Parak 1 Brittany Parak ENGL 401-41 October 20, 2011 Meet the Lifestyle of No Meat Sitting in a booth at Fratellos

Restaurant, my friends and I scan the menu for some appetizing pizza toppings. The list seems endless, as I have a difficult time deciding between the many combinations that they offer. We all discuss sharing a pie with toppings from chicken and bacon to shrimp and calamari. Everyone agrees that these topics sound delicious, except my one friend who is vegetarian. She is not offended that we want to order meals that contain meat; however, she is now forced to search for a meal that fits in her diet. Her options are limited and she ends up ordering her usual penne a la vodka with a side of salad. She does not get to experience the variety of pizzas with the rest of our friends. Although this may seem like a minor exclusion from others, the vegetarian lifestyle does put some restraints on peoples lives. Being a vegetarian is not simply eliminating meat from the diet. It is a lifestyle change that takes self-discipline and knowledge about healthy eating in order to live the vegetarian way. Although one may argue that living as a vegetarian is the only way to go, another may say that it is unnecessary and, in fact, an unhealthy way to live. Choosing a certain lifestyle is the individuals preference and there are definitely pros and cons for both. The idea of vegetarianism was not really introduced until the 1970s. From the 1900s to the 1960s meat production was high due to the invention of refrigeration and new methods of transportation. Around 1975 the animal rights movement was introduced as well as the promotion of the vegetarian idea. In the late 1970s the Vegetarian Times was first publicized. This started to get people thinking about the new

Parak 2 diet idea, but it never really caught on until the 1990s. Medical evidence supported the superiority of vegetarian diets, which gave more credibility of this new phenomenon to the public. The Four Food Groups changed to the Food Pyramid, which included beans, grains, vegetables, and fruits, rather than consisting of many meats and dairy products. This idea of vegetarianism is not too old and more people have been joining the movement (Bluejay). Whether changing ones lifestyle is worth it, is all up to what the individual wants to gain from this form of dieting. Since some people chose to eliminate meat from their diet, they also end up losing some essential vitamins and nutrients. Eating meat can be advantageous to ones diet and necessary for healthy living. For example, meat contains iron and vitamin B12 that most vegetarians lack. Laura Brydges Szabo, MA, RD did research at Ontarios University of Guelph and found out that young women who are practicing new vegetarianism suffer poor iron and zinc status. Lack of iron causes anemia, which is a disease that leads to lack of hemoglobin in the blood cells. This ultimately results in less oxygen being carried to the organs. The organs need oxygen in order to perform properly. Vitamin B12 is only found in meat and is not present in a vegetarian diet. German researchers tracked 174 apparently healthy people, some vegetarians and some non-vegetarians. After looking over the results, they found that two-thirds of the vegetarians were vitamin B12 deficient, while only 5 percent of meat consumers were. That is a significant difference and this deficiency can directly relate to health issues. Vitamin B12 deficiency can boost blood levels of homocysteine. Studies have shown that high levels of homocysteine can promote blockages in arteries over time leading to heart disease and stroke. Unlike other B vitamins, B12 is not available in any plant food

Parak 3 other than fortified cereals. It is most abundant in fish and meats, which explains why the vast majority of vegetarians lack this nutrient (Kirchheimer). There have also been studies proving that eating meat is bad for ones health. Animal fat should be avoided at all costs. The concentration of pesticides and toxic chemicals found in the animal fat contributes to the number one cause of death relating to nutrition, heart disease. Heart disease can be classified as a heart attack, coronary artery disease, or congestive heart failure to name a few. A build up of cholesterol and fat leads to atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis, which is the hardening of arteries. This puts stress on the heart, which can lead to either heart attack or stroke. Dr. Joseph Weissman, M.D. writes in his book Choose To Live that Animal products are the single largest source of pesticides in the human diet. We obtain from meat 16 times the amount of pesticides we would from the equivalent plant food. Chemicals and toxins are stored in animal foot. This means that the more meat a person eats, the more toxins there are built up in their system. Another down side of eating meat is the amount of bacteria that is found in these animal products. The presence of bacteria is a major problem in the meat industry today. More Salmonella and E. Coli outbreaks have been known to cause severe sickness and even death. There have been high rates of bacterial infections found among commercially produced livestock. Animals are regularly fed antibiotic-laced feed, which accounts for more than half of the 31 million pounds of antibiotics produced in the United States (Nemec). Vegetarians not only avoid eating meat because of the high antibiotic content that is given to the animals. Some are completely against the idea of animals being fed food

Parak 4 that contains antibiotics. They feel bad for the animals and do not like the reality that these hopeless creatures are being harmed. When most people hear of someone being vegetarian an animal lover who wants to protect the environment may come to mind. This may be true, because many people go vegetarian in order to help preserve the planet. This could mean that they want to help promote animal welfare or are hoping to reduce global warming. A UN report said that 18 percent of global warming emissions come from raising chickens, turkeys, pigs, and other animals for food. By becoming vegetarian, fewer animals will have to be grown and this is ultimately taking a step forward in going green. Eliminating meat from a diet is the most effective thing to do in order to reduce ones carbon footprint (Freston). On the contrary, a study done by Cranford University stated that going vegetarian could actually harm the environment. They found that switching from British-bred beef and lamb to meat substitutes, such as tofu, would increase the amount of land being cultivated. This increases the risks of forests being destroyed. Liz ONeill of Vegetarian Society said that relying on highly processed foods defeats the purpose of trying to reduce the environmental impact that a vegetarian has on the planet. Production methods of meat substitutes can actually be very energy intensive, which means the final products tend to be highly processed (Macrae). Being a vegetarian takes self-discipline as well. People who do not eat meat are sometimes considered vegetarians by default. In other words, they avoid eating meat, but do not necessarily live a healthy vegetarian lifestyle. Nutritionist Ursula Donovan points out that, Vegetarianism is not necessarily low fat. You have to look how its all put together. It takes effort and research in order to be a true, healthy vegetarian. A

