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The benefits of vegetarian nutrition. Is vegetarianism healthy? Endurance and heart

Vegetarianism is one of the most popular nutrition systems in the world today. With this food system, meat products are excluded from the diet. There are many reasons why people choose vegetarianism. The benefits and harms of this way of eating are what are worth talking about.

Many experts still disagree about whether a vegetarian diet is harmful or beneficial for health. In order to make a decision for yourself whether to switch to this system or not, it is worth studying in detail each side of this issue.

Vegetarians themselves, of course, insist that giving up animal products does not cause any harm either to a person’s sense of self or to the general state of health and the body. But scientific research has long proven that man, by his structure, is neither a herbivorous mammal nor a predator. Scientists say that a person can only obtain the full composition of useful substances by consuming a wide variety of products, including meat.

When a person eats only plant foods and excludes meat products from his diet, it is difficult to talk about a balanced diet. The opinion of doctors in this case is that such a diet can even worsen health.

Harm

Food of animal origin contains a number of vitamins and microelements that are not found in plant foods at all. By excluding the animal component from the diet, a person deprives himself of these beneficial substances, which ultimately threatens the body with metabolic disorders.

Here are the beneficial substances we are talking about:

Such an important trace element as iron.
Its presence affects the composition of the blood. Most of this microelement is found in offal, such as liver, kidneys, and fish. Vegetarians insist that iron is also present in plant foods. But the problem is that, along with iron, plant foods contain substances that prevent the full absorption of this element. It is easier and more abundant for the body to absorb this element from food of animal origin.
Anyone who plays sports even a little knows that protein is simply indispensable for building muscle tissue.
Vegetarians insist that this element can be extracted by eating legumes. Here things are the same as with iron. Indeed, plant foods contain protein, but the human body only absorbs half of it. Unlike animal protein, which is completely absorbed.
The next important microelement is calcium.
It is extremely important for the health of the musculoskeletal system, as well as for the beauty of hair and nails. The opinion of vegetarians is that this microelement can be more than obtained from leafy vegetables. But! Current research suggests that the amount of calcium in the body of vegetarians is often greatly reduced.
Animal foods contain the important vitamin B12.
The normal functioning of the nervous system depends on the presence of this vitamin. Plant foods are not able to saturate the human body with this vitamin.

Benefit

However, this question, like any other, has a second side.

To be as objective as possible, let's talk about the benefits of a vegetarian diet:

A vegetarian lifestyle makes it much easier to maintain a healthy weight.
This is because plant foods are quite low in calories, but at the same time they contain a lot of useful substances. By eating such food, it will be easier for you to get rid of extra pounds and maintain your weight at the proper level.
It is much easier for the intestines and stomach to work with exclusively plant-based foods.
It is easily digested, does not provoke decay processes, and the body is easily freed from the remnants of such food.
With this type of nutrition, it is much easier for the body to stay in a clean state longer.
Plant foods help remove waste and toxins from the body, making it easier for the body to fight external and internal negative factors.
A vegetarian diet helps keep sugar and cholesterol at proper levels.
Thus, the cardiovascular system remains in good condition longer. Research on this topic suggests that among vegetarians there are much fewer people who suffer from cancer or diabetes than among meat eaters.
A vegetarian diet is excellent for prolonging youth, as vegetables and fruits contain many antioxidants.
It is believed that meat eaters eat more salt than vegetarians, and excessive salt consumption is also bad for health.

There are several types of vegetarian diets. Let's look at its most popular types and look at how each of them affects the health of the body.

Lactovegetarian yours

If you are a lacto-vegetarian, you are allowed to use dairy products in your food. At the same time, lacto-vegetarians refuse certain types of rennet cheeses, gelatin, as well as products that contain additives of animal origin.

Typically, the reasons why people become adherents of lactovegetarianism are ethical and moral standards. Lacto-vegetarians thus renounce any kind of violence in their lives. This also explains the refusal of eggs, which, in principle, may contain a chicken embryo.

If we talk about the positive aspects of lacto-vegetarianism, then this method of eating keeps cholesterol in the body at the proper level. If you plan a lacto-vegetarian diet correctly, you can provide the body with sufficient quantities of useful substances. With a lacto-vegetarian diet, you have access to vitamin D, vitamin B12, calcium, and proteins that are easily digestible and contain amino acids. There are plenty of these substances in a lacto-vegetarian diet, due to the presence of dairy products in it.

That is why, by suddenly becoming a lacto-vegetarian, you will not put as much stress on your body as if you suddenly became a vegan.

The lactovegetarian diet is not as poor in composition as other stricter types of vegetarianism.

Ovo-vegetarianism

Another type of relatively democratic type of vegetarian diet is ovo-vegetarianism. In an ovo-vegetarian diet, you must avoid dairy products, but you can eat eggs.

If we talk about the reasons why people begin to adhere to an ovo-vegetarian diet, then they are either ethical in nature, or the basis of ovo-vegetarianism is individual intolerance to dairy products.

Another advantage of an ovo-vegetarian diet is that it allows you to eat a product that is beneficial to the body, such as honey.

An ovo-vegetarian diet can even be prescribed for people with poor health. The ovo-vegetarian diet is easy to eat and is good for colds and other body ailments.

Lacto-ovo-vegetarianism

Another common type of vegetarianism today is lacto-ovo vegetarianism. Logically, it is clear that this includes people who allow meat, fish, eggs and dairy products in their diet.

The reasons why people become lacto-ovo-vegetarians may also be ethical, or it may simply be a healthy eating option.

Lacto-ovo-vegetarianism is also a good soft option for transitioning to more restrictive eating methods. With such a diet, the body also has the opportunity to receive almost all the nutrients it needs.

Vegetarian diet and children

Many questions arise regarding the topic of vegetarianism and children. Every parent has the right to choose a nutritional system for their child. If you have made such a decision, then here are recommendations that will help you do this as carefully as possible for the health of the child.

You cannot immediately switch your child to strict vegetarianism, for example, veganism. Children should receive easily digestible protein. Instead of meat, add beans, seeds, eggs and dairy products to your child's diet.
To prevent children from becoming deficient in vitamin D, offer them milk that is fortified with this vitamin.
It is very important that children get enough iron. If you refuse to allow your child to eat meat, then help the child’s body absorb more of this microelement from plant foods. To do this, foods containing vitamin C must be present in the child’s diet at least once a day.
You should not feed your child whole grain bread all the time. Whole grains fill the stomach much faster, and also partially interfere with the absorption of iron, zinc and copper. To avoid this, it is better to give your child whole grain products only half the time.
A child's body needs a certain amount of animal fat. It is worth considering periodically including butter or medium-fat cow's milk in your child's diet. This is the only way to get this valuable product with a vegetarian diet.

