Vegetarianism interesting facts. Interesting facts about vegetarianism

Anyone interested in nutrition and a healthy lifestyle will benefit from learning some interesting facts about vegetarianism, which is becoming more and more popular every year. For some, the refusal of meat is an ethical issue, for others - the desire to maintain health, youth and beauty. We will discuss all the facets of this style of eating in detail in our review.

Vegetarianism is divided into different types

There are several categories of vegetarians. For example, lacto-vegetarians eat dairy products, but at the same time completely exclude eggs from the diet, while ovo-vegetarians vice versa. Pescatarians, in addition to dairy products and eggs, also eat fish, that is, in fact, they refuse only meat and poultry. Veganism is considered the most strict form of vegetarianism.

Vegetarians Eat Enough Protein

The myth that people who eat only plant foods get insufficient amounts of protein is no longer relevant. The science of nutrition does not stand still, and with a well-designed diet, vegetarians get almost the same amount of this nutrient as convinced meat-eaters.

Vegetarianism and Vitamin B12

It is believed that with a strict vegetarian diet that excludes the use of eggs and dairy products, the body is completely deprived of such an important vitamin as B12. This is not entirely true. Firstly, there are quite large reserves of this vitamin in the liver. And secondly, soy and soy products, hops and yeast, as well as seaweed can become plant sources of such a valuable element.

Vegetarianism is environmentally friendly

Not everyone thinks that animal husbandry, especially on a modern scale, causes serious harm to the environment. For the production and processing of crops, much less space and additional resources are required.

Notable vegetarians

Pythagoras is rightfully considered one of the very first vegetarians, and for a long time the term "Pythagorean diet" meant a diet based exclusively on plant foods. Other famous adherents of this style of eating were Leonardo da Vinci and Adolf Hitler. Benjamin Franklin was also a vegetarian, but after becoming President of America, he returned to a mixed diet.

Origins of vegetarianism

It has been proven that vegetarianism is based on ancient teachings. So, in ancient Greece, the rejection of meat was a certain ritual in order to heal the body, and in India there is a whole philosophy of ahimsa, defined as non-violence, including in relation to animals.

Veganism as a separate direction

The term "vegan" was first used in 1944. Despite the similar etymology of the words, there is a major difference between vegetarianism and veganism. It consists primarily in the fact that vegans completely exclude all animal by-products, that is, milk, dairy products, eggs, and even honey.

Life without vegetables

Vegetarianism and weight loss

Avoiding meat products is not a panacea for obesity, but many independent studies show that a vegetarian diet speeds up metabolism by an average of 16%. With long-term adherence to such a diet, weight will inevitably begin to decrease, despite the presence in the diet of high-calorie foods such as nuts and cereals.

This article will talk about how a vegetarian diet affects not only health, but also the economy and the environment. You will see that even a simple reduction in meat consumption will have a positive impact on the life of the planet.

First, a little about vegetarianism in general:

1. There are different types of vegetarianism

Vegetarians eat exclusively plant foods. They do not consume any animal products, including fish, eggs, dairy products and honey.

Vegans exclude animal products not only in food, but also in other areas of life. They avoid leather, wool and silk products.

Lacto-vegetarians allow dairy products in their diet.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat eggs and dairy products.

Pesco vegetarians include fish in their diet.

Polo-vegetarians eat poultry such as chicken, turkey, and duck.

2. Meat, poultry, seafood and milk do not contain fiber.

3. A vegetarian diet helps prevent

cancer, colon cancer

heart diseases

high blood pressure

type 2 diabetes

osteoporosis

and many many others…

4. British scientists have found that a child's IQ level can predict his choice to become a vegetarian. In a word, the smarter the child, the more likely it is that in the future he will avoid meat.

5. Vegetarianism came from the ancient Indian peoples. And today more than 70% of vegetarians worldwide live in India.

Vegetarianism can save the planet

6. Growing feed for farm animals consumes almost half of the US water supply and covers about 80% of the cultivated area.

7. In 2006, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations produced a report calling for immediate action on the harmful effects of pastoralism on the environment. According to the report, the effects of pastoralism are leading to land degradation, climate change, air and water pollution, deforestation and biodiversity loss.

