In todays time Vegetarian and Vegan both the terms being conceptualized, used to create a distinctive differences between Veg Eating peoples. Until last decade this one has no impact on the peoples food habits but now a days these terms are so much popular among all the Veg people.
The notion of ‘non-vegetarian’ (which the researchers state is a pejorative used against those who eat meat) and the discourse around vegetarianism, then, reflect the hegemony enjoyed (thus far) by the ‘minority’ vegetarian population. The term signals the social power of vegetarian classes, including their power to classify foods, to create a 'food hierarchy' wherein vegetarian food is the default and is having a higher status than meat. Thus it is akin to the term 'non-whites' coined by 'whites' to capture an incredibly diverse population who they colonized", the paper says.
Eating Habits and Distribution of Food Resources Over the Globe
The Eating habits are developed over the course of generation and a chain of evolution among the population, means the available resources of food in any form in the ecosystem allowed the population to depend on them rather they are from plants or animals.
It is well known and popular topic of Food Chain and Food web in the ecosystem that the each living being is associated with each other to distribute the even energy to maintain the ecological balance in the Ecosystem.
Coming straight to the Eating habits of Human Species they are neither carnivores nor omnivores but the Humans distinguished them Vegetarian and Non-vegetarian on the basis of type of food they consume.
Whereas, The geographical locations and availability of Plants played a crucial role in developing the eating habits. Like.:-
- The humans living and evolved in the terrains are most likely depend on animal or animal based food.
- The humans living and evolved near coastal and high monsoon regions also depend on animal food basically sea food.
- The Humans living and evolved in plains are most likely to depend on plant or plant based foods.
Thus, this is the most common reason, however in todays time people are switching their eating habits.
Reasons For Switching the Source of Food among the people.
There are many reasons and some of the reasons are fashionable, but here we discuss the scientific and awareness based points-
- Taste.: It is a first choice by which most of the people are divided. Taste is a major reason most people are stick to the Animal based food sources. However the Culinary spices have made a drastic change in the taste over the globe which attracted the people to shift towards plant based foods.
- Awareness/Ethics.: The major social groups and animal cruelty NGOs, are widely became popular among the people to protect the certain groups of animals which needs to be protected. The Common argument is given is that Like Humans have human rights similarly animals have also thus creating their motto to attract the people to shift to plant based foods.
- Medical and Health.: According to the some researches and common traditions it is being found that animal source foods are the major carriers of certain type of diseases or disease causing germs. Thus concerning more about the Individuals to switch their food source. Healthwise both the food sources have significance in terms of nutritional profile and caloric values in diet. So balance and the smart selection of food source may lead healthy and sustainable life.
Albert Einstein is credited with saying, “Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.”
Difference B/W Vegan and Vegetarian
Both veganism and vegetarianism are growing in popularity. However, some people may find the differences between these two diets a little confusing, particularly as there are several variations of vegetarianism.
Veganism
Veganism is a stricter form of vegetarianism. Vegans avoid consuming or using any animal products or byproducts. The Vegan Society define veganism as “a way of living, which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of and cruelty to animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose.”
Vegans strictly avoid consuming any foods or beverages that contain:
- meat
- poultry
- fish and shellfish
- eggs
- dairy products
- honey
- insects
- rennet, gelatin, and other types of animal protein
- stock or fats that derive from animals
Vegetarianism
According to the Vegetarian Society, vegetarians are people who do not eat the products or byproducts of animal slaughter.
Vegetarians Do Not Consume.:
- meat, such as beef, pork
- poultry, such as chicken, turkey, and duck
- fish and shellfish
- insects
- rennet, gelatin, and other types of animal protein
- stock or fats that derive from animal slaughter
However Vegetarians do consume byproducts that do not involve the slaughter of animals. These include.:
- eggs
- dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
- honey
Vegetarians typically consume a range of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and pulses, as well as “meat substitutes” that derive from these food types. Vegetarianism is generally less strict than veganism, so there are several well-known variations of the vegetarian diet. These include:
- Lacto-ovo-vegetarian. People who follow this diet avoid all types of meat and fish but do consume dairy products and eggs.
- Lacto-vegetarian. People on this diet do not eat any meat, fish, or eggs but do consume dairy products.
- Ovo-vegetarian. Individuals following this diet do not eat any meat, fish, or dairy products but do consume eggs.
- Pescatarian. Those who follow this diet avoid all meats except fish and other types of seafood. However, this does not meet the traditional definition of vegetarianism, and many people refer to the pescatarian diet as being semi-vegetarian or flexitarian.
Both vegetarian and vegan diets may provide health benefits, including reduced body weight, lower cholesterol levels, and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.
However, it is important for vegetarians and vegans to ensure that they are meeting all of their nutritional requirements. For example, plants do not naturally contain vitamin B-12, so vegans and vegetarians may need to consume fortified foods or take dietary supplements to get enough vitamin B-12.
Research has shown that a vegan diet can help do the following.:
- Promote weight loss
- Reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels
- Lower your chances of getting certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer
- Manage diabetes by lowering A1C levels
But going vegan doesn't automatically guarantee good health. "You can be overweight and be a vegan; you can be malnourished and be a vegan," Researchers says. "Whatever your diet choice, you have to know which foods to avoid and which foods to seek out."
A Guide to be a Perfect Vegan with Balance Choice of Nutrients
"Refined grains, sweets and junk food are troublemakers for everyone, not just vegans," Researchers cautions. "And vegans and nonvegans alike can fall into the habit of making these items the mainstays of their diet." To have a healthy diet of any kind, you need important nutrients. While many of these may have been plentiful when you ate dairy and meat, you'll need to find new ways to incorporate them into your diet as a vegan.
- Protein: Animals aren't the only sources of protein. Soy products (e.g., tofu and edamame) are also packed with protein. Other good sources include seitan (made from gluten), chickpeas, lentils and nutritional yeast.
- Vitamin B12: A lack of vitamin B12 can make you feel tired and weak. Getting enough vitamin B12, though, can be challenging for vegans because it can't be found in plants. To get your fill, stock up on fortified cereals, fortified rice and soy drinks — or take a supplement. The recommended daily amount for most adults is about 2.4 milligrams, but check with your doctor to see what's right for you.
- Essential fatty acids: A lack of essential fatty acids has been associated with problems related to brain heath, such as cognitive impairment and depression. To get your essential fatty acids, pile up the whole grains and leafy green vegetables (e.g., kale, spinach and collards). And try snacking on a small handful of unsalted nuts, like almonds, walnuts or pistachios (just watch your portions; nuts are high in calories).
- Iron: Red meat and egg yolks reign as the richest sources of iron. But they also are high in cholesterol. Good plant sources of iron include black-eyed peas, tofu and dried fruits (fresh fruit has iron, too, you just get more iron from dried fruit because you eat more).
- Vitamin D: Ten to 15 minutes of sunlight exposure a day can give you a vitamin D boost, as can fortified orange juice and soy.
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