Vegetarianism is not an end in itself. It is only a means to an end. The end, the goal is the Vision of the One-in-all. As the Bhagavad Gita says: Who sees the separate lives of all creatures of the earth of men and birds and beasts, and of the worms that creep, and the fish that swim in the watery deep who sees them all united in the Spirit, the one Eternal God sees them brought forth from Him, His hidden depths—He sees, indeed!
During the last fifty years or more, medical experts and nutritionists have largely inclined to the opinion that a vegetarian diet is the best option for good health. Anatomical and physiological studies point to the fact that civilised, evolved man is meant to be a vegetarian. His entire digestive system, including his teeth, his stomach and his intestines are so structured as to prove that even nature meant him to be a vegetarian.
The arguments in favour of a vegetarian diet fall under four categories:
However, we are now looking at a vegetarian diet in relation to the maintenance of good health in human beings. Millions of individuals all over the world subsist entirely on a vegetarian diet; and they have remained in good health and led very productive lives. Nutritionally, the only possible justification for a flesh diet is the necessity for protein. But it has been amply demonstrated that sufficient protein can be obtained from non-animal sources such as beans, lentils, nuts, and so on.
If there is one thing that people have come to fear as much as a nuclear explosion, it is that dreaded substance called cholesterol. An increased level of cholesterol in the blood is responsible for coronary heart disease and also gallstones. It is now a well-known fact that animal fats raise the cholesterol level in the blood. Further, the saturated fatty acids in animal fat aggravate coronary heart disease.
Cholesterol is actually a steroid present in all animal cells. It occurs in almost all foods of animal origin, such as meat, fish, milk, cream, cheese, eggs and butter. Cholesterol is present in the fat portion of these foods. Most foods of plant origin such as fruits, vegetables and cereals do not contain cholesterol. Research has proved that animal fats raise the cholesterol level of the blood, while certain vegetables actually lower it.
Another factor we must consider in evaluating the health aspects of a non-vegetarian diet is the amount of toxic wastes present in the flesh of a dead animal. They are very high. Thus, when we eat the flesh of animals, we are not only consuming the so-called nutritive portions, but also these poisonous waste-products. It is not possible for the body to eliminate these poisons immediately and effectively.
A number of people are under the impression that they and their children cannot be strong unless they eat food of violence. It is only meat and chicken and eggs which can give strength to the body, they say. Without this type of food, will not the body become weak, and a prey to many diseases?
As an answer to this query, we can cite the example of the elephant, which is one of the biggest and strongest animals in the world. As we all know, it is a pure vegetarian! Yet another vegetarian animal is the camel, which carries heavy loads across endless, burning desert sands!
Cholesterol is actually a steroid present in all animal cells. It occurs in almost all foods of animal origin, such as meat, fish, milk, cream, cheese, eggs and butter. Cholesterol is present in the fat portion of these foods
In quality too, the protein in vegetarian food is superior to that obtained from flesh food. Dr Christopher Gian Cuisio, a nutritionist ofrepute, tells us that, “vegetables are primary sources nourished by the sun and soil, while meat is a secondary source nourished and sustained by vegetables.” Most of the animals killed for food, live on a vegetarian diet. Why then, should we not go to the source of all nutrition —vegetarian food?
In an interesting book which I read years ago, Dr Edwin Flatto argues that those who eat flesh food are only eating grains and vegetables second hand. The animals which they eat—cows, goats, sheep, chicken, etc.—receive their nutrition from vegetables and grains. These animals pass on the nutrition they have received to the meat-eaters. How much better it would be if they got it directly!
The famous vegetarian, Dr Kellogg says, “When we eat vegetarian food, we don’t have to worry about what kind of disease the food died of. That makes a joyful meal!”
By Dada JP Vaswani