8. If you look at the percentage of waste emissions from global meat production, you get

6% CO2 emissions

65% nitrogen oxide emissions (which contribute to global warming)

37% methane emissions

64% ammonia emissions

9. The livestock sector generates more emissions (in CO2 equivalent) than the use of transport.

10. The production of 1 pound of meat is equivalent to the production of 16 tons of grain. If people ate only 10% less meat, then the saved grain could feed the hungry.

11. Studies at the University of Chicago have shown that switching to a vegetarian diet is more effective in reducing carbon emissions than driving a hybrid car.

12. Red meat and dairy products are responsible for almost half of the greenhouse gas emissions from the diet of the average US family.

13. Replacing red meat and milk with fish, chicken and eggs at least once a week will reduce harmful emissions by the equivalent of emissions from driving a car 760 miles a year.

14. Switching to a once-a-week vegetable diet will cut emissions by the equivalent of driving 1,160 miles a year.

Global warming as a result of human activity is not a myth, and it must be understood that the meat industry emits more CO2 than all transport and all other factories in the world. The following facts must be taken into account:

Most farmland is used to feed animals, not people (70% of the former forests in the Amazon have been grazing).

The amount of water used to feed the animals (not to mention the contamination).

Fuel and energy used to grow and produce animal feed

Energy used to keep livestock alive and then slaughtered, transported, cooled or frozen.

Emissions from large dairy and poultry farms and their vehicles.

It should not be forgotten that the waste of a person who eats animals is different from the waste of plant food.

If people really care about the environment and see the problem of global warming, they will be more facilitating the transition to vegetarianism, instead of passing carbon trading laws designed only to enrich the few.

Yes, because pollution and greenhouse gases are a big problem. Any conversation about global warming should include the word "vegetarian" and not talk about hybrid cars, high-efficiency light bulbs, or the dangers of the oil industry.

Save the planet - go vegan!

For more than a dozen years, there have been debates about vegetarianism in our country. Some consider this nutrition system useless and at some points even harmful, while others, on the contrary, speak out very zealously in support of it. Like it or not, but the number of vegetarians around the world and among our compatriots is steadily growing, why? Each person, taking the side of vegetarianism, is guided by his own personal motives.

Someone feels sorry for the innocently killed animals, someone, for medical reasons, needs to stop eating meat, and someone simply follows the fashion trend of leading a healthy lifestyle.

One way or another, there are many interesting facts about vegetarianism, which can be divided into three large groups:

• Facts cited by adherents of such nutrition based on their personal experience;
• Historical facts;
• The facts are scientifically proven.

Let's start by looking at historical facts:

1. The very first mentions of vegetarianism can be found in the Vedas - these are ancient Indian manuscripts, it is here that we first encounter such a concept as ahimsa (non-violence). To kill an animal, just like to eat its flesh, means to stain your karma and your body. In addition, many ancient Greeks were also vegetarians, we can find confirmation of this statement in the manuscript sources of ancient Greek philosophy. However, ancient Greek vegetarianism was more of a ritual nature and medicinal purpose.
2. Most likely, not all current vegetarians know that vegetarianism as a term arose only in the 19th century, and until that moment, the use of food of plant origin and the rejection of meat was designated only as “Pythagorean food”. It turns out that he lived in the VI century BC. e. the ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician - Pythagoras - was among the first to adhere to a vegetarian diet.
3. It is very interesting that until 1944 the concept of "vegetarianism" was the same and did not exclude the use of dairy products, honey, eggs and fish. However, in 1944, Elsie Shrigley and Donald Watson declared themselves "vegans" and thus introduced the concept of "veganism" of the same name. - this is a complete, very strict vegetarianism without any exceptions.
4. If we look into the Renaissance, here we also find many adherents of vegetarianism, the most famous of which was Leonardo da Vinci. It is noteworthy that he was a vegan, and not just a vegetarian. Leonardo da Vinci publicly declared that people do not have the right given to them from above to eat the flesh of animals, moreover, the creator is forbidden to eat living beings, since it was not people who gave them life.
5. Voltaire, the great philosopher of France, advised the inhabitants of Europe to learn from vegetarians how to properly treat living beings.
6. In the middle of the 20th century, the Chinese government subjected its citizens to extensive research. This study lasted as long as 20 years, during which time two groups of people (vegetarians and meat eaters) ate each according to their own system. And this is what the results of this study showed: the death rate among meat eaters was three times higher than the death rate among vegetarians. In addition, vegetarians are more resistant to diseases brought from the West.
7. In the relatively recent 1993, another term associated with vegetarianism appeared - "pescetarianism", which largely has Italian roots ("pesce" in Italian - "fish"). Pescetarians, being followers of a vegetarian diet, do not deny the use of fish for food.

