As to which is better, meat diet or vegetable, we shall not decide just now. Let us first inquire into the elements of which food is composed.
Our body can be compared with a steam engine. Without fire and water the steam engine cannot move. The same is the case with our body. Without food it cannot function. There is however a difference between it and the engine. Even if it doesn’t move, it needs food. It is more demanding than the standstill engine. The body always needs energy for creating heat, for circulating the blood, for digesting food, for inhaling and exhaling air, for brainwork, etc. More energy is needed for strenuous work because there is combustion about double what is at rest, We cannot however, stop the loss of the energy, whether we work or not.
Our bodies consist of 72% oxygen, 10.5% carbon, 9% hydrogen, 5% nitrogen, 1.3% calcium, 1.1%. phosphorous, and small amounts of iron, sodium, potassium. These elements are found in a compound state. Only oxygen is found in the blood and intestines in both a pure and compound state. The compounds are of three kinds: those with nitrogen, those without nitrogen, and metallic. Viewed from this standpoint the body needs foods that will supply the elements for these three classes of compounds. Proteins supply nitrogen to the body. Fats and carbohydrates contain the other elements, and salts provide additional minerals. So we may say that our diet should consist of four kinds of food: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and salts.
Nitrogenous food is protein food. As the air contains much oxygen, so our body cells are formed with many nitrogenous substances. Nitrogen passes out of the body in urine and other excretions, and the proteins containing it are most essential for body building. Protein can be had from whites of eggs, milk, fish, meat, green vegetables, curd, almonds, peanuts, and fruits. Fats are to be had from butter, ghee, mustard oil, fish oil, cocoanut, almonds, marrow, fish, goat, lamb, etc. In the fats hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen are present, but no nitrogen. Fats create heat in the body, increase fat, and help digestion. Carbohydrates are to be had from rice, wheat, potato, flour, sugar, molasses and puddings. Carbohydrates consist of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen but again no nitrogen. They create energy and heat in the body. Salts we can have from chloride of potassium, phosphates of lime, soda, magnesium, sulphates, iron, calcium and phosphorous. Salts keep the blood and globule in liquid. Salt is also a main source of hydrochloric acid, which is essential to digestion. Phosphate of lime and magnesium are good for building bones in growing children. Hemoglobin in the red corpuscles of the blood is formed with the help of iron. Calcium helps to build bones and teeth. It is contained in milk, butter, egg whites, almonds, pulses, fruits, and green vegetables. Iron is contained in meat, eggs, palm fruits, radishes, watermelons, cucumbers, beans, eggplants, and leaves. Fruits have plenty of salts and vitamins. There are not enough salts in protein, fat and carbohydrate foods. That is why we generally mix salt with these. Here we give a breakdown of a day’s balanced diet. The figures are approximate for a man doing an average amount of physical labor.
Protein 4 ozs.
Carbohydrates 1 lb.
Fats 4 ozs.
Salts 1 oz.
A Bengali diet specialist apportioned our daily diet as follows:
rice 8 ozs.
fish or meat 5 ozs.
vegetables 4 ozs.
ghee or oil 2 ozs.
salt ½ oz.
pulses 4 ozs.
potatoes 4 ozs.
flour 6 ozs.
Milk 8 ozs.
These foods may vary according to place and men. The list is intended only for the countries where they are in common use.
So much for the elements of our food and our need of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and salts. Now for a comparison of meat and vegetable diets.