Vegetarianism is a nutritional system that consists not only of avoiding certain foods, but also affects the entire lifestyle as a whole. Fans of vegetarianism fiercely defend their principles, considering them to be the only correct ones, while opponents are confident that complete abstinence from meat is harmful to health. However, there is no single correct opinion on this matter - it all depends on the correctness of the approach and a balanced diet.

Adherents of strict vegetarianism argue that excluding meat and other animal products from the diet does not have a negative effect on either the well-being or the condition of the body as a whole. However, science has proven that humans are neither a herbivore nor exclusively a predator - the entire complex of substances necessary for health can only be obtained through a balanced, organized diet that includes all healthy foods.

With vegetarianism, this balance is slightly disturbed, so this system, despite its undoubted benefits, also has disadvantages, and in some cases can seriously harm health.

The harm of vegetarianism

The disadvantages of giving up animal food are primarily due to the fact that it contains microelements and vitamins that are absent in vegetables, grains and fruits. A lack of these substances in the diet can lead to metabolic disorders and, as a result, harm health.

Iron is one of the most important microelements that primarily affects the composition of the blood. The maximum amount of iron is absorbed from liver, meat and fish, which are rejected by vegetarians. Some of them may argue that iron is found in nuts and fruits, but at the same time, plant foods contain tannins, phytates, calcium - everything that can prevent the full absorption of the microelement. From greens, legumes and grains (spinach, soybeans, rice), a maximum of 7% iron enters the human body, which is significantly less than the required intake - its deficiency can cause weakness, dizziness, anemia and a general loss of vital energy.
Protein is necessary to maintain normal muscle function and connective tissue structure. Contrary to the popular belief that legumes contain enough protein and can satisfy the body’s needs in full, it has been found that it is absorbed worse from plant foods (from potatoes - 65%, from buckwheat - 60%, from millet - 45%, although animal protein is absorbed almost completely).
Calcium is an extremely important microelement for hair, nails and skeleton. It is believed that it is absorbed better from leafy vegetables than from milk or cottage cheese, but strict vegetarians often have dangerously low calcium levels.
Vitamin B12 is necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system. Not a single plant product can satisfy the need for it in full.

In addition, proper healthy vegetarianism is a rather expensive nutritional system. To provide the body with all the necessary substances, the diet must be varied and of high quality, and fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains are not available to everyone.

Observations by scientists confirm that when following the principles of vegetarianism for more than 7 years, there is a significant decrease in immunity and disturbances in the psycho-emotional state, which are expressed in fanatical adherence to one’s beliefs and harsh condemnation of those who do not share them.

And finally, vegetarianism is harmful:

People with weakened immune systems.
Persons recovering from illness.
For children.
Pregnant and lactating.
People with anemia, osteoporosis, joint diseases, visual impairment.

The benefits of vegetarianism

However, giving up meat also has positive aspects - it is not without reason that it is not only a nutritional system, but an entire philosophy, the origins of which go back to ancient times. Proponents of vegetarianism note the following advantages:

Vegetables, fruits and grains have low energy value - they are low in calories, but at the same time healthy and very nutritious. Therefore, their use helps to avoid excess weight and maintain your figure.
The high fiber content in vegetarian products has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the intestines and stomach, normalizing and stabilizing all metabolic processes.
This nutritional system has an extremely high cleansing potential: toxins and waste are removed from the body, resistance to disease is significantly increased.
Vegetarianism helps maintain optimal cholesterol and sugar levels: people with atherosclerosis, cancer, heart disease and diabetes are almost never found among vegetarians.
Antioxidants contained in vegetables and fruits maintain skin tone and keep it youthful.
Complex carbohydrates, for which vegetables and grains are famous, support excellent energy levels and promote an active lifestyle and longevity.
A balanced intake of salt, common to all vegetarians, helps maintain vascular health.

Vegetarianism is more of a philosophy of life than just a diet plan. Important!

In addition, vegetarianism helps to realize oneself as a part of nature and the surrounding world, while feeling harmony - giving up meat is nothing more than accepting living beings in the most humane way. This approach gives balance and peace of mind.

Safe transition to vegetarianism

Giving up meat and switching to plant-based foods is quite a serious stress for the body, so adopting vegetarianism should be approached extremely thoughtfully.

It is necessary to consult a therapist, gastroenterologist, nutritionist and psychologist, take tests and undergo all prescribed examinations to identify diseases for which vegetarianism is contraindicated: these include gastritis and pre-ulcerative conditions of the stomach, colitis, hemoglobin deficiency, pancreatitis. If any of the diseases have been detected, before changing the diet it is necessary to undergo treatment, i.e. Prepare for this in advance - get rid of existing diseases.
When switching to plant-based foods, a favorable psycho-emotional background is extremely important: during times of depression, stress or nervous exhaustion, vegetarianism can only aggravate the harm to the body. The best time to give up meat is a period of calm and well-being, without worries and serious shocks.
You should master the new food system smoothly and gradually, while making the diet as varied as possible: if legumes, then peas, chickpeas, beans and lentils in turn, if vegetables, then different colors, if dairy products, then curds and natural yoghurts. Step by step, food variety can easily replace the usual meat.
Vegetarianism denies alcohol and smoking: giving up bad habits in this case is mandatory.
With such a diet, it is necessary to take vitamins B12 and D, as well as calcium supplements.
And finally, regular testing is recommended for everyone who adheres to this nutritional system.

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The slightest signs of deterioration in health or well-being require a transition to a more gentle vegetarian diet or a return to the usual diet.