When we choose a path for ourselves, it is always very interesting to look back and see how in different historical periods mankind treated this or that concept and how many followers it had. The facts of vegetarianism throughout history are the best proof that this concept has a very deep meaning, much deeper than just a healthy eating system. It is quite obvious that it can be argued that if it were a superficial concept, it would not have left behind so many historically significant and very interesting facts.

Vegetarian Facts

Now let's talk about the scientifically proven facts of vegetarianism.

1. Science has proven that vegetarians, by eating only plant foods, get no less protein, and maybe even more than staunch meat-eaters.
2. Science has refuted the belief that vegetarians, due to the complete or partial rejection of eggs and dairy products, deprive their own body of valuable vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is found in excess in soy and soy products, hops and yeast, as well as in seaweed;
3. Mankind, for the sake of its own addiction to meat products, pays less and less attention to the ecological situation on our planet. But animal husbandry on an industrial scale significantly worsens the ecological situation, while the processing of crops and the cultivation of various plantations are much more harmless.
4. It has been proven that wastewater, which is an integral part of the life of any livestock farm, pollutes the environment more than ten times compared to the operation of urban sewer systems.
5. Official statistics confirm that in India more than 80% of the population do not eat meat, dairy products, eggs and even fish, but it is the Indians who are recognized as the most "giving birth" nation.
6. Numerous studies have shown that people who refuse meat and follow the basic principles of vegetarianism are less likely to suffer from cancer, cardiovascular and urolithiasis.
7. Refusal to eat meat reduces the risk of a disease such as cataracts by 40%.
8. Scientists at the University of Southampton conducted an experiment, the results of which are striking: vegetarians are significantly smarter than their peers among meat eaters. If you refuse to eat meat and meat products no later than 30 years, then the indicators of the coefficient of mental activity increase by 6-9 points.

On all sorts of Internet forums dedicated to vegetarianism, people who have tried this nutrition system on themselves unanimously cite the following facts:

• markedly reduced weight;
• the general tone of the body improves;
• mood improves;
• eliminates the problem of chronic constipation.

And in conclusion, here is another fact that has been scientifically proven and is the most regrettable: during slaughter, the natural reaction of any animal is wild, uncontrollable fear. At this moment, adrenaline is released into the blood of the animal in huge doses, as a result, the indicator of the level of hormones also goes off scale. You can close your eyes to this fact as much as you like, but all these harmful, if not deadly, hormones and adrenaline remain in the animal's flesh. Accordingly, in this form, the meat enters in the future on the table of a person, and then into his stomach. Isn't that why people who eat so much meat are prone to all sorts of fears, phobias and uncontrollable emotions?

Each person decides for himself whether to take into account all the above facts or not, but each of us should think about them.

In this article, we will not weigh all the pros and cons of such a phenomenon in our lives as vegetarianism. In any case, the truth lies somewhere in the middle between these pros and cons. We will simply bring to your attention 25 interesting facts that, most likely, you were not aware of.

Vegetarianism is based on the principles of ancient Indian and ancient Greek philosophies. In the Vedas - ancient Indian manuscripts - one of the basic concepts of Vedic philosophy originates: the doctrine of ahimsa or non-violence towards animals and other living beings. For the Greeks, being a vegetarian meant following ritual prescriptions and medicinal prescriptions.

One of the first and most famous vegetarians was the Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras (remember the Pythagorean theorem), who lived in the sixth century BC. The expression "Pythagorean food" was widely used to refer to a plant-based diet until the term "vegetarian" was coined in the 19th century.

