There is a growing acceptance in the West that VEGETARIANISM is a more modern, scientific and better way of sustaining the body than" flesh eating ".
A latest Survey by , 'Gallup' estimated that 2,000 people turn vegetarian every week, adding to the already existing 2.5 million strict vegetarians.
It is important that we should remain vegetarian not only from the point of view of Health and Nutrition,but also from the point of view of Spiritualism, Ethics, Compassion and Economics.
Medical authorities throughout the world have agreed that a VEGETARIAN DIET is ideal for promoting good health. For example, fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts and milk products provide a balanced diet which does not turn into toxins in our system. This is because an animal killed becomes dead matter but this is not so with vegetables. If we eat half of a vegetable and plant the other half, it can grow again because it is still a living organism. That is not true of a lamb or a hen or any other animal.
It has also been proven by researchers that at the time of killing an animal, it gets frightened and toxic fluids are created in its body. This enters the body of the person who eats this meat and adversely affects his health. All the toxins cannot be negated by the body and those that remain in the system thicken the arteries with cholesterol and even cause atherosclerosis and eventually lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks and kidney failure.
Elimination of these toxins by the body through the skin causes foul perspiration-odour. The perspiration of a person who lives on fresh vegetarian food will have a fragrant odour whereas the perspiration of a non-vegetarian can smell foul. This can be experienced in daily life.
The toxins of non-vegetarian food adversely affect the body, mind and all other organs of a human being.
Nobel Prize winners of the year 1985, Dr. Michael S. Brown and Dr. Joseph L. Goldstein of Texas University, USA, have said that to prevent death due to heart disease, it is necessary to prevent the formation of cholesterol in blood. Cholesterol is found in maximum quantity in eggs and meat. Hence, they have recommended a diet free of eggs and meat.
Our protein has to be as close to the natural source as possible. Besides, there is plenty of protein in soya beans, nuts, seeds and dairy products which are easy to digest (Table -1). From this table it is quite clear that a VEGETARIAN DIET is more nutritive and provides more proteins compared to non-vegetarian foodseggs, meat and fish, etc. [ Health Bulletin No. 23 - Government of India ]
| Name of the food item | Carbohydrate %gms | Protein %gms | Fat %gms | Mineral %gms | Calories %gms |
| VEGETARIAN Item (value per 100 Grams) | |||||
| Skimmed Milk (powder) | 51 | 38.3 | 0.1 | 6.8 | 357 |
| Green Gram | 56.6 | 24 | 1.3 | 3.6 | 334 |
| Black Gram | 60.3 | 24 | 1.4 | 3.4 | 350 |
| Red Gram | 57.2 | 22.3 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 333 |
| Lentil | 59.7 | 25.1 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 346 |
| Peas | 63.5 | 22.9 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 358 |
| Bengal gram | 58.9 | 22.5 | 5.2 | 2.2 | 372 |
| Lobya (Cow Gram | 55.7 | 24.6 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 327 |
| Soya Beans | 20.9 | 43.2 | 19.5 | 4.6 | 432 |
| Almond | 10.5 | 20.8 | 58.9 | 2.9 | 655 |
| Cashewnut | 22.3 | 21.2 | 46.9 | 2.4 | 596 |
| Coconut | 13 | 4.5 | 41.6 | 1 | 444 |
| Gingelly | 25.2 | 18.3 | 43.2 | 5.2 | 564 |
| Groundnut | 19.3 | 31.5 | 39.8 | 2.3 | 549 |
| Pistachionut | 16.2 | 19.8 | 53.5 | 2.8 | 626 |
| Walnut | 11 | 15.6 | 64.5 | 1.8 | 687 |
| Cumin | 36.6 | 18.7 | 15 | 5.8 | 356 |
| Fenugree | 44.1 | 26.2 | 25.8 | 3 | 333 |
| Cheese | 6.3 | 24.1 | 25.1 | 4.2 | 348 |
| Ghee | - | - | 98 | - | 900 |
| NON-VEGETARIAN / Flesh Items (value per 100 Grams) | |||||
| Egg | - | 13.3 | 13.3 | 1.9 | 173 |
| Fish | - | 22.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 91 |
| Mutton | - | 18.5 | 13.3 | 1.3 | 194 |
| Pork | - | 18.7 | 4.4 | 1 | 114 |
| Beef | - | 22.6 | 2.6 | 1 | 114 |
Eminent persons from all walks of life in USA, UK and Japan have started considering VEGETARIANISM as a safer, saner and healthier way of life.
Some of the most eminent philosophers in the world who were vegetarian include names like .. Aristotle, Socrates, Plato and Rousseau.Our own great philosopher and the former president of IndiaDr. S. Radhakrishnan,who was an internationally renowned philosopher, was also a vegetarian.
We have a galaxy of eminent men of letters of world repute who were vegetarians by choice, like .. Shakespeare, Milton, Alexander Pope, Shelley, Longfellow, Wordsworth, Leo Tolstoy, H.G. Wells, Voltaire, Thoreau and George Bernard Shaw.
Amongst the most notable scientists of the world many were vegetarians. Mention may be made of Newton, Pythagoras, Benjamin Franklin, Charles Darwin, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Dr. Huxley and Einstein.The world famous Nobel Laureate from IndiaDr. C.V. Ramanwas also a vegetarian. Bharat Ratna Dr. Abdul Kalam is also a vegetarian.
Who does not know such inter-national celebrities in the field of pop music like Michael Jackson and Madonna ? Young people would be surprised to know that both these world famous singers, by personal choice, are vegetarians. Hence, VEGETARIANISM is no longer against the concept of modernity and fashion.
One of the arguments often advanced in favour of a non-vegetarian diet is that it is more nutritious because of its alleged higher content of protein, but this is far from true.
The international body-building champion Andrews Chillingand Pierrco Vernot, the world record holder of downhill endurance skiing, International Wrestler Sushil Kumar are all vegetarians.
Source: " Vegetarianism in Day-to-Day Life " by" R.N. Lakhotia "