ADDITIONALLY

Types of vegetarianism

To people who are not too familiar with this philosophy, vegetarianism is seen simply as a refusal of animal products. In fact, this power system is divided into several types:

Veganism is a complete rejection of animal foods in favor of plant foods, eating exclusively vegetables, fruits, and grains.
Raw mono diet - involves the same strict approach to food selection as veganism, but at the same time any heat-processed food is rejected.
Fruitarianism is a deeply philosophical approach to nutrition based on the idea that plants can experience pain too. Therefore, fruitarians consume only what can be obtained without damaging the plant - fruits, berries, nuts, excluding even root vegetables.
Sous vegetarianism is the exclusion of all animal foods and strong-smelling plant products (onions, garlic, durian).
Sproutarianism is a nutritional system based on the consumption of sprouted grains and legumes.
Lacto-ovo vegetarianism is a diet that allows the consumption of dairy products, eggs and honey.
Lactovegetarianism - when eating plant foods, both dairy products and honey are acceptable.
Ovo-vegetarianism - plant foods, eggs, honey are acceptable.
Semi-vegetarianism - allows the consumption of all products except red meat, fish and poultry are allowed. This system is often classified as a vegetarian diet.
Pesco-vegetarianism - in addition to plant foods, the consumption of fish and seafood is allowed.
Macrobiotic diet - based on the consumption of legumes, grains, fruits and vegetables, with particular preference given to seaweed and daikon.

Of all the above directions, nutritionists most welcome lacto-ovo-vegetarianism, lacto-vegetarianism, pesco-vegetarianism and semi-vegetarianism - according to experts, these are the nutritional systems that can be considered the most balanced: the consumption of plant, dairy foods and seafood can satisfy the human body’s need for vitamins and minerals almost completely.

Veganism, raw foodism and fruitarianism, on the contrary, are marked by rather severe criticism: nutritionists are confident that eating according to these systems can lead to a deficiency of many important microelements, and, as a result, health problems.

Vegetarianism - benefits and harms

Vegetarianism is actively sweeping the entire globe - cattle breeders are rebelling, and nutritionists shyly lower their eyes from uncomfortable questions. Is vegetarianism healthy and is switching to it justified? Nobody can answer these questions for you, because even the wisest nutritionists are people with their own prejudices and life creeds.

Vegetarians have their own arguments - stubbornly proving the usefulness of the chosen path. And this is natural, everyone wants to be smarter than others. There are several “trump card” arguments, which are very difficult to contradict if you do not have prior “hardening”. Let's look at the most popular myths about the benefits of vegetarianism, so as not to get carried away by wearing rose-colored glasses.

Gut length = are humans a herbivore?

The first argument of vegetarians, which is aimed at making you exclaim “Yes, I am a vegetarian!” - this is the length of the human intestine. In humans, it is, of course, long, about the same as the intestines of sheep. And for predators it’s two times shorter. This suggests (as adherents of a meat-free diet say) that the herbivorous intestine is adapted to long-term digestion of plant foods and is unadapted to animal protein, because over such a long course, the protein will rot and poison the body.

On the other hand - the intestines of a predator. Short so that the protein leaves it quickly.

But nutritionists have their say here. Although our intestines hint at our “herbivory,” protein does not linger in it and does not poison us. This is because protein is digested in the stomach under the influence of hydrochloric acid. It then enters the duodenum and is “processed” by enzymes. Then there are only faceless amino acids. If something goes wrong and a piece of undigested meat passes through the intestines, this indicates either gastrointestinal diseases or a poorly chewed piece of meat. In a word, rotting in our intestines is only a sign of problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Vegetarianism is healthier

Of course, vegetarianism involves the consumption of much more plant foods, and, accordingly, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Therefore, many vegetarians consider themselves healthier.

But research has been conducted on this matter. It turns out that every second vegetarian and 92% of vegans suffer from B12 deficiency (a pure meat vitamin). In addition, it is really more difficult to obtain the required portion of proteins, fats, iron, zinc, and vitamin D from plant foods. All this leads to diseases and malfunctions of the nervous system, as well as problems with hematopoiesis. In addition, scientists have experimentally proven that meat eaters are less likely to suffer from colorectal, cervical and brain cancer than vegetarians. But the most favorable indicator for the absence of oncological scourges was shown by pescatarians - “fish eaters”.

Lose weight without meat

Well, the main argument is not those who switch to a meat-free diet for ethical reasons, but those who are least concerned about the benefits and harms of vegetarianism, because we are talking about possible weight loss.

Vegetarians “advertise” their nutritional system with arguments about the low body mass index that is inherent in almost all vegetarians. However, a smart doctor will say that a low BMI is not weight loss, but simply the result of loss of muscle mass.

Catastrophic muscular dystrophy is observed primarily in vegans, especially in those who do not strain their muscles unnecessarily. If the body understands that it can do without muscles, it will calmly compensate for the lack of meat by eating its own muscle tissue.

Switching to vegetarianism

However, if your choice is the fruit of ethical or religious considerations, in order to minimize the harm of vegetarianism, you must switch to it gradually, over three weeks.

First, give up processed meats. Next, move on to fish and chicken. Don't give up both meat and dairy products right away. Take advantage of spices, they will help with the bland taste of food, which will tempt you to return to meat.

And at first, you just need to change the proportion of vegetable side dish and meat, in favor of the former.

Vegetarianism - benefit or harm

Is it healthy to be a vegetarian?

Various fashion trends and directions can be found not only in the field of culture and art, but, strangely enough, also in the field of health. One of these fashionable and popular trends has become direction of vegetarianism. Now, little by little, the excitement around vegetarianism is beginning to subside, however, at the beginning of its history, adherents of this trend almost entered into open hostilities with their main opponents, who eat meat and fish. There were quite a lot of myths and theories around vegetarianism as a trend, however, what is vegetarianism In fact? What is more beneficial or harmful in vegetarianism? Today we invite you to understand this...

What is vegetarianism

Vegetarianism- this is not only a certain scheme according to which a person eats only plant foods, this is a separate way of life that excludes any manifestation of violence and cruelty towards the animal world. The basic postulates of the theory of vegetarianism exclude the consumption of meat, fish, poultry, and any other living organisms. A more strict manifestation of the trend of vegetarianism is considered to be its related trend under the consonant name vegetalism. In the direction of vegetarianism, it is also strictly forbidden to eat meat, fish, poultry, and other living organisms. However, this direction is stricter in the sense that its followers exclude dairy products and eggs from their diet. In the diet of a vegetarian you can see exclusively plant foods.

According to research by healthy nutrition experts from England, vegetarians and those who do not abuse meat and fish products have hidden potential in the body that can extend their life by a quarter of a century. Twenty-five extra years of life (agree - a real plus in benefits of vegetarianism) is quite a big number. English experts came to this result based not only on modern research, but also looking into the history of vegetarianism itself.

