose a danger to animals.

A lot of people think they have to eat meat to get all the nutrients they need for a good health, but that is not actually true. One reason many people follow a vegetarian diet is to consume high proportions of fresh, healthful, plant-based food, which provides fiber. A vegetarian diet also provides antioxidant, this is a substance which prevents oxidative stress. Now oxidative stress has been linked to heart disease, cancer, arthritis, stroke, and most importantly immune deficiency. There are also other benefits of a vegetarian diet such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. Now there are three categories, or I would group them as, there are three types of vegetarians, the first is lacto-ovo-vegetarian these people avoid both meat and fish but consume dairy and eggs. The second is lacto-vegetarians which consume dairy products but no eggs. The third is ovo-vegetarian which consume eggs, but no dairy. I was reading an article from the Medical News Today website and the people who tried a vegetarian diet have lost weight, lower cholesterol levels, the chances of cancer were less, less chance of heart problems, and less likely to have type 2 diabetes.

I personally am vegetarian and I do not eat meat, fish, or eggs, so I just want to share my own personal experience with all of you. The first question people usually ask me is if I do not eat meat or fish how do I get protein? I personally eat apples, bananas, and grapes. This is just a short list but that is just to give you all an idea. Then the second question I usually get is, if another person wanted to become vegetarian does that person have to give up the everyday junk food? I classify junk food as Taco Bell, McDonalds, Subway, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Chinese Food. If you decide to become vegetarian, you can eat these same items every single day. Then the third question I usually get is, what do I order from these fast-food places because all they serve is meat. A lot of people don’t know but now these same fast-food places actually have vegetarian items. I am going to mention some from each restaurant just in case any of you want to try them. For those who go to Taco Bell you can have a bean burrito or a soft taco with potatoes. If you go to McDonalds, you can order any burger without meat. If you are at Subway, you can order the veggie delight and it already contains all the healthy products for you. At Burger King you can order the ‘Impossible Whopper’ which is fully plant based. If you are Pizza Hutt, you can order onions and green peppers on your Pizza. For those who like Chinese food you can order vegetarian lo mein, which is noodles that have tomatoes and broccoli, or you can order rice and broccoli separately. So, there is no need to give up your everyday eating habits. Also, for those who like to save money when ordering food, ordering vegetarian items is sometimes cheaper then ordering meat based products.

Now I want to mention some disadvantages of having a vegetarian diet, because my topic is all about keeping yourself healthy. As I mentioned before when you stop eating meat products your body has a reduce of nutrients. So, if you try a vegetarian diet you have to make sure that your body is not low on vitamin B12, calcium, iron, zinc, iodine, and vitamin D. Then there is a lower level of creatine for vegetarians. Creatine is used to increase muscle mass. Then the vegetarians who also eat eggs, they have a problem of high cholesterol levels. Most vegetarians don’t have to worry about this issue, but the ones that drink milk and eat eggs do have to worry about this. Also eating eggs as I mentioned before can cause heart problems. Also, some people do not get all the nutrients as I have mentioned before like vitamin D, iron, zinc, and all that. So, sometimes to make up for it your doctor might prescribe medicine for you to take every day for a couple of months or even a year to make up for this loss in your body. The last disadvantage for a vegetarian diet is you have to stick to the vegetarian diet. You cannot just one day stop eating meat, fish, and eggs, and the second day you decide to eat everything. There is no shortcut to being healthy.

Thus, a vegetarian diet has both advantages and disadvantages. However, in my opinion, the advantages outweigh all the disadvantages, because by following such a diet, we not only become healthier, especially during this tough time of Covid-19, but also save the lives of animals.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity is one of the biggest problems in the world today. On the other hand, vegetarianism is considered a healthy diet, which also reduces the amount of resources required, such as the use of land for farming cattle. This essay will discuss the causes and problems of obesity and vegetarianism as a possible solution.

Obesity is one of the greatest challenges facing the health of the modern world, and it is a concern that this topic is not widely recognized as a global epidemic. Therefore, obesity is the biggest problem facing the health of the modern world, because there are about 2 billion people in the world who are overweight, and more than 70% of them live in low-income or middle-income countries. Obesity has a major impact on the national economy and human capital, reducing productivity, shortening life expectancy, and increasing disability rates and health care costs. For example, obesity indirectly reduces labor productivity. The factors that intensify the obesity epidemic include over-processed and sugary foods, reduced physical activity, and increased income, which is often followed by increased consumption of unhealthy foods. Obesity has a major impact on the national economy and human capital, reducing productivity, shortening life expectancy, and increasing disability rates and health care costs.

Next let us look at some possible solutions. Now and in the past decade, vegetarianism, has become more and more popular and become more mainstream. Vegetarianism is an important ‘weapon’ in the toolbox in the struggle to lower the waistline of the world. This plan is good and bad. Vegetarian food is very healthy for people of all ages, and of course it is also very important for environmental improvement. Studies have shown that vegetarians generally have a lower risk of obesity and chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers; In the opinion of those who admire vegetarianism, being vegetarian can clean up the stomach and avoid excessive fat growth. Studies have also pointed out that a vegetarian diet can reduce some cancer risks and prolong life. However, long-term vegetarianism is also bad for health. Whether you are eating meat or being a vegetarian, a balanced diet is the key, and you should have a reasonable diet based on your own needs. Because children on a vegetarian diet are able to consume more fruits and vegetables, while eating less sweets and salty snacks, this diet does not seem to put children at risk of overweight or obesity. In addition, the researchers also found that a vegetarian diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding is also very safe. Of course, these diets are also very healthy for athletes and the elderly. At the same time, vegetarian food will bring about some high-risk factors caused by nutrient deficiency: the intake of high-quality protein is reduced, dietary fiber and phytic acid interfere with nutrient absorption, and it is easy to cause the lack of micronutrients such as vitamins and trace elements. If you choose to be ‘vegetarian’ and not even eat eggs or milk, the invisible damage to your body may be even greater in the long run.

In conclusion, I do not completely agree that a vegetarian diet can help reduce obesity worldwide. Eating more vegetarian food is undoubtedly good for your health. But although vegetarianism is considered a healthy diet, we should not be too vegan, as excessive veganism will also have a great negative effect on the body.

