Refusal of meat: reviews of doctors, results

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-02 16:12

Meat-eating as a natural way to satisfy food hunger has been criticized since the time of Pythagoras, who not only did not consume any meat himself, but also erected an entire metaphysical doctrine on this basis. Starting from the first expressed doubts about the legality of eating animal meat and up to the present day, humanity has divided into two camps with diametrical positions on this issue. So what promises a person to refuse meat? Benefit or harm? Learn more about this world's most popular food item below.

Man is a meat eater or herbivore

Almost all disputes about the need for meat to maintain normal human life rest on the facts of the physiological structure of the organism of an individual. But despite the fact that these facts remain unchanged in any interpretation, both meat-eaters and vegetarians find in them the basis for confirming their own concept.

The following arefour facts representing man both from the position of predatory representatives of the animal world and from the position of herbivores:

1. The structure and arrangement of human teeth with underdeveloped fangs and large, working incisors indicates a predisposition of an individual to chewing plant foods. However, only in predators the tooth is completely covered with enamel and there is a tendency to replace milk teeth with molars once. Such a characteristic of the structure of the teeth is possible only in omnivorous creatures (for example, in bears).
2. The saliva of carnivorous animals is not fermented, and in their oral cavity they constantly maintain an acidic environment that human teeth simply could not stand. In terms of alkaline indicators and the number of enzymes, the salivary fluid of a human individual is almost identical to that of herbivores.
3. The nature of the structure of the human stomach has no analogues - it is single-chamber and glandular, like in predators and omnivores, but its pH level, like in herbivores, corresponds to 4-5. The size of the stomach relative to the volume of the entire digestive system in humans is closer to herbivores (approximately 25% versus 65% in predators).
4. The human intestine is 7-8 times the length of its body - it is 4 times more than that of a predator and 4 times less than that of herbivorous creatures. Such an average size of the intestinal cavity allows a person to completely digest food of plant origin and easily cope with moderate portions of meat.

It can be concluded that in the process of evolution, a person was forced to become an omnivore and, although his body is able to withstand longperiods of a meatless diet, for the normal functioning of the digestive organs, one plant food is not enough for him.

Types of vegetarianism

Rejection of meat is a conscious act of a person's transition from pantophagy (omnivorousness) to a table limited to a set of products of exclusively plant origin. With a non-strict approach to the concept of vegetarianism or with internal guidance of ideological goals (about the impermissibility of hidden murder), foods such as eggs, fish, milk, butter, cheese can be present in a person’s diet.

The very concept of vegetarianism includes several directions:

1. Veganism. In the diet of a person who has chosen this life concept, there are only vegetable products, for which he allows the use of heat treatment that is not associated with frying, smoking or cooking.
2. Raw food. When choosing this direction, the individual excludes from his diet all products of non-vegetable origin, and eats acceptable food exclusively in raw form.
3. Lactovegetarianism. One of the lighter forms of vegetarianism, allowing the use of all types of dairy products. Thanks to the easily digestible milk protein that enters the body, a person does not experience such physical transformations and nutritional deprivations as with a vegan or raw food diet.
4. Ovolactovegetarianism. Vegetarianism with an extended list of allowed products, which, in addition to milk, also includes bird eggs(any). The concept justifies itself by the fact that a person, getting food for himself, is not a participant in the killing of an animal, but takes for himself the products naturally produced by the animal in the course of its life.
5. Fish vegetarianism. The diet of the individual is enriched, in addition to plant foods, also with all kinds of seafood and fish. This type of vegetarianism is often chosen as a sparing diet for diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

A separate type of vegetarianism can be called a ban on red meat. This restriction on beef, pork and other types of red meat is being introduced into many weight loss and diet programs that have nothing to do with the anti-animal protest philosophy. People who have chosen this type of vegetarianism for themselves freely eat poultry, fish and any vegetable food, getting enough protein and protecting themselves from eating a large amount of carcinogens and harmful acids along with the forbidden product.

Pros of giving up meat

Arguing the rationality of a vegetarian diet, fans of the concept cite many scientifically proven facts about the dangers of meat eating and the benefits of a lenten menu:

• Eating plant foods, a person does not allow the accumulation of harmful cholesterol in the body, which obviously eliminates the threat of diseases such as atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular pathologies;
• lovers of processed meat, especially fried or smoked meat, are more likely to suffer from cancers in the gastrointestinal tract and liver;
• using only low-calorie plant foods, a person loses weight faster;
• people who practice light-weighted balanced vegetarianism, which allows you to drink milk and eat bird eggs, provide your body not only with all the necessary vitamins, but also with a sufficient amount of he althy protein;
• vegetarians are 60% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than meat eaters;
• fast food lovers are more energetic, less prone to chronic diseases.

