Vegetarianism

What is a vegetarian? AKA “plant based diet”, “herbivore”, “meat-free eating” Someone who does not eat meat (beef, pork, lamb, goat, etc.), poultry (chicken, duck, etc.), fish, or seafood 3 different types of vegetarians Lacto vegetarian Ovo-vegetarian Lacto-ovo vegetarian – probably the most common

What is a vegan? Someone who is does not eat anything from an animal – meat, milk products, and eggs … usually honey, too. Many vegans go beyond diet, and don’t use other animal products either (like leather, fur, wool, silk in clothing; products tested on animals; go to zoos, aquariums, circuses; etc.)

# of veg*ns in Canada: Between 3 - 7% of Canadians are vegetarians 1.1 million – 2.4 million people About 1.5% of the population is vegan 340, 000 - 510,000 people According to a 2015 poll, 33% say they are eating less meat Flexitarian, “VB-6 (veg before 6)”, “weekday veg”, “Meatless Mondays”

History of Vegetarianism Vegetarianism has been practiced by portions of various cultures around the world since 100 BCE Likely before that, but this is when there is proof * Ancient India, Ancient Greece, Italy, and Ethiopia are the places where there is the most evidence of vegetarian populations

Why do people become veg*n? Religious Reasons Many religions lean towards, recommend or encourage vegetarianism – either some of the time (on special, holy-days) or all of the time

Some religions that lean towards veg*nism in some way: Hinduism Buddhism Seventh-Day Adventists Rastafarianism (ital diet)

2. Health Reasons Many positive health reasons why someone might become a vegetarian or vegan What are they?

a. Diseases that a plant-based diet protection against........ 1. Colon cancer 3rd most common type of cancer in Canada Risk of C.C. decreases the less meat and more plants (and fibre) you eat

2. Breast Cancer - Canadian Cancer Society says that breast cancer risk decreases the more fruit and vegetables you eat

3. High Cholesterol/ Clogged Arteries Remember: our bodies produce all the cholesterol we need Animal products constitute 99% of dietary cholesterol

4. Weight Control Less chance of being overweight – which may lower risk of other diseases Plant-based foods tend to be lower in fat in general and bad fat in particular Assuming one isn’t a ‘junk food veg*n – Oreos, potato chips, french fries, are all veg, after all…..

Also, a healthy vegetarian diet results in: Significantly lower rates heart disease Significantly lower rates of diabetes

Why are there health benefits? Because vegetarian diets tend to be are: lower in fat, especially saturated fat lower/no cholesterol, higher in fibre, higher in vegetables and fruits (and all the super beneficial anti-oxidants).

(sorry, you need to take notes on the next few slides (sorry, you need to take notes on the next few slides!) But … does it have enough nutrients?? Lots of people have heard stories about people who did not do well (they were tired all the time, they were sick, their hair fell out, etc.). This is most likely due to the fact that they were not eating a diverse veg*n diet. “It is the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases….. Well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence.”

“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 been reported to have lower body mass indices than non-vegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from heart disease; vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer. ”

Of course, when eliminating a nutrient-dense protein package (which meat is), one needs to plan a bit more. What are the nutrients veg*ns need to be concerned about getting enough of? Use the reading and make a list

What are the nutrients veg*ns do NOT need to be concerned about? (Hint: it’s the one they always get asked about? Protein! No one asks about B12, which is a real concern – but everyone wants to know about protein.

Any diverse diet that is sufficient in calories (and is not based on junk food), even if it has no beans, lentils, tofu or nuts, will not be protein deficient – that is how abundant protein is in plant foods.

3. Ethical Reasons Some become veg*n b/c they are concerned about animal cruelty, exploitation and suffering Don’t think animals should be killed so that humans can eat them – have an ethical objection to killing for food

Ethical veg*ns ask…. …..whether humans – those who have a choice of foods - have the “right” to impose their dietary preferences on animals – esp. when it results in suffering and death

If animals had voices we could understand, what would they say?

