You probably have a fair idea of what the non-vegetarian diet means. It means a diet that includes eating meat and poultry food, often in a vast majority.
While in some countries the term is easily understood, there do exist certain countries or places where the concept of a vegetarian or vegan diet is rare, and hence the word non-vegetarian isn’t used too commonly.
Non-Vegetarian diet is the opposite of vegetarian diet. In a vegetarian diet, you only consume food made from plants i.e. pulses, grains, nuts, fruits, and vegetables etc. Fish, dairy and eggs may also be consumed depending upon the type of vegetarian diet you follow.
In non-vegetarian diet, apart from these foods you also have meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy products.
Both types of diets offer a certain amount of benefits and drawbacks. Let’s have a look at some of the benefits and disadvantages of a non-vegetarian diet:
Benefits of Non-Vegetarian Diet:
Protein:
Protein is one of the most essential nutrients required by the human body. It repairs our tissues, builds muscle mass and is important for our bones, muscles, and skin etc. Meat, poultry, and eggs are some of the great sources of protein.
The protein found in animal sources is generally termed as complete protein as it contains the essential amino acids, which usually aren’t found in the plant-based protein.
Iron and Vitamin B12
I know many women who have low levels of iron in their body. Iron is of two types: heme and non-heme. Heme iron is most easily absorbed by the human body and it is found in animal products.
Iron and Vitamin B12 are crucial for the human body as their deficiency can cause fatigue and anemia. Vitamin B12 and Iron is found in abundance in meat, fish, milk, and eggs.
Food for Brain
Your brain is bound to get its dose of fitness by consuming foods such as fish and eggs. Medical science proves that seafood and egg promotes the health and smooth functioning of our brain – making us wiser and intelligent.
Boosts Health
Meat, chicken, and eggs are found to protect and shield the human body, especially during winters. Eggs and fish have numerous minerals and vitamins that boost your health.
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Disadvantages of Non-Vegetarian Diet
Increased rate of Mortality
Consuming a large amount of meat, especially red meat, is linked with a high risk of heart diseases, diabetes, obesity, and kidney diseases. Scientists have also linked daily consumption of meat with a higher risk of cancer.
Obesity and Gastric problems
Meat eaters are at a greater risk of gaining weight and becoming obese than their vegetarian peers. Especially if you consume meant daily, it tends to increase weight quite drastically. Non-vegetarian food can also cause acidity and other gastric issues.
Harmful hormones and antibiotics
You might be aware of the side-effects of hormones injected into poultry to increase their growth rate. These hormones are linked with causing many diseases in the consumer.
The animals which are farmed for consumption are also injected with antibiotics to keep them disease free. These antibiotics can pass onto humans and at times can cause antibiotic resistance in the human body.
What are the best Non-Vegetarian Sources?
No matter what non-vegetarian sources you’re inclined towards, the critical element is to have the right proportion of the macros in your diet. A higher percentage of Protein is generally recommended for better health. Typically food sources from animals are
I suggest an individual should consume 1 gm protein per kg of body weight. However, professional consultation is always advised.
Few best non-vegetarian foods are:
- Eggs
- Chicken
- Beef
- Pork
- Mutton
- Tuna Fish
- Salmon Fish
- White Fish
- Shrimp
- Turkey
Conclusion
Life is all about balance! Both non-vegetarian and vegetarian diet offers a multitude of benefits. Excess of anything is bad, including meat in your diet.
I know of many people who tune their meat intake to give their body all the benefits a non-vegetarian diet offers while warding off potential diseases it can cause.
If you have any confusions about Non-Vegetarian diet. Kindly comment down below.
Hopefully, I’ll see you again for the next post!! Take care
2 comments
Hi there! Such a good article, thank you!
Thanks a lot for the Appreciation Nelson, Keep Loving 🙂