History of vegetarianism

Anyone who believes that vegetarianism is an exclusively modern trend is mistaken. Even the priests of Ancient Egypt had a division of food into “pure” and “impure”. Meat was considered an “unclean” food; it desecrated the human body. There were tribes and nationalities that ate exclusively plant foods, and there were also tribes of savages and barbarians who ate meat. The cultural development of the former was much higher than that of the latter.

The founders of many religious movements were also vegetarians. Refusal to eat meat freed the body from addictions and enlightened the spirit. Among famous philosophers there were also many fans of vegetarianism. Artists, sculptors, people of art - they all voluntarily deprived themselves of the opportunity to eat meat and meat products. Perhaps their “meat” restrictions led to the fact that they became famous, and their masterpieces continue to live.

The benefits of vegetarianism

The modern choice of vegetarianism as a way of life is based on three main current postulates:

Health Benefits of Vegetarianism

Economic benefits of vegetarianism

The second reason to become a vegetarian is the very cost-effectiveness of this trend. Plant products have always been cheaper than meat products. And the necessary substances and elements contained in meat products can be replaced with corresponding plant substances and elements. Scientists decided to again test the cost-effectiveness of vegetarianism and conducted an interesting experiment, the result of which finally dispelled all doubts about the cost-effectiveness of vegetarianism. One hectare of plant-based agricultural products can feed seven vegetarians, but in order to feed one ordinary person who eats meat, two hectares of land are needed.

The ethical aspect of vegetarianism

The third reason to become a vegetarian is based on ethical beliefs. At first, a person carefully looks after the animal, feeds and waters it, treats it for diseases, and then one fine day kills it and eats its meat. If there is logic in human behavior, then in this case it is literally murderous. Animal advocates of all kinds invite meat eaters to take a look at the pain and suffering that an animal suffers in a slaughterhouse. Will the meat product still be as tasty and appetizing after seeing this? In addition, recent research by scientists has confirmed their beliefs that the animals we eat as meat feel and perceive pain in the same way as humans feel and perceive it.

The harm of vegetarianism

We will not engage in demagoguery regarding the possible harm of vegetarianism. Well, let’s just draw your attention to one of the aspects that is worth thinking about. So, the human body absorbs iron from different foods in different ways... So, The body takes up to 20% of the iron it contains from animal products, but only 0.2% from plant products. You don’t need to have special mathematical and analytical talents to conclude that meat, eggs and fish are the main sources of iron. And, if you voluntarily give up all this, then, in order for your body to receive the daily requirement of this element, you need to either take additional iron supplements or eat more plant foods.

Of course, if you are an adult and your body’s iron reserves are normal, then a vegetarian diet will not harm you in this case. But, if we are talking about a child’s or adolescent’s body, about women during pregnancy, about people after severe blood loss, then by eating only plant foods, they may encounter problems such as anemia, iron deficiency...

So, if you still prefer to avoid consuming animal products, do not forget to monitor your hemoglobin and iron levels...

We should also not forget about the role of protein in our diet. Ah, proteins are energy, and proteins are meat...

Video on the benefits and harms of vegetarianism

Today we talked about the benefits and harms, about the path of historical development of such a trend as vegetarianism. It would be most correct to conclude that vegetarianism is not just a refusal of meat products, it is a way of life. In order to be not just a “meat-free” person, but a real vegetarian, you need to rethink your values and worldview. After all, even the ancient sages said that we are what we eat... What do you think, our readers, is there more benefit or harm in vegetarianism? Share your experience and feedback with us...

We also invite you to join the discussion of this topic in our VKontakte group:

Shevtsova Olga, World without Harm

Gone are the days when people, due to lack of information, ate like the majority around them. Today we have access to the results of world nutrition research, which reflect the benefits and advantages of vegetarianism.

But even despite the obvious benefits of a plant-based diet, people still cling to their health-damaging stereotypes. My head seemed to clear up a little, and a daring thought came to mind: “What if you really can live without meat?”, when the media immediately pours horror stories into your ears about how someone allegedly lost something while on a vegetarian diet.

Fears, as we know, are born from ignorance. In order to understand this issue, it is enough to conduct an educational program - read objective information about eating only plant foods. Fortunately, a great deal of research has been conducted on this topic to date.

“I’ve had enough of meat!”

I once did just that and have never regretted my choice, since I get only advantages from vegetarianism. My transition to this food system was unusual. Two weeks before this event, my husband and I ordered barbecue at home and I, twirling the bone, said: “These vegetarians are strange people; for example, I can never live without meat!”.

Exactly two weeks later, I woke up with the unexpected thought that I would never be able to eat a single piece of meat again. This is, in fact, what is happening to this day - since February 1, 2010, I have not eaten anything meat.

This decision was spontaneous, I didn’t have much information about vegetarianism, and, besides, at that time my eight-month-old son was breastfed. Well, I admit honestly, my fears were very strong then.

In the eyes of my relatives, I looked like a crazy revolutionary, almost schizophrenic. How is it possible that suddenly the child and granddaughter will not have enough protein?

That's why my first month of vegetarianism was devoted to studying the topic in the form of articles and educational films. Thus, after three months I came to a raw food diet. 🙂 But that’s a completely different story...

And my article today will be about the benefits of vegetarianism, which are obvious to those people who have not eaten meat for at least some time in their lives.

After a meat lunch you just want to sleep!

In order to find out whether vegetarianism is healthy, you need, first of all, to talk about the dangers of animal food and, in particular, meat. Yes, indeed, animal flesh contains the amino acids, vitamins A, and that “great and terrible” B12 that we need. This is the easiest way to obtain these substances, but is it the safest?

It is unlikely that the stated benefits of eating meat dishes can cover the harm that they cause to the human body. We are not predators, and that says it all! And our long-suffering body confirms this belief.

For me personally, the biggest disadvantage of eating meat was the eternal lack of energy. I simply physically could not sit through 4 classes at the institute, and then study at home. My specialty was not an easy one - philology, anyone in the subject knows that this means constantly reading books and retelling them practically by heart.

I crawled home from school, stuffed myself with my meat lunch and slept for hours. My pregnancy and the first months of motherhood went the same way - I always wanted to lie down and close my eyes. And this despite the fact that I have never suffered from excess weight.

