Different diets
Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 3:31 amWhat does the diet consist of? What can and cannot be eaten?
Veganism is a diet and lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose. Vegans endeavor not to use or consume animal products of any kind. The term "animal product" in a vegan context refers to any material derived from animals for human use. Notable animal products include meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, honey, fur, leather, wool, and silk. Vegan diets (sometimes called strict or pure vegetarian diets) are a subset of vegetarian diets. Although honey and silk are by definition animal products, and although abstaining from honey is a requirement for membership in the American and British Vegan Societies, some vegans consider their use and the use of other insect products to be acceptable.
What is the pilosophy behind the diet?
The word "veganism" denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude — as far as is possible and practical — all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.
The central ethical question related to veganism is whether it is right for humans to use and kill animals. This question is essentially the same as the fundamental question of animal rights, so it has been animal rights ethicists who have articulated the philosophical foundations for veganism. The philosophical discussion also therefore reflects the division viewpoints within animal rights theory between a rights-based approach, taken by both Tom Regan and Gary Francione, and a utilitarian one, promoted by Peter Singer.
Tom, Regan, professor emeritus of philosophy at North Carolina State University, argues that animals are entities which possess "inherent value" and therefore have "basic moral rights," and that the principal moral right they possess is "the right to respectful treatment." Regan additionally argues that animals have a "basic moral right not to be harmed," which can be overridden only when the individual's right not to be harmed is "morally outweighed" by "other valid moral principles.
Gary Francione, professor of Law at Rutgers School of Law-Newark, argues that animals are sentient, and that this is sufficient to grant them moral consideration. Francione argues that "all sentient beings should have at least one right—the right not to be treated as property" and that there is "no moral justification for using nonhumans for our purposes."
Peter Singer, professor of bioethics at Princeton, argues that there is "no moral justification" for refusing to take sentient animal suffering into consideration in ethical decisions. Singer argues that an animal's interests warrant equal consideration with the interests of humans, and that not doing so is "speciesist." Based upon his evaluation of these interests, Singer argues that "our use of animals for food becomes questionable—especially when animal flesh is a luxury rather than a necessity."
What benefits are claimed for it?
According to the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada, diets that avoid meat tend to have lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein, and higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, and phytochemicals. People who avoid meat are reported to have lower body mass index than those following the average Canadian diet; from this follows lower death rates from ischemic heart disease; lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.
What do critics of the diet say about it?
The American Dietetic Association has said that "appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases." However, poorly planned vegan diets can be deficient in nutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iodine and omega-3 fatty acids. These deficiencies have potentially serious consequences, including anemia, rickets and cretinism in children, and osteomalacia and hypothyroidism in adults. Many of the nutrients of concern to vegans are being added to food commonly consumed by vegans such as calcium, riboflavin, B12 and D to soymilks, and iron, zinc and B12 to meat substitute.
A Position Paper of the Swiss Eidgenössische Ernährungskommission assumes that while vegans with expert knowledge may be able to compensate for increased risks and live healthy, but the nutritional challenges make it nearly impossible for lay people to compensate negative effects of veganism, in case of pregnancies, for infants and youth and elderly people the risks may lead to critical illnesses.
Can you find the name of any famous people who follow the diet?
Dennis John Kucinich (who is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives and was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2004 and 2008 elections) and his wife Elizabeth Jane Kucinich are known in part for their veganism and support of animal welfare.
The address of the page I found most useful:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veganism
The address of a page which includes vegan recipes:
www.vegancooking.com
Veganism is a diet and lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose. Vegans endeavor not to use or consume animal products of any kind. The term "animal product" in a vegan context refers to any material derived from animals for human use. Notable animal products include meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, honey, fur, leather, wool, and silk. Vegan diets (sometimes called strict or pure vegetarian diets) are a subset of vegetarian diets. Although honey and silk are by definition animal products, and although abstaining from honey is a requirement for membership in the American and British Vegan Societies, some vegans consider their use and the use of other insect products to be acceptable.
What is the pilosophy behind the diet?
The word "veganism" denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude — as far as is possible and practical — all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.
The central ethical question related to veganism is whether it is right for humans to use and kill animals. This question is essentially the same as the fundamental question of animal rights, so it has been animal rights ethicists who have articulated the philosophical foundations for veganism. The philosophical discussion also therefore reflects the division viewpoints within animal rights theory between a rights-based approach, taken by both Tom Regan and Gary Francione, and a utilitarian one, promoted by Peter Singer.
Tom, Regan, professor emeritus of philosophy at North Carolina State University, argues that animals are entities which possess "inherent value" and therefore have "basic moral rights," and that the principal moral right they possess is "the right to respectful treatment." Regan additionally argues that animals have a "basic moral right not to be harmed," which can be overridden only when the individual's right not to be harmed is "morally outweighed" by "other valid moral principles.
Gary Francione, professor of Law at Rutgers School of Law-Newark, argues that animals are sentient, and that this is sufficient to grant them moral consideration. Francione argues that "all sentient beings should have at least one right—the right not to be treated as property" and that there is "no moral justification for using nonhumans for our purposes."
Peter Singer, professor of bioethics at Princeton, argues that there is "no moral justification" for refusing to take sentient animal suffering into consideration in ethical decisions. Singer argues that an animal's interests warrant equal consideration with the interests of humans, and that not doing so is "speciesist." Based upon his evaluation of these interests, Singer argues that "our use of animals for food becomes questionable—especially when animal flesh is a luxury rather than a necessity."
What benefits are claimed for it?
According to the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada, diets that avoid meat tend to have lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein, and higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, and phytochemicals. People who avoid meat are reported to have lower body mass index than those following the average Canadian diet; from this follows lower death rates from ischemic heart disease; lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.
What do critics of the diet say about it?
The American Dietetic Association has said that "appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases." However, poorly planned vegan diets can be deficient in nutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iodine and omega-3 fatty acids. These deficiencies have potentially serious consequences, including anemia, rickets and cretinism in children, and osteomalacia and hypothyroidism in adults. Many of the nutrients of concern to vegans are being added to food commonly consumed by vegans such as calcium, riboflavin, B12 and D to soymilks, and iron, zinc and B12 to meat substitute.
A Position Paper of the Swiss Eidgenössische Ernährungskommission assumes that while vegans with expert knowledge may be able to compensate for increased risks and live healthy, but the nutritional challenges make it nearly impossible for lay people to compensate negative effects of veganism, in case of pregnancies, for infants and youth and elderly people the risks may lead to critical illnesses.
Can you find the name of any famous people who follow the diet?
Dennis John Kucinich (who is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives and was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2004 and 2008 elections) and his wife Elizabeth Jane Kucinich are known in part for their veganism and support of animal welfare.
The address of the page I found most useful:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veganism
The address of a page which includes vegan recipes:
www.vegancooking.com