Why can’t I be vegetarian ?

 First of all, what is Vegetarianism ?

Wikipedia says that vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects and the flesh of any other animal), and may also include abstention from by-products of animal slaughter.

Vegetarianism can be adopted for different reasons. Many object to eating meat out of respect for sentient life. Such ethical motivations have been codified under various religious beliefs, along with animal rights, but when they eat plants they forget that they killed them before. Other motivations for vegetarianism are health-related, political, environmental, cultural, aesthetic, economic, or personal preference. There are varieties of the diet as well: an ovo-vegetarian diet includes eggs but not dairy products, a lacto-vegetarian diet includes dairy products but not eggs, and anovo-lacto vegetarian diet includes both eggs and dairy products. A vegan diet excludes all animal products, including eggs, dairy,beeswax and honey. Some vegans also avoid animal products such as leather (and possibly silk) for clothing and goose-fat for shoe polish.

 So, I’m going to talk about health, that’s what I know better. Vegetarians say that #meat can cause cancer and some #deseases and there’s some plants that contain complete proteins, full of nutrients…

What is a protein ?

Proteins are the building blocks of life. Every cell in the human body contains protein. The basic structure of protein is a chain of aminoacids.

You need protein in your diet to help your body repair cells and make new ones. Protein is also important for growth and development in children, teens, and pregnant women.

Protein foods are broken down into parts called amino acids during digestion. The human body needs a number of amino acids in large enough amounts to maintain good health.

Amino acids are found in animal sources such as meats, milk, fish, and eggs. They are also found in plant sources such as soy, beans, legumes, nut butters, and some grains (such as wheat germ and quinoa).

Amino acids are classified into three groups:

• Essential
• Nonessential
• Conditional

Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body, and must be supplied by food. The balance over the whole day is more important.

• Branched amno acids: Leucine – Isoleucine - Valine

 Conditional amino acids are needed in times of illness and stress.

 Nonessential amino acids are made by the body from essential amino acids or in the normal breakdown of proteins.

Ok, If we eat for example only lentils, we cannot build protein, because there’s no methionine, so we have to add another food that contains it like onions. I think all vegetarians know that. Yes you can do some mixes and you can produce proteins. But, it’s not the same.

 So, animal sources typically possess a higher biological value than vegetable sources due to the vegetable source’s lack of one or more of the essential amino acids.[1]

More than that, amino acids called branched amino acids stimulate protein synthesis (powerful anabolic effect on muscle tissue), promote growth of muscle mass and faster recover after intensive efforts. Leucine deficiency p. ex. is probably the cause of the loss of muscle mass observed in the elderly (through bad nutrition + deficient teeth, defective gastric, a deficiency in digestive enzymes,...).

These amino acids may, if necessary, be completely oxidized in the mitochondria and therefore involved in energy production. They are used as a direct source of energy (especially during intense, short effort and provide energy during sport, stress and disease. In addition, so-called branched amino acids can stimulate the formation of new mitochondria, and thus play an important role against aging.[2]

1Average. NA number not available. Note: Numbers vary from brand to brand (bread, for example), from type to type (cheese, for example), and from cut to cut (beef, for example). Chart compiled by Zahra Hassanali. Source: USDA and company information.

 Another exemple: we have to consume enough tyrosine in the morning to stimulate catecholamine synthesis, so we must eat animal protein.

 Meat and fish aren’t just beneficial for their protein. It’s also the creatine, iron, zinc, taurine, glycine, vitamin B12, carnosine, carnitine, omega fats and other nutrients they contain. Ok, you will tell me, oh we can find all these nutrients in vegetables except B12. Yes you can find them but they don't have the same bioavailabilty again, at all, moreover, there’s phytates in plantes ! They reduce the absorption of some nutrients... Some minerals must be chelated.... There’s to kinds of iron.... You cannot find long chain Omega 3s in vegetables at all! We need AEP and ADH, especially for infants and fetus!

In addition to their deficiencies, their libido is in socks....they have less energy...!

If I need 1.5g/kg of body weight of protein, and I am vegetarian, I have to consume a big quantity of legumes and dried fruits with a large amount of carbohydrates (fructose!!), fibers and some nutrients, this is unhealthy !

So, what is the best diet ?

In my opinion, the ancient mediteranian diet, that follows our chronobiology. Because we should consume every nutrient at the most propitious moment!

• Once a week red meat.
• Once a week, poultry.
• Twice to trice a week, fish.

[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22818257

[2] Pasiakos SM, McClung HL, McClung JP et al. Leucine-enriched essential amino acid supplementation during moderate steady state exercise enhances postexercise muscle protein synthesis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Sep;94(3):809-18.)