Niazi 6

IF THE PLANTS COULD ONLY TALK

Nothing will benefit health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth
as evolution to a vegetarian diet (Einstein). When I thought of doing my senior project
on the topic of veganism or vegetarianism, my first thought was why do people eat so
much meat? My heritage is from Afghanistan and we eat a lot of meat, so giving up
meat would be a big challenge for me. In my culture, every meal has meat, and rice has
to be involved as well. Vegetables are kind of an afterthought. Naan bread also has to be
included in the menu because it has a spiritual and cultural history. Long ago, people
would gather at a community oven to bake their bread. Therefore, naan represents
gathering in the Afghani culture. For religious Afghani people, the meat has to be
halal. This means that the animal has been blessed before it was killed. For nonreligious Muslims, meat can be bought from any regular grocery store. Afghani people
believe that meat gives you protein, so if a vegan is not getting some sort of protein in
their system, then they will be weak. In general, Afghani people believe that you should
be strong because of what you eat and you are what you eat.
A big part of Afghani culture is the gathering of family for meals. If we have a get
together at a family party, the table has to be fully filled with many different types of
Afghani food. Either everyone brings food like a potluck, or one designated family
member provides for everyone. In our culture, people are encouraged to eat more, to eat
a second or third round. Usually at a gathering there is lamb, beef, poultry and even goat
meat. The main spice would be the tandoori masala. Methods of cooking include
barbecue, baking, and broiling and even pan frying. This is always with meat. Some

vegetables are included but they are generally fried. Afghani people always have to add
spices to the vegetables as they are never eaten plain. In all meals, rice is always
included. Afghani people only eat white rice so many Afghani people are overweight.
White rice raises blood sugar which affects insulin. An imbalance in insulin can lead to
weight gain. ("Heart Disease Facts." )
The idea of becoming a vegan is not something that is easily accepted by the
Afghan culture. My familys reaction to this project was disbelief that I would even try
to go vegan for 30 days. Yet, I know that eating less animal products has been shown to
reduce the risk of some health problems and help with weight loss.

When I think about

the world in general, I believe that Americans have an abundance of food. There are
many countries where people do not have an option about what they can eat. In the end,
dont we all just want enough good food? We want to consume food that will make us
healthy and go along with our culture and family. In the end, I just wanted to know how
this vegan diet would affect me and my health so these ideas lead me to the question:
What are the health benefits of a vegan diet?
The history of veganism goes back many centuries. In 3200 B.C. ancient
Egyptians actually believed that eating animals was bad and it was considered a religious
taboo. Fast forward to 1914 when non-meat diets became popular during World War I as
a way to protest. (Key Points in American Veganism Timeline) Pacifists and
vegetarians against the war demonstrated by not eating meat. Then in 1944 the first
Vegan Society was formed by Dr. Catherine Nimmo and Rubin Abramowitz in England
and this plant based diet spread to the United States. (Key Points in American Veganism
Timeline)

Then, in February of 1960, the American Vegan Society was founded by Jay

Din Shah.

Mr. Din Shah visited an animal slaughterhouse in 1957 and was so horrified

by the conditions that he vowed to eliminate all slaughterhouses. According to the

USDA Fact Book, each American eats approximately 200 pounds of meat per year which
means there are a lot of busy slaughterhouses. (Heart Disease Facts) This is higher than
the 57 pounds of meat that was consumed in the 1950s.
The American society is filled with meat and meat products. When people say the
word protein, most people think of meat, eggs and milk. In protest for the amount of
meat that is consumed, the Animal Liberation Foundation was founded in 1993. The
ALF is a loose group of people worldwide who consider themselves to be freedom
fighters like those that were in Nazi Germany. These cells of people break the law to
free animals from captivity and exploitation because they believe that animals have rights
as much as people. Each cell does not know the cells of the other people so there is no
internal structure to the ALF which makes it very hard for authorities to capture them.
They break into buildings or farms to destroy property and rescue animals. Many years
later in 1998, the Compassionate Action for Animals was founded. The CAA was
founded in Minnesota by a group of people who were concerned for farmed animals. The
purpose of this non-profit organization is to build friendly communities of vegans.
Most vegans will tell you that becoming a vegan is a lifestyle, not a diet. For
ethical and philosophical reasons, they do not believe in the practice of killing animals.
They will argue that spinach and kale can provide as much protein as bacon and eggs,
yet each year more than 58 billion farm and ocean animals are killed for food. (Ethics:
Killing Animals for Food) Vegans argue that humans can survive on a plant based diets
alone. Research shows that plants contain all the vitamins and nutrients that the human

