The Vegetarian Paradox

Numerous studies have shown that a plant based vegetarian diet will provide you with optimal health. People are vegetarians for various reasons. Some people want to save the planet, some people want to save the animals, some people think meat is gross and some people want to live a healthy lifestyle.

During Spring break I had an early dinner with some fellow vegetarians at a restaurant in Scottsdale called Culinary Dropout. The restaurant has American food and describes itself as publike with 2/3 of the menu being dedicated to alcohol. The remaining 1/3 of the menu had few vegetarian options. I had the choice of sides of vegetables, sides of cheese, a couple salads, a pasta dish, or a grilled cheese sandwich. When the waiter arrived, he announced that the soup of the day was a curry soup. I LOVE CURRY. The waiter informed us that there was no meat in the soup, but it did contain chicken stock. I decided that chicken stock was less violating than cheese, white bread, or white pasta and more delicious than a salad. I told the waiter I would like the soup. The reaction at the table was far from accepting. By the reaction I received, you might have thought I had ordered raw pig intestines.

Why I chose the soup: I am a firm believer in trying to preserve the environment and treat animals kindly. God provides these things for our enjoyment, and I don't think it's appropriate for people to abuse God's creations. However, I am foremost a vegetarian for health purposes. So unless the chicken's bones were extrapolated from them while they were still living, I do not have a problem with eating soup made with chicken stock once in a while; especially when the alternative 'vegetarian' choices are substandard.

One of my friends at the table ordered a salad with a side of beets. Yes. This probably was the lowest calorie meal. (I am in no way saying that the lower the calories, the healthier the meal.) My other two friends ordered a grilled cheese sandwich (with white bread) and fries.. a GREAT vegetarian meal.

Grilled Cheese:

French Fries

This is what I ordered:

Curry Soup:

Aspargus (side order) :

Hopefully you evaluated the nutrition facts and decided which of these two meals was the healthier choice. If you noticed that the curry has saturated fat, you should know that it comes from coconut. Coconut fat is composed of medium chain saturated fatty acids and gets metabolized differently than the long chain fatty acids found in french fries, other processed foods, and meats, making it less harmful to your system. However, you still should not eat coconut milk/oil as a free food because it is still a saturated fat and can be detrimental to your vascular system if abused.

Why did I receive such a negative overreaction? Knowing these friends of mine, they were not concerned about the environment or animal rights.
Many people I know are vegetarians because of their upbringing. Some people lack the ability to reason with what is healthy and what is not because of their bias against meat.The mind set of these individuals is that meat is 'disgusting' so they would rather their health suffer than ever think about eating meat. I find this reasoning slightly juvenile.

My point is this: A vegetarian diet has shown an abundance of health benefits. The reason this post is entitled 'The Vegetarian Paradox' is because there are many 'vegetarians' who believe they are healthy because they label themselves as vegetarians. WRONG. It is possible for a meat eater to be healthier than a vegetarian. Someone who eats primarily vegetables, whole grains, fruits, legumes, and white meat occasionally, is far better off than a vegetarian that eats white rice, chips, cheese, ice cream, french fries, and other processed foods.

Keep this in mind: I am not advocating meat consumption. Having a plant based diet and the ability to reason is the best way to ensure optimal health. If you choose to have strict dietary beliefs, know why. In my opinion, the most logical reason to be a vegetarian is to provide yourself with optimal health; the other benefits, such as helping the environment and being kind to animals are just an added bonus.