Nutrition may be one of the most important things that we can regulate on our day to day lives. It is obvious that the average American doesn’t worry about health as much as one should. Being more involved in one’s intake can cause drastic change and improvement that is detrimental for body growth. Nutrients like protein, zinc, and calcium are found in the foods we eat and it is our job to get the correct amount needed every day. Roughly 600,000 people in the United States die every year from heart disease (Heart Disease Facts and Statistics). Adopting a more diverse diet can help one get the nutrients needed daily to prevent disease while also learning more about one’s own body and health.

A study shows, vegetarian diets are linked to a mutation that possibly makes one less immune to heart disease and colon cancer. This is only true if said vegetarian doesn’t follow a strict regimen to counteract this. Making those who don’t get enough omega-6 or omega-3 susceptible to inflammation (Campbell). This being said, not all vegetarians are unhealthy and not all meat eaters are healthy. Vegetarians have to be more conscious about their diets, because proteins are more likely to be found in animal products than in plant products. As a matter of fact, the majority of plant proteins are not complete, with the exception of quinoa and buckwheat. This means that they lack one or more essential amino acids necessary for a complete source of protein (Johnson). Zinc is another example of the importance of a diverse diet. A study of Iranians and Egyptians shows, “A similar syndrome (to anemia and hypogonadism) was observed in Egyptian adolescents who had similar dietary history to that of the Iranians, mainly subsisting on bread and beans. This shows that those mainly sticking to a vegetarian diet are more likely to have zinc deficiency, which is linked to certain problems such as, diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria (Roohani, et al.). These studies do not account for every single person in the world, therefore there is room for assumption.

Those who eat either meat or plants, only are less prone to diseases because both food groups hold necessary nutrients. A study used in Klurfield’s article shows: “The highest consumers (of meat) always had a higher cancer risk, suggesting that other factors not measured affected the risk of colon cancer… People who ate a lot of vegetables and fruit had no increased risk, no matter how much red meat they ate”. This is a first-hand example of why a diverse diet is healthier for you than sticking to just meat or just plants. “One study of 118,000 people found no evidence of a significant association between egg consumption and heart disease. In fact, people who ate up to a half dozen eggs per week actually had a lower risk of heart disease, as natural cholesterol, raises HDL (good cholesterol), which protects your heart” (Rakoczy). Veganism, which is the practice of not coming in contact with animal products, is actually a lot less healthy for you than a strict meat diet. This is true, because candy, donuts, soda, and energy drinks are vegan among many other things. India, which has the lowest meat consumption compared to all countries (except for Bangladesh), also is the place where diabetes is the most frugal. Vegans have a higher risk of sarcopenia, which is muscle wasting, senile dementia, and osteoporosis (Mangan). Although, many important nutrients are not found in plant material, one is, fiber. Fiber, which helps with a person’s digestive system, can only be found in plant proteins as a matter of fact (Johnson).

When finding one’s right dietary plan, a person needs to take into consideration many things. Some things that affect this are: ethnicity, history, or genetics. Some people are just naturally more susceptible to diseases and diet may not influence their health in anyway. When looking for the most nutritious foods, a person needs to take into consideration whether those nutrients are natural or modified. If they are not natural then it would be recommended to change your diet in some way. By looking at others who follow certain dietary plans, one can learn many things about themselves to maximize nutrient intake, which is extremely important for the health of a subject. Both meat and plants are consumed by the majority of the world and that fact ensures we’re on the right track for overall successful health of the people.

Many people, regardless of the facts, do not process foods like everyone else so it is important to know your body to reach maximum health. Meat and vegetables together generate the best results for nutrient gain to stop or lessen the risk of disease. Our ancestors have been eating meat and vegetables for millions of years and it has kept our species alive, so why change anything? Too much of any type of substance can be unhealthy to a person’s body, that is why moderation is key in finding your right diet plan. This being said, a more diverse diet will help a person learn and discover many things about their body, while gathering nutrients to ward off diseases and other health related problems.

Works Cited

1. Campbell, Hank. “Why a Vegetarian Diet May Be Bad For You”. American Council on Science and Health, 29 Mar. 2016, http://www.acsh.org/news/2016/03/29/why-a-vegetarian-diet-may-be-bad-for-you
2. Mangan, P. D., et al. “Why Being Vegan Is a Bad Idea”. Rogue Health and Fitness, 20 Oct. 2018, http://roguehealthandfitness.com/vegan-bad-idea/
3. Doheny, Kathleen. “Are There Health Downsides To Vegetarian Diets?” WebMD, WebMD, 18 Jan. 2018, http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/news/20180118/are-there-health-downsides-to-vegetarian-diets
4. Klurfeld, David M. “What Is the Role of Meat in a Healthy Diet?” OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 7 July 2018, http://academic.oup.com/af/article/8/3/5/5048762
5. Roohani, Nazanin, et al. “Zinc and Its Importance for Human Health: An Integrative Review”. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences : the Official Journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, Feb. 2013, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3724376/
6. Wyness, Laura. “The Role of Red Meat in the Diet: Nutrition and Health Benefits”. Cambridge Core, 8 Dec. 2015, http://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-nutrition-society/article/role-of-red-meat-in-the-diet-nutrition-and-health-benefits/7EE0FE146D674BB59D882BEA17461F1B/core-reader#
7. Johnson, Jon. “Animal Vs. Plant Protein: What Is the Difference and Which Is Best?” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322827.php
8. Rakoczy, Anna. “The Case for Eating Meat”. Homemade Method, 12 Mar. 2019, http://www.homemademethod.com/the-case-for-eating-meat/
9. “Heart Disease Facts & Statistics”. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm.

When you glance upon the newest issue of a magazine or log into your social media accounts, one of the first things you will notice is society’s newest craze: the vegan diet. Extreme diet trends are common in today’s popular culture which makes influencing younger people into plant-based diets simple. Your average 18-25 year old, who is up to date with the latest celebrity gossip, fashion, and health trends are likely to be enticed by the physical benefits of plant-based dieting. However, do they research what the effects of vegetarianism are? And, is it really the best choice for their health? Although, the latest trends and research heavily promote vegan diets, it is best to consult with a medical professional and consider the health risks prior to participating in extreme diet trends.

