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Food(s) for Thought: Animal? Vegetable? Mineral?

By KRISTEN STERNBERG | NIE Educational Consultant

Each year, almost a million people a year decide to become vegetarians. By definition, vegetarians do not eat any meat, poultry or fish. Some do eat dairy products and eggs (which come from animals), while others choose not to. Vegetarianism is a recent arrival in the Western Hemisphere. Commonly associated with some eastern religions, notably Hinduism and Buddhism, vegetarianism has been practiced on a wide scale for centuries in Asia.

Religion is just one reason some people choose to follow a vegetarian diet. Some turn to vegetarianism as a form of moral protest. Showing concern about how some food animals are raised, many will not use animal products in any form. They may resist buying leather items such as shoes and belts, and use only products that were developed without using animals to test the product. Vegans, for example, are vegetarians whose diets are entirely plant-based, allowing no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products. A typical concern of vegetarians of all types is that chickens, hogs and veal calves, for instance, are routinely raised in what are known as "factory farms". You can learn more about factory farms by following the link to a recent News-Journal article.

Many choose vegetarianism because they are concerned about the environment. Meat animals require a lot of food while they're growing, and some feel that it would be more efficient to use that food for humans. Meat production also has a negative impact on tropical rain forests and on soil, air and water quality. Factories require energy to operate, and animal waste, pesticides and overgrazing also affect farming and the environment. To many, vegetarianism represents a cleaner world.

Vegetarians of all kinds need to make sure they are getting a balance of needed nutrients. A healthy vegetarian diet includes fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds and legumes. When foods are balanced and nutrients are combined from a variety of foods, the result is generally healthful. Many people benefit from such aspects of vegetarianism as a lower intake of saturated fats and a higher intake of fiber.

Protein is another concern for some vegetarians. The soybean is a plant-based form of protein. Soy is a versatile plant, because it can be adapted for many uses. You may already know that soybeans may be eaten raw and made into soy milk or tofu (bean curd)—but did you also know that soy is used in products ranging from cosmetics to plastics? The News-Journal is even printed using soy ink! Take a look at some other products made from soy—you'll probably be surprised!

Some vegetarians (in particular, vegans, whose diets are entirely plant-based and therefore allow no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products) must insure that their diets contain enough iron and calcium by eating foods that help them stay nutritionally balanced and by taking vitamin supplements. For less restrictive vegetarians, iron deficiency (which can cause a blood disorder called anemia), along with deficiencies in vitamins D and B12 (which may result in weakness in the limbs, bones and mental function), can be avoided by careful planning that includes variety of foods.

Most meat eaten in the U.S. comes from the muscles of animals, but in many cultures other animal organ and parts such as eyes, brains, livers and kidney's are also routinely consumed. Even meat-eaters, it seems, draw boundary lines—many who enjoy beef or pork might think that wild animals such as squirrels or opossums, for instance, are too exotic to be eaten. To others, though, certain wild game animals are considered a delicacy (in this case, a special treat). Locally, blackened 'gator tail and fried rattlesnake were just two of the unusual foods offered recently at a wild game feast. Take a look at some of the other menu choices at that event by following the link to the newspaper article.

Human beings are omnivorous—that means they can use nutrients from plants, minerals and all animals—including insects! In some regions where protein sources are scarce, native peoples may eat insects or insect larva for needed protein. What appears weird or exotic to some of us may be an important part of another's culture. In general, our diets are strongly influenced by our cultural backgrounds. For that and other reasons, it's important to be tolerant of others' diets. In some areas of the world, for instance, people are vegetarians not by choice, but because they cannot afford to buy meat. Grains—rice, corn, etc. are less expensive for them. Can you think of other reasons people become vegetarians? Check out the newspaper activities and web links provided below for ideas as you think about this issue.

Try these interesting activities using The Daytona Beach News-Journal

1. Plan a day of meatless meals, consulting this sample food pyramid to make sure you have included a balanced diet. (Remember that food pyramids are to be used as guidelines.) Search The News-Journal for photos and drawings of the different foods you chose for each meal. Clip the graphics and arrange your collection on a food pyramid of your own making. Ask a teacher or parent to listen as your explain your choices. (Sunshine State Standards: HE.A.1.2.2, HE.B.1.2.4, HE.A.1.2.10)

2. Check The News-Journal periodically for recipes that highlight foods from different cultures. Clip some you think will be tasty and plan a meal using one or more of the recipes. Ask family members to help you find the ingredients and help you prepare the dish for all to enjoy! (Sunshine State Standards FL.B.1.2.3, HE.B.2.2.4)

3. You might be surprised at the variety of foods eaten by humans around the planet. Let The News-Journal be your inspiration for an interesting research project. Using supermarket display ads, collect photos of food items— meats, dairy products (such as cheese), spices, vegetables, fruits, grains, and so on—that are unfamiliar to you. Search the Internet and other resources to learn about where the food is eaten, how it is prepared, etc. Share your new knowledge with friends and family members. (Sunshine State Standards FL.A.1.2.1, FL.A.2.2.3, FL.B.1.2.3, HE.B.2.2.4)

4. Many choose a vegetarian diet because they don't approve of the way some animals are raised. Over a period of time, search The News-Journal for articles about current animal farming methods. Each time you find a related article, clip it and paste it into a scrapbook. From time to time, share your scrapbook with friends and start a discussion of the issues raised in your articles. (Sunshine State Standards SC.G.1.2.1, SC.G.1.2.5)

5. In a game of 20 questions, you might choose something that is animal, vegetable or mineral. Use The News-Journal for inspiration to start a game. Find an article or illustration that fits and ask a friend or classmate to guess your "identity." (Sunshine State Standards LA.C.1.2.3, LA.C.2.2.2, LA.C.3.2.5)

Check out these links to learn more

More and more teenagers are choosing not to eat meat, poultry or fish. Do teens have the same nutritional needs are other age groups? Lean more from the Vegetarian Resource Group. You can also learn of some famous vegetarians, look at the results of a poll involving kids' eating habits and find some cool recipes. Be sure to read the list of books for young vegetarians. You may want to check some out from your local library. www.vrg.org

You can find more information about all kinds of healthy diets at this site sponsored by the Harvard School of Public Health. Take a look at the interesting food pyramids based on vegetarian, Asian, Latin American and Mediterranean diets. www.oldwayspt.org

Soy, used in many forms by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, is a versatile product. Check out this online Museum of Soy. You'll find great information, fun facts and more about products currently being developed from soy. www.thesoydailyclub.com

Of the 12 to 14 million vegetarians in the United States, about 5 percent are children. Though most of these "veggie kids" are believed to be following their parents' dietary practices, a small but growing number of children and teens are making independent decisions not to eat meat, even though steak, hot dogs or hamburgers are regularly served up at home. www.familyeducation.com

You're bound to have fun exploring this site about edible insects. Learn where in the world caterpillars are an important food source while you ponder the web site's opening question: "What is it about North American culture that keeps us from using one of our most abundant and readily available food sources, insects?" www.uky.edu

The Newspaper Association of America's web site contains links to many newspapers in the U.S. and around the world that may contain additional news stories about this topic. To access the newspapers at the site, select a state. Click on the "Internationals" button to view choices from other countries.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal NIE Program, published May 20, 2002

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