Peas And Many Other Vegetarian Foods example essay topic

Vegetarianism is the practice of not eating meat. Vegetarians regard the flesh of all animals, including that of fish and poultry, as meat. Most vegetarians avoid eating meat because of moral or religious beliefs. They believe it is wrong to kill animals for food. Many vegetarians also think that eating meat is unhealthy. Some vegetarians exclude milk and eggs, as well as meat, from their diet because these foods come from animals.

Vegetarians are divided into three groups, based on their attitude toward milk and eggs. Lactoovo-vegetarians include milk and eggs, and foods made from milk and eggs, in their diet. Lacto-vegetarians do not eat eggs, but they drink milk and eat such milk products as butter and cheese. Vegans avoid milk and eggs and all foods made from these animal products. A vegetarian diet must be well planned to replace the protein and other nutrients provided by meat. Most lacto-ovo-vegetarians and lacto-vegetarians can easily plan a healthy diet because milk and eggs are good sources of high-quality protein.

Milk also provides large amounts of calcium, which helps strengthen bones. Milk and eggs both contain vitamin B-12, which forms a part of red blood cells and helps the nerves function properly. Vegans must plan their diet especially well because no single fruit, vegetable, or grain contains the nutritionally complete protein found in meat, milk, and eggs. Beans, nuts, peas, and many other vegetarian foods contain large amounts of protein. However, these foods must be eaten in particular combinations to provide the body with nutritionally complete protein.

For example, beans and rice together provide complete protein, but neither food does when eaten alone. To obtain calcium, vegans must eat sesame seeds or certain green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli or spinach. Most vegans take vitamin B-12 tablets to obtain this nutrient. Most vegetarian diets contain fewer calories than diets that include meat. As a result, vegetarians tend to be thinner than meat-eaters. Most vegetarians also consume less saturated fat and smaller amounts of a fatty substance called cholesterol than most meat-eaters do.

Lower dietary levels of saturated fat and cholesterol result in lower levels of cholesterol in the blood. Medical research indicates that a high level of cholesterol in the blood is associated with heart disease. Some studies have shown that vegetarians in the United States are healthier and live longer than other Americans. Vegetarianism is practiced by some religious groups, including Hindus and Seventh-day Adventists. Some Americans practice vegetarianism because they believe that consumption of meat, especially beef, reduces the world food supply.

They feel that grain used to fatten cattle would nourish more people if the grain were eaten directly by people. Some people also believe the land on which livestock graze should be used to grow grain. But many agricultural experts disagree. They argue that most grazing land is not suitable for farming. People in the United States consume more than 30 billion pounds (14 billion kilograms) of retail cuts of red meat each year.

They eat an average of about 130 pounds (59 kilograms) per person annually. That total includes about 67 pounds (30 kilograms) of beef, 61 pounds (28 kilograms) of pork, and 1 pound (0.5 kilogram) each of veal and of lamb and mutton. Canadians consume about 117 pounds (53 kilograms) of red meat a year. Only the people of Argentina, New Zealand, and Uruguay eat more red meat than North Americans.

Eat a balanced diet. The key to good nutrition is a varied diet that includes every kind of nutrient. To aid in planning a balanced diet, nutritionists have devised systems that group foods according to nutrient content. The Food Guide Pyramid pictured in this article is one example. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed this system after extensive research into the relationship between diet and health. The pyramid shape calls attention to the recommended amounts to eat from each of the major food groups.

The groups at the broad base of the pyramid -- that is, grains, fruits, and vegetables -- should form the largest part of a healthful diet. Fewer daily servings should be chosen from the meat and dairy groups near the top. Fats, oils, and sweets, at the narrow tip of the pyramid, should be eaten sparingly. Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA's) are provided in the United States by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences. RDA's are the estimated amounts of various nutrients needed daily to avoid deficiency and maintain good nutrition in healthy people. The RDA for a particular nutrient may vary depending on a person's sex, age, and physical condition.

This article includes a table of RDA's. The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 requires that all packaged and processed food sold in the United States carry labels with nutritional information. The labels help people compare their daily dietary needs with the nutritional content of the foods they eat. The labels give the amounts of fats, carbohydrates, cholesterol, and certain other nutrients contained in one serving of the labeled food. The nutrients listed are those considered most important to the health of people in the United States, as determined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The label also provides a Daily Value percentage for each nutrient to show how it fits into a healthy diet.

The percentages are based on guidelines called Daily Reference Values (DRV's), which the FDA established to determine the amounts of these nutrients that a healthy person should consume each day. In addition, health claims, such as "reduces risk of heart disease", and descriptive terms, such as "fresh" and "low fat", can only appear on food packages in accordance with FDA regulations. A list of some of these descriptive terms of a standard food label accompany this article. People vary in their needs for energy. A person who plays sports daily, for example, needs more calories than someone who does little physical work. Children need more calories than their size would indicate because they are growing.

Pregnant women need extra calories to provide enough nutrients for a healthy baby. Limit your intake of saturated fats and cholesterol. Health experts recommend a diet that is low in saturated fats and cholesterol, a waxy substance found in many animal foods. Consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol raises the level of cholesterol in a person's blood. A high level of blood cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease. Animal products are the source of most saturated fats and all dietary cholesterol.

To reduce the intake of saturated fats and cholesterol, health experts suggest choosing lean meats, fish, poultry with the skin removed, and low-fat dairy products. They also advise using fats and oils sparingly. Cancer. Scientists do not know exactly why cancer develops. But they have found that heredity, environment, and lifestyle all play a role in causing the disease. They have also learned that good nutrition can help prevent certain kinds of cancer in laboratory animals.

Large doses of vitamins A and C have been proved to prevent some cancers in animals. Many scientists believe that certain foods contain substances that may help prevent some cancers in people. Such foods include broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, fruits, spinach, whole-grain breads and cereals, and some seafoods. Lessening intake of fats and increasing the intake of fiber may also help prevent some cancers from forming.

Include fiber. Dietary fiber consists of cellulose and other complex carbohydrates that cannot be absorbed by the body. Fiber passes out of the body as waste. Fiber moves food along through the stomach and intestines, thus helping to prevent constipation (difficulty in emptying the bowels). Many experts believe that it also helps reduce the risk of such rect a.