Be a Flexitarian: Feel Free to Have Vegetarian Diets!
words by Alice Huang
photo from PEXELS
photo from PEXELS
Nowadays, vegetarianism is a familiar term to most people. It is common to see vegetarian dishes on menus, and people can even know which stores sell vegetarian meals from their signboards. Some restaurants offer either non-vegetarian or vegetarian options for the same dishes, and thus customers can dine according to their needs. Aside from religious convictions, some people choose a vegetable diet to keep fit, and some eat vegetarian foods because they are allergic to eggs, milk, meat, or seafood. Protecting the ecology and belief in nonviolence are other reasons why some people insist on a vegetable diet.
Which country around the world do you think has the largest percentage of people eating vegetarian diets? If you have a general concept of vegetarianism, India may first come to mind. Some Indians do not eat meat due to creeds of religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. According to Mercy For Animals (MFA), a non-profit organization, Palitana, one of the cities in India, became the first meat-prohibiting city in the world in 2014. Some western countries such as the UK, Germany, and America are also well-known for vegetarian diets. The North American Vegetarian Society established on October 1, “World Vegetarian Day,” in 1997, and now the entire month is celebrated as “Vegetarian Awareness Month.” In Taiwan, the International Vegetarian Union (IVU) estimates that around 12% of Taiwan’s population is vegetarian, which means that there are about 2.8 million Taiwanese who follow a vegetable diet. It seems people are paying more attention to vegetarianism, and the number of people who eat vegetable diets has been increasing recently.
According to Harvard Medical School and the Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG), a non-profit organization which aims at educating the public on vegetarianism, there are five main types of vegetarians.
Protein: Lacto-ovo vegetarians may not have problems consuming enough protein since dairy products and eggs are rich in protein. However, for vegans who only eat vegetables and fruits, they could eat more soy products, peas, beans, nuts, and whole grains to obtain sufficient daily protein.
Iron: Iron deficiency anemia is not a likely problem for vegans if they know what to eat to consume enough iron. Red meat is full of iron but vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and bok choy contain much more iron than beef. In addition, legumes and fruits rich in vitamin C such as beans and tomatoes can raise absorption of non-heme iron.
Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is rich in animal products such as clams, fish, beef, and eggs. In eliminating these foods, a vegan has to eat something fortified with Vitamin B12 such as breakfast cereals, soy products and energy bars, or to take vitamin B12 supplement.
Zinc: Seafood contains the highest amount of zinc, but a vegan can also consume zinc from spinach, pumpkin, potatoes, corns, nuts, beans and mushrooms, among others. In addition, fruits like berries and dates are also good sources of zinc.
Calcium: Vegans who worry about osteoporosis need to eat sufficient calcium-rich foods such as bok choy, broccoli and collards. Almonds contain a lot of calcium, and almond milk has more calcium than cow’s milk for the same quantities. Moreover, since many vegetables and fruits contain large amounts of magnesium and potassium, these are helpful for lowering blood acidity and thus reducing the urinary excretion of calcium. Apropos of vitamin D, which is necessary for bone health, eating breakfast cereals, soy milk, and rice milk or taking vitamin D2 supplement is highly recommended.
Which country around the world do you think has the largest percentage of people eating vegetarian diets? If you have a general concept of vegetarianism, India may first come to mind. Some Indians do not eat meat due to creeds of religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. According to Mercy For Animals (MFA), a non-profit organization, Palitana, one of the cities in India, became the first meat-prohibiting city in the world in 2014. Some western countries such as the UK, Germany, and America are also well-known for vegetarian diets. The North American Vegetarian Society established on October 1, “World Vegetarian Day,” in 1997, and now the entire month is celebrated as “Vegetarian Awareness Month.” In Taiwan, the International Vegetarian Union (IVU) estimates that around 12% of Taiwan’s population is vegetarian, which means that there are about 2.8 million Taiwanese who follow a vegetable diet. It seems people are paying more attention to vegetarianism, and the number of people who eat vegetable diets has been increasing recently.
According to Harvard Medical School and the Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG), a non-profit organization which aims at educating the public on vegetarianism, there are five main types of vegetarians.
- Partial vegetarians: people who do not eat red meat but may eat fowl or seafood.
- Lacto-ovo vegetarians: people who do not eat meat, fowl and seafood, but eat egg and dairy products.
- Ovo vegetarians: people who do not eat meat, fowl, seafood and dairy products, but eat egg products.
- Lacto vegetarians: people who do not eat meat, fowl, seafood and egg products, but eat dairy products.
- Vegans: people who eat neither animal products such as meat, fowl, seafood, dairy, eggs, honey, among others, nor use animal products including silk, leather, wool, and so on.
- How is a vegetarian diet good for me?
- What other reasons are there to be a vegetarian?
- If I want to be a vegan, what should I eat to have sufficient nutrition?
Protein: Lacto-ovo vegetarians may not have problems consuming enough protein since dairy products and eggs are rich in protein. However, for vegans who only eat vegetables and fruits, they could eat more soy products, peas, beans, nuts, and whole grains to obtain sufficient daily protein.
Iron: Iron deficiency anemia is not a likely problem for vegans if they know what to eat to consume enough iron. Red meat is full of iron but vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and bok choy contain much more iron than beef. In addition, legumes and fruits rich in vitamin C such as beans and tomatoes can raise absorption of non-heme iron.
Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is rich in animal products such as clams, fish, beef, and eggs. In eliminating these foods, a vegan has to eat something fortified with Vitamin B12 such as breakfast cereals, soy products and energy bars, or to take vitamin B12 supplement.
Zinc: Seafood contains the highest amount of zinc, but a vegan can also consume zinc from spinach, pumpkin, potatoes, corns, nuts, beans and mushrooms, among others. In addition, fruits like berries and dates are also good sources of zinc.
Calcium: Vegans who worry about osteoporosis need to eat sufficient calcium-rich foods such as bok choy, broccoli and collards. Almonds contain a lot of calcium, and almond milk has more calcium than cow’s milk for the same quantities. Moreover, since many vegetables and fruits contain large amounts of magnesium and potassium, these are helpful for lowering blood acidity and thus reducing the urinary excretion of calcium. Apropos of vitamin D, which is necessary for bone health, eating breakfast cereals, soy milk, and rice milk or taking vitamin D2 supplement is highly recommended.
- Is it easy to be a vegetarian in Taiwan?