Misconceptions have surrounded the vegetarian diet and its followers for many years. Let’s look at these myths and reality.
Myth: Vegetarians don’t get enough protein.
Fact: nutritionists used to think so, but that was a long time ago. It is now known that vegetarians get enough protein. However, they do not receive it in excess amounts, as in a typical modern diet. If you eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes, getting protein is not a problem.
Myth: Vegetarians don’t get enough calcium.
Fact: This myth applies especially to vegans who have cut dairy. Somehow people have come to believe that the only good source of calcium is milk and cheese. Indeed, milk contains a lot of calcium, but besides it, calcium is also found in vegetables, especially green leafy ones. The truth is that vegetarians are less likely to suffer from osteoporosis (calcium deficiency leading to brittle bones) because the body is better able to absorb the calcium they consume.
Myth: Vegetarian diets are not balanced, they risk their health for the sake of principles.
Fact: First of all, a vegetarian diet is not unbalanced. It contains in good proportion all complex carbohydrates, proteins and fats – the three main types of nutrients that are the basis of any diet. Plus, vegetarian foods (plants) are the best sources of most micronutrients. You can look at it this way: the average meat eater eats one vegetable meal a day and no fruit at all. If a meat eater eats vegetables, it’s most likely fried potatoes. “Lack of balance” depends on the point of view.
Myth: A vegetarian diet is fine for adults, but children need meat to develop normally.
Fact: This statement implies that plant protein is not as good as meat protein. The truth is that protein is protein. It is made up of amino acids. Children need 10 essential amino acids to grow and develop normally. These amino acids can be obtained from plants in the same way as from meat.
Myth: Man has the structure of a meat eater.
Fact: While humans can digest meat, the human anatomy has a clear preference for a plant-based diet. Our digestive system is similar to that of herbivores and is not at all similar to that of carnivores. The argument that humans are carnivores because they have fangs ignores the fact that other herbivores also have fangs, but ONLY herbivores have molars. Finally, if humans were created to be meat-eaters, they would not suffer from heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis caused by eating meat.