by Nathan H

Created on: March 09, 2007   Last Updated: April 18, 2007

Vegetarianism has a number of important pros and cons.

Types of Vegetarianism

Vegetarianism is the practice of not consuming the flesh of any animal.

1. Lactovegetarian: These vegetarians may not consume meat, fish, poultry, and eggs.

2. Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: These vegetarians are not allowed to eat meat, fish, and poultry.

3. Semivegetarian: They may not eat meat. They may include small amounts of fish and poultry in the diet.

4. "Veganism excludes all animal products from diet and attire, whether or not their production has involved the actual death of an animal (dairy, eggs, honey, wool and down feathers."

Pros of Vegetarianism

1. Religion: Hindus believe that vegetarianism is the highest form of diet. Jainism requires followers to abstain from meat products. Vegetarianism forms an integral part of their moral codes. Hindus and Jains view the eating of meat as indulgent and violent. Seventh Day Adventists also follow vegetarianism.

2. Health: Vegetables, nuts, and fruits are high in nutrients and contain little or no saturated fat. Followers note that vegetables and fruits are better suited for the human body. Furthermore, meat and dairy products contain harmful bacteria, hormones, and chemicals.

The American Dietetic Association notes "Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals."

"Vegetarians have significantly reduced rates of obesity, coronary heart disease, hypertension, type II diabetes, diet-related cancers, diverticular disease, constipation and gall stones.

In addition to being richer in fruits and vegetables, vegetarian diets tend to be lower in total fat. Taber & Cook (1980) found lacto-ovo vegetarians to consume an average of 35 percent of energy as fat, compared to omnivores consuming over 40 percent of energy as fat. A study of the diets of a group of French vegetarians found they had a daily intake of 25 percent less fat than non-vegetarians (Millet, 1989). Vegetarians also tend to eat proportionally more polyunsaturated fat to saturated fat compared with non-vegetarians. Animal products are the major sources of dietary saturated fat."
http://www.annecollins.com/vegetarian-diet-heal th-benefits.htm

3. Tradition: Vegetarianism became common in India as early as the 2000 B.C.

4. Life Expectancy: Some dieticians and nutritionists have

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