What is Harmful in Non Vegetarian Diet?

As more and more studies are coming up about the detrimental aspects of non vegetarian food, many people are anxious to know how they can stay healthy without giving up their favorite non vegetarian delicacies. The following points list the demerits as well as ways you can circumvent the harmful effects.

1. Non Vegetarian foods are fibreless: The roughage portion is missing in non vegetarian diets, therefore one should make a conscious effort to eat foods high in roughage. The foods high in roughage (insoluble fiber) are wheat bran, whole cereals like brown rice. Oat fiber is particularly beneficial for cardiac cholesterol related disorders. Oats have soluble fiber which dissolves in the body fluids and helps the body to decrease the cholesterol buildup.

2. Non Vegetarian foods are high in cholesterol: Since non vegetarian foods contain cholesterol, it is important to avoid other foods which can have additive affect on the cholesterol, like dairy products, particularly cheese. Besides these, one must avoid foods which have trans-fatty acids.

3. Non Vegetarian foods which are processed and preserved may contain high amounts of chemicals. Therefore, it is important to limit the quantity of non vegetarian food products which may contain preservatives.

4. Non Vegetarian foods are devoid of many vitamins. To keep up a healthy level of Vitamin B complex and Vitamin C, it is important to eat fruits and vegetables in adequate quantities to prevent any deficiency from coming up. Fruits should be eaten in their natural state and drinking packed juices is not the solution. Similar is the case with eating vegetables destroyed by deep frying beyond recognition.

5. Non vegetarians need strong digestive enzymes to be able to digest proteins. Hence, it is important to include sources of natural digestive enzymes in the diet to help the body keep its digestive capability high. Foods rich in enzymes are raw papaya (can be eaten as a salad) - rich in enzyme papain; pineapple - rich in the enzyme bromelene, and basic salads which are rich in natural enzymes.

6. Many authorities claim that people should be cautious while consuming fish found near industrial zones as they may be toxic.

7. Red meat should be consumed sparingly if you have increased incidence of hypertension and heart problems. Once a week, detox by eating fruits, sprouts, vegetable juices, salads and non-roasted nuts.