body needs. Plant based diets are naturally lower in calories, saturated fats and
cholesterol than meat based diets. Plants contain fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. (Campbell)
Another argument for becoming a vegan is that people should have consideration
for the emotional pain and suffering of animals. Animal activists argue that animals are
intelligent and sensitive creatures which feel the pain of confinement far away from their
natural behaviors. When the calf is taken from its mother to be consumed as veal
scaloppini or the goose is fattened up so that its liver can be taken as fois gras, who can
argue that this is not cruel and unusual punishment? Is it right that caged chickens are
forced to stand in one place for a long time in a small cage or endure abnormal lighting
cycles to get them to lay more eggs?

A case can be made that people should honor all

forms of life and that violence against animals is unnecessary when we can get our
protein and nutrition from plants.
Still another argument against eating meat includes the idea that animal
agriculture is bad for the environment. The livestock sector produces 18% of greenhouse
gas emissions and 64% anthropogenic ammonia emissions which puts acid in
ecosystems. (Ethics: Killing Animals for food) Water on the planet is a precious
commodity, yet wasting water for farm agriculture is a common practice. Approximately
25 gallons of water are needed to produce 1 pound of wheat. Around 2,500 gallons of
water are needed to produce 1 pound of meat. (" 54 Interesting Facts about
Vegetarianism and Veganism.) Arguably, farm agriculture steals precious water from
our lands which might better be used for something else.

Beyond that, livestock can also pollute our freshwater. The total production of
excrement by U.S. lovestock is 250,000 pounds per second. (" 54 Interesting Facts about
Vegetarianism and Veganism.) This excrement produces greenhouse gases. The main
problem with an increase in greenhouse gases is global warming. Global warming occurs
when there is too much carbon dioxide which traps the heat from the planet. Global
warming is bad for planet because it changes ecosystems and kills environments. And if
that is not bad enough, 70% of the Amazon rainforest is being cleared for animal
agriculture. (Butler) Rainforests are considered to be very important to the planet earth
because they absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and then produce oxygen which
we all depend upon for survival. Rainforests also stabilize climates and produce water all
around the planet. If we are clearing out the Amazon to build farm agriculture, we are
affecting the planet in many destructive ways. So what does this have to do with the
health benefits of becoming a vegan?
Vegans argue that they are just healthier than people who eat meat. Kevin Davis,
a teacher at Northgate said that he became a vegan because of high blood pressure.
When asked about changes that he noticed with a vegan diet, he said, I have less pain,
inflammation pain went away, I lost 12 pounds and I have more energy. It seems as
though, many people become vegans for health reasons. For example, President Bill
Clinton was became a vegan because of his heart attack in 2004. He was a big fan of
McDonalds fast food and underwent a major surgery for heart disease.
Several studies also show that a plant based diet increases the bodys metabolism
which helps a person burn calories up to 16% faster. The American Dietetic Association
(ADA) found that the lower the body mass, the lower the death rate from heart disease,

blood cholesterol, blood pressure, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cancer. (" 54
Interesting Facts about Vegetarianism and Veganism.)

In 2005, T. Colin Campbell and

Thomas Campbell conducted a comprehensive study of nutrition called the The China
Study. This was a 20 year research project that compared the mortality rates of meat vs.
plant eaters with detailed connections between nutrition, cancer, diabetes, heart disease
and obesity. This study found that people who ate more animal-based food were more
likely to have higher death rates than people who had plant based diets. ("Healthy
Longevity.") Researchers found there are no nutrients in animal proteins that are better
than plant based proteins. In addition, the vitamins found in plants can help resolve
chronic diseases. Doll and Peto suggested that 35% of all cancers were preventable by
diet. (Campbell) They also argue that all disease starts with genes and gene
combinations. Diseases are the end state of an interaction between your cells and your
environment. This is why pollution in the environment is so important. If water is
polluted from animal waste, or the air is polluted by greenhouse gases, or animals are
given hormones to make them fatter, then a direct connection can be drawn between the
food you ingest and your general health. Results from the China Study also found a link
between dietary fiber to lower and protect against colorectal cancer. (Campbell) In an
interview with Katie Ransom of Whole Foods in Walnut Creek, she indicated that the
main benefit of a vegan diet is connection to your food. You eat more raw and
unprocessed foods.
Most dieticians will tell you that vitamins are the most important ingredient in our
food. A well balanced diet will give you what you need. Vegans will tell you that we
dont need so much protein from meats because you can get protein in plants. What you

