Dr. George Guimarães, nutritionist specializing in vegetarian diets

May 2008

www.nutriveg.com.br

Although the focus of scientific research on vegetarian diets have changed nutritional deficiencies for disease prevention for over 20 years, the most frequent topic of debate with the public and even health professionals is still the nutritional adequacy of vegetarian diet.

We have answers to almost all nutritional issues that have been raised. But most of the "challenges" that intellectuals are proposed in day-to-day life of a vegetarian is just a mistake ledo. The best answer would probably simply say: “Your statement is correct, and hence?”. This is because, In most cases, these questions bring true statements about food, but are followed by a conclusion misguided and irrelevant. In cases presented below, this relevance is absent.

The meat contains more iron than vegetables.

It is a fact. And hence? We do not need better source, that we need only be sufficient. It is true that, mostly, vegetables contain less iron than beef, yet they supply our need for mineral. If defendsores an omnivorous diet would lead to scratch that thought that only the best offers, They advocate the use of animal liver exclusively, given that it contains more iron than other meats.

But heme iron (found in meat) is better absorbed than non-heme iron (which comprises the total iron found in plants).

Yes, it is better absorbed. A person with anemia will recover faster with iron derived from meat than with iron derived from vegetables, but that does not mean the veggie not recover. What changes is the speed of recovery, in the case of iron found in plants (non-heme) may be other factors associated increased intake of foods rich in iron, as the intake of foods rich in vitamin C, eg. Regarding the maintenance of iron status, the non-heme iron is sufficient for this purpose, simply choose good sources of the mineral (legumes, oil, vegetais distribution escuros, dried fruits, luscious-de-cane) and exclude from the diet foods that hinder its absorption, such as dairy, that besides impairing still present themselves as poor sources of the nutrient in question.

The plants do not contain all the essential amino acids.

It is rare to find a vegetable that contains all essential amino acids, but this has no importance for the nutrition of vegetarian. Although a single plant does not contain all the essential amino acids, combining a variety of plants requires the provision of all of them. If we follow this reasoning, come to the conclusion that the best meat is to be consumed human flesh, since this is the closest to our needs, it has everything the human body needs. Again, do not need the best, but only as necessary. Despite not having the most complete amino acid profile compared to meat, vegetables provide, so distributed and balanced, All amino acids that the human body needs.

The human body is not able to digest cellulose from vegetable fibers or.

What bom! Keeping intact, they can fulfill their role, that is to provide bulk to the stool and sweeping out the intestine cholesterol, others. However, some do not remain intact, they are fermented by bacteria in the intestines. This causes the formation of substances very important to prevent diseases. If they were digested as in some herbivores that have the ability to digest cellulose, lose these possibilities. The human body was designed to consume lots of fiber, that only vegetables can provide us. It also was not designed to digest them, which has a beneficial effect.

The plants do not provide the collagen.

It is true, do not have. But that has no relevance to human health. As herbivorous animals, human animals produce their own collagen from plant proteins that consume.

Cow's milk is the best source of calcium available for human consumption.

Despite not having been created for human consumption, is the fact that the mammary secretion of mammals is an excellent source of calcium. And hence? Good plant sources also exist and even surpass dairy products in terms of bioavailability (ability to be absorbed). Vegetables rich in calcium are the same vegetables rich in iron, cited above.

Cholesterol is the precursor of testosterone and therefore the consumption of cholesterol is essential for testosterone is produced.

Fact, followed by deception. Although the testosterone precursor, Cholesterol is produced by our liver and therefore need not be ingested.

Vitamin B12 is not present in the vegan diet and this is proof that a vegan diet is not natural to the human species.

It is true to say that the vegan diet is deficient in vitamin B12, but this is far from testifying against the naturalness of veganism to the human species. Vitamin B12 is produced by bacteria, that have been more present in the contamination of our food, what has changed in recent times with changes in our hygiene habits. Therefore, is not the vegan diet is not natural to the human species, but the human species that is most natural to their environment. The solution for this problem caused by modern habits is also a solution modern: supplementation.

The fact is that vegetarian or vegan diets are possible and appropriate. Every attempt to prove that they are not the misinformation begins, undergoes a defensive posture and ends in the manipulation of information.

While we still have to live with the disinformation by the contesting vegetarian diet, it is important to keep us safe and able to challenge and inform those who are willing to this. When it comes to standing up for what is right, information is the main weapon.

Article published in Revista dos Vegetarians.