There is no doubt that meat-eaters also take plenty of vegetables. Pulses, leaves, fruits, milk, curd and ghee are the distinctive foods of the vegetarians; while meat, fish and eggs are the distinguishing foods of non- vegetarians. Fish contains a lot of phosphorous, and meat and eggs contain a great deal of protein. Diet experts say that the phosphorous in fish is good for brainwork, while the proteins of meat and eggs build a strong body. Proteins are also found in other foods than meat and eggs; example, in curd, pulse, and fruit. A man needs a bare minimum of two ounces of protein every day. We get sufficient salts, phosphorous, and also proteins from a purely vegetable diet. Milk and curd are good sources of protein and other nutritive properties. Babies live on milk. This makes us pretty sure that milk is just about a perfect food, and scientist say that milk protein is better than meat protein. They also say that ghee is especially healthy since it destroys toxins in the body. Milk and butter are fats as well; so a vegetable diet containing them in sufficient quantity is superior to a meat diet without them. In our sub-continent the Bengalees, Assamese, Oriyas, Beharis, and Madrasis are the meat- eaters. In northern, western, and central India people keep pretty much to a vegetable diet. Some Bengalees and Assamese are also vegetarians, perhaps due to the influence of widows’ vegetarianism and restricted diet. Usually the widows of higher castes among Hindus observe the eleventh days of the moon and some special holidays of the year by eating no rice. They eat only fruits on those days. But they need some proteins, and fats as well. Green vegetables are good for bone building and are an aid to the excretory functions. Vegetables also supply the necessary salts. Our widows get plenty of salts in their vegetables, but their diet is usually lacking in milk and milk products. Fats increase heat and energy; they also nourish the nervous system. Widows don’t get enough fats and other things, if we judge by our chart, but still they are usually more active and healthy than meat-eaters.
Punjabis are especially good vegetarians, and their diet is the best in India. Their health too; they are stout and robust soldiers. They have gained a name for themselves on the battlefield in modern times. It is to be admitted that physical strength cannot alone carry one in the battle, but a strong physique, power of endurance, and perseverance are essential for victory. We know that lions and tigers (the meat-eaters of the Jungle) have less endurance than the elephants, horses, cows, etc. (the vegetarian animals). Endurance is vital for a soldier. Punjabis of India fought so bravely in the Abyssinian War and in the waste lands of Libya that the military experts and politicians praised them.
Punjab-people live on yogurt, vegetables, wheat, pulse, milk, and ghee. The wheat ground on millstones and mixed with husks contains plenty of salts and proteins as well as carbo-hydrates. Such wheat and flour strengthens the body and moves the bowels. Punjabis get protein from pulse and yogurt also. The lactic acid of yogurt destroys many harmful bacilli in the intestines. Some are of the opinion that yogurt gives long life. Punjabis are great yogurt lovers; they drink it at every meal. Ayurved Science has also said many fine things about yogurt. From all this we can understand that a non-vegetarian diet has to be supplemented with vegetables but that a non-meat diet has all the necessary properties to sustain health.
Men don’t live on meat alone. Vegetables are also necessary. The non-vegetarians among us cannot get enough meat and eggs to fulfil their needs. They can, however, and do, eat fish daily. People of colder climates can procure and can digest daily meats and eggs along with their vegetables, fruits, potatoes, wheat, butter, milk, etc., where we cannot. Can we not say that men are not carnivorous animals? That they naturally tend to foods other than meat? Babies for example are satisfied with milk, flour, cereals, etc. and parents waiting long before giving them fish and flesh, know they are getting a complete diet. Cannot we conclude that everything necessary for man can be had from a vegetable diet? A Bengali food expert, Chunilal Bose, said, “In most meat diets toxins are produced which are not good for health.” A famous doctor of New York has said, “Meat eating is a source of disease. Eggs also are not suitable food for men. Meat brings nervousness, high blood pressure, coronary thrombosis, paralysis, etc.” Meats are more harmful than vegetables according to these opinions.
There are animal cells in the human body. When foreign animal cells are introduced as food, the existing and imported cells fight each other. From constant warfare the animal cells of our bodies become weak and our lives are shortened. One effect of eating meat is immediate growth of the body and those who are accustomed to meat feel at a loss when for two or three days they have to do without it. The usual exciting energy is missing. We can see temporary good results of meat eating, but bad long-term ones.
There is another point against meat eating. Some respected and revered opinion is against it. Thinkers and Seers have declared that meat destroys the sensitiveness of fine tissues in the brain. They have said meat contains poisons and that vegetables are better for men.