EKperts get to meat pf dfecussioiTt vegetarianism not all bad
; '. s i
By Betsie Ammons '
and Alice Hmicek " ;
Many . people-have come to the .conclusion that
mother s advice wasn't so bad, after all. '
"Eat your vegetables!" she would say.
A good portion of the population grew up to do just
that-by becoming vegetarians.
Whether for spiritual, moral, political or nutritional
reasons, it Is estimated that more people across the world
practice vegetarianism than eat meat.
Nutritionists and doctors are split in their reactions
to vegetarianism. But all agree it is not something to be
approached lightly.
Lena Clancy, assistant dietary director at Lincoln
General Hospital, said the U.S. consumes large quantities
of meat with some overconsumption. She believes
vegetariansim may solve diet or metabolism problems.
M! don't see anything wrong with it as long as the per
son gets a balanced diet," she said. However, she added
that some people go to extremes including only one kind
of food.
The effects of such a diet depend on the choice of
foods included in a long-term plan.
"If you choose foods that are healthy as substitutes,
then it's all right."
Too often though, vegetarianism is given a bad repu
tation because some advocates make the wrong substitu
tion and eat foods that are nutritionally low, according to
Jane Walgamotte, director of food service at Union Col
lege. She pointed out that this also happens with non
vegetarians. Walgamotte organizes the menus for 600 Seventh Day
Adventist boarding students with an emphasis on vege
tarian foods.
"The Seventh Day Adventist Church encourages
healthful living and feels a vegetarian diet can con
tribute," she said. "Vegetarianism is in no way a test of
faith."
THERE ARE more vegetarians than meat-eaters in the
world, she said. Youths are beginning to abhor slaughter
ing of people or animals, she said. She said she finds this
trend promising.
The director noted that animals have been prone to
disease for a long time and especially in the modern
mechanized world. Moreover.Jess land area is needed to
produce food when it is fed directly rather than feeding
first to animals. For this reason, consumers can save
money by purchasing high protein legumes, soybeans or
gluten.
Adventists believe that man was created to not eat
meat, she said.
"God desires me to be a vegetarian because of the dis
ease potential. Most meats are high in cholesterol. In a
vegetarian diet there is no cholesterol."
She added that overall fat content was lower. -
Grounds that a vegetarian diet supplies insufficient pro
tein are unfounded, she said. The National Academy of
Sciences, in recent years, has discovered that protein re
quirements are much lower than previously believed.. An
excess might even be detrimental to kidneys, she said.
Walgamotte said that she recommends lactovegetarian
ism, which includes eggs and milk. Pure vegetarianism
doesn't include these, but complete proteins can be 'ob
tained by mixing vegetables and grains that are
comparable to each other. As an example, she said the
proteins in tortillas and legumes, when consumed
together, make up a complete protein.
Walgamotte said she shifted gradually from eating meat
to vegetarianism.
"I was not as convinced at the beginning that meat
was detrimental to health. But the more vegetarian foods
you eat, the less you want to chew meat."
Hazel Fox, head of the UNL department of food and
nutrition, said it is possible to have a "very good diet" as
a vegetarian. But, she cautions, a person would have to
plan his diet carefully.
FOX SAID variety is the most important thing for
vegetarians. Certain nutrients, not certain foods, are
needed for a well-rounded diet, she said.
Don't just depend on one thing," she said.
Grains, cereals, legumes and nuts all are necessary in a
vegetarian program, to make sure the person gets all the
vitamins he needs.
However, persons who are pure vegetarians and don't
eat dairy products may have deficiencies of vitamin B12,
Fox said. These persons should supplement their diets
with B12 tablets, she added.
Fox said she thinks there is a trend toward vege
tarianism as part of the "back to nature movement.
She said preservatives and additives in prepared foods is
an fcsue which concerns many people.
"I think it's land of healthy having alternative diets,"
Fox said.
Dr. Guy ilatson, family practitioner, said that in his
experience, religion b the primary reason for people to
cot eat. lie added, thoush. that it is hecomin erevalsnt
with the increased emphasis .on diet and controlling
obesity.
