Generally, vegetarians maintain a lower and healthier body weight than non vegetarians (meat eaters). This is because vegetarian do not consume meats which means their intake of fiber will be high & fat intake will be low.
2.) No meat, no protein ?
When plants are taken in combination forms, protein produced is adequate to meet our daily requirements;
Comparison of meat & plant based of their nutritional value:
Broiled Steak (6-ounce = 170.1 g)
Protein (g)= 38
Fats (g)= 44
Salmon (6-ounce = 170.1 g)
Protein (g)= 34
Fats (g)= 8
One cup of Lentils
Protein (g)= 18
Fats (g)= 1
Vegetable provide healthful fiber and micronutrients, which are not available in meat. Besides bean & legumes, there are a lot of vegetables which provide protein, such as broccoli, spinach, cabbage, eggplant, petai and seaweeds. One cup of cooked spinach provides 5g of protein. Incorporating a wide selection of vegetables in different colours in each meal not only can stimulate appetite, they can also provide excellent health benefits !
3.) Health effects for over intake of protein.
Over intake of protein offers no benefits and may pose health risks. High-protein diets have been implicated in several chronic diseases which include heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, obesity and kidney stones.
According to Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNI) for Malaysian, protein intake per day is listed below.
Women (19- 59 years) = 55 g
Men (19- 59 years) = 62 g
Example of a meat lover's diet
Let’s say in the morning, you take a plate of nasi lemak with a piece of fried chicken.
Then lunch time, you take a beef burger with medium sized French fries.
During your dinner time, you take a plate of fried rice with chicken breast
Total protein intake:
One plate of nasi lemak (230 g) = 9.7
One piece of fried chicken (120 g) = 20.20
Beef burger (104 g) = 12.8
French fries (116 g) = 4.9
One plate of fried rice (392 g) = 28.2
One piece of chicken breast (127 g) = 32.20
Total = 108 g of protein
As you can see, that person has over consumed protein which has almost exceeded twice the amount in RNI. So do not think that eating a lot of meats is good for your body.
4.) Help to reduce global warming.
Did you know that a Cow emits 3,500 kg of methane gas per year ?
Our meal choices have direct consequences for the climate.
*Measurements are in kg of carbon dioxide equivalent.Methane is bad to our atmosphere because methane can trap about 21 times more heat than carbon dioxide.
When the earth temperature rises by another 3-5 °C, The Arctic and Antarctic will begin to melt resulting in massive flood, hence, disappearance of many lands around the globe. When sea level rises by one metre height, one third of Shanghai will sink under the sea. Half of Bangladesh rice field will be covered by sea, and 40 million people would be displaced…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf-WHTFR3Is
5.) Choosing meat over veggies to avoid pesticides ?
In fact, researches revealed that the agricultural chemical residues accumulated in livestock are 13 Times higher than in conventional vegetables !
Various drugs are used in the conventional livestock industry, such as antibiotics (to treat illnesses and promote growth); steroids (to build up bulk & weight); tranquilisers (for anti-stress) and the animals are commonly given feed mixture which is contaminated with chemical residues. Studies also show that just before and during the agony of being slaughtered, the terrified animal will release toxins thus poisoning the entire carcass.
6.) Make no bones about eggs !
High production hens often suffered from osteoporosis because their structural bone is mobilized throughout the laying period in order to contribute to the formation of eggshell.
Hen normally lays 20 eggs a year but the egg-laying hen nowadays is forced to lay 300 eggs a year ! Although chickens can live for 5-7 years, hens raised for their eggs are exhausted and their egg production begins to wane when they are about 2 years old. When this happens, they are slaughtered.
Actually we can easily get egg nutrients from various sources such as soy products, bean , legumes, green leafy vegetables, nuts & seeds & whole grains.
If becoming a full vegetarian is hard, you can always choose to become part time vegetarian. Like me ... hehe
So at least you make the effort to cut down your meat intake.
