July 7, 2005 A more healthy diet? By Shanaz Ramzi Although vegetarianism originated as a religious or ethical practice, it has also gained acceptance among many for moral, nutritional or economic reasons. Some people have even turned vegetarian because of a concern for the environment, writes Shanaz Ramzi My teenage niece living in Canada recently dropped a bombshell on us — she informed that she had turned vegetarian — overnight, as it were. She had always shown a preference for chicken over red meat, but her sudden decision to shun all kinds of meat altogether came as a shock, particularly as most of our family is true-blooded carnivorous. The only other family member who is completely into eating veggies is my nephew (her cousin) who lives in the US. He is even more particular about his diet as he has become a vegan (a person who does not eat animal flesh i.e. meat, poultry and seafood, and animal products such as eggs, dairy and honey). Their reasons for this change of heart are completely different, though, indicative of the varied reasons that people have for saying no to animal consumption. Over the years, in fact, a surprisingly impressive number of people have begun to go on a vegetarian diet, for one reason or another. While they all tend to avoid meats, the degree of strictness in adopting a non-meat diet varies from person to person. Partial or semi-vegetarians exclude some groups of animal foods but not others. Hence, while some vegetarians are comfortable, occasionally eating seafood and animal products along with plant foods, there are still others who don’t mind including fish in their diets at times as well. Such semi-vegetarians predominantly practice a vegetarian diet, eating fish and poultry less than once a week. People choosing macrobiotic diets are also frequently identified as to be following a vegetarian diet. The macrobiotic diet is based largely on grains, legumes and vegetables, while fruits, nuts and seeds are used to a lesser extent. Some people following a macrobiotic diet are not truly vegetarian because they use limited amounts of fish. However, those who are entirely vegetarian don’t eat any form of meat, although some of them, known as lacto-vegetarians, include milk and dairy products in their diet while still others don’t have objections to eating animal products such as eggs and cheese (lacto-ovovegetrians). Vegans, of course, as mentioned earlier, don’t eat any animal products. Their diet consists only of food from plants: fruits, vegetables, legumes (dried beans and peas) grains, seeds and nuts. Even within these patterns, however, considerable variation may exist in the extent to which animal products are avoided. The question arises as to why people opt to become vegetarians. Although vegetarianism originated as a religious or ethical practice (see box), it has also gained acceptance among many for moral, nutritional or economic reasons. Some people have even turned vegetarian because of a concern for the environment. Hence, a diet that excludes red meat, but includes fish is often adopted for health and not moral reasons. Such people avoid meat because they feel it is harmful to the human body, while a vegetarian diet is more nutritious. Admittedly, most vegetarian diets are low in animal products and consequently usually lower than non-vegetarian diets in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Many studies have shown that vegetarians seem to have a lower risk of obesity, coronary heart diseases (which causes heart attack), high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and some forms of cancer, thus lending credence to the belief of those on vegetarian diets that it is a more healthy eating pattern. Humanitarian vegetarians, on the other hand, refuse meat because they believe that the killing of animals is unnecessary or cruel, and that such a practice shows a disregard for life. Such vegetarians avoid all kinds of meats but normally consume animal products. Similarly, those who are vegetarian for environmental reasons believe that the limited resources on our planet are being wasted by converting them to meat. For instance, trees have to be felled every year to create cattle pasture and animal agriculture is a chief contributor to water pollution. Then, of course, there are those who become vegetarians not out of choice but out of necessity. Since all kinds of meat are expensive, not many people can afford to eat them on a regular basis and so confine their diets to vegetables and pulses. Whatever the reasons may be for an increasing number of people to be opting for a vegetarian diet all over the world, the fact is that right or wrong in their beliefs these vegetarians are cutting out a substantial variety of edibles from the plethora of diet that would have otherwise been available to them. That means that essentially they are depriving themselves of a number of common and easily available sources of proteins, not to mention other nutrients. One wonders then as a result while vegetarians