do need is basic vitamins from fruits and vegetables. Nuts, seeds and dark leafy greens
are a good source of magnesium which helps in the absorption of calcium which builds
strong bones. Diets high in potassium (bananas) have shown to reduce the risk of heart
diseases and many cancers. A major study showed that men in the early stages of
prostate cancer, who became vegan, reversed the illness or arrested the progress of the
cancer (Heart Disease Facts). In addition, vitamin E helps to prevent Alzheimers
disease. A diet of grains, nuts and dark leafy greens will give you vitamin E. (Health
Longevity) In the United States, research shows that one in three adults will die of
Alzheimers or some other Dementia. Currently, there are 5.3 million people with
Alzheimers in the United States and 226 billion dollars was spent on Alzheimers in
2015. (Latest Alzheimers Facts and Figures.) This is a brain disease. It makes sense
to think that these numbers can be reduced with a healthy diet. When there is high
cholesterol, then the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain is a problem. This can cause
transient ischemic attacks (strokes) and Alzheimers disease. One way of lowering bad
cholesterol levels is to eat foods which help cholesterol. A vegan diet will help this.
Garlic, almonds, leafy fruits and vegetables with lycopene reduce bad cholesterol and
these are found in a vegan diet. These foods have been shown to help eliminate dietary
cholesterol. (Latest Alzheimers Facts and Figures.)
Most vegans are very strict about not eating any products that are animal based
which includes butter, cheese, milk, eggs, etc. The most restrictive kind of vegan eats no
fish, dairy, eggs or meat products whatsoever. A typical vegan diet consists of plant
based fats, fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans, etc.), nuts and seeds and grains. This all
sounds great but the typical American has a hard time giving up a big steak. So, as a

compromise in our society between a strict vegan diet and meat lovers, some people
accept a vegetarian diet as an alternative.

There are basically five types of vegetarians.

The first is the lacto-vegetarian who will eat no meat or egg products but they do
include dairy in their diet. The second kind is a lacto-ovo vegetarian who will eat dairy
and eggs but no meat products. The third kind of a vegetarian is called a pescatarian
who will eat diary, eggs and seafood products but no meat. The fourth kind of vegan is a
flexitarian person who is an on-off vegetarian who eat a lacto-ovo program and meat
on occasion. Kevin Davis indicated that he was a lacto-ovo vegetarian who eats mostly
homemade pasta.
Food is a way of life in America. Almost every social event has some sort of food.
Americans have a habit of eating meat because they are taught to believe that certain
animals are for eating, others are for pets and the rest are wild animals.

The farm

animal industry is big business which depends on Americans consuming steak, chicken
and pork chops. Yet, diet, nutrition and health are common topics at the dinner table.
Americans are always looking for a way to be healthier. In April 2016, the Wall Street
Journal reported that the Scandinavian School of Jersey City in New Jersey (Scandi
School) had changed its preschool menu to a vegan diet. The school did not start out
with this menu but changed it after two vegan children enrolled and the director felt that
One of the core values of the school is building community and they should all be eating
together. (Brody) The school decided to change its menu to include celery soup,
spinach-mushroom lasagna, and squash risotto. It is one of the few vegan preschools in
the country.

A Gallup poll found that five percent of Americans identify themselves as vegan or
vegetarian. (" 54 Interesting Facts about Vegetarianism and Veganism) I gave up meat
for thirty days for my research but I cannot consider myself to be a vegan. Meat on the
table is too much a part of my Afghani culture. The gathering for food together is very
much a part of our custom and just like the Scandi School in Jersey City, my family
believes that you should eat together. However, I can agree that the reasons to give up
meat are strong. A vegan is someone who eats only vegetables for one of two reasons.
Either you are against killing animals and animal products or you are a vegan for a
health reason. Both of these beliefs have merit and the research supports that plant based
diets can reduce many diseases. In the end, if the plants could talk they would say, you
are what you eat.