To the adoption of the philosophy of vegetarianism, sooner or later all people who practice yoga come. Judging by their feedback, the rejection of meat and poultry helps them not only quickly enter into a comfortable physical state required for classes, but also lighten their minds by choosing the concept of "ahimsa" for themselves - not accepting the killing of animals for food.

Failure meat and lose weight

Judging by the reviews, the rejection of meat in losing weight is of great importance. The advantage is that a person does not need to starve himself or use the crushing of ordinary portions into many small ones, which is very inconvenient for serious employment. You can continue to eat three to four times a day in the usual volumes and at the same time lose those extra pounds. A complete rejection of meat, according to the reviews of those who have chosen such a nutrition system for themselves, entails an increase in the consumption of foods rich in fiber (these are cereals, yeast-free bran bread, fruits, nuts, beans and vegetables), and the accumulation of calories, even when eating large portions of these foods,minimum.

However, doctors warn that veganism and other forms of strict vegetarianism, which do not allow protein substances to enter the body, are a bad option for losing weight. A carbohydrate diet will help an intemperate individual get used to food restrictions, remove toxins from the body, but in order not to lose muscle tone and lose weight evenly, it is important to use all types of BJU compounds. The necessary elements are found in milk and dairy products, fish, egg white.

In addition to the benefits, giving up meat to lose weight is fraught with the danger of breakdowns. Often people, compensating for the habitual feeling of satiety they lack, begin to eat heavily foods rich in light carbohydrates - these are pasta, bakery products. This approach to vegetarianism leads to the opposite effect and the weight does not go away, but begins to increase.

The danger of not eating meat

In addition to the obvious benefits of avoiding meat, the obvious negative effects of dietary restrictions, confirmed even by experienced vegetarians, must be recognized:

• At the slightest pathology of the digestive system or liver, a change in the usual diet can lead to a deterioration in he alth.
• Micronutrient deficiencies can lead to hair loss, pale skin and loose skin.
• Lack of protein invariably leads to inhibition of growth and development of muscle mass (that's why all ardent adherents of yoga have an unpresentable appearance).

Medical reviews on the rejection of meat anddairy products are almost unanimous - such a diet is detrimental to he alth. At first, a follower of a vegetarian diet can really feel a surge of energy, an increase in physical endurance and an increase in stress resistance. This phenomenon continues as long as the previously received microelements are still present in the body. As soon as their supply is exhausted, the deficiency of substances will begin to be replenished from the body's own reserves.

Other disadvantages of giving up meat include vitamin starvation, which inevitably occurs in the process of a strict vegetarian diet. Regular lack of vital vitamins provokes the development of serious diseases:

• due to the abrupt cessation of vitamin B intake into the body_{12 (it is found in red meat and offal, eggs, fish and cheese), anemia may develop;}
• lack of carotene, found in small amounts in plant foods, but found in excess in beef, butter and sour cream, leads to a decrease in physical endurance, memory impairment;
• Vitamin D, present in sea fish, butter and eggs, contributes to the formation of bone structure and, in its absence, a person develops skeletal fragility and improper fusion of bone tissues during fractures.

The greatest harms of giving up meat are inflicted on women during pregnancy and lactation and children under 15 years of age. If the meat product is not introduced into the diet of the baby in a timely manner, by the age of 3 he will have signs of limb dystrophy,lagging behind peers in physical and mental indicators, anemia.

The main problems of vegetarians

Judging by real reviews, the refusal of the meat of one of the members of society is often perceived by the rest of the representatives of this social structure as a kind of challenge. The softest manifestation of social protest is expressed in condemnation. But it also happens that an individual becomes the object of ridicule or even harassment by others. Beginning vegetarians find it difficult to cope with such aggression, therefore, without meeting understanding, they often abandon their ideas in favor of a traditional way of life.

Another significant disadvantage of giving up meat, according to the opinions of adherents of this direction, is the high cost of products that can replace meat in terms of nutritional value. Simple foods such as vegetables, seasonal fruits, cereals are inexpensive, but such a menu cannot satisfy the body's needs for protein, vitamins and minerals. You have to buy fermented soybeans, expensive vegetable oils, seeds, mushrooms and nuts. Even whole-grain bread for vegetarians costs several times more than ordinary bread.

After weighing all the pros and cons of giving up meat, a person should think, first of all, and he will ensure decent nutrition by removing such a significant product from the diet. Perhaps, for a start, you should try your hand at lightweight forms of vegetarianism, which allow you to include fish, eggs and dairy products in the menu, and only then, as soon as you are ready, complicate the task by refusing andthese dishes.