The fact is that meat food requires enormous energy consumption from the body during digestion, but it does not particularly saturate the cells with energy.

It turns out that the meat just takes, takes and takes, without really giving anything in return. In addition, animal protein, when broken down, forms toxic compounds, due to which the kidneys, liver and digestive organs receive an excessive load. That is, it turns out that your internal mechanism is overloaded day after day.

Dr. Colin Campbell's experiment

Colin Campbell is a scientist, PhD, humanist and vegan.

At the end of the last century, Dr. T. Colin Campbell spent several decades studying the condition of experimental rats. While still in the Philippines, as a young professional, he discovered that children from rich families who receive high-protein diets get liver cancer more often than children from poor families whose diet consists mainly of plant foods.

It is noteworthy that the doctor’s colleagues then had the exact opposite opinion - supposedly even rich Filipino children are sorely lacking in protein in their diet!

Then it turned out that the development of the disease is provoked by the carcinogen aflatoxin, which is a mold fungus and multiplies on. Thus, the popular peanut butter, produced from low-quality raw materials, has caused an increase in oncology among Filipino children, whose bodies were weakened by a high-protein diet.

He continued to develop it upon his return to America, observing rats. The scientist took as a basis the experiment of his Indian colleagues, who fed one group of rats with food high in protein - up to 20%, while the other received only 5% of this substance in their diet. After all the animals were given aflatoxin, absolutely all rats in the first group developed cancer, and only a few in the second group.

This is what happened with Campbell: those animals that received high-protein food suffered from growing tumors. And in those “lucky” people who were prescribed a low-protein diet, the tumors did not increase in size.

Thus, the unfortunate rats helped Colin Campbell prove the connection between the development of cancer and eating food of animal origin, so that we can now use this information and take the right actions.

"China Study"

Poor Chinese are healthy Chinese.

This conclusion was confirmed by the so-called “Chinese study”, based on data from the 70s and 80s of the last century and conducted by Chinese, English, Canadian, American and French specialists. Dr. T. Colin Campbell also took part.

As a result of this large-scale project, scientists found that those Chinese citizens who practically did not eat meat had almost no cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, senile dementia, or urolithiasis.

The same Chinese who followed Western trends and regularly ate high-protein foods received high levels of cholesterol in the blood and a whole bunch of ailments.

It is interesting that until the connection between the meat diet and these diseases was established, Western doctors considered them to be the norm for the aging process.

For real health benefits, it is not enough to just give up meat.

As you can see, the benefits of vegetarianism are obvious, if only because it is an effective prevention of all these serious diseases. But I, as a person who has practiced different types of plant-based diets, can say with confidence that vegetarianism is different from vegetarianism!

You can give up meat, but continue to actively consume various “junk” foods, which also contain toxins and carcinogens - fried, refined cereals, yeast baked goods made from premium flour with margarine, carbonated drinks, chewing gum, crackers, chocolate bars, etc.

This list can be continued endlessly. It is important to understand that giving up meat in itself is not a panacea; it is only the very first step towards good health. After all, next you will have to forget about fish and seafood, eggs, milk and its derivatives...

If at the same time you enrich your diet with predominantly live plant foods, replace store-bought cereals with whole grains, increase the amount of greens in your salads tenfold, forget about and prefer clean water to all other drinks, only then your well-being will really please you! And it will consistently delight you day after day. Only in this case will you be able to get all the possible benefits of vegetarianism.

Vegetarians get tons of benefits and energy!

I will tell you about the bonuses that I received from a plant-based diet. But this is not only my subjective perception. At the very beginning of my journey, I talked a lot with people like me. Moreover, today I have a huge number of vegetarian acquaintances, and all these people, to one degree or another, confirmed my personal feelings.

Large amounts of energy are released

For me this is the most important bonus. At the beginning of the article, I already wrote that for many years I literally slept on the go - it was so difficult for my fragile body to cope with meat toxins.

It became easier for me to get up at night to see my child, I began to get more done during the day, and around the same period I began to actively work at home. Daytime naps became rare, even though I was a young mother at the time.

The skin of the face and body becomes clearer

In one of my articles, I already mentioned that, starting from adolescence, I suffered from unpleasant small pimples on my thighs. I tried to get rid of them, but nothing helped.

The recovery happened unexpectedly - all I had to do was stop eating meat, and this problem disappeared on its own, literally in the first week of vegetarianism.

Facial skin has been a sore subject of mine since early childhood. I am an allergy sufferer, all of whose internal physiological problems are reflected precisely in this part of the body. Vegetarianism noticeably cleared up my skin, although it only became close to ideal.

Losing excess weight

In my case, I wasn’t particularly overweight. Those 20 kilograms that I gained during my first pregnancy gradually went away on their own over the course of six months, even before becoming a vegetarian - it’s just my body constitution.

But I know many real examples of people giving up animal foods and becoming noticeably slimmer - getting rid of belly fat, unsightly folds, and extra pounds. Again, all this happens if, along with getting rid of meat, a person stops abusing the frankly harmful plant products discussed above.

Aggression decreases

After giving up the products of violence, you will suddenly begin to experience universal love. 🙂 Well, that is, I want to say that inside you will have more patience, compassion, and a desire to do good.

I saw this very clearly in my relationship with my own child. The baby's nightly whims no longer irritated me as much as they used to when I ate meat.

Of course, you can object to me and cite the example of ardent animal defenders who literally rush at little women in natural fur coats. And this is quite understandable.

Every person who has embarked on the path of self-development initially dreams of saving the whole world, and everyone’s methods are different - hence the rejection of an alien way of life.

Perhaps this is just a reflection of the internal psychological problems of a particular “sub-vegetarian” who has given up meat on a physical level, but has not yet been able to give up meat on a mental level.

Be that as it may, one should not judge all vegetarians by a few representatives of a given food system, just as one should not say that “all Russians are drunkards, all Germans are pedants, and all French are ladies’ men.” This is more of a narrow-mindedness than an objective assessment.

Most adequate vegetarians who have successfully passed through the phase of fanaticism are friendly and smiling.

Consciousness becomes clearer

When a person begins to look at the world from a completely different angle, everything in it seems interesting to him. That’s why people who have switched to vegetarianism so greedily absorb the knowledge that comes to them, meet new people, and try everything hitherto unknown.

