Vegetarian Health Facts! Please read!

[CazaCaz]

some people go vegetarian to get healthier, so that just proves it works whee  

[mortal malcontent]

I havent been sick since turning vegetarian. mrgreen  

[xoxdancexox]

wow yay  

[skrufgashfasfd]

I'm a vegetarian weightlifter, and I'd say the only things a balanced vegetarian diet might lack are iron and protein. Notice I say balanced. I know some veggies that only eat salad and junk food - not good! One can get protein from beans, hummus, lentils, tofu, seitan, etc. but for a VERY active person, you may want something supplementary like hemp protein or a vegetarian protein bar. For girls, esp, who are iron deficient, it is hard to get enough iron from veggies. I take a supplement and eat spinach when possible because it is one of the most iron-laden veggies.  

[TheSixStringKid]

Very interesting! I need to show this to people so they'll stop buggin me XD. Thanks for the information.  

[Tofu Vampire]

thx so much there is alot in there i didn't know i knew i was healthier and would live better but i didn't know much of that!  

[Ammonia Spike]

Exellent! I always had a feeling that combining proteins was unessessary. mrgreen  

[_-iamoftheuniverse-_]

Being a vegetarian rocks!I knew I'de get something out of it... cool  

[Zsky2]

Henbane

Quote:

Vegans who do not supplement their diet with vitamin B12 will eventually get anemia (a fatal condition) as well as severe nervous and digestive system damage; most, if not all, vegans have impaired B12 metabolism and every study of vegan groups has demonstrated low vitamin B12 concentrations in the majority of individuals (11). Several studies have been done documenting B12 deficiencies in vegan children, often with dire consequences (12). Additionally, claims are made in vegan and vegetarian literature that B12 is present in certain algae, tempeh (a fermented soy product) and Brewer's yeast. All of them are false as vitamin B12 is only found in animal foods. Brewer's and nutritional yeasts do not contain B12 naturally; they are always fortified from an outside source.

There is not real B12 in plant sources but B12 analogues--they are similar to true B12, but not exactly the same and because of this they are not bioavailable (13). It should be noted here that these B12 analogues can impair absorption of true vitamin B12 in the body due to competitive absorption, placing vegans and vegetarians who consume lots of soy, algae, and yeast at a greater risk for a deficiency (14).

Some vegetarian authorities claim that B12 is produced by certain fermenting bacteria in the lower intestines. This may be true, but it is in a form unusable by the body. B12 requires intrinsic factor from the stomach for proper absorption in the ileum. Since the bacterial product does not have intrinsic factor bound to it, it cannot be absorbed (15).

It is true that Hindu vegans living in certain parts of India do not suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency. This has led some to conclude that plant foods do provide this vitamin. This conclusion, however, is erroneous as many small insects, their feces, eggs, larvae and/or residue, are left on the plant foods these people consume, due to non-use of pesticides and inefficient cleaning methods. This is how these people obtain their vitamin B12. This contention is borne out by the fact that when vegan Indian Hindus later migrated to England, they came down with megaloblastic anaemia within a few years. In England, the food supply is cleaner, and insect residues are completely removed from plant foods (16).

The only reliable and absorbable sources of vitamin B12 are animal products, especially organ meats and eggs (17). Though present in lesser amounts than meat and eggs, dairy products do contain B12. Vegans, therefore, should consider adding dairy products into their diets. If dairy cannot be tolerated, eggs, preferably from free-run hens, are a virtual necessity.

That vitamin B12 can only be obtained from animal foods is one of the strongest arguments against veganism being a "natural" way of human eating. Today, vegans can avoid anemia by taking supplemental vitamins or fortified foods. If those same people had lived just a few decades ago, when these products were unavailable, they would have died.

Actually, we can get it from soil too. Sadly, we have poisened the soil and thus you'd have to eat raw dirt to get it. The reason B13's found in meat is because it usually just lurks in dead stuff, and that's what soil is, dead stuff that's rotted away. If you have your own garden you could just rip a carrot from the ground and eat it. B12.  

[Stratlover]

Of course vegs are healthier, anyone who says otherwise in the face of all the studies is working for the meat companies. damn meat companies.  

[Mistress Marionette]

I feel so much better...cleaner...helathier when I eat right. I'm definitely bringing my kids up veggei!  

[Pinny Nickels]

I've been a vegetarian for almost two years. Almost my whole family is over-weight, but I'm not.
I also have some muscle if ya know what I mean. cool  

[ButterflyKissies03]

That is so true! I try to tell my friends all this, but they never listen. It's a shame.
A frequent snack of mine is Macadamia ( Mack-uh-day-me-uh) Nuts. They contain Omega 3 fatty acids, I think. They have some sort of healthy fat. Not the kind that actually makes you fat, like in meats, but the kinds that you need so you're not a skeleton. 3nodding
So if you are worried about not getting your needed fats from your healthy vegetarian diet, I suggest macadamia nuts. 3nodding They're pretty yummy, too. ^^  

[a la folie]

Oh cool! I'll email that to my friends who think otherwise!  

[SiDeLeSs_cUbE]

About vitamin B12, your body doesn't hoarde it, it passes any excess. Ask a pharmacist. However, all of the sources that you've listed are relevant many cereals and soy milks will be fortified to have vitamin B12 in them. But not all, and not always the popular ones, Silk soy milk has B12 but So Good doesn't, always be sure to check your food labels and the nutritional information of the food you buy.