Those considering a vegan diet may question any arguments against it. Perhaps they have read many articles or watched YouTube videos about the plant-based diet and how it can reduce the effects of major health issues. According to the director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard – affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Kathy McManus, she explains that the benefits of a veggie diet include “lower body mass index and blood pressure; reduced risks for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer; and longer life”. McManus also raises a point that being vegetarian can help with short- term issues like weight loss and prevention of certain diseases. Before diving head first into a restrictive diet solely based on online recommendations, consider your choice with rational reasoning. If you consult with a doctor then a vegetarian diet can possibly help jumpstart a new health journey for you or at the minimum give you inspiration to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your normal diet. Or as McManus suggests, “incorporate an all-vegetarian meal once or twice a week. If you like it, keep adding vegetarian—or vegan—meals until you’re fully immersed in the diet”. If you do intend on making a change in your diet there are other options for the type of vegetarian you can become. For instance, in the article ‘Is a Vegetarian or Vegan Diet for You?’, published by Harvard Health, there is a breakdown of each type of vegetarian diet. The semi-vegetarian diet, where “you still eat animal products, but more selectively… and eat chicken and fish but not red meat”. There is the pescatarian diet, in which “you avoid meat and poultry but still eat fish and seafood”. Next, is the lacto-ovo vegetarian, where “you skip all meat, fish, and poultry but include dairy and eggs in your diet”. And lastly, the vegan diet, which is “the strictest form of vegetarianism”. It is a “solely plant-based diet; you eat no animal products at all—not even eggs or dairy products”. These type of meal plans all have a general similarity. The absence of certain meats or meat and animal products as a whole. The decision of cutting out meat may indeed be suitable for you and your lifestyle, but you should not feel pressured into the extreme forms of the diet. As listed, there are various alternatives for decreasing the amount on meat within your meal plan. It is simply up to the discretion of you and your physician to figure out what will most effectively improve your health.

On the contrary, research from Cooking Light explains that by “decreasing animal protein intake by following a plant-based diet (vegan, as well as other vegetarian diet forms) is suggested to have a lower carbon footprint on the environment and to be more sustainable”. There are also moral reasons behind wanting to transition into certain vegetarian diets, however, it is crucial to understand the consequences of such restrictions. Within the article ‘You Asked: Is a Vegan Diet Better?’, published by Time, Loren Cordain, professor emeritus of health and human sciences at Colorado State University, informs readers about the misconceptions of veganism. He states that “compared to the average American diet, a vegan diet looks very healthy, especially in the short term, but in the long-term, there aren’t any clear mortality benefits, and in fact, vegan diets may be less healthy than diets that include meat”. Since Cordain is an advocate for the well-known paleo diet (which “typically includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds”, according to the Mayo Clinic), he raises a concern about proper nourishment from strict vegan diets. The article suggests that “iron, zinc, calcium and other essential nutrients are lacking in a vegetable-only diet”. The usual followers of mainstream trends must consider these risks before going weeks without vitamins that are found only in certain meats and other animal products.

Say you haven’t visited your physician in a few years and since then you became anemic. Usually, your doctor will suggest higher levels of red meat intake throughout your diet and maybe even iron pills to supplement what your blood is lacking. If you did not know this information and proceeded with a strict vegan diet, you might cause more harm to yourself than what you intended because you assumed a vegetarian diet would work for you. Likewise, within a WebMD article, Katherine Tallmadge, RD, LD and past media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests: “A vegetarian diet doesn’t necessarily lead to weight loss – especially if you eat out at restaurants often, a lot of times, the only vegetarian dishes on the menu are cheesy and fattening”. Going about a veggie diet should be well researched and you should inform yourself about the ways to do so in a healthy manner. Even though you say you are vegetarian for health reasons, your plate consisting of carb rich potatoes and pasta may cause different results than what you expected. People should embrace their individuality and personal choices especially when it comes to their body and health. And although, the advantages sound enticing it is important to consult with your doctor or a nutritionist to plan out which kind of balanced diet is for you before you fully commit to a vegetarian diet based on information your favorite celebrity discussed.

In today’s popular culture, it is extremely simple to start a trend and weeks later notice everyone following it. This is because social media platforms provide a large space for millions of users to connect and engage with each other. With the immense amount of social media influencer and celebrity presence online, it is easy to share with tons of people the contents of your new favorite pressed juice or meal plan for the week. Social media users, especially around the ages of 18-25, are impressionable and are most likely to participate in these trends. This age group specifically has the most presence online and most people in this range are either full time students or work with peers their age. This indicates that there is a sense of community among 18-25 year olds, and when a trend is popular it is bound to spread like wildfire. Personally, I have witnessed and participated in a trend this past year while being a college student. It began at the beginning of the quarter when I would see students walking around with a certain reusable water bottle. To me, it looked like any other thermal or rambler, but there was a small logo near the top center of the bottle which made it identifiable. Then, I began to see ‘memes’, or online jokes accompanied by a funny caption, about a Hydro Flask. Every day on Twitter I would come across a picture of the water bottle or hear my friends complain about forgetting their Hydro Flask at home. Apparently, this water bottle claimed to keep your cold drinks cold for long periods of time and hot drinks hot for a long period of time. I was skeptical about $40+ water bottle, but because everyone around me had one and they were flying off shelves I decided that I needed one too. A few days later, I bought a Hydro Flask and used it every day and held it in my hand instead of keeping it in my backpack to show it off and let it be known that I was now a Hydro Flask owner. However, after about 2 weeks I grew tired of carrying around a huge water bottle and having to wash it every day and fill it up with water every morning. Since then, I have not used or even touched my Hydro Flask that I was once very excited about. The point is, trends do not always last and although some people still carry around their 40-ounce water bottle every day, for me it was a nuisance and I no longer carry it with me. Similarly, it is the newest trend for celebrities to go vegan and eat at expensive vegan restaurants. In their interviews you hear them explain that their weight loss was due to eating an all plant-based diet and avoiding animal products at all costs. This can very easily influence or persuade an impressionable person to want to go vegan as well in attempts of achieving the same look as a celebrity. The difference is, these celebrities have the money and resources to sustain a vegan diet. They are able to hire the most accredited nutritionist, dietitians, and gym trainers to help them reach the body image they desire and that is currently through the help of the trendy vegan diet. Unfortunately, a majority of these 18-25 year old do not have the same means to provide for their desired lifestyle as celebrities do. It is important for young people to research what the effects of certain trends are especially when it is one that can drastically impact their health.

