THE HEALTH AFFECTS OF VEGETARIANISM

BY LUKAS FLANDERS
Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of
meat, seafood, and the flesh of any other animal, and sometimes the
abstention from by-products of animal slaughter, such as offal and
bone char. Common variants of vegetarianism include pescetarian;
abstinence from all meats except seafood, and vegan; abstinence from
all animal products, including eggs, dairy, and honey.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has stated that a properly
planned vegetarian diet is healthful, nutritionally adequate, and
provides health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain
diseases. A vegetarian diet offers lower levels of saturated fat,
cholesterol and animal protein, and higher levels of carbohydrates,
fiber, magnesium, potassium, folates, and antioxidants such as
vitamins C and E and phytochemicals. Vegetarians tend to have a
lower body mass index, lower blood pressure, lower levels of
cholesterol, and fewer incidences of diabetes and heart disease.
All of these apparent health benefits have been mostly attributed to
the abstinence from non-lean red meat. Emphasis on non-lean. This
implies that muscle and body fat deposits are present on the meat,
and have not been trimmed by the butcher. This is where all the lost
saturated fat and cholesterol is hiding. There is a trade off, however.
Unless extremely well planned and executed, a vegetarian diet is
disturbingly low in protein and beneficial fats.