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Recently, more and more people are giving up meat: some for ethical reasons, others for health reasons. Still, which is better - eating meat or being a vegetarian? Does meat really contain essential substances and which ones? Can a vegetarian diet be balanced? Is meat a carcinogen? We asked these questions to an expert.
Masha Budryte
It is believed that our ancestors ceased to be vegetarians about two and a half million years ago - and then they did not even know how to hunt and make a fire, so they ate the raw meat of dead animals. Half a million years ago, hunting became a part of the way of life, and ten thousand years BC, people began to tame animals. Both hunting and agriculture required communication between people, and hence the development of the brain - that is, meat-eating indirectly contributed to human evolution. Recently, researchers found that meat-eating allowed our ancestors to reduce the feeding period of newborns and the interval between births - that is, to increase fertility.
Of course, the most important thing that meat, eggs and milk give us is high quality protein. Animal proteins are closer in composition to human proteins than plant proteins, and therefore the body assimilates them more easily. Nonetheless, eating exclusively plant-based foods will just as well cover the body's needs for essential amino acids - if the diet is varied enough. One of the problems of a vegetarian diet is the lack of two essential amino acids - lysine and tryptophan, which are needed, among other things, for the formation of collagen (a protein of ligaments, skin and nails). But this need can be met if there are legumes, soybeans, seeds and nuts.
One of the most important trace elements for humans is iron. It is needed for the synthesis of enzymes, and also for the transfer of oxygen by the blood - iron is part of its protein hemoglobin. According to the WHO, iron deficiency anemia is the most common malnutrition in the world, affecting more than two billion people. The risk group includes primarily populations with limited access to meat.
Iron is also found in plant products, but in animals, like in humans, it is included in a chemical complex called heme - and that, in turn, is part of the hemoglobin molecule. So, heme iron, that is, iron from animal products, is absorbed much better. In addition, oxalates, derivatives of oxalic acid, which are present in sorrel, black pepper, celery and, for example, bran, interfere with the absorption of iron. Vitamin C, on the other hand, helps the gland to be absorbed. Other processes also affect the absorption of iron - for example, infections or the momentary need for it.
In principle, some plants contain more iron than meat - and less is absorbed from them. In soybeans, iron is twice as much as in beef - but 7% is absorbed from soybeans, and 15% from beef. On the one hand, meat more effectively meets the body's iron needs, and on the other, a plant-based diet is no worse if it is balanced and thought out. In the end, with iron deficiency, you can drink its course in tablets - you just need to remember about the risk of overdose, which manifests itself primarily in disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
Animal proteins are closer in composition to human proteins than plant proteins, and therefore the body assimilates them more easily
An important substance found only in animal products is vitamin B12. It is needed for the normal functioning of the nervous system and for the formation of blood cells, and the best source of it is the liver. Vitamin B12 is not produced by plants at all - but if you don't eat meat, you can get it from fish, eggs and dairy products. Vegan foods like soy milk and cheese are additionally fortified with vitamin B12. Calcium, which is essential for healthy bones and normal muscle contractility, including the heart, can be found primarily in dairy products. If you do not eat them, for example, due to lactose intolerance, then know that calcium is found in green vegetables like broccoli, figs, oranges and nuts.
For the absorption of calcium, vitamin D is needed, which can be obtained from oily fish and eggs, as well as from foods fortified with this vitamin. As you know, the main "source" of vitamin D is the sun, as it is produced by exposure to ultraviolet rays. The British Dietetic Association recommends sun exposure for at least 15 minutes a day between April and September, and supplements with vitamin D during other months. Unfortunately, just being in the sun is usually not enough - after all, we protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation (and we are doing it right).
In 2015, the WHO published a report that the consumption of processed red meat can lead to the formation of malignant tumors. With red meat itself, everything is not so simple, so the WHO classifies it as a "potentially carcinogenic" product - there is no definite data yet. It is recommended not to consume more than 70 grams of red and processed meat per day. There are no recommendations for white, i.e. poultry, meat - but it may be a good idea to replace red meat (beef, pork and lamb) with chicken or turkey. To reduce the amount of meat in the diet, you can try "Meatless Monday" - an initiative of the international movement of the same name. Activists, including Sir Paul McCartney, argue that by cutting off meat for one day a week, you can improve both your health and the ecology of the planet - about 20% of the gases that increase the greenhouse effect are produced by the livestock sector.
Vegetarians are known to have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and some tumors, as well as a longer life expectancy. True, it is not yet clear what exactly this is connected with - with the exclusion of meat or with the consumption of plant products. For example, fruits and vegetables contain fiber, which lowers the risk of several diseases. Animal products can contain more fat and calories with less volume, and foods such as sausage - a lot of salt, the use of which is also recommended to be reduced. Be that as it may, nutritionists do not get tired of repeating that harmful and healthy foods do not exist and everything depends on the balance. When refusing animal products, regardless of the reasons, you just need to monitor the presence of all the necessary substances in the diet.
Photos: Sarote - stock.adobe.com, Alexey - stock.adobe.com