All-Meat Vs.

Vegetarian Diets
by by Lisa Freedman

There seems to be new diet trends popping up every time you open
the refrigerator, but no extreme eating regimen sticks out more
than the Atkins Diet. The carb-phobic diet book was written in the
‘70s and got insanely popular in the ‘90s; since then, people have
obsessed over their meat intake. And lately, we’ve been hearing far
too much about meat-only diets—and a little less about vegetarian
diets. But is there any weight to either of these eating ways? Is one
better than the other? To answer these questions (and more!) we
spoke with Ruth Frechman, a registered dietitian and spokesperson
for the American Dietetic Association, and looked at the facts.

All-meat pros
Meat is the best source of protein, which the body needs to function
optimally. Red meat is also a good source of iron, vitamin B,
riboflavin, thiamin and niacin.
All-meat cons
“Meats have high levels of saturated fat and can raise cholesterol,”
Frechman says. Because of it’s high-fat content, red meat has been
linked to heart disease, cancer and diabetes. And processed meat is
loaded with sodium, which can raise blood pressure. Although it’s
often thought of as the healthier option, chicken and turkey have
been found to be more strongly associated with weight gain than
eating red or processed meat, a new study finds.

“If you’re just eating protein, you’re not getting carbohydrates,

which you need for energy, so instead you’re burning fat,” Frechman
adds. But that’s not as good as it sounds—this process is called
ketosis and it can result in muscle and joint pain. High-protein diets
can also result in a strain on your kidneys and dehydration. “You’ll
lose water from your muscles and lose muscle mass.”

Still not convinced that your body needs veggies? New findings
show that even early Neanderthals ate—and cooked—vegetables.
Archaeobiologists at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural
History in Washington, D.C. have found remnants of date palms,
seeds and legumes (including peas and beans) stuck in the teeth of
Neanderthals, who were once thought to be strictly meat-eating
humans.
All-vegetarian pros
Vegetarians generally have a lower risk of developing high blood
pressure, several forms of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and
obesity because these diets are usually lower in fat and higher in
fiber. Vegetarians as a group are often healthier, as they tend to be
nonsmokers and drink less alcohol.

All-vegetarian cons
A vegetarian diet will result in a quicker weight loss because it
tends to be low in calories. “You may loose weight but you also may
lack energy,” says Frechman. You’ll get more vitamins, minerals and
nutrients but you probably won’t get enough calcium (from diary) or
essential fatty acids (from fish) or folic acid (from grains). Also
noticeably absent from most vegetarian menus: Protein, which
protects your immune system and builds muscle mass. “If you’re on
a vegetarian diet long enough, you could suffer from malnutrition.”
That’s not to say that an all-vegetarian diet can’t be done—people
clearly do it. You just need to work harder to make sure you’re
getting a balance of all the necessary vitamins.

The takeaway
“Both of these diets would be lacking nutrients, but the vegetarian
diet would at least have a few more nutrients,” Frechman says
reluctantly, after we forced her to choose a lesser of two evils. But
she’s quick to add: “I don’t see any pluses for either of these diets.”
Your body needs a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats. “Any
diet with less calories than normal will cause weight loss,”
Frechman begins. “That’s the only positive thing with either of
these, but really, they’re unhealthy, short-term fixes.”

The American Cancer Society suggests that each of your meals be

two-thirds plant-based. That means the bulk of breakfast, lunch and
dinner should be made up of fruits, vegetables, beans or grains. The
other one-third should be meat (about three ounces per meal and no
more than 18 ounces each week). When picking meat, choose the
leanest cuts of meat and opt for low-fat cooking methods (such as
baking instead of frying), and keep processed meats (yes, even
pepperoni!) at a minimum, as they’re high in sodium.

When it comes to veggies, you want to eat about 2 ½ cups a day—or

17 ½ cups each week. “For balance, eat 1 ½ cups of dark-green
vegetables, 5 ½ cups of red and orange vegetables, 1 ½ cups of
beans and peas, 5 ½ cups of starchy vegetables and 4 cups other
types of vegetables in a week,” says Frechman