Vegetarianism is an ancient custom. It has long existed among certain Hindu and Buddhist sects that consider all animal life sacred, and numerous philosophers and writers of ancient Greece and Rome advocated it zealously. In the Roman Catholic church, it has been practised monastically by Trappists since 1666, and among Protestants more recently by Seventh-Day Adventists. As an active Western movement, it originated in 1809 near Manchester, England, among members of the Bible Christian Church. In 1847 the Vegetarian Society, a nonreligious organization, was founded. The movement spread to continental Europe and the U.S. (1850), and in 1908 the International Vegetarian Union was founded. Today the union holds congresses every two years in different countries.

Although vegetarianism originated as a religious or ethical practice, it has also gained acceptance among many for aesthetic, nutritional, and economic reasons. Humanitarian vegetarians refuse meat because they believe that the killing of animals is unnecessary or cruel, or that such a practice can conceivably lead to a disregard for human life; the trades that the slaughter of animals supports, such as butchering, are considered degrading. People who adhere to vegetarianism for health reasons believe that meat is harmful to the human body and that a purely vegetable diet is more nutritious

There are three issues to consider in regard to vegetarianism: nutritional, spiritual, and moral.

Nutritionally, the alkaline-based digestive system of humans will not properly break down substantial acid substances, the greatest of which is meat. (Also, the amount of cholesterol in meat is unhealthy.)

Colon cancer is rampant! This is caused by the slow evacuation and the putrefaction in the colon of the remains of meat. Lifelong vegetarians never suffer from such an illness.

The type and amount of oils in meat are unhealthy and they turn rancid upon the death of the animal. The flesh and blood also began to putrefy as soon as the animal is killed.

Many meat eaters believe that meat is the sole source of protein. However, the quality of this protein is so poor that little of it can ever be utilized by humans because it is incomplete and lacks the correct combination of amino acids, the building blocks of protein.

It is a common medical fact that excess protein is dangerous, the prime danger being that uric acid (the waste product produced in the process of digesting protein) attacks the kidneys, breaking down the kidney cells called nephrons. This condition is called nephritis; the prime cause of it is overburdening the kidneys.

More usable protein is found in one tablespoon of tofu or soybeans than the average serving of meat!

Have you ever seen what happens to a piece of meat that stays in the sun for three days? Meat can stay in the warmth of the intestine for at least four days until it is digested. It does nothing but wait for passage. Often, it usually stays there for much longer, traces remaining for up to several months. Colonic therapists always see meat passing through in people who have been vegetarians for several years, thus indicating that meat remains undigested there for a long time.

The spiritually aspiring person attempts to work on his - or her - self. The purpose of spiritual growth is to move away from the animal nature into the more human nature that God intended for us to have. Meat eating inhibits this. Again, the same science ? that sometimes attempts to ignore the existence of a force higher than man ? also has proved, in the laboratory, that aggression levels are much higher in meat eaters than non-meat eaters! The animal instincts become more powerful every time you eat meat.

When animals are slaughtered, fear and aggression enzymes are shot into their cells from their glands and other organs, just as in humans, and are part of the dead carcass that goes on to the food store. They remain in the meat until the consumer ingests those same enzymes, which are molecularly very similar to those found in humans.

Most spiritual people believe in the aura. Kirilian photography shows us that a force field remains around dead or amputated tissue. You adopt that animal aura when you eat a dead animal. Is it not personal evolution that the spiritual aspirant is interested in? If so, meat eating is urgently prohibited.

The moral aspect goes along with the spiritual one, in which one must question the necessity and the method as well as the karma of killing animals. However, everyone has their own mores, which they must determine for themselves. It is not the purpose of this article to force a specific moral behaviour on anyone.

The Vegetarian Diet Pyramid
The pyramid that represents a traditional healthy vegetarian diet incorporates these principles:

? Consistency with patterns of eating of other healthy populations of the world;
? Availability of data describing the character of food consumption patterns of these populations; and
? The convergence of dietary patterns revealed by these data with our current understanding of optimal nutrition based on epidemiological studies and clinical trials worldwide.