REFLECTION
For my diet, I would say that I was a flexitarian. Initially, my perception of a
vegan was someone who ate no meat. In my research and project, I discovered that
vegans are strict in their rules about what they will eat, but there is also the compromise
of being a vegetarian. From Day one, my diet started out with starvation because I was
enthusiastic about my project and really knew nothing about veganism. The very first
day I ate raw vegetables. By day two, I was starving so I went to In-and Out Burger!
This is where I realized that this project was really bigger than I thought. With that
realization, I began a daily food chart and plan so that I would not fall off the menu.

After that, my menu became mostly salads. This was a change for me because I never
ate salads before and thought they were boring. For protein, I would go to Jamba Juice
and get the Razzmatazz. In the first two weeks, I craved meat and junk food from fast
food restaurants. But as time went on, these cravings went away and I settled into a diet
of granola bars, dried fruits and nuts. In the last 30 days, I was in many social situations
with family when we would go to restaurants and I found it difficult to be a vegan. For
me, being a vegan was a difficult lifestyle. I felt as though I was on a diet. I do not
necessarily have the same perspective that veganism is important to save animals so
philosophically, being vegan really just meant depriving me of the meat that I love as an
Afghan girl. In my interview with Davis, he indicated that he had become a vegan for
health reasons but acknowledged that it was harder to go out and eat with people or go
to someones house when they offer meat. He also said that he thought society thinks of
vegans as a pain in the neck if they are overly particular.
A trip to Whole Foods Market in Walnut Creek gave me a lesson in vegetarian
planning. Whole Foods promotes three pillars of healthy eating as their marketing
strategy to bring in vegan customers. First, they want people to focus on a Whole Foods
Healthy Pantry Makeover. This means, change all of the foods in your pantry to be fresh
and without preservatives. Second, Fill your plate with plants such as legumes and
beans instead of meats. Also Whole Foods provides information on grains to give you
protein in your diet. Third, customers should consider Calorie Density. (Core Values)
This includes healthy ways to build flavor without adding sugar or fats. In my visit to
Whole Foods I learned that the store is laid out to promote healthy grocery shopping.
The store really wants you to believe in a healthy diet. I also thought I would lose

weight on a vegan diet. However, I only lost 5 pounds. Maybe this was because I was a
flexitarian and could not stick to a strict all plant diet. It is too much a part of my
culture and my family to eliminate meat. In the process of becoming vegan for thirty
days, I did develop a taste for salads and some fruits. I was never really able to say that
my experience with veganism was a lifestyle for me because my family is really too
much about specific foods. It was very difficult to turn away from meat at restaurants or
on my dinner table.
There is one remarkable event that occurred for me in this experience. I used to
have alopecia which is a condition where you have hair loss that happens when your
immune system mistakenly attacks your hair follicles. This was on the top of my head.
Many people have reported that when they follow a vegan diet, their hair and nails
become stronger. In the last 30 days, my hair has grown back over that spot that was
bald. This is amazing because we had gone to the doctor and he had given us a cream to
use but it had not worked. I believe that my vegan diet actually helped improve the
strength of my hair.
When I think about being a vegan, I think about health and weight loss. There is
a whole population of people, however, who are vegan as a philosophical or social reform
issue. They simply do not believe in killing animals.

Many vegans believe that meat

production is harmful for society and the environment and morally wrong. I can
understand their point of view but it is not a lifestyle that I can choose. I do believe that
some animals should be raised for meat and it is important to me to be a part of my
familys customs around food. However, I do believe that as a planet, people would be
healthier if they ate less red meat. The research supports this. Plant based diets have a

place in American society and if we look at the statistics for heart disease, a case can be
made to eat more vegetables. In 2015, 610,000 people died of heart disease in the USA
and this was a leading cause of death for men and women (CDC). If nothing else, being
a vegan will save your heart and maybe an animal or two!

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