A vegetarian is ... Vegans and vegetarians: difference, eating habits and interesting facts

What is different about vegetarians is that they do not just follow a certain diet, in which the whole diet is completely or partially lacking animal protein and fat, dairy products and eggs, fish and seafood, but also welcome the idea of giving up any objects in The composition of materials and the production of which uses fur, skins, bones or other parts of carcasses of dead animals.

Historical background of vegetarianism

Often vegans and vegetarians (the differences will be explained below) explain the benefits of their food system by the fact that in the primitive world the ancestors of modern humans could rarely afford protein and animal fat, and the basis of their diet was roots, grass, foliage of trees and shrubs, Berries, mushrooms, fruits, cereals and nuts for a long period of tens of thousands of years. Archeology, studying the remnants of everyday life, including the features of cooking, on the site of the ancient man's residence, proved the inconsistency of myths about the powerful primitive instincts of the human hunter. Even if forced, but the diet of primitive people was 65% filled with food of vegetable origin, as opposed to one third of the meat of wild animals and other animal protein foods in the form of eggs, fish, etc.

It took thousands of years, that instead of regular hunger and widespread forced vegetarianism, animal proteins and fats became available on a regular basis. The diet has become more diverse and more nutritious, but there are more diseases associated with the problems of the gastrointestinal tract and blood vessels. The fact is that the genetic structure of the body remained virtually unchanged, while nutritional preferences and opportunities along with lifestyle changed significantly. But this view is not shared by all scientists.

Their arguments are as follows: the food of our ancestors was unevenly abundant at the expense of consuming a large amount of mined meat, which led to rapid physical development along with the function of puberty, while shortening the already short-lived due to infections and epidemics, accidents, civil strifes, Attacks of wild animals, snake bites and poisonous insects of the human age.

History has also been decreed in such a way that, for millennia, practical vegetarianism as the root cause of religious preferences prevailed in the countries of spreading Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism. Adherents and distributors of vegetarianism among the masses were also adepts of various philosophical currents, such as the Pythagoreans, and later - the scientific and creative stratum of the intelligentsia. It is no accident that vegetarianism, this popular food system began to be called not immediately, but at first it was called "Indian" or "Pythagorean." Modern Europe and America literally worship this food system - the list of vegetarians often includes the loudest and most famous names. And in modern India, between 20% and 70% of the total population of the vegetarian system adheres to the vegetarian system.

Vegans and Vegetarians: differences

Veganism is one of the classifications of vegetarianism, implying a rejection not only of meat, but also of fish and seafood obtained as a result of killing in hunting, fishing, industrial breeding, slaughter, industrial catches, etc. Eggs, milk and dairy products While veganism is also included in the category of forbidden foods, because they are obtained through the exploitation of animals. However, one should know, considering who is vegan and vegetarian: the difference here is not only in the severity of the ban on food in the food basket. It is also in the observance of the code of moral principles and taboo in relation to animals and other representatives of the fauna.

Between the concepts of "vegan" and "vegetarian" the difference is also in the fact that vegans not only do not wear clothes and shoes made of natural fur and leather, do not buy leather bags and belts, do not use leather furniture and cosmetics, in the production of which, like them It seems that the animals suffered, but they also defend the rights of animals, calling for closing and not visiting zoos, dolphinariums, circuses and other such places where animals are exploited and they are often kept in poor conditions.

Other varieties of vegetarianism

A vegetarian is a person who deliberately and voluntarily refused to consume any meat food of animals or fish killed in the process of production or after special cultivation for slaughter. But they can not refuse from products of animal origin, not obtained by force. For example, honey, dairy products and even eggs from poultry farms. People who adhere to such a diet are called lacto-vego-vegetarians. These include most of the modern vegetarians who do not eat only meat and fish dishes. Part of the vegetarians do not eat or drink and all dairy products, but sometimes they use eggs for food. They are ovo-vegetarians. If, on the contrary, eggs are excluded, and dairy products remain in the diet, then adherents of such a diet are called lactovegetarians.

Among the strict vegetarians there are representatives of the extreme vegetarianism - raw food (naturists), completely excluding any heat treatment of food, because they are convinced that high temperature destroys valuable nutritional properties, in contrast to products consumed in their natural form, without heat treatment.

Restricting the recipe by adding vegetables, fruits and herbs to the seeds of cereals and spices, the savouries refuse any culinary techniques, including marinating, and use only crushing of grains.

Vegetarian sand is one who enriches his own vegetarian diet with fish, caviar, crustaceans and all seafood, but completely rejects meat and processed products.

The Benefits of Vegetarianism

Those vegetarian branches that allow the use of milk and dairy products, eggs and especially fish and seafood, do not cause any concern among modern nutritionists and most doctors, since such a diet they recognize as almost complete and harmless for most adults, especially for people after forty years . For them, vegetarianism is even useful.

But when the body for a long time, often for years, does not receive any animal protein and fat, what risks vegan or vegan? Is it useful or is there a remote dangerous consequence of such a diet?

One of the obvious advantages of such a diet, which has been repeatedly proven by scientific research, is the lower threat of atherosclerosis, certain cancers, coronary heart disease, arthrosis, arthritis, gout, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cholelithiasis in comparison with traditional nutrition .

