Vegetarianism

For many, many years ago, a large part of human beings have decided on the option of eliminating all types of animal meat from the diet with the aim of improving their health or simply as a type of moral conviction. With the passage of time, this trend in health has taken on special importance and strength and has spread every day more among the different societies of the world.

What is vegetarianism

The vegetarianism is a lifestyle and diet in which besides introducing the rejection of all kinds of animal exploitation and abuse is based on the consumption of products that come from animals, in other words is based on the consumption of fruit , vegetables and greens . This movement allows the inclusion in the diet of some products such as flours, sugars and colorants which are considered as processed products as well as some types of products that come from animals depending on the degree of commitment to the diet.

Source

In fact, the concept of vegetarianism comes from very ancient times because since the beginning of humanity , human beings based their diet on vegetables, vegetables and fruits. Many philosophies of life accepted this theory over time.

History

The history of vegetarianism in the world today has its beginnings in 1847 , specifically in England , when the Vegetarian Society was founded in the city of Manchester, which is considered the first vegetarian institution or association in the world. The vegetarian movement gained traction over the decades thanks to several influential historical figures.

Upton Sinclair was unknowingly a man who played a pivotal role in the history of vegetarianism, contributing to the movement when his novel ” The Jungle ” led to the creation of the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Food and Drug Administration of United States in 1906. In the same way, many scientific studies that were published over the years made the theory gain strength and followers. At present , thousands of people around the world decide to follow this type of diet and many institutions They have been created in order to educate the population.

Founder

Experts and historians consider that the true founder of vegetarianism was Pythagoras who in his time established a type of diet that excluded all types of animal meat.

Characteristics of vegetarianism

Among the main characteristics of vegetarianism are the following:

• Involves among its philosophy the rejection of animal abuse of any kind.
• It can be done mild to moderate .
• Many vegetarians are opposed to the use of products that come from animals .
• It is possible to consume processed foods .
• It is based on the consumption of fruits and vegetables .
• It allows the consumption of whole grains , pasta and breads with the same composition.
• It is considered as a healthy lifestyle .

Types

There are several types of vegetarianism, which are mentioned below:

• Ovovegetarian : it does not allow the consumption of any type of meat or fish, but it does allow the consumption of products such as eggs and honey.
• Apivegearianism : people cannot consume any type of meat or fish, dairy, eggs, but the consumption of honey is allowed.
• Pescetarianism : although meat is not consumed, it is allowed to eat fish, eggs, dairy and honey.
• Lacto-vegetarian celery : in this case meat and fish are prohibited but you can eat eggs, dairy products and honey.
• Ovolacto-vegetarian: in this case you cannot eat any type of meat or fish, but it is possible to eat eggs and dairy products.
• Lacto-vegetarian : meats and fish are prohibited but they can consume products derived from milk and honey.
• Pescetarianism : You cannot eat any type of meat, but fish and eggs, dairy and honey.
• Semi-vegetarian : in this type of vegetarianism, the person has the open option of eating meats but tries to avoid them as much as possible.
• Veganism : no type of animal products is definitely consumed.

Beginning

There are several principles that are fundamental in vegetarianism, among them we find the following:

• Proteins : can be included by eating the plant foods Beans, nuts, lentils, soy and rice products and sometimes cheese.
• The calcium : is one of the most important basic principles of a vegetarian diet. It can be taken from cheese , milk or yogurt or from fortified cereals, fruit juices and dark leafy vegetables , since they all have high levels of calcium.
• Quantity and color : When thinking about the basic principles of a vegetarian diet, fruits and vegetables are high in fiber , minerals , vitamins and antioxidants , the more colorful they are, the more nutrients they will have.
• Whole grains : Whole grains have bran, endosperm and germ so they are high in fiber, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, among other healthy compounds.
• Zinc, iron and B12 : in addition to protein and calcium, you need zinc, iron and vitamin B12. Iron improves red blood cell production , zinc supports the immune system and vitamin B12 for the body to function

Profits

Diets that are based on the vegetarian principle can be very beneficial for humans if they are done properly. Have the ability to reduce considerably the risk of coronary heart disease , help reduce levels of weight and body fat , it promotes a lifestyle more healthy and may even be the treatment for some types of diseases.

Experts believe that such feeding can even prevent the cancer especially colon and breast cancer. It reduces high cholesterol levels and can even reverse the process related to atherosclerosis . It is an effective way to combat high blood pressure and prevents the onset of diabetes mellitus .

Environmental impact

Vegetarianism can have a beneficial effect on the environmental balance and ecology of the planet . When meat is left aside and greater amounts of fruits and vegetables are eaten, it helps to take care of the planet. One of the main benefits is to protect the different animal species that exist which are intended for human consumption, and this can promote the ecological balance of the planet.

The amounts of water that are used to sustain, for example, livestock and agriculture are reduced . Large amounts of fuel are saved in transportation and important protection is given to the forests as they are cut down in large proportions to make room to locate animals, which will then be consumed by humans. This also protects the forests and by avoiding some processes such as the refrigeration of meats , it is possible to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases .

Disadvantages

Many experts consider that this type of diet fails to provide all the nutritional requirements that the body needs in order to function properly. One of the main problems is that the body cannot ingest the adequate amount of protein and this can lead to health problems. It is also difficult to obtain all the vitamin B12 that the body needs.

During important periods of life such as lactation and pregnancy , this type of diet is not recommended since the lack of folic acid , iron and vitamins can put the life of the fetus at risk. The bone health can also be compromised by the lack of animal protein. Being a diet that allows the intake of flour, rice and cookies to mention some products, when you do not have adequate control it can lead to overweight .

Vegetarianism in the world

Over the years, vegetarians in the world have increased considerably. One of the most vegetarian countries on the globe is India, where approximately 40% of its inhabitants are vegetarians. There has also been a trend for those who are not considered vegetarian to try to reduce the consumption of meat and animal derivatives .

critics

Despite the fact that vegetarianism takes refuge and clings to the idea of ​​not participating or ingesting any type of animal that has been alive, its means of being able to produce greater quantities of products allowed for consumption enters into a great discussion. Many experts assure that the people who dedicate themselves to this type of philosophy in a massive way, have created monocultures which are a biological way of producing and that for this reason, are harmful to health .

Importance

Vegetarianism is considered an important movement because it makes human beings aware of animal abuse and a balanced diet without having to resort to products of animal origin. It is a way of eating that respects nature and life above all . When the nutritional plan is followed correctly, vegetarianism has the possibility of being able to improve the health of the individual and to avoid the appearance of different types of diseases .