All sides of vegetarianism

“You need to eat less meat!” This message of home nutritionist gurus is on the front page of every book and newspaper. Scientists are more careful about it, hinting that beef has a probable harm. Radically minded everyman follow that guidelines and then get very excited about it for moral, religious or ethical reasons.

We should leave aside the postulates of adherents who prefer vegetarian diet because of the desire to “improve health”. The topic is not well substantiated by evidences and requires a separate consideration with a deeper understanding of nutrition, physiology and anthropology. Instead we are going to discuss the types of “green” diet.

There are 13 + 1 types of vegetarian diet. The term is generalized, comes from vegetable or vegetus (fresh, lively) and does not reflect the preferences of the diet’s follower. One type is presented separately to address a high proportion of irony.

 Freegan – a person who does not buy, but who consumes the thrown away products or food. In addition to the main definition, there is an ironic version – “meat-eater on occasion”. They do not buy beef in any form, but when they get food “for free” or the raw materials are got for nothing – freegans do not refuse.

Flexitarians are committed to a flexible diet. They don’t disdain meat, but try to minimize the consumption. There are no boundary values in grams, ounces or other units of mass measurement for separation from other vegetarians. By the way, the word was the most popular in 2003.

Young vegetarians remove only meat from their diet, reserving their right to enjoy chicken, fish and seafood. The prefix “young” indicates the newness of the diet. The diet is considered to have the most scientific approach, since harm has been established exclusively in beef and mutton.

Pollotarians (pollo – chicken) are allowed to eat only poultry. Adherents of this diet argue that chicken has dietary properties and there is no adrenaline in the muscles of a dead chicken. Also they justify their choice by claiming that hens do not feel pain before they die. However, the first statements do not stand up to criticism.

Pescotarians (pesce – fish) consume nothing but fish and seafood. Their reason for restricting the consumption of meat is genetic proximity of farm animals to humans. Eating the meat of warm-blooded animals is considered cannibalism. They believe that water inhabitants do not suffer to become a meal. Scientists are searching for the right answer.

Ovo-vegeterianism and the following varieties on the list restrict the consumption of meat, but there are some features in each type. The root “ovo” implies that eggs are included in the diet. Justification of choice – no senses, no pain. Ardent supporters devour dozens of eggs per day.

Unlike their yellow-white colleagues, lacto-vegetarians prefer dairy products that are rich in protein, calcium and phosphorus. This diet is suitable for those who have lactose tolerance. People who consume both eggs and milk are epigones of ovo-lacto-vegetarianism.

Vegans do not tolerate foods produced using animal meat. Not all adherents agree on honey, which bees can produce in excess, and mushrooms, traditionally considered as plant food, although, from biological point of view – it is a separate Kingdom.

Ethical vegans do not support circuses, zoos, dolphinariums and other entertainments where our little friends are abused. People who follow a vegan lifestyle only at the dinner table are called strict vegetarians.

A raw-food diet eliminates the absorption of food, subjected to heat treatment, salting and smoking. Dried food is acceptable. The basis of the ideology is to recreate the “natural” food chain. It includes only that food, which ancestors could get in the wild.

Advanced raw vegetarians abide their law – one product per meal: “don’t pour all into one pile”. The concept has spread as a fight against obesity by merging two harsh approaches: strict vegetarianism and the Hay diet. There should be at least two hours between meals.

Fruitarianism postulates that you can be considered as a fruitarian, if a three-quarters of your daily calories consumption is natural food, like vegetables and berries, because for their sake we do not harm nature. Respectful coexistence on the planet is one of the main priorities of frutarianims.

Vital parts of plants – leaves (green onions, sorrel) and roots (carrots, beets) are avoided. Nuts, legumes, grains and seeds are banned. Followers argue: “for achieving optimal health the one needs only raw fruits”, forgetting about the impact of fire on the development of the humanity.

Liquitarians share the view of their fruitarian colleagues. They don’t want to waste time and energy chewing and digesting food. From fruits ready at hand, they squeeze juice and make purees that are digested and absorbed easily, without burdening the digestive system.

Sticking to this kind of diet temporarily is called “juice fasting”. On the Internet you can find information about the cure of cancer and AIDS with the help of this life-saving detox. But there is no description of how it influences the physiology. If the solution hasn’t yet been found, what doctors and chemists are doing?

Sproutarian diet is the most severe and complicated one. Sproutarians eat only early forms of plants, such as seeds: wheat sprouts, soybeans, chickpeas and beans. Ardent fans consume up to 90% of daily calories from sprouts, the rest prefer fruits and vegetables.

Inedians (or sometimes they are called breatharians, mind the word “breath” in the root) believe that they can be sustained only by prana, the vital life force in Hinduism. To ensure the normal functioning of the body systems proponents of the diet need only air. Ovens, refrigerators, slow cookers are not required.

Physiologists claim that a person can survive 25 days without food and up to a week without water. Only viruses and spores of bacteria can rightfully be called “sun-eaters”, but they don’t show signs of a living organism. Fatal outcomes were traced among the followers of this diet.

It is important to distinguish between different types of vegetarian diet and understand preferences and health consequences. Carefully try the listed options to consciously choose your own path.

Translation: Сапарбек Кенжибек

Source: New Retail