Variations of this traditional healthy vegetarian diet exist throughout the world, particularly in parts of North America, Europe, South America, and most notably, Asia.

Given these carefully-defined parameters, the phrase traditional healthy vegetarian diet is used here to represent the healthy traditional ovo-lacto vegetarian diets of these regions and peoples.

The design of the The Traditional Healthy Vegetarian Diet Pyramid is not based solely on either the weight or the percentage of energy (calories) that foods account for in the diet. It represents a blend of these that gives relative proportions and a general sense of frequency of servings, as well as an indication of which foods to favor in a healthy vegetarian diet.

The Vegetarian Diet Pyramid describes a diet for most healthy adults. Adjustments need to be made for children, women in their reproductive years, and other special population groups.

For persons who wish to improve their diet, this model provides a highly palatable, healthful framework for change.

Equally positive results can be obtained either by entirely adopting a vegetarian diet, or by alternating meals based on this vegetarian model with meals inspired by healthful dietary traditions of other cultures in other parts of the world, such as the Mediterranean, Asian, and Latin American diet models. Evidence is clear that people enjoy the foods of other cultures, and partake of these foods to enhance and augment their knowledge and understanding of different cultures.

This food guide pyramid has been developed during the past few years to illustrate graphically the healthy traditional food and dietary patterns of various cultures and regions of the world.

Diet Characteristics
Dietary data from vegetarians across the world that enjoyed the lowest recorded rates of chronic diseases and the highest adult life expectancy show a pattern similar to the one illustrated in the list below. The healthfulness of this pattern is corroborated by epidemiological and experimental nutrition.

1. Multiple daily servings of foods from the three Fruits and Vegetables, Whole Grains, Legumes, and Beans mini-pyramids.
2. Daily servings from the three Nuts and Seeds, Plant Oils, and Egg Whites, Soy Milks and Dairy mini-pyramids.
3. Occasional or small-quantity servings from the Eggs and Sweets mini-pyramid.
4. Attention to consuming a variety of foods from all seven mini-pyramids.
5. Daily consumption of enough water throughout the day to assure good health.
6. Regular physical activity at a level which promotes healthy weight, fitness, and well-being.
7. Reliance upon whole foods and minimally processed foods in preference to highly-processed foods.
8. Moderate regular intake of alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer or spirits (optional).
9. Daily consumption of unrefined plant oils.
10. Dietary supplements as necessary, based upon factors such as age, sex, and lifestyle, with special attention to those avoiding dairy and/or eggs (Vitamins D and B12).

What exactly is a healthful diet, and can a vegetarian diet be classified as such? Healthful diets contain the amounts of essential nutrients and energy needed to prevent nutritional deficiencies and excesses. Healthful diets also provide the right balance of carbohydrate, fat and protein to reduce risks for chronic diseases, and they are obtained from a variety of foods that are available, affordable and enjoyable. Despite the endorsement of vegetarian diets, many myths concerning various aspects of vegetarian diets still exist.

The Protein Myth
The myth that the nine essential amino acids cannot be obtained without incorporating meat into the diet is gradually diminishing. People are quickly learning that they can easily combine a variety of grains and vegetables to ensure that all nine amino acids are obtained in adequate amounts. In fact, plant protein foods contribute approximately 65 percent of the per capita supply of protein on a worldwide basis.

The Diet of No Taste
Contrary to the wide-spread belief that a vegetarian diet must be monotonous and devoid of taste, vegetarian meals are very delicious and exciting, especially when several varieties of grains, fruits and vegetables are combined. A meal that removes meat from the plate and leaves only an unseasoned baked potato and a poorly-prepared salad may well be dull in flavor. However, when people discover and learn to experiment with the wide array of spices and herbs readily available for their pantry shelves, the combinations of flavors and tastes are endless, and vegetarian cooking becomes a culinary adventure.

Source: K. Dun Gifford
Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust

Tag: The Vegetarian Diet Pyramid