 Reading

Read the title of the article. Use it to figure out what the article might be about.

To meat or not to meat

The term ‘vegetarianism’ became part of the English lexicon around 1847. There are several reasons for people to be vegetarians. Although vegetarianism is not common in Western cultures, some groups, such as Hindus and Buddhists, have been practising it as part of their religions for hundreds of years. For others, it is a moral choice. These advocates of vegetarianism believe that killing animals for food is inhumane. And still others who have turned away from eating meat believe that a non-meat diet is more healthful. Meat, especially red meat, is high in saturated fats and cholesterol, which can lead to heart attacks.

Some vegetarians are “hardliners” and refuse to eat any meat, seafood, or animal products, such as eggs or milk. Others draw the line at red meat and poultry, but allow themselves dairy products and fish.

Because it is a good source of protein and other essential nutrients, meat is a valued part of the Western diet. However, it is possible to get our daily allowance of protein through non-meat sources such as vegetables, legumes, grains, and dairy products without consuming as much of the harmful fats. For example, one cup of lentils provides fifteen grams of protein and almost no fat. Two ounces of hamburger also provide fifteen grams of protein along with twelve grams of fat! However, one potential problem in a vegetarian diet is getting the proper balance of all nutrients.

Vegetarians must be especially careful they get enough iron and B vitamins. Although no one can definitively prove the superiority of a meatless diet, all nutritionists agree that fruits and vegetables are essential to any diet.

Do you know:

• who vegetarians are?

• what essential nutrients meat products contain?

Are you a vegetarian? Are there any moral, religious or health issues involved?

Have you ever considered modifying your diet? Why? Why not?

Name all possible advantages and disadvantages of fruit and vegetable diet.

 Reading

Read the text and be ready to discuss it. Translate the underlined words and use them in the sentences of your own.

FOOD

“you are what you eat”

Food is fuel. Our minds and bodies depend on it for the energy to be healthy and strong. Not just any food will do, though, and a bad diet can be positively unhealthy.

What is a healthy diet?

Let’s begin with the most basic questions of all… What is it in food which our minds and bodies need? Well, the answer comes in six parts: - Carbohydrates – Protein – Fat – Vitamins – Minerals – Fibre.

Naturally, different foods contain different amounts and combinations of these six. Some are high in protein or carbohydrates, for example, while others are low in fibre or fat. It can all seem very confusing, it isn’t really. All you need to know are a few simple facts, then it’s easy to:

(a) avoid what’s bad for you;

(b) choose a balanced, healthy diet.

Fibre

Adults need 30 grammes of fibre per day. Why? Because it helps the digestive system to work properly and protects it against diseases like cancer. Here’s a list of foods which have a high fibre content (notice that they’re all grown either directly or originally in the ground): - Vegetables – Nuts – Cereals – Beans – Fruit – Wholemeal bread – Pasta.

Fat

There are two kinds of fat – saturated and unsaturated. The healthy kind is unsaturated and you can find this in fish which contain a lot of oil (e.g. trout and mackerel), nuts, soya oil and some kinds of margarine. Saturated fat, on the other hand, is found in meat, dairy products, crisps, cakes, biscuits and chocolate. Too much of this variety can cause your body serious problems.

Here’s how:

(a) Fat contains a lot of calories and too much of these can make you overweight. Seriously overweight people often suffer from a long list of health problems.

(b) Fat also contains cholesterol. Too much of this can gradually start to block your arteries. This means that your heart has to work harder than usual to pump blood around your body. The result: heart disease and in some severe cases, heart attacks.

To reduce the saturated fat in your diet: (1) Grill food, don’t fry it; (2) Choose low-fat products (cheeses, milk, etc.) whenever possible.