All points considered, the different types of vegetarian diets can be beneficial to one’s health. It is found to decrease high levels of serious diseases, help with weight loss, and prevent some illnesses. However, these days the popular vegan diet has become a trend among Hollywood’s elite and influencing young, impressionable people to follow the diet as well. This becomes dangerous when people do not properly research about the foods they are and aren’t consuming. Making impulsive decisions about dieting can impact our health if we do not consult with a professional first. That is why there are ways to test the waters with vegetarian diets such as incorporating vegetarian/ vegan meals a few times a week or allowing more fruits and vegetable into our meals every day. We should not feel pressured into following extreme diets because a trend advocates for it, if we do so it should be to improve our health with the approval of our doctor.

Why should humans decide on the future of innocent animals? They are not ours to use for food, clothing, entertainment, experimentation, or any other reason. By switching to a plant-based diet, human societies will be able to alleviate the needless suffering and deaths of countless animals, the irreversible damage done onto the earth like air and water pollution, waste of precious energy, and deforestation. Raising and eating meat leaves behind an environmental issue that future generations will be forced to pay. Why are we choosing to destroy our future instead of improving it?

A plant-based vegetarian diet is healthier and can prevent diseases. Health has always been and always will be a significant concern in our world. Whether it be the increased chances of obesity or the fact that an estimated 70% of all diseases, including one-third of all cancers, are all related to diet. It has been proven that a vegetarian diet reduces the risk for chronic degenerative diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and many variations of cancer. Healthy vegetarian diets support a lifetime of good health and provide protection against numerous diseases, including three biggest killers: heart disease, cancer, and strokes. The New England Journal of Medicine reported a study of 88,000 nurses by Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital that found those who ate meat every day were more than twice as likely to get colon cancer as those who avoided meat. A 1990 Study verified by Dr William Castelli from University Hospital in Linkoping, Sweden, that vegetarians overall are 20% less prone to die from a heart attack than meat-eaters. Vegetarians can be a viable solution to the problem of obesity that has important repercussions for medical problems and health care budgets.

Majority of people do not realize that meat products contain poison and toxins. Dr Richard Novick of the Public Health Institute reported to Congress: “The meat we buy is grossly contaminated with both coliform bacteria and salmonella”. Over 4,000,000 cases of salmonella poisoning occur annually, causing nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, vomiting, chills, and even death. The abuse of antibiotics in factory farms has led to salmonella strains which are resistant not only to antibiotics but even to cooking. Secondly, parasites which are available throughout eighty-five per cent of all pig-related products even in many species of carnivores and omnivores. The parasite is a kind of worm that lives in a human digestive system. Such as tapeworms that are contracted from eating meat. These parasites stay attached in the intestine by stealing nutrients from our digested food thus causing malnutrition. Mad cow disease, this disease is caused by ‘cow cannibalism’. This is usually done by feeding dead diseased animal parts to other animals from the same species. It will cause memory loss, loss of body control and lastly death. Flesh foods are loaded with dangerous poisons and contaminants such as hormones, herbicides and pesticides, and antibiotics. As these toxins are all fat-soluble, they concentrate in the fatty flesh of the animals. Eating meat is bad for your health, bad for the environment, and bad for everyone.

A vegetarian diet reduces pollution in the land and waters as well as reduces the production of carbon dioxide (CO2). Eating a veggie diet means 2.5 x fewer carbon emissions than a meat diet. By eating vegetarian food for a year, you could save the same amount of emissions as taking a small family car off the road for 6 months. You might not be able to stop using your car in day-to-day life but you can choose to eat veggie food. More agricultural land is used to raise cattle than all other domesticated animals and crops combined. A vegetarian diet requires two-and-a-half times less the amount of land needed to grow food, compared to a meat-based diet. Livestock in the UK eat more than half of the 20 million tons of cereal grown. That’s over 50% of wheat and 60% of barley. An Oxford University study, published in the journal Climatic Change, shows that meat-eaters are responsible for almost twice as many dietary greenhouse-gas emissions per day as vegetarians. Eating one pound of hamburger does the same damage as driving your car for three weeks!

Meat is the most convenient protein source available. A balanced non-vegetarian diet allows the consumption of all four main food groups including meat and other animal by-products that are important protein and fat sources. Most of us consume more proteins and fats than we need. An excess of proteins can cause kidney failure and osteoporosis, and a high-fat diet can eventually lead to heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes. On the other hand, vegetarians get protein from grains, beans, vegetables, and low-fat food. This is how they reduce the risk of most diseases caused by fats. It is a myth to believe that vegetarians don’t get enough proteins or that their diet is not balanced because they don’t eat meat. The key is variety and accurate combinations of energy and protein sources. Vegetarians get their calcium, protein, iron, and vitamins from different vegetables, leafy greens, beans, cereal, nuts, fruits, juices, bread, and about fifteen minutes in the sun each day. Proper food promotes their physical and psychological health. Meat has more proteins than the daily need but an excess amount of meat protein creates unnecessary uric acid, which is a breeder of several diseases. Plant foods are the real ‘high quality’ foods that we should be eating for optimal health.

In conclusion, becoming a vegetarian may not be for everybody, but it has so many benefits, it’s hard to find a reason not to do it. Your body, mind, environment, and your overall lifestyle will benefit. On the contrary, a vegetarian diet is delicious and nutritious which is the perfect source of energy for the human body. By choosing a vegetarian diet, you can have perfect health, and the happiness of living at peace with your family, friends and animals. Why should animals suffer and experience a terrible life just because humans are selfish and only think about filling up their body with a pleasant meal probably made from meat? You must at least try becoming a vegetarian now that you know it is a tempting challenge and an exciting experiment that has advantages and no risks. Do it for your body, for your lifestyle, or for your environment, but do it.

