Scott's Health Tips:
Vegetarianism & Veganism
Health Tip #27, 9 April 1997
Earlier this semester, while lecturing about the agricultural practices of the ancient Maya, Prof. Rosemary Joyce asked our class how many are vegetarians or vegans. I would estimate that about 2/3 of the class raised their hands. Welcome to Berkeley! Strange, back home in the North Bay, I can�t think of anybody that is vegetarian, but here in the East Bay, I easily lose track of them all. Regardless, this lifestyle is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. In fact, there were two great TV episodes where Robbie on Dinosaurs and Lisa on The Simpsons consider becoming vegetarians. Alrighty-then, for those of you carnivores who are wondering just what kind of a cult this is that your roommate, partner, manager, and GSI have gotten themselves mixed up in, here is a little information on just what it means to be a vegetarian or vegan. It�s not so strange as it may sound!
Vegetarians avoid eating animal meat products. That means no Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell Burritos, or Le Royales With Cheese. Vegans (and that�s vee-gans, not vay-gans) are like vegetarians to the second power. They can�t eat anything that comes from animals. So besides everything from the vegetarian no-no list, they can�t have any Berkeley Farms Milk, Monterey Jack Cheese, Petaluma Fresh Eggs, or anything else from the dairy aisle at Andronico�s. Obviously, this can be a very difficult lifestyle to maintain because these products are used as ingredients in so many other foods: Iron-Kids Bread, Mrs. Field�s Cookies, Hersheys Milk Chocolate, Baskin-Robbins, etc. Fortunately, not only are there substitute foods, but some of these foods can actually be simulated by using tofu, soy beans, grains, etc. When the D.C. or the Food Faire offers vegan meats, try them out and you�ll be amazed at how real it tastes.
The first question that does come to mind, though, is, Why? Why do you guys do this? You�re missing out on so many of the pleasures in life! You are putting such a burden on yourselves! Well, each person, of course, has his or her own reason(s) for being a vegetarian or vegan, but some of the common reasons include:
Cruelty to Animals: Each year billions of chickens, cows, pigs, etc. live in less-than-ideal conditions before being killed for food. Anyone who has driven down Highway 5 to La-La-Land knows when Harris Ranch is coming up because you can smell the stench of death from miles away.
Environment: Animal agriculture can cause environmental problems like the removing of trees to make space for grazing, waste of water and grain, erosion, disposal of feces, etc. You ask, Where�s The Beef? Well, that�s part of the reason why some rainforests are destroyed — new land for cattle. Further, 2/3 of our crops go to feed U.S. livestock instead of people, and 10 people can live on the crops that are used to produce meat for 1 person!
Health: Animal fats and proteins may be contributory agents to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, cholesterol, etc. Grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans are lower in fat and cholesterol, and have lots of fiber and nutrients. Eating vegetables, fruits, lentils, etc. means that you are eating lower on the food-chain, thus eliminating the middle areas where energy and nutrients are lost. But if one does cut out the meat and / or dairy for his or her life, s/he must be very careful that the alternate foods contain the minerals and nutrients that the animal products would have had.
In Freeborn Hall we have many vegetarians and vegans, one of whom offered the following comment:
"For me, being vegan means trying to incorporate a constant and expanding respect for the Earth into my lifestyle. I frequently consider the consequences of the many things I consume; I [have an] impact [on] the air, the soil, other forms of life, fellow humans, and my own future, with every step. I hope to minimize my footprint: if only because I can." — Justin Victor Remais.
Sources:
Sources: "Vegan Action", http://www.vegan.org/,
and conversations with friends who are vegetarian / vegan.
FREEBORN HALL
Unit 1, 2650 Durant Avenue
University of California at Berkeley
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