J (Vegetarian) Festival

[CuTieGirL]

Since now it's the J Festival.......and many people starts eating vegetarian food....I've been told that J food are healthy......Ignore all those disease from meat (Bird flu disease, Mad cow disease, etc....)

Nutrition wise, Is J food healthier than normal food?

[friends]

hmm, I dont think so..cuz ,ost of J food make from flour...

[CuTieGirL]

hmm, I dont think so..cuz ,ost of J food make from flour...

OK so lots of carbs....Does it fattening?

[hyper223]

Interestingly enough, one of the first Google search results for "vegetarian nutritional deficiency" was a talk given at "33rd World Vegetarian Congress" in Chiang Mai, 1999.

http://www.ivu.org/congress/thai99/texts/lin.html

Perhaps the Vegetarians will put it in a positive light?

"Although vegetarian diets can provide many health benefits, some of these diets may enhance the risk of certain nutritional deficiencies. Most plant derived foods do not contain vitamin B12 and are low in methionine, iron, zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin B6. These deficiencies are particularly damaging during the periods of rapid growth and physiological stress, such as the neonatal period throughout adolescent growth spur, pregnancy, nursing, older age, and various wasting diseases."

...

"On the average, vegetarian children tend to grow and develop more slowly than non-vegetarian children, and vegetarians adults tend to have slightly smaller body sizes than non-vegetarian adults. The contributed factors include the intake of calories, zinc, iron, methionine, lysine, arachidonic acid, calcium, and phosphorous. Increasing the intake of these nutrients during early childhood and through out the growth period may enhance the rate of growth and promote a larger body size. However, faster growth and a larger body size do not necessarily means better for health and longevity."

[ling_dtua_khaao]

I don't see any need for a vegetarian to put the study in a "positive light."

There are health risks, both for adults and children, associated with many different diets, with or without meat. By the way, I don't mean "diet" as in, how you control your eating to lose weight, I mean "diet" as in typical eating patterns of a group of people.

Scotland still has one of the highest heart disease and stroke rates anywhere, largely due to its diet. Japanese are more likely to get stomach cancer, linked to the consumption of large amounts of (if I remember correctly) fermented soy products. And just look at the obesity and junk eating epidemic in the United States especially, but also in many Western countries.

As you've quoted from the study, size and speed of growth do not indicate a person being healthier or able to live longer. And at the beginning of your quote, although vegetarian diets can provide many health benefits, some of these diets may enhance the risk of certain nutritional deficiences. Absolutely. Similar statements can be made about many diets. For example, strict vegans, who eat no animal products whatsoever, must be careful about B12 intake as you've quoted. For other vegetarians who do eat some animal products, this is not a worry.

When you're raising a kid, you ought to be especially careful that your child gets good nutrition. Not too much junk, though kids tend to love that stuff and clamour for it. If you're a vegetarian, you have to be careful your kid gets things easily found in meats, from other sources. There are other sources, even if it means taking a vitamin sometimes. The important thing is to give your kid good nutrition, and also teach him or her good eating habits, so whatever diet they end up with later in life, overall they will be healthy eaters.

--Ling

[ling_dtua_khaao]

@Jay: What's a Strict Jay Vegetarian?

--Ling

[thaibel]

I know that next to vegetarism there is also Vegetanism? It's even more stricter. They don't eat any animal products!! Nnot even eggs or milk. I looked it up gor you, making u even more confused .

What is a Vegan?

Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or poultry. Vegans, in addition to being vegetarian, do not use other animal products and by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics, and soaps derived from animal products.

Why Veganism?

People choose to be vegan for health, environmental, and/or ethical reasons. For example, some vegans feel that one promotes the meat industry by consuming eggs and dairy products. That is, once dairy cows or egg-laying chickens are too old to be productive, they are often sold as meat; and since male calves do not produce milk, they usually are raised for veal or other products. Some people avoid these items because of conditions associated with their production.

Many vegans choose this lifestyle to promote a more humane and caring world. They know they are not perfect, but believe they have a responsibility to try to do their best, while not being judgmental of others.

I know I was once in Rajasthan (India) during a religious festival in Pushkar, and u were only allowed to be vegan and u couldn't smoke, drink alcohol for the whole week. And it was even more weird that some guru's were completely naked , just didn't want to take the risk to wear some animal products and jus wanted to say my body is what it is.

[CuTieGirL]

@Jay: What's a Strict Jay Vegetarian?

--Ling

Strict J Vegetarian would mean....very strict in not eating any products from animals....including milk, cheese, fish sauce, etc.