Vegetarian diet: As good as it gets

Around us there is a growing sense of apprehension regarding the foods we take. People are becoming more concerned and conscious about their food habit. This indeed is a very positive sign.

In this era of mechanisation, we are going away from physical labor. Threats like mad cow disease or bird flu are emerging.

On the other, hand the spread of fast food culture, more consumption of instant foods of lower nutrition value due to our busy lifestyle are influencing our health. As we are facing these lifestyle related problems, the issue of vegetarian diet can be considered as a safe alternative to some extent for us.

So what is a vegetarian? The dictionary meaning of vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat or fish. Depending on the degrees to which the individual restrains from taking animal origin food there are several subtypes.

There has always been confusion among the general people about the vegetarian diet. Is it really an option to consider? Being a vegetarian can we get all the nutrients our body needs? Often people think that, being a vegetarian, it will be very difficult to fulfill the dietary need of the body, specially the protein. But a vegetarian diet does not mean a diet lacking in protein. There are lots of plant foods also which contain good amount of protein. Good vegetarian protein sources are nuts and seeds, pulses, soya products, cereals, eggs and dairy products.

A well-balanced vegetarian diet will easily supply all the protein and essential amino acids to meet the body needs. Researchers have found that vegetarian diets tend to be lower in total fat.

A research study on a group of French vegetarians found they had a daily intake of 25 percent less fat in comparison to that of non-vegetarians. Vegetable products do not contain cholesterol.

High blood cholesterol is linked with heart diseases. Other essential constituents of a balanced diet are carbohydrates and fiber. Animal products contain no fiber or complex carbohydrate. High-fiber (high-cellulose) vegetable food-stuff is healthy choices for a person's nutritional needs.

Lettuce, broccoli, tomato, banana, all cereals and grains (as for example bread and pasta), potatoes and rice are excellent vegetable source of carbohydrate and fibers. Complex carbohydrate along with lots of fiber should be eaten in proper proportion for maximum healthiness.

Hence we see that the three major elements of diet can easily be found from the vegetarian diet source. The other desired nutrients for a balanced diet like vitamins, minerals can also be obtained from the vegetarian diet source.

Important protective antioxidant nutrients are found in fresh fruit and vegetables. It is believed that these nutrients play a major role in reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer etc.

Medical researchers have found some evidence of health related benefits of the vegetarian diet. Being a vegetarian we can reduce the risk from certain cancers. Incidence of lung and colorectal cancer is lesser in vegetarians. Reduced colorectal cancer risk is associated with increased eating of fiber, vegetables and fruits.

Vegetarianism can decrease the likelihood of heart disease. Vegetarians are likely to have a lower incidence of hypertension than non-vegetarians.

A well-planned vegetarian diet may be useful in the prevention and treatment of renal diseases. Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than non-vegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease. Vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes.

Those who are habituated to meat product and need to reduce their weight due to over weight problem or any chronic disease can start vegetarian diet as a first step to reduce weight.

Having so many outbreaks of diseases in the meat related industry is pressing us to have a second thought.

But we should also remember that only being a vegetarian does not guarantee high-quality health. Eating a well-balanced diet that makes available all nutrients generally gives platform for healthy living. Regular exercise and an active lifestyle also help regulate our health and fitness. In the long run, we need balanced diet of mixed type, moderate lifestyle and regular physical exercise to achieve the goal of good health.

The writer is on PhD study (on Comminicable Disease Epidemiology) in the Faculty of Lifestyle Related Disease, in the Shiga University of Medical Science. E-mail: [email protected]