“In 2007, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), reviewed 31 long-term studies lasting between 2 to 5 years and concluded that at least one-third to two-thirds of people on diets regain more weight than they lost within four or five years, and the true number may well be significantly higher” (‘Why Don’t Fad Diets Work?’). Fad diets are popular eating plans that help many individuals rapidly lose weight. Some examples of these diets are the Atkins diet, the ketogenic diet, and the paleo diet. The lose-weight-quick initiative is motivating people of all ages. However, most of these hot new diets really are too good to be true. Fad diets that omit certain food groups are not a safe weight loss method and should be avoided.

Fad diets such as the ketogenic diet provide temporary results that are difficult to manage long term. The keto diet is a high-carb low-fat diet that helps dieters rapidly lose weight in an unhealthy way. After finishing the diet, many will gain most of the weight back within a year. “Some people develop a pattern called ‘yo-yo’ or weight cycling, which is losing weight, gaining weight, and then losing it again. They repeat this pattern for many years” (‘Why Don’t Fad Diets Work?’). This cycling of weight makes it pointless for individuals to continue doing this fad diet for long. Diets like these make losing weight easy, but it is not fat that is being lost. Taylor Wolfram is a registered dietitian, she explains how this works, “If you lose weight quickly, you’ll lose muscle, bone and water. You also will be more likely to regain the pounds”. Most people have heard the phrase ‘quality over quantity’, and that goes for weight loss too. Proper weight loss and weight maintenance is a much healthier alternative to fad diets.

Fad diets are often too good to be true and can cause long term health concerns. Research has shown that fad diets can cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms such as dehydration, weakness and fatigue, nausea and headaches, constipation, and lack of essential vitamins and minerals. As well as short term issues, fad diets can also cause serious long term health concerns, such as osteoporosis and anemia. “Because fad diets cut out certain food items or whole food groups, the dieter doesn’t get enough of certain vitamins and minerals. That can lead to anemia (not enough iron in the blood), or osteoporosis, a condition that makes bones break easily” (Varda Epstein). Researchers have shown that many dieters will gain back even more weight than they were to start with which puts them more at risk for heart issues. The article ‘Are Fad Diets Safe?’ explains what foods can cause heart issues: “Many low-carbohydrate diets allow you to eat foods high in saturated fat, such as butter, cheese and meat. Too much saturated fat can raise cholesterol and increase the risk of getting heart disease or having a stroke”. It is clear that losing weight quickly does that outweigh the health concerns brought on by these diets.

Eliminating certain food groups or important macronutrients can often cause malnutrition. Varda Epstein explains how fad diets are especially unsafe for teenagers: “Teens are still growing. Fad dieting often means cutting out foods or food groups that give teens the nutrients they need to grow”. Without proper nutrition and dieting teens will not get the vitamins and minerals they need to grow. A lack of nutrients needed can cause a variety of problems. Shereen Lehman addresses the issue: “Fad diets are bad because they don’t address the problems that caused you to gain weight in the first place. Once you’re through with the fad diet, you’ll probably gain the weight back as you reestablish old eating habits. Fad diets are also bad because they usually require the elimination of foods that aren’t bad for you, which can result in nutritional deficiencies”. This is a common issue for many first-time dieters. Many see all the advertising, saying that it will be easy to lose weight quickly, which interests them. However, they do not see the health concerns that come along with it.

Losing a lot of weight quickly without training or exercise seems like a luxury. Taylor Wolfram says, “If you lose weight quickly, you’ll lose muscle, bone and water. You also will be more likely to regain the pounds. Instead, focus on eating in a way that helps you feel nourished, satisfied and energized”. The lack of needing to workout is what makes fad diets so unhealthy and not practical. Wolfram goes on to say, “Regular physical activity is essential for good health. The key to success is to find physical activities that you enjoy and then aim for 30 to 60 minutes of activity on most days of the week”. Combining a healthy diet along with regularly exercising is the only way to lose weight effectively and most importantly, keep the weight off.

It is clear that fad diets should not be used to rapidly lose weight. Diets that propose easy weight loss do not outweigh the many health concerns such as malnutrition and heart issues. Fad diets are often difficult to manage long term, they do not provide healthy habits that are easy to maintain. Dieting is an important part of losing weight, so choosing the correct diet is very important. Diets should be personal to each individual and should not leave out main food groups. Fad diets should be avoided so that losing weight is both healthy and balanced.

Works Cited

1. ‘Are Fad Diets Safe?’. Croi Heart & Stroke Charity, 17 Aug. 2017, http://croi.ie/are-fad-diets-safe
2. Epstein, Varda. ‘Fad Diets and Teens: 8 Reasons Fad Diets Seriously Suck’. Smarter Parenting, 18 July 2016, www.kars4kids.org/blog/parenting/teens/8-reasons-fad-diets-seriously-suck
3. ‘Fad Diets Are Bad Diets’. American Council on Science and Health, 2 July 2018, www.acsh.org/news/2018/07/02/fad-diets-are-bad-diets-13134
4. Lehman, Shereen. ‘Why Fad Diets Are Bad and How to Avoid Them’. Verywell Fit, Verywell Fit, 24 June 2019, www.verywellfit.com/why-fad-diets-suck-2506638
5. ‘Weight Loss and Fad Diets’. Better Health Channel, Department of Health & Human Services, 31 Aug. 2011, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/weight-loss-and-fad-diets
6. ‘Why Don’t Fad Diets Work?’. LiveScience, Purch, www.livescience.com/32742-why- dont-fad-diets-work.html
7. Wolfram, Taylor. ‘Staying Away from Fad Diets’. EatRight, www.eatright.org/health/weight-loss/fad-diets/staying-away-from-fad-diets

In the modern life, health eating tendencies become more and more important. There are two main tendencies, vegetarian diet and eating meat. Eating meat, a traditional eating tendency, eats animal flesh, commenced for thousands of years, from our ancestors to present. Vegetarians diet are known as low rate of cancers or diseases, good at controlling weight, etc. But some researches indicate that non-meat eaters have to cope with deficiency of nutrients. That leads to argue between many scientists about adopting vegetarian diet or eating meat.This essay attempts to evaluate the importance of meat consumption for the human body compared to a vegetarian diet.