Many (even those who aren’t veg Many (even those who aren’t veg*n) have concerns over how animals are raised on farms: Animals are no longer raised outdoors on small, peaceful farms by family farmers

Companies perpetuate this image:

Today, over 90% of animals killed and eaten in Canada are raised on factory farms Do animals suffer on factory farms?

What is a “Factory Farm”? A facility that raises large numbers of livestock indoors under conditions of extremely restricted mobility

- Most animals never set a foot outdoors, or display any of their natural behaviours

Natural chicken behaviour:

* Even the animals that are raised outdoors are very tightly packed into one area ; babies are separated from the mothers at birth; etc.

Veal farms:

Mother and baby cows natural behaviour:

1. What is a Battery Cage? A confinement system used for egg laying chickens 90 per cent of Canada’s 26 million egg-laying hens are kept in these for their entire life (2yrs) They are unable to perform natural behaviours Each bird has less space than a sheet of notebook paper.

2. What is de-beaking? Also called ‘beak trimming’ A process whereby part tip of the chickens beak is burned off Why is this done? B/c chickens are stressed under the confinement, and debeaking reduces fighting and cannibalism in chickens

2. What is a gestation crate? A metal enclosure used in pig farming Female pig (sow) is confined for her life (3-5 years) Crate is 7’ x 2’

4. In addition: Piglets are castrated without anesthetic Pigs and cows have their tails cut off / trimmed without anesthetic Cows are castrated without anesthetic Cows are branded without anesthetic Cows have their horns cut off without anesthetic Turkeys have their toes cut off without anesthetic Male chickens are crushed to death – or put through a wood chipper - at egg hatcheries (they can’t lay eggs so have no value and need to be disposed of)

5. Concerns with slaughter: Violations of animal welfare / Humane Slaughter laws at slaughterhouses make people turn away from eating meat

Ethical veg’ns believe ……

Homework: Read article about chicken slaughterhouse Go home and Google: “undercover slaughterhouse investigation Canada” “undercover factory farm investigation Canada” “undercover slaughterhouse investigation” Chose a video, watch the video, making notes What video? Made by who? Link? What do you see/witness? How does it make you feel?

Videos: Undercover investigation reveals disturbing and inhumane treatment of factory farm animals (W5 Investigation on CTV) - http://www.ctvnews.ca/w5/undercover-investigation-reveals-disturbing-and-inhumane-treatment-of-factory-farm-animals-1.1070919 Dark Side of Dairy – Abuse on Canada’s Largest Dairy Farm - http://canadadairy.mercyforanimals.org/ Turkey Torture – turkey farm investigation in Canada - http://www.turkeytorture.ca/

Environmental /Ecological According to the United Nations (and other universities and governmental organizations), eating meat, dairy and eggs has a HUGE impact on the environment Has the largest impact on climate change of any human activity More of an impact on the environment than all transportation combined

Resource Use In Canada, farm animals also outweigh people by a factor of four to one. On a given day there are approximately 14.6 million beef and dairy cattle, 13 million pigs, 8 million turkeys, 96 million chickens, and 30 million people alive in Canada

1. Need more land on a meat-based diet: A meat-based diet requires 7 times more land than a plant-based diet We could have a lot more forests if people ate less meat (forests = cleaner air, carbon sequestering, homes for wildlife, etc.)

2. Water Pollution: According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Industrial agriculture is among the leading causes of water pollution in the US today. Most water pollution from industrial farms results from the storage and disposal of animal waste.

Industrial livestock farms store manure and other farm wastes in gigantic tanks known as “lagoons” which can hold millions of gallons of manure and urine. Not required to be treated as sewage like human waste is. These lagoons often leak and—during large storms—they may rupture or simply overflow. When this happens, the environmental damage can be devastating. Leaking lagoons also release antibiotic residues and harmful bacteria that can leach into water supplies.

