Discussion about Nutrition
Read Chapter 6’s section 7 on Vegetarian Diets as well as “The Debate” (section 6.6) onThe Highs and Lows of High-Protein Diets as well as “Off the Label: Is it Safe for you?”
In addition, check out the links I listed in the activities for Chapter 6 in the Things to Do under Articles of Interest. You may find your own articles as well. The vegetarian lifestyle continues to increase in popularity in the U.S. partially because people perceive it to be healthier than a diet containing meat.
- Is it necessarily true that a vegan diet is “healthier” than a meat/fish/poultry (non-vegan) diet? Support your points with valid information from the Internet from scientific, peer-reviewed journals.
- Are there any nutritional risks vegetarians should be aware of?
- Share a story about someone (if you know) who follows a vegetarian lifestyle. How did they decide to become a vegetarian? Do they think their food choices are healthier than if they ate meat?
- What are your thoughts about strict vegetarianism (veganism) after reading this chapter (remember, “strict” or vegan referring to only plant sources: veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains and legumes)?
- Is there anything which you would be personally wary of following a vegan diet? Why? Use reliable Internet sources which back up your thinking or perhaps which changed your mind!
- Responses and comments need to be substantive and expand on your classmates point of view and/or information discussed.
Solution Preview
It may sound funny for people to be picky about what they eat, especially vegans who require their meals to be free of any meat or organic products, but as far as the question of health is concerned, science seems to be on their side. A study by Craig, (2009) associate vegetarian diet with many health benefits because of its high content of folic acid, fiber, magnesium, vitamin C and E, potassium, a fat content that is less saturated, and many other phytochemicals. People who are vegetarians tend to have lower blood pressure and lower serums of cholesterols which reduces the risks of heart diseases. Also, plant-based diets are cost-effective and have low risk intervention, and that is why physicians advice people to take on the vegan lifestyle.
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