243 SUPPLEMENTS

rowing up in the United States Major Problems during the 1960s. my image of a Marbled . To produce a choicer. G vegetarian was that of a stereotypi­ more tender cut of . producers in the cal hippie-type sitting under a tree, United States "finish" at feed lots by munching on an organically grown alfalfa fattening them on grain. This process sprout and soybean sandwich. That was increases the inter- and intramuscular fat not too appetizing a thought for a child content of the carcass. TI1e consumer who enjoyed New England summenime describes this meat as marbled. From the and clam bakes. Like most biblical standpoint. the finishing process everyone I knew. we ate meat on a regular also makes the meat vinually inedible. basis: after all, it not only tasted good. because Leviticus 3:17 clearly condemns everyone said it was imponant for building strong and healthy bones. My first step toward becoming a vegetarian was an unconscious one. As a teenager. I attended a boarding school where the institutional food easily brought to mind the jokes soldiers make about army food. The generally overcooked meat that usually made its appearance swim­ ming in a large pool of grease was the butt e, of most of the kidding. Comments about the "mystery meat" and "dog food" were common among the students. Several of my friends and I gradually stopped eating meat. When I went home for the summer A Vegetarian? after my ftrSt year away from home, it seemed almost natural to continue my vegetarian diet. When I reached my late by teens, I became a Seventh-day Adventist. the eating of the fat of the animal: "'This is Heather and I made a more formal decision to a lasting ordinance for the generations to Bowen continue being a vegetarian. Although I come, wherever you live: You must not eat had accepted the church's health message, any fat or any blood"' (NIV). In relation to it was not until! began my animal-science the Iauer part of this text. Christians should studies in college that I learned the recognize that the amount of blood left in scientific reasons that provided strong the standard carcass is higher than in the suppon for my choice. While it is true that carcass of an animal killed in a kosher my expe rience and education as an animal manner. where specifi c attempts are made scientist is limited to the United States, I to remove as much blood from the meat as think many of these concerns are also possible. globally relevant: thus. I would like to Aged Beef. The producer's quest for a share with you a few of the more striking more tender does not stop with facts favoring . attempts to increase its fat content. Beef Although naturalists study wild that has been "aged" commands a higher animal species. food animals are the "meat price. partly due to the cost of special and potatoes" of animal scientists. While handling. The carcass is wrapped in a cloth attending college and graduate school. I shroud that helps shape the carcass and studied beef and , sheep, prevents drying during its longer stay in . and swine. A cursory examination the locker. In the aging process. proteolytic of the "big three" meat animal groups enzymes break down some of the protein (beef. poultry. and ) in Nonh Ameri­ bonds. thereby producing a more tender can food animal production shows us that . Frankly. in other circumstances animal management practices, sanitation this process is called rott.i ng! Of course. it procedures. carcass handling processes. is much more marketable to say that the and meat cooking methods often contribute product is "aged." to disease in humans. We'lllook hen: at Swine Dining. The Levitical prohibi­ just a few of the issues I have faced in my tion of eating pigs exists for a good reason studies. field trips. and laboratory experi­ ence.

