Before coming into contact with "Vegetarian Day", I never seemed to pay attention to the topic of vegetarianism and meat. I always take it for granted that we are vegetarians, we eat meat, and we even take it for granted that we eat all the food in the world that can be cooked into delicious food.
However, vegetarians don't think so. They have a compassionate heart and reflect on the diet of life. They will wonder whether vegetarianism should be more suitable for human beings. Or should humans belong to a vegetarian species?
In ancient times, there was a saying that "big mouth drinks and big mouth eats meat". But in fact, China is not a big meat-eating country. However, influenced by European and American concepts, it is believed that eating meat is nutritious. Therefore, people are misled into thinking that meat contains more nutrients than vegetarian food.
To understand the nutrition of vegetarian food, we must first know what vegetarian food is. We usually think of vegetarianism as a way of eating without meat, poultry, seafood and other animal products. Of course, this statement is also true. But strictly speaking, vegetarianism refers to the prohibition of animal raw materials, and the prohibition of "five spices" and "five meats" temple dishes and Taoist dishes. Five meats, also called "five spices", refer to five spicy vegetables (onion, garlic, buckwheat head, leek and onion). But for modern people, all plants that grow from land and water and foods that people can directly use or process can be collectively called vegetarianism. Such as vegetables, fruits, bean products, vegetarian dishes and other whole grains.
The famous "China Health Survey Report" analyzes the relationship between various dietary patterns and health, and encourages the selection of plant-based foods. A correct vegetarian diet is good for keeping healthy. So in modern society, there are more and more vegetarians, and the vegetarian population is getting younger and younger. Vegetarianism is no longer a religion and dogma, and vegetarians have no sense of moral superiority. Choosing a vegetarian diet only means choosing a eating habit that is beneficial to one's own health, respects other lives, cares for the environment and conforms to the laws of nature. Vegetarianism has gradually become a lifestyle that conforms to the trend of the times.
Foreign parenting experts also advocate that babies eat more vegetarian food. They even think that "to give a child a vegetarian diet is to give him a healthy start". Especially sick babies should eat more fruits and vegetables. Foreign pathologists believe that most diseases begin with body fluid acidosis. Because sick babies are often acidic. Therefore, it is necessary for sick babies to eat more plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits and grains. ?
Some people may worry that vegetarianism will lead to unbalanced nutrition, but this kind of worry is unnecessary. Protein and iron are the most important supplements for human growth and development. Protein and iron can be obtained from meat food, but they can also be obtained from vegetarian food. For example, if you eat foods without additives such as cheese, yogurt, boiled eggs and peanut butter, you can get protein; Iron intake can be obtained from milk, green vegetables and various beans. The protein content of many vegetarians is actually higher than that of meat. For example, the content of protein in nuts and melon seeds is 30%, and the content of protein in beans is even higher, approaching 40%, which is twice that of meat. The protein of soybean skin is as high as 50%, and soybean protein is completely protein, which is more easily absorbed by human body.
Meat is not only not as rich as beans in protein, but also a food lacking vitamins and minerals. Pea, wheat and oats contain twice as much iron as beef, and almost every plant contains more iron than meat. The calcium content of meat is not as much as that of vegetarian food: per100g of food, the calcium content of chicken is 5 (mg), beef is 8 (mg), pork is 65,438+02 (mg), fish is 30 (mg), pea is 765,438+0 (mg), mushroom is 65. The fat that meat is good at is always surpassed by vegetarianism. For example, the oil content of walnuts is as high as 66.9%, and the oil content of peanuts is as high as 48.7% ... There are 13 fatty acids and 6 animal fats, but they are all plant fats!
Animal fat is saturated fat with high cholesterol content, which is easy to cause arteriosclerosis, hypertension and heart disease, and is beneficial to the reproduction of cancer cells. Vegetable fat is unsaturated fat, which can promote bile acid excretion, lower cholesterol and avoid heart disease and various cardiovascular diseases.
Let's look at the physiological structure of people. Is he fit to eat meat?
Human animals can be roughly divided into carnivores, herbivores and fruit eaters. Some researchers have made a comparison between carnivores, herbivores, fruit eaters and humans. From the physiological structure, body function and digestive system, it is more suitable for humans to eat meat or be vegetarian.
Research shows that all carnivores, including lions, dogs, wolves, cats and so on. With a very short digestive system, the small intestine of carnivores is about three times as long as the body (referring to the trunk, excluding the head and limbs). Therefore, it is more conducive to the rapid excretion of carrion and its toxins, but the length of the small intestine of herbivores is about 10 times that of the body, while that of fruit-eating animals is about 12 times that of the body. As we know, meat rots very fast. If it is stored in the body for too long, the toxins produced after its decay will invade the blood stream and cause serious harm to the body. American scientists have done an experiment: add half a pound of animal fat to the rabbit's feed every day, and two months later, the rabbit's blood vessels are covered with fat blocks, showing severe arteriosclerosis.
In addition, the stomach of carnivores contains high concentration of hydrochloric acid to digest fibrous tissues and bones in meat, but the saliva of vegetarians is alkaline, which is very different from carnivores.
Another more obvious difference is the difference between the teeth of carnivores and vegetarians. We all know that carnivores have sharp claws and sharp front teeth and canine teeth. Vegetarians have only 24 flat molars. Their saliva also contains salivary amylase like human saliva, which is used to preliminarily digest food in the mouth.
The physiological characteristics of human beings are almost the same as those of fruit-eating animals, very similar to those of herbivores, but far from those of carnivores. It can be seen from the digestive system, tooth structure and body function mentioned above.