Which vegetarian menu allows you to reduce and control weight or maintain a normal body weight? Vegetarian nutritionists claim that 1500 kcal per day is sufficient for an adult of medium height. Vegetarianism combined with light fitness is one of the most effective and quickest ways to achieve good physical fitness.

Vegetarianism is also useful in that it cleanses the body of toxins, practically sanitizing the body.

Finally, in vegetable food, which includes, in addition to vegetables, fruits, legumes and greens, also grains, contains a huge amount of essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, biologically active substances, fiber and phytoncides. All this helps the body (especially urban residents) to withstand the stress and poor ecology of cities, and also to maintain youth and lightness in the body.

Harm

Vegetarianism also suffers too much, especially if the diet is ill-conceived and not balanced. So, vegans and vegetarians often suffer from iron deficiency anemia. In plant foods, iron is not presented in a heme form, it is poorly digested.

One of the most serious problems of a vegetarian diet is chronic shortage of an essential element, vitamin B12. This vitamin B is absent in plants, and without it, irreversible and very serious diseases of the nervous system develop in man.

There are differences between animals and vegetable proteins. Animals are superior to plant (including soybean). Proteins are an indispensable building material for the cells and tissues of the body. Without protein, hormones and enzymes are not produced. The protein also affects the immune system.

Often vegan deficiency of calcium, vitamin D, zinc and iodine is found. All these substances are necessary for the body in sufficient quantities.

Vegans, in the diet of which there are no fish and seafood, lack important vitamins and minerals, especially omega-3 polyunsaturated acids, which can not be replaced by plants.

Fiber, of course, is useful to most of us, as it produces harmful "cholesterol, toxins and excess glucose." But its excess (which can often be observed with vegetarianism) harms health, preventing protein absorption, while getting and absorbing it is already A problem in the case of a vegetarian diet.

Vegetarianism is contraindicated in people with asthenic syndrome, immunodeficiency, and weakened or recovering from surgery and trauma. Most doctors are not advised to get involved in vegetarian diets pregnant and lactating, and also categorically do not recommend such a diet for children and adolescents for the entire period of body formation.

But most of these problems can be avoided by approaching nutrition with the mind.

Vegetarian food - a menu with enough protein

In food selected by vegetarians, the main problem is not only the absence of the entire range of nutrients that can be obtained from a full-fledged animal protein, but that even with a competent approach to nutrition, plant protein may not be enough, and even what comes in, Much worse absorbed by the body. Full proteins are considered to be those that include essential amino acids, similar to the "native" amino acids in the human protein, while in the same correct proportions. The closest to the animal can be considered soy protein, then - the protein beans. To minimize the lack of protein, you need to ensure that in the daily diet there are products of plant origin, which contain a maximum of protein and amino acids. These are soy and soy products, legumes, nuts, brown rice and whole grains, also containing a small amount of protein. By the way, the leader among this group is cinema.

A large percentage of protein contains a seitan - a gluten product, as well as special vegan protein powders and bars. Lacto-vegans and those vegans who build their diet by all rules usually get a normal, and in some cases even higher than normal, amount of protein.

Vitamin D

This vitamin exists in two forms - D2 and D3. Vegetarians stop their attention on form D2 (ergocalciferol). Vegetarian dieticians and other doctors insist that most people do not get enough sunlight to synthesize this vitamin. If at the same time there is a lack of vitamin D enriched food, that is, vitamin D in the form of pharmacy supplements. Strictly following the instructions for dosage, they can be taken even by a strict vegan (this, by the way, fat-soluble vitamin, which accumulates in the body).

Calcium

If vegetarians consume lacto-products, usually problems arising from a lack of calcium in food do not arise. Strict vegans and those who refuse milk and other dairy products should constantly plant food, even rich in calcium, accompanied by the intake of enriched soy milk and / or orange juice. For the right amount of calcium per day requires 3 servings of calcium-rich foods and beverages.

B12

The most important vitamin, involved in the process of hematopoiesis and CNS activity. Vitamin B12 is needed for proper growth of cells and reproduction of genetic information, as well as for participation in the process of secretion of the most important hormones.

Strict vegetarians should be sure to know the following: there is not a single plant product not enriched specifically in the production process, in which vitamin B12 is naturally present in sufficient measure.

Lacto-ovos-vegetarians can be calm, as long as they regularly eat B12 from dairy products and eggs.

Vegans receive a certain amount of B12 only on condition of constant consumption of specially enriched products: beverages and products from soy and rice, cereal breakfast cereals and cereal, yeast. If such artificially enriched products are few or no on the table for a vegan, then the negative consequences can not be avoided.

Omega-3 fatty acids

In vegetarian diets, there are usually many omega-6 fatty acids, but very few polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids are very important for the proper functioning of the brain, cardiovascular system and other organs and systems. Omega-3 acids are present in fatty fish, eggs, and therefore in the vegetarian and vegan diets they are not or are not enough, especially if the plant components, also rich in omega-3, are not actively present in it. Yes, these fatty acids are also of vegetable origin - it is alfalinolic acid. It is contained, in addition to marine microalgae, in soy, linseed, walnuts.

But even if plant foods from the list are regularly present, it is still better to additionally take omega-3 fatty acids in the form of capsules or liquid fish oil. If strict veganism interferes with this, it is advisable to look for such deliveries that do not contradict these beliefs. Now, by the way, there is even iron in the form of additives, which can be accepted without any compromises to the vegans.