might be safeguarding themselves from certain diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes, they are likely to develop other problems related to deficiency. The answer could be yes and no. It all depends on how careful one is in supplementing the missing nutrients from one’s diet with suitable vegetarian foodstuffs. If one merely eats whatever vegetarian food comes one’s way without making a conscious effort to balance their intake, they are likely to develop a protein deficiency. However, there are certain vegetarian foodstuffs that are good sources of protein, and if one makes a deliberate effort to include these in one’s diet, one should have no deficiency problems. However, this is easier said than done, especially in our part of the world. Whereas abroad, vegetarians can count on additional food items like soy flour, almonds, raw tofu and brown rice to provide them a variety in their protein selection. In our part of the world the only cheap and readily available sources of protein are oats, lentils and chickpeas. Hence, most vegetarians here, particularly youngsters, tend to have imbalanced meals. Moreover, while abroad, particularly in the West, where people are used to every other person being a vegetarian, there is no dearth of choice for vegetarians whether at a restaurant or at a private party. In Pakistan, the case is very different, especially in the cities. If there are eight kinds of dishes prepared for a dinner party, the chances are that six of them will be meat items. And if you don’t happen to like the two vegetable items prepared, then you’re pretty likely to go hungry. In fact, there is no doubt that it is easier being a vegetarian abroad than it is in the cities of Pakistan. Not only is there a greater and more nutritious variety available for vegetarians abroad, chances are that many of your acquaintances and friends are also vegetarian, so you don’t stand out like a sore thumb, and gain comfort from their company. A local vegetarian on the other hand rarely finds company and tends to feel left out at meal times with meat lovers surrounding him/her. While there seem to be advantages and disadvantages to both types of diets and one doesn’t want to get into the controversy of which is right and which is wrong, this scribe has a very simple theory regarding food. As far as I am concerned all hu-manitarians and environmentalists and even those abstaining from meat on health grounds may have some very valid reasoning for showing a preference for veggies, but who could be concerned about all these issues more than God Himself? If He has categorically stated “Lawful unto you (for food) Are all four-footed animals, With the exceptions named: But animals of the chase Are forbidden while ye Are in the Sacred Precincts Or in pilgrim garb: For God doth command According to His Will and Plan” (Sura Maida, Ayat 2). One feels He knows best what is good for us to consume and what isn’t. So I’m following the policy of: “It is not for us to question why, it is for us to do and die.” So here’s to eating all that’s lawful — in moderation, of course! History of vegetarianism Vegetarianism is an ancient custom. It has long existed among certain Hindu and Buddhist sects that consider all animal life sacred, and it was advocated zealously by numerous philosophers and writers of ancient Greece and Rome. In the Roman Catholic church, it has been practised monastically by Trappists since 1666, and among Protestants more recently by Seventh-Day Adventists. As an active Western movement, it originated in 1809 near Manchester, England, among members of the Bible Christian Church. In 1847 the Vegetarian Society, a non-religious organization, was founded. The movement spread to continental Europe and the US (1850) and in 1908 the International Vegetarian Union was founded. Today the union holds congresses every two years in different countries. — S. R Both sides of the picture Advantages 1. By following a vegetarian diet, you are most likely to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. These are essential to good health. 2. By avoiding all sources of red meat, you will not have to worry about eating too much red meat and raising your bad cholesterol levels. 3. Protein, which is found in red meat, and which is also necessary for the healthy maintenance of the human body can also be found in nuts, seeds, tofu, veggie burgers, and grains. You can get all of the nutrients and vitamins you need through a vegetarian diet. Disadvantages: 1) By following a strictly vegetarian diet, you will most likely get limited variety of foods to eat. 2) Unless you make a conscious effort to eat the right nutrients, you will face nutritional deficiencies. 