Parak 5 vegetarian must be conscious of what they are eating all the time, not only to avoid meat products, but also to ensure that they have the proper amount of nutrients to keep them healthy. This can be tricky because not every restaurant offers a large variety of vegetarian options. One vegetarian puts it as, it all depends on where you go, but if you go out with a group of friends who are not vegetarian there is a good chance that place will not have many vegetarian options. Trying to find something healthy to eat on the go or with a group of people that do not have to worry about narrowing their food choice down can be a challenging and even frustrating task. Often times, vegetarians think that they are automatically living a healthier life by eliminating meat from their diet. However, if they are eating empty calorie foods then the purpose of going vegetarian is relinquished and they are ultimately harming themselves. Setting up meals everyday takes time and proper planning. Some people think that going vegetarian helps them lose weight, but if they are eating sweets and fillers, the lack of meat is not actually doing them any good. There are certain scenarios where people have proven this point. A UNH student does not eat any meat, claiming that the taste doesnt appeal to her. Major sources of protein for vegetarians come in the form of beans, nuts, peanut butter, and tofu. This student also does not eat any of these healthy alternative food options. She eats almonds, which are definitely a great source of protein. However, the body needs more protein than the small amount that is produced through eating a few almonds. This lack of protein has made her anemic, or the lack of hemoglobin. When one is lacking this, they will experience constant fatigue, headaches, coldness, and may easily bruise. The side effects of anemia are not pleasant and can truly affect ones life negatively. Since she

Parak 6 doesnt like meat, she should be eating other foods to increase her protein intake, so that she is at least living in a healthier manner. Another unhealthy vegetarian wonders why they arent losing weight. She is frustrated because she thinks that since she eliminated meat from her diet and occasionally skips meals that she should be losing weight. The opposite is happening for her. Once again, this person does not have the necessary knowledge to take on this lifestyle. The only thing I see her eat is bagels and pasta-based meals. These are very high in carbohydrates, which when it is stored turns to fat. Just because they are not eating the animal fat does not mean they will not gain weight. Eating sugary snacks all day long as meal replacers does not help her out either. It is possible to be living an unhealthy lifestyle, both as a vegetarian or a meateater all the same. Eating meat every day can be excessive and dangerous to ones health. Just like everything in life, there needs to be a balance. Completely eliminating meat from a diet may not be the best option, but eating it everyday also proves to be very unsafe. It is important for a person to realize why they are going vegetarian. It shouldnt be something to just pick up one day without proper research. If one is trying to lose weight, vegetarian diets have been known to help people do this. The only way it is effective is if it is followed correctly. There has been debate about whether a vegetarian lifestyle is actually less expensive than one that contains meat. Some people think that living a vegetarian lifestyle is cheaper. Taking meat out of ones diet needs to be replaced by other sources of protein. Some common forms of protein are beans and nuts. Comparing the price of beans and nuts to that of meats, buying vegetarian appears to be cheaper.

Parak 7 On the other hand, if a vegetarian sticks to the proper diet and eats the proper amount of nutrients then they will most likely end up buying an abundance of produce. The fresh fruits and vegetables are also on the expensive side in supermarkets, so some may argue that having to buy those products can even be more expensive than a non vegetarian diet. Taking a trip to the Durham Market Place, I happened to compare the price of a package of four beef burgers to four veggies burgers. The prices came out to be $5.28 and $5.39, respectively. This was not such a price gap, but different brands may affect the cost. A vegetarian meal of stir-fry that contained 2 servings cost $4.56. This contained an adequate amount of protein due to the vegetables that were mixed in it. There was also 2 servings worth of poultry that came to $2.07. This is an example where buying vegetarian may not be cheaper. Overall, price is relative to how well a person shops. Vegetarian or not, looking at labels and being a smart consumer can determine whether buying vegetarian is actually cheaper. Putting prices aside, there are many other factors that determine whether someone might go vegetarian. If they are willing to take the time and maintain a healthy way of living then the vegetarian way of life may work for them. Some may say they do not have the willpower for that lifestyle. No matter what kind of food people consume, meat or no meat, they are going to need some type of self-discipline to uphold a healthy nutritional status.

Parak 8 Works Cited Bluejay, Michael. A Short History of Vegetarianism. Vegetarian Guide Vegetarian Guide. 1998. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. Freston, Kathy. Eating Vegetarian is Taking Global Warming Personally. Huffington Post AlterNet. 30 Nov. 2007. Web. 5 Oct. 2011. Kirchheimer, Sid. Vitamin B12 Deficiency Seen in All Types of Vegetarians. WebMD Health News WebMD. 18 Jun. 2003. Web. 5 Oct. 2011. Macrae, Fiona. How Being Vegetarian Does More Harm to the Environment than Eating Meat. MailOnline MailOnline. 13 Feb. 2010. Web. 5 Oct. 2011. Nemec, Keith. M.D. How Meat Can Destroy Your Health and Cause Heart Disease, Cancer, and Infection. All-creatures.org Vegan Health. 11 Feb. 2011. Web. 5 Oct. 2011. Szabo, Laura. The Health Risks of New-Wave Vegetarianism. Features Can Med Assoc J. 1997: 1454-1455. Web. 5 Oct. 2011.