Vegetarian Diet and Deficiency of Nutrient

Inconvenient Life

According to Ostfeld (2017), a vegetarian diet is all fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, excepts all animal products and dairy products. Vegetarians are believed to be healthy, to have long lifespan and low rate of disease. However, being a vegetarian has a lot of difficulty to cope with. Using non-multimaterial will make vegetarians waste time to find way to eat enough nutrition. Moreover, becoming a nutritional person, vegetarians must get enough knowledge about vegetarian diet and have suitable lifestyle to adapt. For example, the Center for Disease and Prevention recommend that beans and nuts is provided enough 46 grams daily for women more than 19 years old and 56 grams per day for men. In a 2018 poll created by Gallup, which company are known for its public opinion poll conducted worldwide, only 5 percentage of United State adults consider themselves to be vegetarians. That brings difficulty for non-meat eaters to eat away from home since most of the country caters to those who eat animal products.

Lack of Zinc, Iron and Vitamin

Some people argue that eating meat is linked with serious health problems, so they recommend that we should adopt plan-based diet. However, many researches show that non-eating meat can lead to dangerous health issue. In the 2018 research, Roman Pawlak shows that the rate of iron deficiency in vegetarians is 30,3% with females, 29% with males. In comparison with non-vegetarian, eating meat have lower iron deficiency rate, 0%-34% with women, 42%-47% with men. The Institutes of Medicine claim that plant-diet need providing iron at 1,8 times to compare with eating meat. The reason to answer this difference is iron absorption. Vegetables are regarded as source of iron, but iron in plant is poorly absorbed (Cereal Chem, 1981).

Difference of absorption is the same thing can be easily seen in zinc. Zinc is found in a lot of plant sources, such as grains, nuts and seeds. However, zinc from different sources is absorbed in different way. Cereal Chem demonstrated that nutrition of zinc is not bioavailability from plants (1981). In a long year study research, zinc in human body was reduced after 3 months not eating meat and it keeps stable at this rate after 6 and 12 months (Janet R Hunt, 2003).

Although vegetarianism brings many benefits such as low death rate, avoiding diseases, non-meat eaters are at a higher deficiency of some nutrient, especially children, women of childbearing and older people. People from this group is recommended that should not become vegetarians. Because they are in the process of development or losing nutrients, they need enough nutrients than anyone else. The shortage of nutrients will make them cope with many dangerous situations, even lead to death.

Plants are abundant intake of vitamins such as grain, vegetable, etc. But non-meat eaters cannot avoid the lack of vitamin B12. In 1988 Jadhav’s research, he indicated that lack of B12 leading to anemia, jaundice in infant and women of childbearing with plant-based diet. This study explains that the deficiency of B12 in childhood can make negative consequence for adulthood. Therefore, researchers suggest that vegetarians must be careful with deficiency disease.

The Role of Meat

Protein

Protein is an important component of every cell in human’s body. It is made from the chain of amino acids. Meat protein is distinguished by its essential amino acids. According to W.H. Freeman and Co (1987), meat includes 97% digestible and roughly 40% essential amino acids. That makes protein in meat totally different from other protein in others source.

Amino acids plays an important role in building and repair tissues (Worldwide Revolution Nutrition Diet, 1980). To make the body work properly, each person must have and balance 22 types of essential amino acids. However, if the body is not provided enough protein and it lasts in a long time, it can cause to adverse effects. First, not supplement enough protein, the human’s body can be cramping, weakness. The body will take protein from the tissue and use it as energy to complete function – maintain body. Second, the deficiency of protein will create a sensitive body. That means people have no resistance, all function of the body will lower. Thus, the human’s body need meat to complete all function, eating-meat cannot be replaced by other plant-diet tendencies.

Minerals and Vitamins

Meat is the best source of minerals and vitamins. 100 grams red meat supply enough energy for more than half of day (William, 2017). Another type of meat- chicken breast, it can maintain 56% of human’s body within 100 grams (USDA, 2011). Thank for richness of minerals such as zinc and iron, the human’s body can work with a small amount of meat. Iron is a compulsory factor to serve oxygen to hold on the body. Up to source of iron, it has difference of absorption. Iron in meat is more bioavailability and is absorbed better than any sources (J. Pediatr, 1976). He also compares the absorption iron in meat and plants or non-heme: approximate 25% and 5% to 15%. Thus, eliminating meat can cause many serious issues to the body. J. Pediatr shows that lack of iron makes bad influence for people, mostly in children. They can be diminished IQ, attention span and intellectual performance. Moreover, Nevin states that iron deficiency can result in blindness, retardation and deafness, even lead to death (1991). That is the same issue occur with deficiency of zinc. Zinc is needed for the body’s defensive system to work properly. According to Cereal Chem (1981), the best common source of zinc is meat. Particularly, zinc from plants is not bioavailability and cannot enough to supply for the body. If the body does not have enough zinc, immune system cannot work correctly, result in the ability of healing the wound is decreased (Cereal Chem, 1981).

Beside minerals, vitamins are also rich in meat, mainly B12 (Cereal Chem, 1981). Vitamin B12 is principal factor in DNA synthesis and neurological function. In Robert study (2003), the rate of B12 deficiency is increased with the age of people. If vitamin B12 is not supplied enough to the body, that can make a bad effect on heart and nerve. People with vitamin B12 deficiency can be irritability, personally change, depression and more and more mental diseases. In addition, deficiency for a long time causes higher risks of heart diseases and anemia (Robert, 2003).

Conclusion

Choosing the best eating tendency between plant-based diet and eating meat is the problem that many experts are arguing to find the answer. This essay has attempted to show the drawbacks of vegetarian diet and the role of eating meat in the human’s body. The advantages of eliminating meat cannot disclaim. However, becoming vegetarian must cope with lots of deficiencies of nutrient instead. The shortage of vitamins, zinc and iron can lead to dangerous health issue, even result in death. Thus, vegetarian diet cannot replace eating meat. Meat is an abundant source of vital components which uphold, protect, make the human’s body do all right functions.