3) Where do you draw the line? By following the idea that animals have rights and therefore one should not use any animal products or by-products that harm animals, or that one is harming the environment by indulging in livestock grazing, you land up depriving yourself of life’s many offerings. Here are a few examples: biscuits and pie crusts are likely to be made with animal fat, so they would have to be avoided. Another consideration for strict vegetarians would be not eating from bone china dinnerware or using utensils that have bone handles. Vitamins or medicine capscules would have to be avoided as most are made with gelatin. Vegetarians would not be able to chew certain types of gum because they contain animal glycerin. They would not be able to use any type of hand or body lotion which contains lanolin (from sheep). Humanitarian vegetarians would not be able to wear any type of leather shoes, belts, coats or jackets, nor carry leather billfolds, purses, luggage, or cases. And they cannot use cameras because the film is made from gelatin. They must buy their pets special dog and cat food and not use meat, animal fat or most of the store brands because they contain meat and meat by products. Vegetarians cannot use soap and body cleansers because they are likely to contain animal fats. Special toothpaste has to be used as many toothpastes contain glycerin. This is just a partial listing of what vegetarians on moral and ethical grounds cannot eat or use. There are hundreds of other restrictions to add to this list. — S.R. Zuwaina Murad who lives in Toronto says about the diet: “I didn’t turn vegetarian over-night, but had been doing research on how animals are kept in small quarters, just so the farms (corporation) can make more money. I turned vegetarian in protest. I eat tofu, soy, pasta, cheese, daal and vegetables. I can cook pasta for myself. Lately, at university I’ve learned how to cook soy. When I come home my mother cooks for me. I don’t have any variety problems in Canada, but when I visited Karachi five-and-a-half years ago and I went to an international pizza parlour chain and tried to order vegetarian pizza, I was asked “So you want chicken on it?” I am vitamin B12 deficient, but then my father has just been diagnosed with the same and he eats meat. — S.R. Easy to manage Uzair Dossani lives in the US: “For me, becoming a vegetarian was a slow process. I had been uncomfortable with the idea of eating meat for a number of years. The act of carving the turkey for the American holiday of Thanksgiving and the copious amount of meat consumed during the event finally pushed me over the edge. Morally and ethically, I could not justify taking the life of another animal when it was not necessary for my survival. I do have several vegetarian and vegan friends, but all were my friends before I became a vegetarian, so their preference is by no means the basis of our friendship. They each have their own reasons for their decision (religious, health, moral), so I was not particularly influenced by their rationale. However, they did make me feel comfortable that the vegetarian lifestyle is not difficult to manage here. I eat a lot of tofu, but my other protein comes from soy milk, high protein cereal, chickpeas, kidney beans, eggs, and cheese (I am not vegan). Although, I don’t do the cooking I don’t really have a problem with getting a variety to eat. I don’t usually have a problem eating out, for being a vegetarian is pretty common in the States (one might even say trendy), and every restaurant I have been to has at least one veggie item on the menu or a meal. The chef can prepare from off the menu. Certain types of cuisine (French, Spanish) do not have much in the way of vegetarian options, so I have learned to avoid those.” — S.R. Half way through My husband and I are semi-vegetarians for health reasons, as Siraj reads a lot of books on the lines of ‘Fit for Life’ and then wants to follow them! We avoid red meat completely but eat fish and occasionally white meat. As a norm our diet consists of vegetables and it is only when we go out that we make an exception to the rule. We don’t really have a problem eating out, since we are not so rigid about our diet. At home we are more particular, and I mostly cook daals, curries and vegetables. — S.R. A born vegetarian I am a born vegetarian. Even when I was an infant and my mother would try to feed me chicken, I would throw it up. All kinds of meat –– seafood included — disgust me, so much so that after years of trying to forcibly feed me, my mother has given it up as a bad joke. People keep trying to tempt me but I have no desire to eat non-vegetarian food and don’t feel I am missing out on anything. However, I have to admit that it does get to be a pain when I am eating out, for there are some restaurants that have nothing non-vegetarian to offer. Often, at private parties I find there is practically nothing to eat, and it gets awkward as the hostess keeps insisting I try one of her non-veggie dishes. But I’ve learnt to get around it and fill up my stomach with roti or salad. As a rule, I eat vegetables, pulses, yoghurt, cheese, eggs, tofu and pastas. I make sure I get plenty of proteins through eggs, even though I don’t like them, and beans, tofu and pulses. — S.R.

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