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(see Leviticus II :7. 8). Pigs are naturally with which you may already be familiar. fiber. Carnivores also lack salivary alpha­ coprophagous: !hat is. !hey eat !heir own Let us now look more closely at some of amylase needed to break down certain feces. In fact. many progressive. competi­ the diseases transmined by lhe consump­ carbohydrates. Herbivores. on lhe other tive swine farms today use a feed source tion of lhe "big three" . hand. tend to have shorter teeth more called Screened Swine Solids (i.e. pig suitable for grinding. Their intestinal tract • Lack of cleanliness during lhe manure). Water washes the pig feces into a is approximately five to six times !heir slaughter of cattle has recently guner where lhe feces are screened out and body length and usally very rough inside. become apparent with lhe !hen fed back to the pigs. The potential for making it more suitable for a diet high in outbreak of an £.coli bacterial spreading disease is enormous. While on a fiber. Herbivores also have salivary alpha­ contamination !hat resulted in a field trip visiting a large pig farm in central amylase. Following these simple observa­ number of deaths in lhe North­ California. our group was not allowed on tions. it should be fairly obvious !hat a western United States. the premises without putting on protective horse is an herbivore and a cat is a • Trichinosis is caused by boots. The farmers· concern was not carnivore. Human teeth are small and more trichinellae parasites in infested necessarily for us humans: if a disease suitable for grinding: we have salivary pork. These tiny larvae enter !heir were inadvertently tracked onto the farm. alpha-amylase: our intestinal tract is five or hosts through lhe intestinal tract. they feared it would quickly spread six times our body length: and its interior migrating to lhe most active throughout the pig herd of 40,000. is very rough and well-suited for handling muscles of lhe body such as lhe Poultry Problems. Poultry produc­ a diet high in fiber. Therefore. these calf muscle. diaphragm. and tion has at least one thing in common with comparisons indicate !hat lhe proper diet tongue, where painful cysts swine production. Both have a high for humans is a vegetarian one. appear. population density in a confined space with • Salmonellosis is lhe result of lhe same potential for spread of disease. Additional Concerns eating poultry caracasses !hat Processed Meats. Apan from lhe While lhe above observations point us carry !his bacterial infection. The meat origin. prepared meat products such in a vegetarian direction. further study results are nausea. vomiting, as cold cuts. . and frankfurters provides more compelling evidence. diarrhea. and in some rare cases. come with !heir own problems. In lhe Cholesterol. One area !hat has death. Recent outbreaks of !his preparation of these products, meat !hat is received much recent anention is choles­ disease in lhe United States have high in fat. such as pork or turkey skins. is terol. This substance is a fatty alcohol !hat prompted some concerned broken up by high speed blades. It is !hen occurs naturally in almost all animals. producers to propose sterilization surrounded with protein from lhe nearly Cholesterol is a necessary building block of lhe carcasses by gamma liquified leaner meats. forming a doughy for certain other essential body substances radiation. substance which is !hen cooked or smoked. such as hormones and cell membranes. The fmished product is approximately 30 There are many more zoonoses. such While some cholesterol is necessary, there percent fat. Just imagine. while eating a as cryptosporidiosis. tuberculosis. and can be "too much of a good thing." six-inch hot dog. that two are pure fat! listeriosis !hat we won't be able to discuss Approximately half of all deaths in lhe To preserve lhe meat and prevent fully here. United States are caused by atherosclero­ bacterial contamination. these products are sis. lhe disease in which cholesterol. prepared with a "cure." The nitrites used in Animal and Human Diets accumulating in lhe wall of anerics. forms this cure. however. form nitrosamines in When studying an animal species. one bulky plaques !hat inhibit lhe flow of blood lhe meat substances. which have been of lhe primary areas of interest is its diet. until a clot eventually forms. obstructing shown to be carcinogenic. Consumers Just like machines, animals require lhe an anery and causing a hean anack or often cook this meat at high temperatures proper fuel source to function properly. stroke. The cholesterol of atherosclerotic as !hey or flame broil it. In !his MiUions. perhaps billions. of dollars and plaques is derived from particles called process. lhe fat actually bums and collects countless hours have been spent on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) !hat in !he meat. sometimes forming other determining lhe proper diet of many of our circulate in !he bloodstream. The more dangerous compounds such as benzopy­ food-source animals. Careful anention is LDL in lhe blood. lhe more rapidly renes and other potent carcinogens.' paid to every nutrient. The reason for all atherosclerosis develops.3 Diseases. Another concern about !he !his research is quite simple: to make But if cholesterol or LDL is natural. consumption of animal products is lhe money. why does lhe body allow it to get so high potential exposure to zoonoses. The World In animals. one way of determining a in some individuals? To explain !his Health Organization defines zoonoses as proper diet is lhe comparison of body requires an understanding of how lhe body "those diseases and infections (the agents characteristics and lhe type of diet handles LDL cholesterol. On lhe surface of ofl which are naturally transmined naturally chosen in the wild. For instance. each of our cells are LDL receptor sites. between [other! vertebrate animals and carnivores usually have long incisor teeth Ther function is to remove LDL from lhe man.'-:> Rabies is an example of a zoonoses suitable for tearing flesh. an intestinal tract blood stream and bring it into lhe cell for roughly three to four times its body length dismantling and re-manufacturing into that is comparatively smooth on the inside. cellular products. Normally !here are a It is thus more suitable for a diet lower in large number of such sites per cell. It has been discovered. however. !hat meat and dairy products in lhe diet can suppress the

