Health Benefits Of Vegetarianism

Introduction

I chose to research Vegetarianism because I have met a few people that are vegetarians and I have always wondered how they are able to get enough nutrition like proteins and fats that come from meat and other animal products. I understand why people want to be vegetarian because if anyone has ever seen how meats are processed from an animal, it can churn your stomach big time. However, I do not know how they can stop eating meat for as long as they have. While I would never participate in this diet, it is interesting to me to see how people with different diets such as this one to get the health benefits that every human being needs.

Summary of Article 1

This first article is about the risks of being a strict vegetarian and how it can link to some cancers. In this article written by Jakub G. Sobiecki, he explains that because vegetarians do not eat meat, they eat some processed foods instead which can lead to colorectal cancer (Sobiecki 1819). These days, it can be proven that basically everything causes cancer. However, according to Sobiecki, this probability of getting the cancer is at a higher risk for vegetarians. In order to avoid this problem at all costs, Sobiecki writes that one of the European authors strongly encourages vegetarians to take supplements that they would miss out from eating certain foods (qtd in Sobiecki, 2017, p.1828). This will not prevent everything, but it will certainly help.

Summary of Article 2

This article focuses on both the benefits and the hazards of being a vegetarian. Written by Svetlana Stanisic, this article explains the different types of vegetarianism. This is incredibly important because there are various health benefits and risks associated with each one. Each type of vegetarianism chooses to eat different things, so it is important that people are careful when researching the diet that they choose to practice. It also explains that these diets have many vitamins and minerals as well as fiber and fatty acids that are extremely beneficial to their health. Not only that, but it also mentions the risks associate with vegetarianism as well. Some of these include but are not limited to some vitamins and minerals that are not in their diet that can only be accessed through animals or supplements especially B12 (Stanisic et al, 2018, pp.63-66). It can be very easy to miss out on those important supplements, so taking the time to figure that out is crucial.

Summary of Article 3

This article is very similar to the second one. It also mentions the benefits and risks of vegetarianism with a different perspective. This article was written by Navneet Kumar Kaushik and explains that some of the benefits are lowering BMI, blood pressure, diseases, diabetes and cancer. Something that I thought was interesting about this article was that it mentioned that vegetarians also have a “higher self-respect” because of their habits with eating. However, some of the risks that are associated with this diet are the low amounts of vitamin B12 and complications with the body systems. At the end of the article, the authors are able to conclude that there are more benefits than there are risks with this diet (Kaushik et al, 2015, pp.206-209). These findings were interesting to me because the authors give a different perspective on the benefits and risks of this diet.

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Summary of Article 4

This article is a good read for everyone who is planning on doing a plant-based diet. In this article by Ellen Feldman, MD, she makes a good point by stating that not all plant-based diets have the same benefits and risks. She also mentions that processed foods that many vegetarians eat are not healthy (Feldman, 2018, pp.1-4). This is another reminder that it is crucial to understand exactly what you will lack in your diet in order to be as healthy as possible.

Comparison of Articles

These articles are very similar to each other. Some of the health benefits and risks are something that they all tend to agree on. They also understand that there are various types of vegetarian diets with different needs that must be addressed in order for vegetarians to stay healthy and avoid unnecessary risks. Supplements are a huge part of this, particularly for vitamin B12.

Contrast of Articles

One article that I thought was very interesting was article number three. The authors do not just mention the physiological risks and benefits of this diet, but they also explain the psychological aspects as well. Especially in America where we eat meat at practically every meal, it can be very challenging to choose other foods and that can give a person some incredible self-control and respect. While the third article has some things that are similar to the others, it also mentions differences that the rest of the articles never mention.

Scientific Findings

One study that I found the most interesting is in the second article. Stanisic mentions that with vegetarians, there is a lower risk for obesity and cardiovascular complications and a 32% mortality rate. The author quotes Crowe et al (2013) that vegetarians are less likely to get heart disease by 28% (qtd. in Stanisic et al, 2018, p.65). These are incredible numbers that can be hopeful for those who are thinking about trying this diet.

Conclusion

I am not going to lie, I was a little skeptical about how being a vegetarian can be healthy. We are always told to eat our fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains and meat, so it seemed weird that vegetarians could get by without eating any meat. It takes a lot of work, preciseness and dedication to be healthy on this diet though. My opinions have changed a little bit because I never knew there were so many resources out there for vegetarians to be healthy as well. In my opinion however, I do not think it is worth the effort to watch every little bit of food you eat, and the vitamins and minerals that you lack from your diet. However, I am more understanding why people choose this diet and as long as they are healthy using it, I do not see a problem with it.

Works Cited

1. AHC MEDIA. (2018). Are All Plant-based Diets Created Equally (in Terms of Health Benefits)? Integrative Medicine Alert, 21(2), 4–N.PAG. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.lib.snow.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=asn&AN=127783730&site=ehost-live
2. Kumar Kaushik, N., Aggarwal, A., Singh, M., Deswal, S., & Kaushik, P. (2015). Vegetarian Diets: Health Benefits and Associated Risks. International Archives of Integrated Medicine, 2(3), 206–210. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.lib.snow.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=asn&AN=101808556&site=ehost-live
3. Sobiecki, J. G. (2017). Vegetarianism and colorectal cancer risk in a low-selenium environment: Effect modification by selenium status? A possible factor contributing to the null results in British vegetarians. European Journal of Nutrition, 56(5), 1819-1832. doi:10.1007/s00394-016-1364-0
4. Stanisic, S., Markovic, V., Sarcevic, D., Baltic, M. Z., Boskovic, M., Popovic, M., & Kilibarda, N. (2018). Being a Vegetarian: Health Benefits and Hazards. Meat Technology, 59(1), 63-70. doi:10.18485/meattech.2018.59.1.8