Impacts of leaking manure lagoons: Antibiotics and hormones get into ground water Pathogens and harmful micro-organisms get into water (ie-E Coli, etc.) Ammonia and nitrates – which destroy aquatic life and kill thousands or millions of fish (also likely toxic to humans, causing death in small infants and cancers)

3. Air Pollution: Mountains of Manure More than 335 million tons of manure are produced annually on US farms. Stored for long periods of time in giant tanks/ lagoons or in huge piles, the animal waste decomposes and pollutes the air with hundreds of different gases.   Hydrogen sulfide, methane, ammonia, and carbon dioxide are the major hazardous gases produced by decomposing manure. The EPA estimates that methane emissions from manure increased by 26 % in the United States between 1990 and 2004, due primarily to larger, more concentrated dairy cow and swine facilities. Pig farming in one state (North Carolina) alone produces about 300 tons of ammonia each day

b. Air Pollution and Animal Feed: Animal feed also plays a role -- the EPA estimates that 20% of all human-made methane production resulted from livestock digestion, primarily cows Most of which are fed a low-quality grain-based feed that their bodies were not designed to digest. This feed fattens animals cheaply but causes chronic indigestion that contributes to higher methane emissions (b/c cows are farting more!). Producing the vast crops required to feed animals also pollutes the air with soil management techniques, especially the use of synthetic fertilizers, that were responsible for 68 % of all nitrous oxide released into the atmosphere in 2004.

c. Other Air Pollutants: Ammonia - causes irritation of the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. Particulate matter - causes bronchitis and asthma; Endotoxins, poisons produced by dying bacteria - causes respiratory problems even in extremely low concentrations. Carbon dioxide is a by-product of decomposing manure - causes shortness of breath and dizziness Methane is a major contributor to climate change. According to the EPA, methane is 23 times as potent as carbon dioxide and is the second most important contributor to the greenhouse effect  CLIMATE CHANGE!!

Is Free Range/Grass Fed Better for the Environment? No doubt that is healthier for humans – less fat, likely fewer to no antibiotics Also, the animals have a better life (although they are still subject to the same slaughterhouses and methods as other animals in most cases). But when it comes to the environment, the answer is must less clear OR convincing: A grain-fed cow will require three acres of land, while a grass-fed cow requires nine acres. A grass-fed cow will use 35 percent more water and 30 percent more land than a conventional, grain-fed cow.  The fact is that grain-fed cows are simply more efficient purely from a resource perspective.

When it comes to greenhouse gases (GHG), grass-fed beef again may not be better for the environment One study reported that each pound of grass-fed beef produces 500 % more GHG than grain-fed. Grain-fed cows also produce one-third the methane of grass-fed, partially due to their shorter life span There is a common argument, though, that the grazing cows help produce more grass and improve the soil, which sequesters carbon dioxide underground. The validity of this argument isn’t proven / conclusive, but it still likely doesn’t make up for the other negative impacts.

Meat and Environmental Impact: http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/articles/2015/12/2/grass-fed-beef-global-warming.html (5 minutes) Cowspiracy – 15 minute clip

What do vegetarians eat? Vegetarian Food Guide Some experts propose slightly different food groups for vegetarians and vegans How are they different from Canada’s Food Guide?

What do vegetarians eat?

A few menu items include: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Tofu/soy is also used to make ‘faux meats’

Local Vegetarian Restaurants there are over 50 vegetarian restaurants in the GTA! There are over 50 vegetarian restaurants in Toronto!

http://veggietestimonial. peta. org/psa. aspx http://veggietestimonial.peta.org/psa.aspx?CID=82ba254f-faba-4650-90ff-e4db1db4905b http://veggietestimonial.peta.org/psa.aspx?CID=0cdaaef7-12c0-4f9d-b3c1-d72c3bab0d43 http://veggietestimonial.peta.org/psa.aspx?CID=1f870cb8-aaab-4069-9821-95c1e8822337

A few famous vegetarians:

Does it have to be all or nothing? ? Meatless Mondays, Weekday Veg – there are many ways to make a difference – for your own health, the future of the planet, and the lives of animals?

Weekday Veg (Graham Hill) http://www. ted What’s Wrong With the Way We Eat? (Mark Bittman) http://www.ted.com/talks/mark_bittman_on_what_s_wrong_with_what_we_eat.html

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