Vegetarian myths debunked

Many people approach the practical side of the vegetarian concept almost unconsciously, basing their beliefs on pseudoscientific facts about the dangers of animal protein and the supposedly magical results of giving up meat. Reviews and comments of doctors allow us to look at the myths about vegetarianism that have become familiar from an unexpected angle:

1. The myth that the meat component of dinner decomposes in the stomach for a long time after eating, poisoning the entire body with toxins and gases, is unfounded. The fact is that the digestive process in the stomach is carried out under the influence of hydrochloric acid, which does not allow food to stay in the gastrointestinal tract longer than it should.
2. Vegetarian longevity has been challenged many times by the fact that the most ardent fans of the bloodless diet, such as the Indians, have a rather low life expectancy threshold of around 68 years.
3. The statement that soy protein is identical to the animal in its beneficial and nutritional properties is erroneous. Soy has a protein with a biological value much lower than that of fish, and the most important amino acid for the body - methionine - is completely absent in it.
4. The belief that vegetarians are not prone to obesity has long been refuted by simply counting the calories contained in various carbohydrate foods. Since it is believed that lean meals can be consumed in large quantities without harming the figure, fans of meat-free diets often overeat and get the same (or more) calories thanmeat eaters.

The final myth about the high energy potential of vegetarians as opposed to the low activity of meat eaters has not been confirmed by any study. However, there is contrary evidence that the inhibition of metabolic processes, which, according to medical reviews, as a result of the rejection of meat, adversely affects the quality of life of vegetarians themselves.

Peculiarities of nutrition when giving up meat

Counting on the immediate benefits of going meatless, beginner vegetarians may not be prepared to face the range of inconveniences that await them on their path to a bloodless diet. So, switching to plant foods, people often notice a decrease in vision, a weakening of memory and mental sharpness, a sharp deterioration in external data (the condition of hair, teeth and skin). All these negative changes are associated with the deficiency of the most important vitamins, microelements and amino acids formed in the body, previously obtained with meat products.

How to eat right so that the consequences of giving up meat do not lead to the development of serious pathologies? A complete vegetarian diet must include the following foods:

• sesame, peanut and pumpkin seeds are a source of amino acids;
• soy, chickpeas and lentils are sources of histine;
• cashew nuts, almonds, chickpeas are a source of isolein;
• cereals, all nuts, lentils are leucine;
• any legumes are a source of threonine.

It should be remembered that such important components of human he alth,like vitamins D and B_{12, found only in meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. It is impossible to get them through the use of plant foods. Fans of the vegan trend should take care of purchasing the necessary vitamins in a separate, synthesized form, sold from a pharmacy in the form of multicomplexes, tablets and ampoules.}

Refusing meat for men

A group of American researchers from the state of Indiana conducted an experiment, the purpose of which was to find out whether men who deliberately exclude meat from their diet are successful with women. During the experiment, three groups of volunteers were created. In the first group, the test subjects ate only plant foods, in the second group they ate fully, in the third group they preferred meat.

The results showed that those men who were forced to sit on a vegetarian diet, by the end of the experiment, felt physically and mentally exhausted, often irritated, coped worse with test tasks and had difficulty communicating. Volunteers from the other two groups felt positive and did not experience any ailments.

When the volunteers were asked to socialize with the opposite sex as the last point of the research, it turned out that participants from the omnivorous and meat-eating groups were easily able to enlist the sympathy of the ladies. Volunteers from the vegetarian group, even without knowing about the peculiarities of their diet, women for some reason avoided, and not one of them could explain the feeling of rejection that arose in her.caller.

According to the direct feedback of men, the rejection of meat is for them more a challenge to the flesh than dictated by aesthetic reasons. Thus, most bloodless dieters try to subdue their body by raising their spiritual self above the primitive needs of the physiological world.

Recommendations from nutritionists

The attitude of doctors to strict types of vegetarianism, which prohibits the consumption of white meat, milk and fish, is always negative, but medicine has no right to prohibit this practice for an adult. The only thing experts insist on is to approach important changes in nutrition with responsibility, following certain rules:

• before giving up meat, fish and dairy products, it is necessary to conduct a complete examination of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system and liver;
• women of childbearing age should consider switching to a vegetarian menu only if their monthly cycle is stable and there are no urinary tract diseases;
• experiments with the abolition of meat and dairy dishes are strictly not recommended for pregnant women;
• with caution in the rejection of meat, according to doctors, should be taken by those who have not yet reached the age of 30;
• Beginners should not design their new diet based on other people's experiences or their own preferences as this should be done by a professional nutritionist.

The human body may not immediately respond to the deficit of the usual components, making up for the lack of itsaccumulated stocks. Therefore, it is very important not to miss the moment when these reserves run out and need to be replenished. A vegetarian who practices a reasonable nutrition system without compromising he alth must undergo a complete medical examination and take tests for the presence of vitamins and minerals at least once every six months. If necessary, the nutritionist prescribes courses of multivitamins or preparations with a high content of a specific missing element.