Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Food: Definition and Advantages/ Disadvantages

Any foodstuff is either vegetarian or non-vegetarian.

 

In India, it is a mandatory requirement under law for all packaged and processed foods to be classified and marked with green or brown marks.

As per the requirements of the law, all vegetarian food 

is to be marked with a green-color filled circle inside the green square on the packages. Similarly, all non-vegetarian food is to be marked with a brown-color circle inside a brown square.

Now, coming to the vegetarian and non-vegetarian classification of food, I may not support any particular form of food. It depends upon people's habits, customs, and beliefs to eat whatever they are brought up with or to make some changes in their living styles to suit their health according to the prevailing circumstances.

Vegetarian Food
Vegetarian food includes all plant food, animal milk, and milk products. It may or may not include eggs. Some consider eggs as non-vegetarian whereas others consider them to be vegetarian.
Those who consider eggs as non-vegetarian, including me, believe that it is equal to murdering of the would-be chicken as you are breaking the egg and thus ending a sprouting life. So it is equal to consuming non-vegetarian foods like meat.

Non-Vegetarian Food
Non-vegetarian food includes all that is consumed by vegetarians besides all animal foods and all by-products of meat, fish, and poultry.


Advantages and Disadvantages of Vegetarian Food

• Vegetarian food includes all cereals, grains, pulses, beans, seeds, vegetables, fruits, roots, edible leaves, and flowers that are produced through cultivation and plantation.
• It includes all edible oils produced from above.
• Milk and dairy products also constitute vegetarian food excluding meat, fish, eggs, and poultry.
• Vegetarian food is sometimes considered as insufficient in nutrients required for the body. This is because of more richness of proteins and vitamins in meat food.
• But, you can manage a balanced vegetarian diet which can give you as many proteins and vitamins as in meat food through proper awareness and planning.
• It is a confirmed fact that vegetarians are less prone to cancer, heart disease, and other problems when compared to non-vegetarians.

Advantages and disadvantages of Non-vegetarian food

• Non-vegetarian food is rich in nutritional values.
• One need not consume large quantities of food if he is non-vegetarian.
• But studies are revealed that non-veg people have shorter spans of life as compared to vegetarians.
• Even though they are rich in nutrients, non-vegetarian stuff like beef, pork, chicken, turkey contains excessive levels of fat and cholesterol which cause heart problems.
• As you may not be able to consume non-veg food without frying and roasting, you are more prone to heart problems and other health concerns than with vegetarian foods.