It is feasible for a human being to live without animal
protein be said. "There is no evidence that it will lead to
a longer life or impair health. We could improve health as
a cation most if we try to keep ourselves physically and
eacticcsTJy normal, whether we have meat or vegetable
sources of protein." v
Eating a balanced diet and balancing the number of
calories taken in with the. number expended is the most
important factor, he said. -
, Proponents of vegetarianism who report that it adds
to health are not aided by medical evidence, according to
Dr. Y. Scott Moore, general practitioner. Although he said
most vegetarians he sees promote it a t fad, there are a
lot of serious, life-long practitioners.
Moore doesn't see excluding meat from the diet for
health reasons because "a few people doing it don't know
how to supply all their nutrition.'
. . .. , ,.., -
HIS ADVICE for anyone planning to convert to vege
tarianism is to "do more than stop eating meat. They
should find, out about nutrition, so they can continue to
have enough protein and t balanced diet.' .
Another dietician, Mary Carey, director of food service
at Bryan Memorial Hospital, agrees with Moore. Carey
said she has reservations about a vegetarian diet because
unless it is properly planned, it will U low in protein and
iron . '. -;;.'. - '
And, Carey said , "It takes a lot of knowledge to put it
together well."
Carey said these diets never would lack vitamins, but
would be short on nutrients, protein and minerals,
especially if no dairy products are included.
In order to properly plan a vegetarian diet, Carey said,
people "really ought to go to a nutritionist, get a
reference book and put the diet together.
"It bothers me, frankly," she added.
Carey said she thinks there is nothing wrong with the
way the nation is eating.
"Few countries in the world have as much protein as
people in this country," she said. I have always thought
that part of the energy and vitality of this country has
been its nutritional level.-..
Carey said if a person analyzed a naturally grown
carrot and one grown with insecticides through regular
farming methods, no difference would be found.
- One faction which might logically oppose vegetarian
ism is the beef industry. Susan Briggs, who holds a degree
in nutrition and raises cattle near Seward with her
husband Bob, said that "beef is a terrific product to buy."
The cost per unit of protein is low, she said.
"People like to eat it," she said. "If you're making diet
and meals a pleasurable part of life, meat is important."
"It takes a lot of study and concentration on diet to
get protein needs," she added. "Most vegetarians don't
study enough to plan an adequate diet."
VEGETARIANISM, is nutritional, political and, for
some, even spiritual, according to three Lincoln
vegetarians.
Mark Vasina, co-owner of the Glass Onion restaurant,
said he embraced vegetarianism "five years ago, when I
lost my taste for meat."
Vasina said he thinks processing changes have made
meat taste differently than it did then.
Since he became a vegetarian, Vasina said, he has slept
better and his overall health has improved. He also said he
thinks his lifestyle became simpler and he became more
politically aware.
He said he became more individually responsible, not
dependent on corporations for his food.
"It radicalized me," he said. "Promoting meat-eating
takes grain away from needy countries."
Vasina said he does not think vegetarianism is the
answer to all the world's woes, but it is a step in the right
direction.
Mary Hansen said that for her, vegetarianism is a moral
issue. She said she has heard that 90 percent of the grain
in the U.S. goes to feed animals, not a hungry world, and
since she could hot justify this, she became a vegetarian.
She also said she feels that meat is full of fat containing
an unhealthy amount of pollution fathered from the en
vironment. Hansen said vegetarianism has made her feel 'lots
healthier," and also is less expensive than a regular diet.
But, she added, "many hassles" accompanied her lifestyle
change.. ,4 ": -
For one, she said, she feels she must eat meat if she is
in situations where it would be inhospitable if she did not.
Deb Ronder said she bases her vegetarianism on her
spiritual belief that it is wrong to kiH animals. She said she
thinks there is enough protein in the world without eating
meat.
"I JUST don't think that animals need to be
sacrificed," she said. "They're my friends."
Like the other two, Ronder said she thinks vegetarian
ism has made her healthier and increased her energy,
stamina and patience. She said this is the reason many ath
letes are vegetarians.
