Healthy Dieting and Vegetarianism (Essay Sample)

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Healthy Dieting and Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism is a regimen that dismisses all meat and fish. A vegetarian is a somebody who excludes meat or fish in his/her nutrition, (Brown University Health Education). The meal plan is made up of foods originating mainly from plants, including vegetables, whole grains, seeds, fruits, nuts, and legumes, (Vorvick). Since most of the food sources do not allude to any source of protein, there might be a risk involved in lack of protein intake, especially to young kids who are still growing if extra care is not observed. Nevertheless, on that point are also advantages of low protein intake associated with vegetarianism. The question then remains, “how can a vegetarian eat healthy?” More or fewer people have indicated that vegetarians do not receive a balanced diet, but how reliable is this statement?
Vegetarians can be categorized into four groups, mainly vegan, ovo-vegetarian, lacto-vegetarian, and lacto-ovo vegetarian, (KidsHealth). A vegan only eats food that is from plants only. They are also known as total vegetarians and some do not eat honey as well, (Brown University Health Education). A ovo-vegetarian only eats plant foods and eggs. No meat nor dairy products are consumed. A lacto-vegetarian eats plant foods and dairy products, but no meat or egg consumption. A lacto-ovo vegetarian on the other hand eats food from plants, dairy products, and eggs but does not eat meat. Therefore, it is contingent on an individual’s choice to decide on which type of vegetarian best suits his/her life, (Kresser).
Considering the categories of vegetarians censures the statement that ‘vegetarians do not get a balanced diet’. The statement might be assuming that only meat has enough proteins. It may also be disregarding the fact that some plant products such as beans, peas, and nuts contain high protein nutrition. Furthermore, it is equally likely the statement assumes that a vegetarian does not consume any animal product at all. Therefore, it is utterly wrong to assert the statement to be true since a vegetarian can consume dairy products, chicken products, or fish products depending on the type of vegetarian one is. It all depends on the amount of percentage one is consuming in terms of protein intake.
Since meat is considered to contain higher protein content than plant products, one may view this as not ample for an individual. However, human bodies require only a small quota of protein intake since too much of it could lead to complications such as heart diseases, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and kidney failure, (Brown University Health Education). These disorders are mainly associated with high intake of foods rich in high calories, such as meat and meat products. Some vital vitamins only found in meat, fish, milk, and eggs such as vitamin B12 can be consumed by vegetarians through intake of eggs or dairy products, (Coleman). Thus, vitamins are also taken care of in a vegetarian diet except for a vegan who only eats plant foods.
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