eugenez@azure.UUCP (Eugene Zinter) (08/06/84)
[Appetizer line] Question: >> What foods are >> there to eat which are not killed plants or animals? Answer: Two foods that would qualify would be Fruits and Nuts. You don't kill a tree to harvest its fruits or nuts. And for those who eat dairy products, milk is another such food. My reason for eating a vegetarian diet has nothing to do with the immoral killing of animals. It has to do with the fact that human physiology is not that of a carnivore. Those who believe differently may wish to prove their viewpoint with hard facts as I love such discussions. My reason for eating a vegetarian diet is simply to have a higher quality life. One much more free of disease and hardship. And, I admit, I do get a certain satisfaction knowing my diet is based on live foods, rather than dead things. And it was interesting that someone (Bod Lenk) mentioned fruitaranism because I am going to try this out (I have researched the nutritional aspect already). For at least 30 days. But I must first locate some information from a Medical Library near hear. If anyone is interested in the results, please write. Some tidbits for those who would like to give a good answer to the question: "WHEREEEEEEEEE do you get your PROTEINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN???????" [Said with a high pitched voice and WILD eyes---expressing extreme disbelief indicating you are a fanatical nazi-type person.] 1) Human Mothers milk is less than 2% protein. And is supplying protein to a HUMAN at a time of incredible growth. 2) Too much protein is also a problem with Americans (not just too many calories). The September 9, 1982 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine reports the researches of Drs. Barry M. Brenner, Timothy W. Meyer, and Thomas H. Hostetter. The conclusion is protein intake exceeding needs must be eliminated by the kidneys. The kidneys are stressed and gradually develop lesions and hardening. Eliminative (degeneration) becomes progressively more pronounced. Renal function declined and diseases of the kidney ensued. This report shows humans have poor capacity for eliminating proteins in excess of needs. Much kidney disease results on the high protein diet normal to most Americans. Since the kidneys excrete waste products of metabolism, it pays to keep them in excellent shape. They have far reaching effects if they degenerate. Ask anyone on a kidney machine. I wouldn't be surprised if most of the things we associate with AGING is due to the kidneys slowly degenerating. 3) The average American only needs about 25 to 40 grams/day of high quality protein (RAW). In fact, Humans require less than 20 grams/day of the essential amino acids. Why RAW? Because cooking protein strengthens the amino acid bonds so when your stomach tries to break down protein (digestion) into simple amino acids, it is a much harder task. Muscle and Fitness magazine came out with a number for this. Your body can only utilize about 20% of the protein you ingest if you COOK it. So if you think you are getting 60 grams of high quality COOKED protein, even if you are very careful in your diet, you are only getting about 12 grams of usable protein. And also what stress is caused on the body to rid itself of the 48 grams of unusable protein? Think about it. And think of those who ingest between 100 to 200 grams of cooked protein (heavy eaters, protein supplements, etc.)? Amazing!! The body is truly remarkable to survive such mistreatment for so many years. Anyway, if anyone is interested in sources for all this, I will write another letter to the net about all this, only with more exact information. ECZ
rbg@cbosgd.UUCP (Richard Goldschmidt) (08/08/84)
>... It has to do with the fact that human >physiology is not that of a carnivore. Those who believe >differently may wish to prove their viewpoint with hard facts as >I love such discussions. One of the obvious differences between humans and vegetarian primates in the shape of our teeth. We do not have the flat molars (nor the massive jaw muscles) associated with grinding vegetable foods that some other primates do. Our cusped molars are better adapted to tearing than grinding, and to an omnivorous diet. Even chimpanzees and baboons are known to hunt and eat meat. I'm sure there are other aspects of physiology to support this, but they don't come immediately to mind. >Why RAW? Because cooking protein strengthens the amino acid >bonds so when your stomach tries to break down protein (digestion) >into simple amino acids, it is a much harder task. Cooking (heat) denatures protein, that is it breaks it down, and alters the nutritional content of some amino acids more than others, leaving the protein less balanced in content.