Ronder, who has been a vegetarian for six years, said
she thinks more people are becoming interested in vege
tarianism. She said she subscribes to a vegetarian magazine
whose, circulation increases each year.
All three said they are not pure vegetarians, which
means they eat eggs or some form of dairy products.
However, only Hansen said she drinks milk, They all said
they eat cheese, yogurt arid eggs. '-V 4
Also they all said they place importance on grains in
the diet, balancing them with fruits and vegetables. Vasina
said he eats most of his food cooked, while Ronder said
she tries to eat as much as she can raw. '
"When you cook, you lose a lot of nutrients," she ex
plained. :v .
In addition, all said they dp not use white sugar or
any artificial sweetener. Instead, they use natural
sweeteners such as honey, molasses :or maple' sugar.
All said their friends are understanding about their
lifestyles and that their families will prepare them
vegetarian meals when they visit home.
Both Hansen and Ronder said they occasionally take
vitamins to supplement their diets.
Hansen said she takes vitamin D in the winter when it
is not easy to derive from the sun. Ronder said she has a
regular program of vitamins because she works 45 to 50
hours a week and a balanced lunch is not always possible.
Vegetarian recipes
Jane Walgomotte, director of food service at Union
College, plans vegetarian meals for the college's 600
students. Below are some of her favorite recipes.
Green Rice
y4 cap oil
1 cup finely chopped green pepper
K cup chopped onion (or chives)
1 13-ounce can evaporated milk 2 eggs, beaten
1 cup finely chopped parsley (spinach, or combination)
1 small clove garlic (or K teaspoon garlic salt)
Vi teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon G. Washington Broth
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
SAUTE . .green pepper and onion in oil.
BEAT. . jeggs and rnSk together, and combine all in
gredients, mixing welL
BAKE. . in buttered casserole or timbale cups.
TEMPERATURE. . .350 degrees F.
TIME. . .50-60 minutes.
YIELD. . & large servings.
QdckPizza
3 English muflins, split (or burger buns or sourdoui
bread)
2 tablespoons margarine
2 cups shredded cheese . ,
cups sliced stuffed olhea
Keep finely chopped onion (optional)
1 dove pr!ictcrc&ed (or one teaspoon garlic salt)
18-ounce can tomato sauce .
Butter rsuflia halves. Combine rernainhg ingredients;
spread on mufEn halves. Broil in oven or electric fry
pan. (Mote: Mishrooms or sliced vegetarian wieners
may be adied, if desired.) Yield: 6 sma3 pizzas.
Asparais and Cheese Casserole
1 cup cooked asparagus (canned or frozen)
4 eggs, well-beaten
2 cups evaporated milk
. 6 ounces ( 1 Vi cups) grated cheddar cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
2 slices bread, cubed and toasted
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Cut asparagus into one-inch pieces. Combine all in
gredients. Bake in buttered casserole at 350 degrees F.
for 35 minutes. Yield: 8 servings.
1 teaspoon salt
Cheese Blintzes .
1 cup sifted all purpose flour
1 tablespoon margarine, melted
3 eggs, beaten well 1 cup milk
2 cups dry cottage cheese 1 egg
1 cup sour cream ' !4 cup raisins (optional)
V cup margarine, melted
2 tablespoons sugar . .
H teaspoon salt ,
teaspoon cinnamon
Sift flour with salt, and combine with margarine, em
and milk, beat smooth. Pour about 3 tablespoons of
batter on hot, lightly oiled 6-inch skillet for each
blintze. Tilt skillet from tide- to side until batter wo vers
the bottom. Cool on one side only until edes begin to
curl and look dry. Remove from skillet and place on
towd to cool. Combine remaining Ingredients for
ding, reserving half sour cream. Place each blintze
cooked side up. Spoon 34 tablespoons of Cling onto
center of each blintze. Roll up, or fold sides over;
XBrmuonbothsMesinsmetwith
margarine just before serving. Serve hot with sour
cream or jelly.
fathom
friday,msrch2,1979
