Vegetarianism Vegetarianism is a diet that excludes all animal flesh, and slaughter by-products. There are various reasons people choose vegetarianism it may be related to morality, religion, culture, ethics, aesthetics, environment, society, economy, politics, taste, or health. Vegetarianism has different variants, some exclude eggs and/or some products produced from animal labour such as dairy products and honey. Veganism, for example, excludes all animal products from the diet. Some forms of the diet even exclude certain clothing items which are produced after the death of an animal. Most vegetarians are also aware of avoiding products that may use animal ingredients not included in their labels or which use animal products in their manufacturing i.e. cheeses that use animal rennet, gelatin, some sugars and alcohol clarified with gelatin or crushed shellfish and sturgeon. Vegetarians often eat free-range as opposed to battery eggs on moral grounds. Semi-vegetarian diets are diets that primarily consist of vegetarian foods, but make exceptions for some non-vegetarian foods. These diets may be followed by those who choose to reduce the amount of animal flesh consumed, or sometimes as a way of transitioning to a vegetarian diet. The first Vegetarian Society founded in England claims to have "created the word vegetarian from the Latin "vegetus" meaning "lively" (which is how these early vegetarians claimed their diet made them feel) ..." However, the Oxford English Dictionary and other standard dictionaries state that the word was formed from the term "vegetable" and the suffix "-arian". In the Western world, the popularity of vegetarianism grew during the 20th century as a result of nutritional, ethical, and more recently, environmental and economic concerns. Today, Indian vegetarians are estimated to make up more than 70% of the world"s vegetarians. Surveys in the U.S. have found that roughly 1–2.8% of adults eat no meat (including poultry or fish). Vegetarianism is considered a healthy, viable diet. The American Dietetic Association and the Dietitians of Canada have found a properly-planned vegetarian diet to satisfy the nutritional needs for all stages of life, and large-scale studies have shown vegetarianism to significantly lower risks of cancer, ischemic heart disease, and other fatal diseases. Necessary nutrients, proteins, and amino acids for the body"s sustenance can be found in green leafy vegetables, grains, nuts, and fortified juices or soymilk. Protein intake in vegetarian and vegan diets is only slightly lower than in meat diets and can meet daily requirements for any person, including athletes and bodybuilders. Studies by Harvard University as well as other studies conducted in the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and various European countries, have confirmed that vegetarian diets provide more than sufficient protein intake as long as a variety of plant sources are available and consumed. |
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