I
2010
Features
Vegetarianism provides health, environmental benefits
M ary E arp
From vegans to
pescatarians, vegetarians
are becoming more and
more common. From
around 3.4% of Americans
being vegetarian in 2000
to somewhere from 6-10%
today, many people are
attempting to evaluate their
diet. With decreased cancer
possibility, an enormous
drop in cholesterol along
with the various other
health improvements and
the sheer ethics behind the
fact, vegetarianism may be
the right choice.
"I became vegan because
the vegan diet is better
for health, the planet and
animals than a non-vegan
diet is," Sequoyah Hill,
senior, said.
After being a vegetarian
for one year, cholesterol
drops by 24.3%. Vegetarians
have up to 50% less chance
of developing cancer than
meat eaters. Meat eaters
are approximately 20%
more likely to develop
hypertension than
(rB G H ), sh o w s u p in m ilk
a n d o th e r p ro d u c ts ta k e n
tr a n s itio n e a sie r if th e y
s lo w ly sto p e a tin g m eat.
from these cows. This
chemical is banned in
Canada, Europe and many
other countries, but is still
used excessively in the
United States.
If animals aren't growing
fast enough, whether they
are injected with hormones
or not, they will most
likely be killed. They are
slaughtered in inhumane
ways, and the fact is,
animals aren't treated as
well as they could be.
Free range options are
available, but many of these
free-range options aren't
what we think they are.
The USDA has no specified
requirements for free range
Others prefer to stop cold
turkey.
"When making the
transition, it is easier to
cut foods out one at a time
rather than all at the same
time. For example, first stop
eating beef, then pork, then
chicken, etc," Hill said.
"Make sure to get the
nutrients you need," Chelsea
Ollar, senior, said. "For
example, you need protein,
iron and omega-3. Good
things to eat include flax
seed, spinach and eggs."
Becoming a vegetarian
may seem like a tough feat,
but when done right, it
could prove more healthful
and enjoyable.
Photo by Mary Earp
Allison Kirsch and Katherine Stubblefield, sophomores, enjoy vegetarian burritos at lunch. They became
vegetarians for many reasons, including animal rights and health benefits.
for vegetarianism is
animal rights. Every day,
over two billion animals
are slaughtered. Animals
Ovo-vegetarians-
Eat no meat or dairy,
but consume eggs
Lacto- l
vegetarians-
Eat no meat
or eggs, but
consume
dairy
products
"I think the way animals
are treated in factory
farms alone should make
any person with a heart
Vegan-Eat no
meat, dairy, honey
or other animal
by-products
(Pescatarians-
Eat fish and
\ animals from
Jthe sea, but
don't eat land
animals
Flexitarians-Cut out
certain animals or
certain animal by
products from their diet ^
vegetarians. Although these
facts may be brushed over,
there is still one fact that
can't be shaken: vegetarians
tend to have longer lives
than meat eaters. Vegetarian
men decrease their risk
of early death by 50%,
vegetarian women by 30%.
Studies observing the length
vegetarians live longer than
meat eaters do conclude
they live, on average,
anywhere from one to seven
years longer.
"My opinion on a
vegetarian diet is that if it is
well balanced and followed
more as a diet that expands
one's palate and not one that
limits food, it can be very
healthy," Marilyn Ellwood,
school nurse, said.
All health facts aside,
the top recorded reason
vegetarian, if not vegan."
Animals are pumped full
of hormones and stimulants
to increase their growing
rate. These hormones
cause cancer and many
other diseases. One of the
main chemicals injected in
American cows used by
dairy farmers, recombinant
bovine growth hormone
chickens except that they
have an opportunity to be
in the outdoors, so many of
the chickens labeled as free-
range are kept in a tightly
packed shed or stall with
a door and a small strip of
land outside. The USDA
only regulates free-range
labels for chickens used for
meat, not for eggs. There
is no way to know for sure
where your meat is coming
from unless researched.
Although there are many
reasons to be a vegetarian,
these people often suffer
from a lack of zinc, calcium,
Vitamin B-12, Vitamin D,
Iron and protein, along with
other vitamins provided by
meat.
"It is healthier than a
meat based diet as long
as those following it are
getting adequate nutrition
from the plant based diet,"
Ellwood said. "This includes
getting not only protein
and iron but also calcium.
A plant based diet is rich in
fiber and antioxidants and
a meat based diet tends to
have more animal fat and
cholesterol, so it can be
healthier as long as it is well
balanced."
To become a vegetarian,
or eat fewer meat products,
many people find the
ranging from cattle to pigs
are kept in unbelievably
poor conditions, many
of which the common
population is completely
unaware of. These animals
are kept in overly crowded
stalls, unable to move.
Some animals go their
entire lives without taking a
single step. After being kept
in these densely packed
places, many animals
will completely lose their
muscles. Once let out,
they won't be able to walk
because their muscles are so
weak, and many fall to the
ground.
"I can't understand how
people can continue eating
meat and dairy after they've
learned how the animals
they eat are treated. It's
unjustifiable," Hill said.
Lacto-ovo-
vegetarian-Eat no
/meat,
but drink milk
X
9
and consume dairy
products (lacto) and
eggs(ovo)
Resources for Vegetarians:
Books:
•"Vegetarian Beginner's Guide" by
the editors of Vegetarian Times
•"Become a Vegetarian in Five Easy
Steps" by Christine H. Beard
•"Complete Idiot's Guide to
Vegetarianism" by Suzanne Havala
and Robert Pritikin
•"The Perfectly Contented Meat-
Eater's Guide to Vegetarianism" by
Mark Warren Reinhardt
• "A Teen's Guide to
Going Vegetarian" and
X
"The Teen's Vegetarian
Cookbook" by Judy
Krizmanic
Restaurants/Food Stores:
•Sweet Lemon Vegetarian Bistro
•Vegetarian House
•Chili Pie Palace
•Green Wok
•Homegrown Smoker Natural
Barbecue
•Food Fight
•Sweet Pea
Websites:
•allrecipes.com. (type "vegetarian n
into search bar)
•vegetarianrecipes.org