Yu Juan, a young teacher at Fudan University, died of breast cancer in April 2006. In the book Unfinished Life, she wrote a chapter "Why do I get cancer?" Her reflection has not only attracted the attention of all of us, but also deserves our reflection. In this article, she talked about her eating habits, which can be summarized as three points: she said that she likes "eating eight points blindly", second, she likes "overeating" and third, she likes meat like life. She said that she is a person who never refuses to try early at the dinner table. She has eaten many things she shouldn't eat, such as peacocks, seagulls, whales, puffer fish, sika deer, antelopes, bears, elk and wild boar. I didn't reflect deeply until I got sick. None of those things should be eaten. Before she got sick, she always thought that if there was no meat in a meal, her whole meal would be boring, and eating it was the same as not eating it. And she likes seafood, but she was born in the north. Compared with people born in the south seaside, maybe her constitution is not suitable for eating too much seafood. After she got sick, she didn't believe that one side should nourish the other, and she ate something she shouldn't eat for a long time, and her body gradually changed. This change is not good, but bad. One more thing, she also deeply realized that the eating habit of overeating before illness finally made her taste the consequences of overeating.
So what are the benefits of being a vegetarian?
First, vegetarianism can make your skin radiant and beautiful.
Fruits and vegetables are rich in minerals, antioxidants and fibers, which help to detoxify and improve skin smoothness and brightness; A vegetable-based diet can also solve common skin problems, such as eczema and acne.
Second, reduce acidic constitution.
Processed food and animal products (such as milk and cheese) can lead to acidic constitution. Excessive acidification of the body can lead to nausea, fatigue, headache and dizziness. Vegetables are mostly alkaline, which helps to neutralize acidity. Fruits, vegetables, beans and germinated grains also help to improve energy.
Third, you will start to eat the right protein.
The misunderstanding of vegetarianism is that vegetarians can't get protein. The protein consumption of meat eaters is 1.5 times that of vegetarians, and excessive protein will be stored as fat, which may lead to more serious problems such as weight gain, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. On the contrary, protein obtained from plants can help prevent many chronic diseases.
Fourth, it can prolong life.
According to nutritionists, vegetarians live longer than non-vegetarians The Hanseatic people in northern Pakistan and the Indians in central Mexico are primitive vegetarian peoples, and their average life expectancy is extremely high. Admirable. Buddhist monks and Seventh-Day Adventists also live longer because of food.
Fifth, you can lose weight.
Vegetarians are generally lighter than meat eaters because they consume less animal fat, which can effectively reduce unnecessary fat. Being gentle will lighten the burden.
Sixth, it can reduce cholesterol content.
Vegetarians always have less cholesterol in their blood than meat eaters. If they have too much cholesterol in their blood, they will often cause blood vessel obstruction and become the main cause of diseases such as hypertension and heart disease.
Seven, reduce the risk of cancer.
Studies have pointed out that meat is closely related to colon cancer. Practice has proved that vegetarians are much less likely to get cancer than meat eaters.
Eight, reduce the harm of parasites to the human body.
Striped worms and several other parasites are transmitted to humans through infected meat. Vegetarians eat more plant foods, and parasites are much less than meat foods.
Nine, reduce the burden on the kidneys.
Waste from various higher animals and human bodies is brought to the kidneys through blood. Once the meat eaten by meat eaters contains animal blood and is brought into the kidneys, it will increase the burden on the kidneys. Vegetarians do not eat meat, thus reducing the burden on the kidneys.
Ten, easy to store.
Plant protein is usually easier to store than animal protein. Due to the different storage periods, the damage of moldy food to human body can be reduced, thus improving people's health level.
11. Low prices can reduce the cost of living.
Vegetable protein is cheaper than meat, which can reduce people's living costs.
Twelve, in line with ecological principles.
The land needed to produce one pound of beef can produce ten pounds of vegetable protein. Many ecologists predict that the population explosion will force the whole world to be vegetarian. The killing of a large number of animals makes the natural ecology out of balance, and advocating vegetarianism is completely in line with the principle of ecological balance.
Thirteen, the diet is full of changes. Vegetarian housewives often find that using vegetable protein can cook excellent and delicious dishes better than using ordinary meat, and the cooking methods are varied, which can arouse good appetite.
For people who like to eat meat, scientists suggest that eating at least some fruits and vegetables every day has a great impact on health and IQ. Because most vegetables and fruits not only contain many vitamins, but also contain many alkaline substances. These alkaline substances have a certain effect on improving brain function. Tofu, peas, rape, celery, lotus root, milk, cabbage, cabbage, radish, potatoes and grapes are all alkaline foods.
If you choose vegetarian food for health, experts believe that you can eat animal food moderately and flexibly. The specific way is: on the basis of eating a lot of plant food, eat animal food in moderation according to personal circumstances, usually once a week, no more than three times at most. At the same time, animal food is mainly fish, and meat should be avoided as much as possible. Fish is rich in protein and unsaturated fatty acids, so it is healthier. The most important thing is to keep healthy cooking methods and pay attention to the diversification of food varieties in order to achieve a balanced nutrition.
About the author: Xiaoxiao Jiang
A sentimental post-80s girl, sincere and kind, full of feelings, as warm as the moon, as calm as water, likes painting, obsessed with words, and knows a little about medicine and education.
/kloc-started hanging out with the literature website under the banyan tree in 0/2 and worked as an editor in the pastoral literature society. /kloc-in 0/4, he moved to Jiangshan Literature website and worked as an editor in Frontier Society. The representative novella "Wedding" and the essay "Practice in Time" were published in Yunnan Mojiang "Return" magazine.
I love writing, books, painting and writing all my life. The little girl who yearns for mountains and rivers, flowers and plants, rural life and loves life is willing to take you into time with her pen.
Qi self-media writing class