References

1. MACDONALD, H. (1991). Meat and Its Place in the Diet. Canadian Journal of Public Health/ Revue Canadienne De Sante’e Publique, 82(5), 331-334, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41990091
2. Tailia Raphaely, Dora Marinova (1996). Impact of Meat Comsumption on Health and Enviromental Sustainability. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Diana_Bogueva/publication/306234429_Meat_myths_and_marketing/links/5aa1f797aca272d448b4c0c9/Meat-myths-and-marketing.pdf
3. Celada, P., Bastida, S., & Sánchez-Muniz, F. J. (2016). To Eat or Not to Eat Meat. That Is the Question. Nutricion hospitalaria, 33(1), 177-181, https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/3092/309245772028.pdf
4. Ball, M. J., & Ackland, M. L. (2000). Zinc Intake and Status in Australian Vegetarians. British Journal of Nutrition, 83(1), 27-33, https://tier-im-fokus.ch/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/ball00.pdf
5. Thorogood, M. (1995). The Epidemiology of Vegetarianism and Health. Nutrition research reviews, 8(1), 179-192, https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/7022/592a935c18538de50919a882cd8d8c0537ef.pdf
6. Janet R. Hunt. Bioavailability of Iron, Zinc, and Other Trace Minerals from Vegetarian Diets. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 78, Issue 3, September 2003, Pages 633S–639S, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/78.3.633S
7. Oh, R., & Brown, D. L. (2003). Vitamin B12 Deficiency. American family physician, 67(5), 979-986, https://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/0301/p979.html?mod=article_inline
8. Pereira, P.M.D.C.C., & Vicente, A.F.D.R.B. (2013). Meat Nutritional Composition and Nutritive Role in the Human Diet. Meat science, 93(3), 586-592, http://comum.rcaap.pt/bitstream/10400.26/5250/1/Artigo_PaulaPereira.pdf
9. Pawlak, R., Berger, J., & Hines, I. (2018). Iron Status of Vegetarian Adults: A Review of Literature. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 12(6), 486-498, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6367879/
10. Moe, S. M., Zidehsarai, M. P., Chambers, M. A., Jackman, L. A., Radcliffe, J. S., Trevino, L. L., … & Asplin, J. R. (2011). Vegetarian Compared with Meat Dietary Protein Source and Phosphorus Homeostasis in Chronic Kidney Disease. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 6(2), 257-264, https://cjasn.asnjournals.org/content/clinjasn/6/2/257.full.pdf
11. Aśok C. Antony. Vegetarianism and Vitamin B-12 (Cobalamin) Deficiency. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 78, Issue 1, July 2003, Pages 3–6, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/78.1.3
12. Scrimshaw, N. S. (1991). Iron Deficiency. Scientific American, 265(4), 46-53, https://anemiacentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/IronDeficiency-scientific-american.pdf

Opinions can differ on this topic, but I personally think vegetarian and vegan diets are extremely healthy. I’m a vegetarian and used to be a vegan so from personal experience I think it makes people healthier and happier. These diets, whether by choice or not are a very healthy way of living. It’s also great for the planet, environment, and for animals. Vegetarians are far less likely to get diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, and heart disease. Biologically, humans are herbivorous, which means we can in fact life off of plants alone.

A lot of people grow up eating meat, dairy, eggs, etc., so it’s much easier to not eat those things because they never grew up eating it. If you grow up eating it a small amount it may be pretty easy but if you eat it on the daily it would definitely be difficult. Some people live off of meats, which in my opinion is extremely unhealthy. Most food that vegans/vegetarians eat are healthy and contain less fat & unwanted things for your body such as pesticides.

If you’re not careful, these diets can be dangerous. Rapid weight loss, sickness, eating disorders, and many other things can come from this if you do it ‘incorrectly’. A good way to prevent these things are to eat balanced meals, which yes you can do even when you’re a vegan or vegetarian. You have to make sure you’re getting protein and nutrients which you can get from many other foods, which do fit in a vegan or vegetarian diet. If you decide to take up one of these diets make sure you consider all of the above and possibly consult with a doctor.

Many choose to eat like this while others are born with reasons or allergies that make them eat like this. For example, there’s an immune disorder called ​phenylketonuria​ ​and its basically where your body can’t process phenylalanine​, which is something in protein. This means you need to find another source of protein. Some good proteins for vegans are lentils with beans (legumes), soy products (like tofu) with edamame, grains, seeds, most green vegetables, and protein powders and some for vegetarians are the above, egg, milk, and other dairy products.

Some facts and myths about being vegetarian: the human body is not technically designed to eat meat on the regular; meat protein is no better than plant protein; vegetable oil is in fact not healthy (it is still oil and fat going into your body); just because something says ‘vegetable’, less fat, or something in that category does not make it healthy at all.

There are not only benefits for your body and mind, but also for the Earth. Being a vegetarian or vegan saves hundreds of animals. In my personal opinion, I don’t understand how someone can be okay with eating a living thing that was killed for their pleasure when they could have something else to eat. To some people who used to probably eat meat every day, I sound insane. As you can probably tell I’m very anti-meat eating. But if more people didn’t eat meat or animal products our Earth would have much more hope for the future.

A great solution for people who need to eat meat, but want to help save the planet, is veggie-meat. Veggie-meat is basically food that tastes and looks like meat, but consists of wheat, vegetables, soy, grain, and etc.

To sum up this essay I’d like to say that being a vegetarian or vegan is great, not all people can do it so if you do than congrats! You’re helping save the planet.

Keeping a balanced diet is essential, not only to survive but to live a healthy and strong life, preventing diseases. Many people may think that the diet they are doing is considered as healthy. But through this monograph, you may realize how unhealthy many of the things you used to label as “healthy” actually are. From here, a debate is created between how expensive a healthy diet may be, according to the products you use, and whether you buy them or produce them.

To start with, I would like to explain what “unhealthy food” is and why it is bad for our bodies. Many people believe that when we talk about unhealthy food, we mean fast food such as hamburgers or fries. But there is actually a much more extensive variety of food that hurts our bodies as much. We call processed food any food that has been altered in some way during preparation. Though, it does not necessarily mean that every proceed food is damaging. Just the ones that are labeled as “highly processed” food, which means that they have been made mostly of industrialized ingredients meaning that they have extremely little, if not none amount of whole foods. Moreover, it has been proved that your diet affects not only your body but your brain health as well. The brain is mostly made from fatty acids, in such a way that omega 3&6 create cell membranes, whereas saturated and trans fats compromise the health of your brain. Our brain gets its energy out of these foods, thus way, controlling our mood, sleep, and energy.

