A vegetarian

"Even the vegetarian food like" vegan "(which exclude even dairy products) produces deficiencies identified in respect of protein and essential minerals. Vegetarian diets are usually also very complete, both in terms of the essential amino acids (ensured by the presence of cereals and legumes, fish, cheese and eggs) and for minerals and vitamins. So spoke in March of '98, then in very difficult times, Giuseppe Rotilio, then president of the National Institute of Nutrition, about vegetarian diet. People who follow a vegetarian diet are, in spite of general opinion, a lot. It may therefore be useful to try to understand something more about this type of diet.

The various types of diet is first necessary to distinguish the different types of vegetarian diet, because they refer to: Vegetarian Diet:
The Power eliminates all types of animal flesh, including fish and crustaceans, but we continue to eat animal by-products such as milk, eggs, cheese and honey. Very often this choice is made non-violent life by so-called animal rights activists against the killing of animals. Those who apply this philosophy often swallow but still produced very unhealthy for the human body as, for example, all industrial products, frozen food, adulterated with preservatives and dyes, or of doubtful provenance.

Vegan diet:
It is a leap in quality from the previous year. The plant gives up all animal products (eggs, milk, honey and cheese), in the belief that the human body is adapted to engage and digest plant products and is the only way to avert severe damage. The term derives from the Latin vegetalis, namely "belonging to the vegetable kingdom."

Raw food diet:
The raw food poses as a condition intake of raw foods, especially for health-conscious reasons. The aim is to prevent the depletion of food by the key components for a good and proper nutrition as vitamins and minerals. Also among the advantages highlighted this diet stimulates digestion, cleanses the intestines and detoxify, lose weight, hydrates, is hypoproteic, economical and fast.

Diet fruttarista:
Represents a last resort and is accomplished by practicing a choice almost impossible today. The fruttarista are feeding on fresh fruit, organic and mature, and nothing else! The reasons for vegetarianism The roots of the vegetarian philosophy, because philosophy must speak, get lost in the mists of time and through somewhat different historical periods. There is no trace it in the Vedas in India, are found in ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, talks about the early Christian councils, sees potential in the Middle Ages and the period of humanism, sees finally also in the Enlightenment until the present day and the form of vegetarianism currently unknown. But because it takes a vegetarian diet? The reasons may be many, apart from those associated with the observance of particular rites or religious dogma, the most common are divided into: ethical, healthy, ecological and economic.

Ethical grounds:
Vegetarianism is the most practical and consistent application of an ethic of respect for life and justice arrangements in the broadest sense of the term. The vegetarian is working so as not to harm or cause suffering to other living beings, to the extent of actual compatibility with its vital needs. The belief is that vegetarians because eating meat is materially and personally participates in the "massacre" of animals, which instead of being our companions in life, become victims of violence.

Reasons salutary
According to the vegetarian way of eating is the most suitable for the anatomical and physiological needs of the human organism. Some publications attest to the fact that vegetarians abundant introduction of fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension, diabetes and obesity. Moreover, it reduces the overhead protein on kidneys and liver and reduces the production of free radicals.

Environmental reasons:
To cultivate cereals and protein seeds of agricultural production destined for food animal "meat" using large quantities of fertilizers and pesticides, which damage the contaminated soil depth in aquifers and rivers, sparing the air. These substances are then concentrated along the food chain up to intoxicate humans. Even more problematic is the situation in the Third World, such as the Amazon, where deforestation in recent years worked to make way for herds of animals destroyed approximately 10,000,000 hectares of rainforest. The use of biological methods of cultivation probably could halt these phenomena, but at the cost of lower yields and higher costs.

Economic grounds
The yield is very low food carnea, we must invest in media that is 7 calories in vegetable production of 1 calorie of meat. A pasture land provides an average of 1 ton of meat, but could provide 20 pulses. Beyond. If we analyze the energy balance of crops shows that 20% of total energy is used for the production plant directly consumed by humans while the remaining 80% for the nourishment of animals, the result is waste of energy and load taxes and pollution caused by the production of meat on a large scale.

The possible shortcomings of a vegetarian diet The shortcomings of a vegetarian or a vegan typically are: iron (anemia), protein (rare), and vitamin B12, calcium and vitamin D (especially in vegans). As for the iron, the flesh is certainly a good source and a vegetarian diet must be properly balanced to provide adequate amounts of these minerals. To prevent this deficiency can add lemon to the vegetables or use of iron pots. One factor to be considered are the possible loss of blood through my period for which you may develop iron deficiency in women hardly be overcome with an exclusively vegetarian diet. The proteins can be compensated with vegetables and dried fruit oil, but without increasing the fruit that can not substitute source of protein. The use of soybean and the simultaneous intake of vegetables and complex carbohydrates increases the biological value of proteins. As for the lack of vitamin B12 deficiency is particularly significant in the vegan diet. The sources of this vitamin in fact are only animals, the first symptoms of deficiency are pernicious anemia (characterized by abnormal red blood cell size), dizziness, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, weakness. Because of stocks that our bodies have this vitamin deficiency symptoms appear no earlier than 2 / 3 years of diet completely lacking. One way to address the reduced intake of vitamin B12 may be to use soy milk supplemented with B12. Calcium is a mineral abundant in dairy products and essential for the formation of the skeleton, for which I am required amount at least equal to 800 mg per day. The problem however in this case is particularly important for vegans who assume certainly less than the recommended daily amount. Vitamin D they too are especially crucial for bone tissue is synthesized in the body in the presence of sunlight. Vegans need to introduce it in the diet through fortified plant foods, such as soy milk fortified with vitamin D, while vegetarians introduce it with the eggs. In general however it is not possible to improvise a vegetarian diet. Essential to contact a specialist doctor or dietitian to calibrate it properly.