WHAT IS RIGHT FOOD FOR YOUR BODY?
EAT WHAT!!!
“WHATEVER IT IS, THE WAY YOU TELL YOUR STORY ONLINE CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.”
As popular as these diets maybe, some misconceptions are surrounding them you will be clarified about when you read this article. For instance, some people claim to be vegans, but instead of going by their feeding routine, they are vegetarians! Sit tight and enjoy this informative ride as we consider each one of them; their advantages and possible disadvantages.
WHAT DOES VEGAN MEAN?
Veganism is a dieting routine that forbids the consumption of products of animal origin, especially in foods.2 A vegan is someone whose food choices are regulated by the philosophy of veganism. However, there are different levels to being a vegan, depending on which aspect of one’s life is influenced by veganism. For instance, dietary vegans do not eat meat, eggs, any product derived from milk, or any animal source at all.3 However, ethical vegans do not only avoid food containing animal sources, but they also avoid the use of other non-food items made from animals.
Our emphasis is on a diet, so we are only concerned about the dietary vegan. A vegan eats foods of plant origins and avoids animal origin, and they have their reasons for doing so.4 While some hold deep philosophical beliefs about the exploitation of animals, others see it as an approach to healthy living. Does vegan life promote healthy living, as it is believed? Let us consider the pros and cons.
Pros
- Research has it that vegans have lower tendencies of accumulating serum cholesterol or high glucose levels in the blood or gaining high body mass index than their omnivorous counterparts. 5
- On a short-term basis, a vegan feeding routine benefits weight loss.6 This is traceable to the lower quantity of unsaturated fat found in plant sources.
- Vegan foods are richer in nutrients such as folic acid, magnesium, fiber, saturated fat, and vitamins like C and E.7 These nutrients can be obtained from plant sources except for Vitamin B-12, which must be specially fortified into vegan foods.
Cons
- Di Genova et al. reports that a poorly planned vegan diet may pose serious health problems arising from nutritional imbalances and may cancel out any health benefit the diet regime may have had.8
- Health issues such as irreversible neurological problems and blood disorders can be traced to poorly managed vegan diets, especially those lacking Vitamin B12 supplements.
- Vegans tend to have low amounts of Iodine.9 The popular remedy is to supplement meals, especially in places where salt isn’t iodized.
WHAT DOES VEGETARIAN MEAN?
“AS STATED BY THE AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION, AT EVERY STAGE OF ONE’S LIFE, FOLLOWING A WELL-PLANNED VEGETARIAN FEEDING REGIME CAN GIVE ONE A HEALTHFUL LIFE, MAKE ONE NUTRITIONALLY STABLE AND HELP IN THE TREATMENT OR PREVENTION OF CERTAIN DISEASES.”
A vegetarian consumes food of plant origin alone without consuming meat foods such as poultry, seafood, insects, or flesh from another animal. There are variations, though, as some vegetarians avoid slaughtered animal products but consume animal products such as eggs, honey, and milk in addition to their plant-based diet. Some vegetarians have religious reasons motivating their decisions; meanwhile, in many countries, especially in those in the West, the major motive for vegetarianism is for health benefits.10
Common variations among vegetarians include ovo-vegetarians who exclude all animal-based foods but consume eggs, ovo-lacto-vegetarians who exclude every other animal-based food but consume eggs and dairy products, the Lacto-vegetarians who exclude every other animal-based food but consume dairy products, and we have the strictest of them all; the vegans whom we talked about earlier. They do not consume anything at all from animal sources. What are the pros and cons of vegetarianism? Read on to find out!
Pros
- As stated by the American Dietetic Association, at every stage of one’s life, following a well-planned vegetarian feeding regime can give one a healthful life, make one nutritionally stable and help in the treatment or prevention of certain diseases. This can be obtained when one includes lots of fruits and veggies in the diet while reducing the intake of sweeteners or foods rich in sodium.11
- Vegetarians have lower chances of developing diabetes, and the evidence shows success in glycemic control after patients suffering from type 2 diabetes were introduced to a vegetarian diet.12
- Reports from meta-analysis have shown that vegetarians are less likely to die from ischemic heart disease or cerebrovascular problems.
- It reduces the chances of getting high blood pressure and certain types of cancer. It is also known to reduce asthma symptoms, says an old Swedish study.
Cons
- There are tendencies that you may have nutritional deficiencies. Food nutrients such as Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Calcium, and Iron are scarcely found in plant-based foods, except they are supplemented in the vegetarian diet.
- Vegetarianism doesn’t automatically guarantee healthy living. If, for instance, your vegetarian diet is filled with many highly processed plant-based foods, you may be at risk of getting chronic diseases.
- Inconvenience is one problem of vegetarianism. In a world where most people cannot do without animal products, the conventional food market doesn’t seem to readily provide foods that completely fit vegetarian choices. Even in some plant-based foods, animal products can still be found.
WHAT DOES BEING A PESCATARIAN MEAN?
Pros
- A pescatarian diet makes up for the nutrient deficiencies commonly found in vegetarian diets. For instance, fishes provide Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and healthy doses of omega-3 fatty acid, which are scarcely found in traditional vegetarian diets.
- A pescatarian diet provides just as many health benefits as vegetarian and vegan diets as it also lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and some types of cancer. This is not farfetched; a pescatarian diet is a vegetarian diet with fish.
Cons
- One concern associated with pescatarian diets is the ingestion of mercury, a poisonous substance known to cause health problems such as weak muscles, headaches, tremors, impaired fine motor skills, emotional swings, etc. The mercury is ingested from the consumption of fish, especially larger ones.
- If pescatarian diets do not include more fruits and veggies in the place of other very starchy plant-based foods like white rice, pasta, etc., one may still be prone to health problems. The remedy is to plan the diet to provide nutrients in adequate proportions.