Many people may believe that a healthy diet is really expensive to sustain every single day. As I have just explained, real healthy food is not just the fruits you buy from the supermarket or the typical diet yogurt you buy as well. These products have been so modified, that they have almost no whole foods. This is why the best products to buy are organic ones. But these are not only more difficult to get, but they are obviously more expensive. On the other hand, many people opt for harvest in their backyard, so that they can get perfectly fresh and organic products, and know what that fruit or vegetable has as well, as they are the ones producing it. So now you may be wondering why wouldn’t everyone start harvesting themselves. Well, it is a process that takes a lot of time, if it even succeeds. Failure of harvest sometimes happens, as it is really difficult to keep it at the right temperature at all times, with the necessary amount of water. Moreover, even if you get to succeed in this, there is a really high chance of your products being produced in a small amount as insects may have eaten most of them. Furthermore, you should make sure that the seeds you are buying have not been scientifically modified, nor have pesticides. With all this said, it is perfectly clear why people would choose to buy their products rather than produce them. Besides, harvest could be cheaper, as it could be more expensive. Depending on how well you are at harvesting and how well you succeed. For example, if you have bought the seeds, some elements to help you move the land, and some soil, you could have easily spent $200 on seeds, $20 on soil, and $50 more on the elements you are using to help. So, you have spent $270 on cultivating, if not more on getting some help to succeed properly and get your products to grow. This could go two ways. In the first one, you succeed, even though it takes more than six months for them to properly grow and for you to eat them. So even though it was expensive to harvest, you can finally eat for free or at least some food for free. On the other hand, all that you have worked so much on could either be eaten by an insect, not grow properly, or have drowned from so much water or dry from lack of it. So, it is safe to say that harvesting could be a solution, as well as a problem.

What is more, after watching a social experiment held out by Joey Salads, in which, with the company of a friend tested who would spend more on food for a day. One of them ate only healthy food, while the other one ate only unhealthy food Through the whole social experiment, the one who was supposed to eat only healthy food only eat his own cooked meals, while the one who was supposed to eat only fast food ate only at fast food restaurants. At the end of the day, the first one ended up spending $5,59 and the second one, with the fast food ended up spending $23.11. This seems to be a really reliable video that represents this topic in an everyday real-life routine. However, in this video, there are some aspects that are not taken into account, which many of you may not even think about it. First of all, through all the meals, the man who was eating healthily cooked every single meal. Meanwhile, the second man, who always eats unhealthy food, eats only at restaurants. So, even though the restaurants the second man went to were fast food ones, which means that they are cheaper, they still were more expensive than if he had made them himself. To reinforce this statement, there was research data gathered? that showed that per meal cooked at home, $3,7 could be saved. This sadist shows how, even though fast food could be more expensive than healthy food, eating at a restaurant will be more expensive than cooking at your house. Next in order, through this video, it is not taken into account that unhealthy food is not only fast food, but as was explained before, highly processed food is extremely unhealthy as well and brings almost no nutrients to your body. He could have made mac and cheese at home and it would be really unhealthy, bringing no nutrients to its body. The same goes for the man that was eating healthily. None of the food he brought where shown as organic products, or at least low-processed. This again shows how he actually did not really know what really healthy and unhealthy food are. So, healthy food may be cheaper for some people than others. But this depends on what they believe is healthy food and what they believe is not healthy food. Moreover, the man in this video believes that all cooked meals are healthy, while only fast food at restaurants is unhealthy food. Hence, in this case, unhealthy food is actually more expensive than unhealthy food.

In addition, what is bought to have a balance and healthy diet, variates on your type of diet? A meat-free diet, such as veganism and vegetarianism, saves up to 720 dollars a year. This happens because the meat is one of the most expensive products that are bought on a regular healthy diet. Nevertheless, this does not mean that people who do not eat meat cannot have a perfectly healthy diet. Through beans and lentils, it is really easy to gain most of the protein missed in the meat and they are really cheap in the market. On the other hand, it is overly difficult to gain all the protein being missed from the meat back. Additionally, as a consequence of vegans not eating any product that comes out of an animal, it takes much more than simply eating beans or lentils to gain every nutrient that is missed in these important foods in the diet. Many people choose to be vegan in order to take care of the environment and to show their concern for animals. In order to succeed through this and keep a balanced diet at the same time, they eat lots of replacements, for example instead of eating cow milk, they eat almond milk. These replacements, even though they are high in nutrients, they sometimes do not bring enough of them to their diet so they have to eat a lot of high in rich protein foods such as almonds, avocados, and vegan cheese. Besides the fact that vegans have to eat more amount of these replacement foods, they are much more expensive than regular milk, cheese, or even yogurt. Moreover, to completely get all the protein they need per day without eating so much, they get protein powders which cost around $1 per serving. This may seem a really little difference in price, but adding how expensive the replacements foods are and how much more they have to buy of it differently than someone having a meat and dairy diet, as they have to get double the portion in order to get all the nutrients, it may be more expensive to have a vegan diet. To reinforce this idea, during a vegan diet 105 dollars more a month is spent rather than a meat and dairy-based diet if doing the diet correctly and getting all nutrients, calories, and proteins needed every day. Therefore, even though to many people having a non-meat diet may be cheaper than a meat diet, in order to get all the proper nutrients needed for the body, especially for vegans, it may be more expensive. This depends on whether you believe that just rice and beans replace meat and cheese or if other products are needed. Besides, just like in every single diet, it is almost impossible to live out of the exact same food every single day. So, even if beans and rice may help substitute some non-vegan foods, vegans cannot eat just these foods every day.

To conclude, after everything is said, it would be fair to conclude that whether people believe what food is cheaper or more expensive depends on what they believe is healthy and what is not healthy. As it was mentioned before, we talk about healthy food when we refer to food that has not been highly modified. An example of these highly processed foods could be fast food, but it is important to understand that it is not the only highly processed food there is nor the only unhealthy ones. Even diet yogurts and cereal bars are considered to be in this field. So, out of this, we may come to the conclusion that not every food that we cook at home is healthy, meaning that even if it may be believed that cooking at home is more healthy and cheaper, it depends on what you have boughten and how you cook it. Another solution to this problem discussed throughout the essay was harvesting, which could be a possible and viable answer, but the chances that this ends up costing more and failing are higher. To sum up, it is my belief that a healthy diet is more expensive than a poor diet.