Fortunately, there is now enough energy for all this! This is how consciousness gradually expands and clears, life changes for the better, and new perspectives open up.

This is what vegetarianism is good for. And this is just the tip of the iceberg of positive changes both in health and in a person’s entire life. How did this type of nutrition help you?

Every year in the world the number of people who consciously began to practice increases. Refusal of animal food gradually leads to a person’s worldview and lifestyle changing. Many convinced vegetarians claim that this particular food system is the healthiest, most beneficial and has virtually no harmful effects on the body. However, if the harms and benefits of vegetarianism are covered by scientists, nutritionists and other experts, then they talk about this more reasonably. After all, in fact, there are pronounced pros and cons. Vegetarianism is a nutritional system that affects the body in different ways. What specific advantages the vegetarian diet has, and what disadvantages should also be remembered by those who intend to practice it, will be discussed in this article.

What is vegetarianism?

Vegetarianism is a long-established special nutrition system that people have been practicing for thousands of years. The essence of this system is a complete rejection of animal products - meat, fish, seafood. A more severe system is one that involves the consumption of exclusively plant foods - without dairy products and eggs. Even more stringent restrictions are provided, adherents of which consume only raw plant foods without heat treatment. And the trend, which is called, involves the consumption of only berries, fruits, nuts and fruit vegetables.

There are both numerous arguments against the practice of such nutrition, and evidence in favor of the listed systems.

Even nutritionists do not object to the fact that the vegetarian food system has a considerable number of advantages for those who practice it. Experts recognize ordinary vegetarianism as the most gentle and suitable for the body, practicing which a person consumes milk and eggs.

In this case, his diet is quite varied, and the person receives a wide range of nutrients needed by the body. So, what are the benefits of vegetarianism?

First of all, in the positive impact on overall well-being. Just some time after giving up meat and fish, people notice that their health has improved. They note a rise in mood, the appearance of vigor and an increase in overall tone. Plant foods are easier to digest, and the body absorbs the substances it contains faster and more actively. In addition, plant foods contain a lot of fiber, which helps cleanse the body of various toxins. Often, after switching to a vegetarian diet, a person notices after some time that his symptoms of chronic diseases have disappeared.
Consumption of vegetarian food does not lead to weight gain - and this is another very significant advantage of this nutrition system. It is extremely rare for vegetarians to experience not only problems with excess weight, but also development and increase. Consequently, they develop much less often. You can lose weight not only due to the absence of junk food in your diet, but also due to more precise nutrition planning.
Another positive for both men and women is that when preparing any of the vegetarian dishes, less salt is used than when preparing meat and fish dishes. As a result, this has a positive effect on the health of people who practice this diet. They are much less likely to develop vascular and heart diseases, and the likelihood and much lower than that of meat eaters. Statistics confirm the fact that vegetarians are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases. It has been noted that in countries where they eat a lot of meat, there is an increased number of heart attacks and other heart diseases. There is also evidence that plant foods have antitumor properties, which reduces the risk of developing cancer.
Also, medical statistics show that vegetarians are much less likely to be diagnosed with diseases of the visual organs, musculoskeletal system and urinary system. After all, vegetarians, unlike those who eat meat, do not receive the hormones contained in meat, since they are used in the process of raising livestock and poultry. The content of these substances in milk and eggs is much lower. Therefore, even “non-strict” vegetarians end up consuming much healthier food.
Fans of this power system receive much less carcinogens , provoking the development of cancer. A large number of carcinogens are contained in fried meat, so lovers of plant foods are protected from this.
It is also important that plant foods are rich in a variety of vitamins, which helps prevent deficiency of most vitamins and has a positive effect on overall health.
One positive thing that can be highlighted is that vegetarians have a more pleasant body odor compared to meat eaters. For those who consume meat and fish in large quantities and little fiber, the smell of sweat is more pungent and unpleasant, since the body forms toxins released during digestion. Vegetarians eat a lot of fiber-rich foods, and this not only improves the overall digestion process, but also allows you to effectively eliminate toxins.
When answering the question of whether vegetarianism is good for the body and how exactly, one cannot help but mention another important point: by consuming plant foods, a person looks better and younger. This confirms a healthy complexion and good skin condition. These positive effects are the result of consuming plant-based foods. But not only her, because in most cases, vegetarians generally treat their health correctly, and any bad habits in their understanding are a great evil. They play more sports and are conscious about planning their daily routine.
Those who switch to a vegetarian diet are forced to learn how to cook. To diversify the vegetarian menu, you have to learn new recipes and cooking methods every time. As a result, you can not only enrich your diet, but also learn how to create original dishes.
There is another proof in favor of vegetarianism: not having to buy meat and fish helps you save on food. However, one can still argue with this statement, since vegetarian products are not so cheap, especially if you try to make your diet varied and original.
Moral factor. Many people consciously switch to a vegetarian diet because at some point in their lives they feel the need to stop killing animals for food. No matter how modern people feel about this, for some of them this factor is very important.
For those who discuss the benefits that vegetarianism brings, before and after photos can also provide some proof of the positive effect of such a nutritional system on the body. If you compare before and after photos, you will notice not only how people lose weight even after a short period of consuming plant foods, but also positive changes in the condition of their skin, hair and appearance in general. Numerous pictures confirming this can be found on the Internet.

There are still many myths and misinformation about whether vegetarianism is harmful to health and why. There are many opinions on this matter, and radically different ones. Proponents of vegetarianism claim that with its help many serious diseases can be cured - for example, etc.

Skeptics say that vegetarians suffer from malnutrition. As a result, hair becomes dull, fatigue and weakness appear, in men it worsens... To get clearer answers to the question about the dangers of vegetarianism, you should clearly determine what negative effects are manifested in such a diet.