In order to better understand what vegetarianism is, you need to know that there are several types of vegetarians. The most strict vegetarians are vegans. Vegans do not eat not only meat, but also all animal products (milk, cheese, eggs, honey, etc.).

Term vegan comes from the word vegetarian. It was first used in 1944 when Elsie Shrigley and Donald Watson stated that "being a vegetarian" included the consumption of many animal products and thus did not fit with a completely plant-based diet.

People become vegetarians for a number of reasons. For example, the basis for this may be medical indications, political, cultural and religious beliefs, environmental problems and even economic crises. However, the most common reason lies in moral motives, that is, vegetarians take the side of all living beings, wanting to save them from suffering and death.

Scientific studies have repeatedly shown that a vegetarian diet boosts the body's metabolism, helping to burn fat and calories much faster than meat eaters.

Leonardo da Vinci was a well-known representative of the Renaissance who advocated vegetarianism. In fact, he was a committed vegan and openly contradicted the religious authorities of his time, arguing that God did not give people the right to eat animals.

The French philosopher Voltaire also supported vegetarianism (although we don't know if he was a vegetarian himself). He stated that European Christians still need to learn from the followers of Hinduism the correct treatment of animals.

A 20-year study in China compared mortality rates among meat eaters and vegetarians. According to him, the citizens of the country who ate meat had higher mortality rates from "Western diseases", and those who ate a predominantly plant-based diet were healthier.

To eat or not to eat meat has been discussed throughout the history of Christianity. Many theologians argue that a vegetarian diet is in perfect harmony with such Christian principles as mercy and compassion. Jesus is believed to have eaten no meat, only fish and seafood.

Vegetarians who eat fish are called pescatarians. The term first arose in 1993, by combining the Italian word pesce(fish) and words vegetarian.

The bad news for vegetarians is that vitamin B12 is one of the few nutrients found only in meat. Studies have shown that vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to weakened bones.

President Benjamin Franklin was one of the most famous American vegetarians, thanks to him America recognized such a product as tofu(soy cheese). True, later he again became a meat-eater.

And here is something else about varieties of vegetarianism. So-called ovo-vegetarians eat eggs but do not consume dairy products. Lacto-vegetarians do the opposite. An ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet includes both eggs and dairy products.

Studies show that contrary to popular belief, vegetarians don't have much less protein in their bodies than those who eat meat. Vegetarian diets provide adequate protein if they include a variety of plant-based foods.

But all the same studies have determined that vegetarian men lose out to meat-eating "machos", they are perceived as not so masculine. Even vegetarian women agree with this.

If you like hamburgers, scrambled eggs and bacon and are looking for a reason not to go vegetarian, we have good news for you: Adolf Hitler is said to have been one of the world's most dedicated vegetarians.

Indeed, Hitler firmly believed that vegetarianism could contribute to Germany's military success. He argued that Caesar's soldiers ate only vegetables, and the Vikings would not have been able to embark on long voyages if their usual food was meat, which they could get by actively engaged in cattle breeding, and not navigation.

Researchers have found that children's IQs can predict whether they will become vegetarians when they grow up, and thus avoid the risk of cardiovascular disease. The higher the IQ, the more likely the child is to become a vegetarian.

Have you ever heard of " fruitarians"? No? To be honest, we haven't heard either until now. Fruitarian - it is one who eats only fruits, nuts, seeds, and other plant products that can be harvested without destroying the tree or plant.

Most vegetarians in India.

Vegans argue with each other whether they can or should not consume honey. Some argue that it is impossible, because. it is a product of animal origin, and it is not good to take away honey from bees. Others don't see anything wrong with it.

In 2012, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a resolution that declared all Mondays fast in the City of Angels. In doing so, they supported an international campaign that advocates reducing meat consumption in order to promote health and improve the environment.

Last but not least, there is no doubt that vegetarianism, like no other diet, contributes to a better environment. And our meat preferences pose a threat to the planet. Here is one of the clearest examples - since 1950, about half of the world's tropical forests have been destroyed on earth, they are being destroyed for the sake of meat producers.

