FOOD PREFERENCES
By Hom Prasad Timsina
Kathmandu,19 April 2024: A healthy diet is essential for sound health. It protects us against many chronic non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The world now has been divided into two categories regarding food consumption: vegetarians and non-vegetarians. There has been an intense debate, which has been in the loop for years and has been raging back and forth regarding the deficiencies of a vegetarian diet versus the non-vegetarian threat. This heated debate is both accurate as well as unfounded. Vegetarians claim that people should consume more vegetables and fruits than meat because taking a high amount of meat can cause serious health issues. I my opinion too, the consumption of a vegetarian diet is a better way to live a healthy life.
Firstly, I reckon that vegetarian diets are cheaper and more healthy. If the majority of them become vegetarian, a nation needs to struggle less to become self-sufficient in food production. Moreover, such diets are easily accessible for both the poor and rich citizens. Most importantly, plant-based food provides necessary vitamins and food values, especially fiber, which protect us from many vulnerable diseases. Furthermore, producing vegetarian food is more ecologically sustainable, and it reduces environmental degradation.
Secondly, I am from a Hindu Brahmin family and have culturally and religiously convicted that non-vegetarian food is detrimental for the mind for spiritual development, as we follow nonviolence (AHIMSHA). Even early Veda texts such as the RIGVEDA state a condemnation and sacrificing them in the name of God is a sin. According to Harris, from ancient times vegetarianism became a well-accepted mainstream Hindu tradition.
On the contrary, non-vegetarians may claim that a certain portion of meat is necessary for a balanced diet because it contains protein, calcium, and other vitamins. Nevertheless, these also can be gained from alternative sources like beans, mushrooms, and nuts. Most meats are cholesterol-rich, which are detrimental to the human body and cause diseases. As a result, deadly diseases like cardiovascular diseases, obesity, cancer, and brain hemorrhage are increasing gradually all over the world due to the high intake of red meat in different countries. I, therefore, undoubtedly believe that a vegetarian diet is a perfect solution to all these problems.
In conclusion, a healthy diet determines our well-being and life expectancy. Hence, the vegetarian diet is far more beneficial to our health than a non-vegetarian diet and it does not constitute cruelty to animals, rather it is eco-friendly, we should wisely adopt vegetarianism.