First of all, a vegetarian’s body suffers from a lack of animal proteins. The fact is that animal proteins have a number of advantages over plant proteins. Proteins are building materials for tissues and cells; they are directly involved in the production of hormones.
The negative consequences of vegetarianism are expressed in the manifestation of a deficiency of substances important for the body - iron,. People get these substances from meat products. Those who consume exclusively plant foods are more likely to suffer from iron deficiency. , which, in turn, provokes hair loss, brittle nails, severe fatigue, and digestive problems. In women with this condition, the menstrual cycle may be disrupted. Another serious consequence of deficiency can be irreversible diseases of the nervous system.
Plant foods also contain less iodine and calcium. Therefore, a deficiency of these elements can also be observed. The consequences of such a deficiency are problems with the thyroid gland, dental problems, and bone weakness. The latter can lead to serious health problems in older people.
Speaking about the dangers of vegetarianism, it should be noted that with too much plant fiber in food, the process of protein absorption is disrupted. As a result, very unpleasant diseases can develop - muscular dystrophy, dysfunction of the immune system, and the risk of developing.
Discussing the pros and cons of such a food system, it should also be noted that completely abstaining from fish can have a bad effect on your health. In this case, the body suffers from a lack of omega-3 polyunsaturated acids . This can cause vascular and heart diseases, as well as clouding of the lens and development.
The disadvantages of this system are that not everyone can practice it. It is important to take into account existing contraindications. Under no circumstances should people with asthenic syndrome or those recovering from surgery be allowed to practice vegetarianism.
According to many doctors, pregnant women and nursing mothers should not abstain from animal products. After all, insufficient intake of nutrients into a woman’s body can have a negative impact on both her health and the unborn baby. In addition, the baby may experience symptoms of some herbal products.
Whether vegetarianism has a good or bad effect on the health of children and adolescents under 15 years of age is also an open question. Criticism of this food system is full of data that vegetarian children more often exhibit anemia, signs dystrophy . Their intellectual development slows down and growth disturbances are noted. Pediatricians warn parents against imposing the practice of vegetarianism on their children, since for growth and development children need protein, as well as a number of important elements contained in animal products.
Sometimes reviews about why being a vegetarian is bad also talk about more “mundane” things. In particular, those who purchase plant-based foods have to buy a lot of expensive products in order to diversify their diet. It is difficult for them to eat properly outside the home, since in small settlements there are no vegetarian cafes, and even the corresponding sections in stores are not easy to find. Therefore, the statement that you can save money with such a diet is highly controversial. A varied food set for a vegetarian is not cheap.
There is also an opinion that vegetarianism is harmful for those who are actively involved in sports. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, because there are vegetarians who have achieved success in sports. But still, the physiology of the human body is such that when eating plant foods it is difficult to withstand too much physical activity. Active muscle growth requires proteins and carbohydrates. Therefore, vegetarian athletes have many difficulties regarding nutrition.

Thus, every person who consciously switches to a vegetarian diet must clearly understand the harms and benefits of vegetarianism. Of course, ideally, you should undergo a full medical examination and listen to your doctor’s recommendations about whether you should switch to a plant-based diet. But parents who want to raise vegetarian children should be especially aware of this. Their health needs to be monitored regularly, not only by responding to emerging alarming symptoms, but also by regularly visiting specialists with the child for the purpose of preventive research.

However, already in the first time after switching to such a food system, a person begins to gradually understand whether such food is suitable for him, and how well he feels.

It is also important to take into account that each person’s body is individual. Both meat eaters who are against plant foods and vegetarians may be mistaken in claiming that they need to eat exactly the way they do. In fact, a person is an omnivore, and the perception of this or that food is associated with the individual characteristics of the body.

For those who consciously practice vegetarianism, it is important to take care of organizing a proper and varied menu, as well as taking supplements containing vitamin B12 , calcium, omega-3 fatty acid. But the most important thing is to listen to the signals of the body, by which you can determine how the vegetarian food system is perceived.

Vegetarianism in its classical conservative understanding is a special dietary pattern that involves giving up meat products and eating only plant foods. The modern era dictates new requirements for this direction: people who refuse food of animal origin are, in turn, divided into separate sub-vegetarian movements. Vegetarianism today is not only adherence to a certain constant diet, but also a unique style and way of life.

The essence of vegetarianism

Modern vegetarians refuse to eat meat, seafood, fish and poultry of any animal origin. Some movements also do not include eggs, dairy products, honey and even mushrooms in the diet.

In addition to the diet plan, true vegetarians who adhere to certain canons: try not to wear clothes made from animals, exclude products indirectly related to animal components (for example, gelatin and glycerin), and also do not use any product that has been tested by our smaller brothers.

History and geography

The official origins of vegetarianism date back to 1847 with the formation of the corresponding international society, the center of which was Great Britain - it was then that this name began to be used to designate the above-described lifestyle with a special nutritional pattern.

Naturally, certain principles of a special diet have been adhered to by individuals and even subcultures since ancient times - scattered references to them can be found even among the Sumerians. Various Indian religions and schools widely professed the principles of vegetarianism - Jains, Hindus and Buddhists were especially successful in this endeavor. In the West, certain philosophical schools adhered to the principles of diet - for example, the Pythagoreans.

In Russia, the first organized supporters of vegetarianism appeared at the end of the 19th century - they opened canteens where only plant foods were present, registered societies, and published relevant literature in Russian.

According to official modern statistics, about 15–20 percent of the total population of the planet adheres to the basic principles of a vegetarian diet in one way or another.

The geography of vegetarianism is represented by almost all countries of the planet; the percentage of adherents of this dietary pattern in relation to the general population fluctuates widely. About 15-25 percent are in India, Italy and Taiwan. 10 percent on average - Germany, Brazil, Great Britain, Israel. Up to five percent openly support vegetarianism in the United States of America, New Zealand, France, Spain, and Australia. In our country, there are about 4 percent of vegetarians, while up to half of all respondents, although they do not adhere to the principles of refusing to eat meat, approve of the position of those who choose such a diet.

Most often, vegetarianism is supported by the fair sex - there are almost twice as many of them as men.

Classic vegetarianism is divided into 4 main types, which also have subcultural branches.

Veganism

The most strict type of nutrition plan, excluding any type of animal food.

Lactovegetarianism

Representatives of this movement eat any dairy products and refuse other foods of animal origin.

Ovo-vegetarianism

The consumption of meat, fish, seafood and milk is excluded, but eggs and dishes based on them are allowed.

Ovolacto-vegetarianism

The mildest diet plan, including dairy products and eggs, but excluding meat, fish and seafood of animal origin.

In addition to the above categories, there are also subcultural movements of vegetarianism. Thus, fruitarians focus on the fruits of plants - fruits, berries, nuts and seeds. The daily diet of a raw foodist mainly includes raw plant foods, which are not subjected to any processing. Pescatarianism, pollotarianism and flexitarianism allow the consumption of meat from land animals, birds, and both, respectively, but extremely rarely.