What does being a carnivore mean?
This may surprise you because their ‘green’ counterparts are more popular, but yes, people feed on only meat foods. So a carnivore is someone whose diet is purely meat-based without any plant-based food added to the diet. Veggies, seeds, nuts, bread, grains, and likes are excluded from a carnivore’s diet. However, there are variations also as some carnivores may add milk, yogurt, and cheese to their diet. Like other diet choice enthusiasts, carnivores practice total meat consumption for health benefits. Let us consider if there are health benefits in being carnivorous or not and also if there are health risks. It is, however, noteworthy that the carnivore diet is a recent development, and as such, there is no grounded research about its health benefits.14
Pros
- It is followed for its potential as an anti-inflammatory diet prescribed for people living with autoimmune conditions. In 2018, The Times released a publication that reported the case of a lady being relieved of depression symptoms after being treated to a carnivore diet of beef, salt, and water.
- It is also believed to help improve weight loss. There is more chance that this is true because eating only one type of food ordinarily regulates over eating varieties of foods; this limits calorie intake. Also, carnivore diets may make your body burn fats for energy rather than carbohydrates. However, at the moment, these are speculations.
Cons
- Meat is a source of fat, especially from bacon and fatty steaks. This should be a concern for you if you’re keen on burning body fat. These fats also pose risks of getting heart diseases.
- There are food nutrients that are more readily sourced from plant-based foods. Nutrients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Fiber are needed for optimal nutrition, lacking carnivore meals.
- Carnivore diets largely containing red meat and highly processed meats tend to cause gastric cancer, says the International Agency for Research on Cancer.15
- Excessive consumption of protein can put undue pressure on your kidneys.
Final thoughts
Looking closely at every diet type we have discussed, you would discover that they all have their health-related cons even as they have their respective pros. What if I showed you a dieting plan you can never go wrong with achieving a life of wellness? In my book, Lead A Horse To Water, you will discover interesting ways to achieve a healthy lifestyle by eating foods you can easily find around you. A holistic life of spiritual, mental, emotional, and bodily wellness is possible, and that is just about what we are about at Holistic Live Younger!
Bibliography
- Sakr, N. (2021). “Lead A Horse To Water.” pp. 12
- Pederson Helena, Staescu Vasile (2014). “Conclusion: Future Directions for Critical Animal Studies.” In Taylor, Nik; Twine, Richards (eds.). The Rise of Critical Animal Studies: From the Margins to the Centre. Routledge. pp. 262 – 276. ISBN 978-1-135-10087-2.
- Laura Wright (2015). The Vegan Studies Project: Food, Animals, and Gender in the Age of Terror, University of Georgia Press, 2015, 2.
- Francoine, Gary Lawrence; Garner, Robert (2010). “The Abolition of Animal Exploitation.” The Animal Rights Debate: Abolition Or Regulation? (Paperback). Critical Perspectives on Animals: Theory, Culture, Science, and Law. New York: Columbia University Press (published 26 October 2010). ISBN 9780231149556. OCLC 705765194.
- Zampelas A, Magriplis E (2020). “Dietary patterns and risk of cardiovascular diseases: a review of the evidence.” Proc Nutr Soc (Review). 79 (1):68-75. doi:10.1017S0029665119000946.
- Huang, Ru-Yi; Huang, Chuan-Chin; Hu, Frank B.; Chavarro, Jorge E. (2015). “Vegetarian Diets and Weight Reduction: a Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.” Journal of General Internal Medicine. 31 (1): 109-116. doi:10.1007/s11606-015-3390-7. PMC 4699995. PMID 26138004.
- Craig, Winston J (2009). “Health effects of vegan diets.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 89 (5): 1627S-1633S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736N. PMID 19279075.
- Di Genova, Tanya; Guyda, Harvey (2007). “Infants and children consuming atypical diets: Vegetarianism and macrobiotics.” Paediatrics & Child Health. 12 (3): 185-188. doi:10.1093/pch/12.3.185. PMC 2528709. PMID 19030357.
- Eveleigh, Elizabeth R.; Coneyworth, Lisa J.; Avery, Amanda; Welham, Simon J.M. (2020). “Vegans, Vegetarians, and Omnivores: How Does Dietary Choice Influence Iodine Intake? A Systematic Review”. Nutrients. 12 (6): E1606. doi:10.3390/nu12061606. ISSN 2072-6643. PMC 7352501 PMID 32486114.
- Frankovic, Kathy (2020). “Young Americans less likely to be meat-eaters | YouGov.” Today.yougov.com.
- Craig WJ, Mangels AR (2009). “Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets.” J Am Diet Assoc. 109 (7): 1266-82. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2009.05.027. PMID 19562864.
- Papamichou D, Panagiotakos DB, Itsiopoulous C (2019). “Dietary patterns and management of type 2 diabetes: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials”. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis (Systematic Review). 29 (6): 531-543. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2019.02.004. PMID 30952576. S2CID 86497236.
- Estruch, Ramon; Sacanella, Emilio; Ros, Emilio (2021). “Should we all go pesco-vegetarian?” European Heart Journal. 42 (12): 1144-1146. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa1088. ISSN 0195-668X. PMID 33393612.
- Jessica Migala (2018). “On the Carnivore Diet, People Are Eating Only Meat: Here’s What to Know.” URL: https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/diet/carnivore-diet-benefits-risks-food-list-more/
- Véronica, Bouvard; Dana, Loomis; Kathryn, Z Guyton; Yann, Grosse; Fatiha, El Ghissassi; Lamia Benbrahim-Tallaa, Neela, Guha; Heidi, Mattock; Kurt Straif (2015). “Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat.” International Agency for Research on Cancer. DOI: https://doi.org?10.1016/S1470-2045(15)00444-1