From: Robert E. Lee (rel001@earthlink.net)
Date: Sun Jun 03 2001 - 15:47:54 MDT
As a vegetarian, I found Harvey Newstrom making some exaggerated claims
about the benefits of a plant based diets. Perhaps this has to do with my
ignorance of the science involved? I find that extraordinary claims by
vegetarians prevent many rational people from taking us very seriously.
Harvey Newstom wrote:
> Animal meat is already constructed into flesh. The body must break it
down
> into the individual amino acids and rebuild them into the complex proteins
> as needed. Some animal proteins, such as milk proteins, are very
difficult
> to break down and digest. Vegetarian proteins are simpler proteins and
are
> easier to break down and absorb.
The body breaks down vegetable proteins into amino acids as well. What am I
missing about milk protein? Whey in particular forms soft curds and is
considered easy to digest. Vegetarian proteins are incomplete and require
combination (not at the same meal, but within a number of hours) or they
will result in lean body mass being broken down in order to make up for
missing amino acids. If you have been refering to lactose intolerance, that
is a carbohydrate intolarence, with nothing to do with milk protein.
> animals. By leeching this protein directly from other animals instead of
> building our own proteins, we are also leeching their aging-related
> side-effects. Cholesterol buildup, free-radical oxidation, high fat and
This isn't true. You break down all proteins into amino acids, which pool
in the liver for the body to use. Have I missed something here?
> Animal diseases can also be absorbed from animals. Eating meat is almost
> like getting an indirect blood transfusion from the animal. Bacteria,
What a claim! It is almost like getting a blood transfusion in what way?
> bodies produce, without absorbing extra from other animals. Veggie foods
> are also contain more nutrients, more fiber, and less calories than meat.
This seems rather dubious. What plant based foods contain more macro and
micro nutrients per calorie than meat? I know there may be some, but not
all.
> Almost all healthy diet recommendations suggest cutting back on meat and
> dairy products and increasing veggie consumption. Most human nutrient
> requirements are filled by plants, with meat being good for only protein
and
> vitamin B12. More plant nutrients are being discovered all the time that
> fight cancer, oxidation and promote intelligence.
What about long chain omega-3 fatty acids? Unless you include flaxseed oil
in your diet, only fish is considered a good source. What about iron?
Clearly heme-iron from animals gets absorbed much more readily than plant
based iron. Plus the phytates in grains and oxylates in green-leafy
vegetables prevents absorbtion of this non-heme iron. What about vitamin D,
in someone who does not get sun exposure? It tends to come only from
fortified milk. And calcium? Difficult to absorb unless you include dairy
products in your diet.
> Vegetarians report having more energy and less health problems than
> meat-eaters. Those who do return to meat-eating report that they have to
> slowly wean themselves back onto meat, just as people who don't drink milk
> can become lactose intolerant and have to slowly wean back onto it.
Some vegetarians report failure to thrive. Some have no change, or less
energy. I don't buy the other claims, either.
> Also, I personally disagree with the idea that we are evolved to eat meat.
> I know humans like to think that we are at the top of the food chain, but
> our claws, fangs, running speed and bloated carnivore stomachs are really
> undeveloped when compared to most carnivores. We can't really kill and
eat
What about the idea that we were hunter gatherers for the majority of our
evolutionary history? I have seen the above argument in the usual
vegetarian books, but we have evolved from meat hunting chimps not cats.
> Anyway, health concerns are my reason for being vegetarian. It is a
natural
> choice for a life-extension diet. I even think seitan would be a good
> choice for a calorie-restricted diet. The brand I use has 55 grams of
> protein for only 250 calories.
What brand? Tofu gets tedious three meals per day.
In addition, you wrote in a reply to someone that milk and eggs may contain
prions. As far as I know, they have not yet been found to do so. In
addition, milk is pasteurized to eliminate bacteria. And of course not all
of the viruses and bacteria in the animal's body are present in the egg
producing and milk secreting portions. Also, low-fat or no-fat milk and
dairy products do not contain the same amount of triglycerides as meat.
Lastly, we do see nutrient deficiency disease in the United States. We see
it in people who follow fad diets.
Robert
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