Vegans are people who deny absolutely any products that are of animal origin. They are repulsed by everything that is related to any exploitation of representatives of the fauna. If vegetarians are already a common phenomenon for everyone, then vegans still cause rejection and even outright aggression. What do you need to know about veganism in order to treat its supporters with understanding?

Veganism is not a way of eating, but a whole worldview, because it penetrates into all spheres of human activity. Especially radical adherents deny not only animal products, leather and furs, but also pearls, and sometimes wood!

Veganism requires a very serious return from its supporters, but at the same time, their ranks are constantly replenished with new adherents in various countries of the world. Of course, a special, vegan industry has also appeared, offering clothing, food, furniture, and even entertainment in a special format.

October 2018 is Vegetarian Awareness Month, and November 1st is Vegan Day around the world. On this occasion, here are five of the most interesting facts about veganism to help you accept these people for who they are.

1. The history of veganism in a nutshell

The world's first community of vegans was registered in the British capital in 1944 by Donald Watson. It was this man who coined the term "veganism" to distinguish among vegetarians those who do not consume milk, eggs and honey.

"Father" of modern veganism Donald Watson

But Watson was far from the pioneer of this way of life. The rejection of animal products has been practiced to varying degrees in different countries since ancient times. Most often, of course, they refused only meat - in ancient Greece, the followers of Pythagoras practiced such a diet, for which it was later nicknamed "Pythagorean".

“What a terrible abomination: guts - guts absorption! Is it possible to fatten our greedy body with the meat and blood of creatures like us, and by killing another creature, - by the death of someone else - to maintain life?

In these lines, the Roman poet Ovid described the attitude of the Pythagoreans towards meat-eating. Also, many bans on meat, milk, wool and other livestock products were in effect in ancient India among different peoples and representatives of various religious movements.

2. A little hypocrisy

Research conducted among British vegans by Mintel showed that 49% of the supporters of this philosophy became its followers, caring not about our smaller brothers, but about their health. Since it became known that red meat, as well as sausages and sausages, can cause cancer, the popularity of veganism has grown especially rapidly.

By the way, science has not yet proven that a complete transition to eating fruits and vegetables prolongs life. The founder of veganism died at 95, but for many opponents this is not an indicator. The fact is that such a path in life is chosen by those who are especially serious about their health, and this alone already helps to live to deep gray hair, even without refusing anything.

3. Veganism and the outside world

Despite the fact that veganism is sweeping the planet by leaps and bounds, captivating tens of thousands of supporters every day, the use of livestock products in the world is increasing year by year. Experts believe that if by 2050 humanity does not eat 70% less or does not increase food production by this amount, then hunger awaits it.

The growth in the consumption of animal proteins is associated with an increase in the population and its well-being in India and China - countries where vegetarianism was held in high esteem even 2-3 thousand years ago. By 2050, the world's population will reach 9.2 billion, and the number of vegans in the future is impossible to determine. Now it is practiced by various estimates from 500 to 900 million people.

4. Promising business

The last 3 years have brought the United States a 600% increase in the number of vegans, which is an absolute world record. The birthplace of this phenomenon, Great Britain, is somewhat more restrained and showed only 400% in a decade. Demand for specialty food and other products related to veganism in one way or another increased 10 times in 2017 alone.

Multinational corporations such as Nestle have already joined the game. The food giant invites investors promising that it will be able to provide any volume of quality products. Does this mean that veganism is no longer a niche diet?

There are restaurants, shops and whole markets for supporters of plant foods. According to the most modest forecasts, the turnover of vegan cheese companies alone will reach 4 billion US dollars by 2020!

5. The dark side of veganism

There are many stereotypes around veganism and vegetarianism. The most common myth is that vegans are harmless and love everyone around them. Unfortunately, in recent years, supporters of this philosophy of life, protecting the rights of animals and their right to live as they want, are increasingly immersed in extremism.

Broken windows of fur boutiques and butcher shops and signs damaged by spray paint in the US and Europe no longer surprise anyone. Many vegans are annoying for this reason - what is it like for a farmer who works tirelessly on his farm to hear from young people that he is a murderer and rapist?