Go green: Benefits of a plant-based diet

Experts explain how a diet that excludes meat is beneficial for our bodies

Is a vegetarian diet really healthier than a non-vegetarian one? Zenia Menon, nutritionist and dietitian at the Dubai Herbal and Treatment Centre, confirms that it is.

She said: “Plants have more vitamins and minerals, which are more absorbable. Chicken or red meat also have good fat, but not as good as the ones compared to nuts and seeds. Additionally, the human body does not absorb a lot of vitamins and minerals from meat sources.”

The only issue is that with a plantbased diet, you do not get a lot of Vitamin B12, but that can also be solved by consuming more beans.

If a person is eating a steak, he or she will focus on the meat alone. If, however, he or she is eating a salad, it comes with add-ons, such as grilled chicken.

Menon said: “Non-vegetarians love their meat so much, they only focus on those things. A lot of fish consumed in high amounts is toxic to the body. Plant-based diet helps with stabilising your gut and reduces acidity. There is a lot of fibre in your diet, which helps with blood sugar and cholesterol. Even with a balanced diet, you must include grains, plants and nuts.”

In her opinion, the food industry is dominating our health and diet now.

What many people don’t know, is that the body produces most of the proteins it needs, by combining substances called amino acids, which it gets from the food we eat.

Laura Allais-Mare, founder of Slow Food Dubai, explains that there are only eight essential amino acids that need to be in the food we eat.

She said: “Of the eight, two should receive special attention in a vegetarian diet. Variety is the secret to a complete diet. For vegetarians, there are many protein-rich foods, which rival the protein content of meat products. The protein content of foods such as nuts, peas and beans is very high.”

Organic food has significantly lower pesticide levels, lower multidrug-resistant bacteria levels and higher beneficial fat levels, than conventionally grown food, Allais-Mare explains.

She said: “People need to take personal responsibility for where their food comes from and how it has been grown.”