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Survival © by Gianluca Biscalchin. Aorence, Italy

"Do not eat pigs. They must be considered unclean." Leviticus, 11 :7 TEY number of sites by as high as a factor of Creator. These foods, prepared in as His promise of a totally renewed earth. We ten. triggering a complex chain of events simple and natural a manner as possible. know that nothing in there will hurt or that results in the rise of LDL in the are the most healthful and nourishing .... destroy. The lion will lie down with the bloodstream and the onset of atherosclero- God gave our first parents the food He lamb and all creatures will live in har­ sis. designed that the race should eat. It was mony. As we prepare for eternal life with Incredibly. the response from the contrary to His plan to have the life of any God, we make Christ the center of our scientific community has been very slow creature taken. There was to be no death lives and choose a life-style that reflects and sometimes illogical. Some scientists in Eden.' that conunitment: "So whether you eat or who know the uuth about meat feel that There is abundant evidence of the drink or whatever you do, do it all for the we should not promote a vegetarian diet positive effects of returning to a more glory of God .. (1 Corinthians 10:31. NIV). simply because of the social and financial natural, simple diet. Indeed. Seventh-day Indeed. a healthy vegetarian life-style impact on society. Besides, they argue, Adventists adhering to a vegetarian diet helps us to better understand and obey the only fifty percent of the public will die have been found to enjoy better health than Spirit's leading. By excluding animals from atherosclerosis; the fonunate others those who consume meat regularly.6 from our diet. we begin experiencing the are genetically resistant to LDL receptor I believe that changing to a vegetarian benefits of eternal life now. u supression. Instead of recommending a life-style. instead of limiting one's food simple change in diet. some scientists base choices, actually opens wide the door for H~ath~r M. Bow~n r~untly compl~t~d a the hope of good health on the develop­ new culinary advenrures. When we think mast~r· s d~gr~~ in animal sci~nc~ at California ment of a preventive drug: "If it is shown of all the fruits, vegetables. grains, Stat~ Univ~rsity, Fr~sno. Sh~ is a hom~maur. hors~ that these drugs do prevent diet-induced legumes. and nuts at our disposal, it is easy traiMr,farri~r. and animallov~r. suppression of receptors and if the drugs to envision a myriad of dishes that can be can be shown to be safe for long-tenn use. prepared. I have found that being a it may one day be possible for many vegetarian is also a great way to meet Notes and References people to have their steak and live to enjoy people. I've enjoyed learning how to cook I. John A. Sharffenberg. Prob/~ms With M~at it too.'14 vegetarian dishes from other countries and (Santa Barbara. Calif.: Woodbridge Press Publishing Company, 1979). There is not enough space in this sharing them with my friends. article to address other areas that should 2. World Health Organization. Parasitic Zoonos~s. 1979. Technical Rcpon Services concern those who eat animal meat. The Future Perspective 637:7-107. list would include the use of honnones and Vegetarians know that the grain that 3. Michael S. Brown and Joseph L. Goldscein. antibiotics in raising food animals. and the food animals are fed could be better used "How LDL Receptors Influence Cholesterol negative effects they have on humans who to nourish starVing human beings. They and Atherosclerosis." Sci~ntijic Am~rican eat them. as well as the dangers of can show their kindness to animals by not (November 1984). pp. 58-66. ingesting chemicals and other pollutants in raising them for food or eating their meat. 4. Ibid. fish and shellfish. Thus, Christians who are vegetarians can S. Ellen G. White, Couns~ls on Di~t and Foods reveal in practical ways their commitment (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association. 1938). p. 81. A Better Way as God's stewards of nature. 6. Sharffenberg. op. cit. So why be a vegetarian? In addition to Perhaps the most compelling reasons the above reasons, there are nutritional for Christians to be vegetarians are based advantages for choosing a vegetarian diet. on our faith convictions. We live in the Ellen White comments on the original diet hope of Christ's soon return and trust in established by God: Grains,fruits. nuts. and vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our

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