Motives

People who adopt a special lifestyle and permanent special diet have their own motivations for doing so. The most famous and popular:

Ethical. A person who does not accept murder, the forced exploitation of animals and has compassion for his lesser brothers refuses to eat their meat;
Religious. A number of religions directly indicate the need to abandon animal food or in every possible way encourage the transition to such a diet;
Medical. As modern research shows, a vegetarian diet can effectively counteract the risks of developing a number of cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, malignant tumors, and atherosclerosis;
Ecological. Certain groups of people have a negative attitude towards the process of mass rearing of animals for food and believe that this process has a negative impact on the environment;
Economic. As practice shows, a vegetarian diet plan is significantly cheaper than a classic one and saves the budget. Although today, a complete vegetarian diet is no cheaper than the average person’s diet;
Other beliefs. Some people are convinced that only plant foods are primarily natural for humans.

If we do not consider the ethical, moral, environmental aspects of vegetarianism, which are still the subjective opinion of a number of people, then the proven benefit of this diet is considered to be a reduction in the risks of developing a number of diseases and pathological conditions:

Consuming less salt, which leads to a reduction in the risk of developing cardiovascular pathologies, normalization of water balance and metabolic processes;
Reducing the risk of the formation and development of cancerous tumors, mainly in the gastrointestinal tract;
Effective fight against cataracts;
Normalization of the skin;
A replacement alternative nutritional regimen for diabetes of any type, optimized for a stable restoration of normal carbohydrate metabolism;
Getting rid of excess weight;
Reducing the risk of kidney disease and normalizing bile circulation;
Slight increase in life expectancy.

The harm of vegetarianism

A vegetarian diet is not suitable for everyone; various chronic diseases often become an obstacle to its introduction. When switching to an alternative nutritional regimen, in this case the patient’s current condition may significantly worsen.

Vegetarian diets are not recommended for older people (especially those with anemia), as well as for children and adolescents, whose bodies are actively developing and require large amounts of animal protein - the main “building material” for bones and muscles.

The obvious disadvantages of vegetarianism include:

Lack of riboflavin and vitamin B12. These B vitamins are practically not found in plant foods, which can provoke the development of neurological disorders, problems with growth and renewal of blood components/cells;
General weakness of the body. A vegetarian, and especially a vegan diet in a strict form provides less energy to the body than a classic balanced diet, as a result of which a person engaged in active physical labor may feel constant weakness and malaise;
Severe deficiency of microelements. Zinc, iron, calcium - all these components are not received by the body when eating exclusively plant foods. In this case, the only solution may be regular, constant intake of vitamin and mineral complexes.

Vegetarianism and sports

Just a few decades ago, vegetarianism and sports were considered completely incompatible - all classic nutritional plans for people professionally participating in active competitions included diets based on animal food, rich in special amino acids and protein.

Modern research shows that a potential replacement for essential meat and animal elements can be found, even for bodybuilding and weightlifting that would seem to be incompatible with a vegetarian diet. How can a special diet plan and sports be combined?

Thoughtfully varied menu. It should include soybeans, beans, lentils, dairy products, peas, peanuts, etc.;
Additional energy sources. In sports, not only protein and proteins are important, but also energy. It can be provided by dried fruits, smoothies, nuts, certain types of cereals and special synthetic energy drinks;
Focus on results. Good results can be achieved even if a person is a vegetarian. In professional sports, there are few people who adhere to such a diet, but this trend is more dependent on conservative views on the problem of compatibility and a lack of desire to search for alternatives.

The above points are relevant for moderate vegetarians who occasionally include dairy products and eggs in their daily diet. Strict vegans will find it very difficult to combine their preferences and active sports.

How healthy is the body of an ordinary vegetarian? This depends on the correct choice of diet components, a varied diet of plant foods, as well as compliance with the mandatory requirements for additional intake of vitamin-mineral complexes, especially B vitamins, zinc, iron and calcium.

Ideally, a vegetarian diet is associated with excellent health, a low body mass index, and high social and economic status. Health problems have those categories of people who too actively force the transition to exclusively plant foods, adhere to mono-diets without the necessary variety of diet, do not take the necessary supplements, or have a certain number of chronic diseases where vegetarianism is a direct contraindication.

Classic vegetarian cuisine includes:

Legume dishes, vegetable snacks, pates, hummus;
Salads, falafel, porridge, mushroom, vegetable products, both stewed and baked;
Products based on fresh vegetables, fruits, appropriate desserts and much more, one way or another, not containing animal protein.

Switching to vegetarianism

The transition exclusively to plant foods must be gradual, otherwise it will become a serious shock to the body, and for a long period of time a person will be accompanied by unpleasant symptoms caused by abandoning the usual diet.

Elderly people prone to anemia, patients with chronic diseases of the liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, as well as children, pregnant women and teenagers should not become vegetarians. The basic principles and approaches include the following points.

Choosing the right time. It is better to switch to plant-based foods in the summer, when you have access to a full range of inexpensive vegetables and fruits;
Phased cancellation. First, eliminate pork and beef from your diet, leaving poultry, dairy products and eggs if necessary. If you are going to become a strict vegan, the period of adaptation to a complete rejection of animal products should not be less than 2–3 months;
Delicious and varied food. Cook deliciously, with as much variety as possible, do not switch to mono-diets in order to get maximum energy, proteins, polyunsaturated fats and nutrients from different dishes;
Supplements Be sure to regularly take vitamin-mineral complexes high in B vitamins, zinc, iron and calcium;
Medical supervision and the right attitude. It is advisable to switch to a vegetarian diet under the supervision of an experienced nutritionist and endocrinologist. Try to always maintain a good mood, believe in yourself, avoid stress.

Doctors' opinions on vegetarianism

The modern medical world generally views vegetarianism positively. In Western countries, local nutrition associations and various medical societies recommend a similar daily diet scheme to normalize weight and reduce the risks of certain pathologies, naturally, following all recommendations.

Domestic conservative medicine views vegetarianism primarily as a special temporary diet to achieve certain goals as an element of complex therapy for gastrointestinal diseases, diabetes and a number of other medical problems, while it does not approve of a lifelong transition exclusively to plant foods with its complete replacement of classical balanced nutrition.

However, today there is no consensus on how beneficial or harmful vegetarianism is.

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