Starting with Pythagoras , who is considered the initiator of vegetarianism in Western civilizations, history has offered numerous testimonies of famous personalities adhering to this eating style, including Leonardo da Vinci and Albert Einstein. To date, the vegetarian choice, in the richest countries, is spreading, affecting, however, still a narrow segment of the population: 6.5% of Italians prefer foods of plant origin, if we consider that in India 40% of Country eats vegetarian.
It consists in excluding from one’s diet foods such as meat and fish or, in the most extreme cases, even milk and derivatives and eggs (vegan diet). The vegetarian dietmust never disregard the principle of a balanced diet, varied in food and balanced in nutrients, like any other diet you want to undertake, therefore consisting of complex carbohydrates, foods that provide the right protein content in place of meat and fish and abundant vegetables and fruit. Many products used in a vegetarian diet are normally also widespread in our latitudes, indeed, mainly belong to the Mediterranean diet (pasta, bread, rice, legumes). Instead, many other products, not essential for the balance of the diet but widely used to make it varied, are traditionally absent in the West and belong to Asian, Arab, North African, Central and South American cultures, thus configuring the vegetarian diet. like a multi-ethnic diet, without national barriers, therefore, daughter of globalization. For example, cereals such as kamut, millet, quinoa (although the latter belongs to the Chenopodiaceae family such as spinach and beets) are common as well as preparations based on cereals such as bulgur, seitan, couscous and soy derivatives ( tofu, tempeh, soy milk). Thanks to imports, the use of algae, oil seeds of various kinds and condiments such as shoyu (or soy sauce), miso and tamari is also spreading. soya milk). Thanks to imports, the use of algae, oil seeds of various kinds and condiments such as shoyu (or soy sauce), miso and tamari is also spreading. soya milk). Thanks to imports, the use of algae, oil seeds of various kinds and condiments such as shoyu (or soy sauce), miso and tamari is also spreading.
The reasons that lead a person to convert their diet into a vegetarian style are many, it is certainly an important and challenging step because it involves practical implications that can sometimes affect social relationships, such as eating together with others or ready-made dishes. Therefore, the wisest way to start on the right foot is to undertake a transition period, in which the consumption of foods of animal origin is progressively reduced, so as to have time to understand if the deprivations that result are accepted and if this is the right diet for your lifestyle.
The World Health Organization has never published an official position on vegetarian diets; rather, she expressed her concern about the nutritional deficiencies faced by poor people in Europe who do not have access to meat and fish. There is, however, a 2005 WHO report which highlights some benefits found on populations at risk of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease, although not speaking of vegetarians but only of consumers of large portions of vegetables. In particular, the reduction in cholesterol was the first appreciated fact, determined by the replacement of saturated fats with vegetable oils. It has been noted that in populations with a vegetarian vocation there is a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (so-called food), thanks to a diet with whole grains that provide complex carbohydrates and free of simple sugars (sucrose, fruit juices, drinks packaged); it is clear that a Western vegetarian who also consumes simple sugars according to modern consumption (for example coffee / sugary drinks at vending machines, aperitifs) does not receive the same benefits. Prevention against cancer is the most felt topic in the debate on the vegetarian diet: several studies confirm its anti-cancer action for colon, lung and prostate cancers. However, a reflection requires the use of soy,
When it comes to vegetarianism , in reality, one should refer to a lifestyle rather than simply a food choice. In fact, whatever the reason that pushes an individual to this preference, to maintain a certain coherence it is advisable to adopt also responsible changes in other areas of one’s experience. Those who opt for the vegetarian diet for ethical reasons, in defense of animal welfare, should also aim not to wear leather clothing or clothing made from intensive exploitation of flora and fauna, not to be treated with drugs and not to use cosmetics tested on animals and, in general, to refuse any activity that uses animals or the environment in an unnatural way. Therefore, even those who decide for a vegetarian style basing their choice on the prevention of cardiovascular and / or cancer diseases, must remember that there are risk factors much higher than the intake of animal fats, namely smoking, the abuse of alcohol, a sedentary lifestyle, weight gain, which should primarily be eliminated. Finally, it is good to put a warning to all those who are thinking at this time of preparing a vegetarian diet:
The debate on the subject is still fully open; no position stands out scientifically over the other when it comes to disease prevention, nor can there be a vision that is ethically superior to the others. Despite this, a certainty comes from our past: – it is the dose that makes the poison – Paracelsus said and often the “virtue lies in the balance between extremes”.
