FAQ's
Why do we have canine teeth if we were never meant to eat meat?
Every mammal has canine teeth, even horses, cows, giraffes and gorillas, all of which are herbivores and get all their energy from plants. This diagram shows the inside of a horses mouth. As you can see horses have similar shaped canine teeth as us humans.
Human canine teeth are not as sharp as true carnivores and are not made for tearing the flesh from off animal bones. Look at a lion - their teeth are big and sharp especially designed for the ripping and shredding of flesh, our carnivores are more blunt and weak. Actually, it has been studied that the human jaw and teeth have been affected over many many years of us eating meat and has caused our bones and muscles to weaken. Today it is rare that anyone has naturally straight teeth without having seen an Orthodontist; our wisdom teeth don't fit in our jaw and sometimes don't form at all. Also the propensity of gum disease is increasing.
Image source: http://forums.horsecity.com/lofiversion/index.php/t47011499.html
Human canine teeth are not as sharp as true carnivores and are not made for tearing the flesh from off animal bones. Look at a lion - their teeth are big and sharp especially designed for the ripping and shredding of flesh, our carnivores are more blunt and weak. Actually, it has been studied that the human jaw and teeth have been affected over many many years of us eating meat and has caused our bones and muscles to weaken. Today it is rare that anyone has naturally straight teeth without having seen an Orthodontist; our wisdom teeth don't fit in our jaw and sometimes don't form at all. Also the propensity of gum disease is increasing.
Image source: http://forums.horsecity.com/lofiversion/index.php/t47011499.html
If you don't consume dairy products, how do you get your calcium?
Some of the foods that are high in calcium are: Broccoli; Collards; Rhubarb; Potato; Spinach; Black eyed peas; Turnip; Tofu; Fortified soy milk; Bok Choy; Cabbage; Chinese cabbage; Almonds; Hazelnuts; Walnuts; Sunflower seeds; Sesame seeds; Parsley; Navy beans; Soybeans; Pinto beans; Garbanzo beans; Lima, black beans; Lentils; Split peas; Oats; Alfalfa; Amaranth leaves; Brussels sprouts; Butternut squash; Celery; Chinese Broccoli; French Beans; Kale; Okra; Parsnip; Spirulina; Swiss Chard; and many more!!! Did you know there is more calcium in 1/4 cup of sesame seeds than there is in one cup of milk? Sesame seeds are also high in copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, tryptophan, phosphorus, zinc, B1 and dietary fiber.
What most people don't know is that dairy products make the blood acidic and to balance it out, calcium is drawn out from the bones, laying the perfect grounds for osteoporosis. So even though we are eating/drinking products that are high in calcium it is actually having a reverse effect due to these dairy products making our blood acidic.
Our daily intake of calcium is approximately 800 - 1000 mg, but the Bantu women of Africa live on vegetable sources and are completely free of dairy foods. Their average intake of calcium is 250 to 400 mg a day, much less than our RDI. Studies have also shown that countries with a higher dairy intake have higher cases of osteoporosis, whereas osteoporosis is unknown to the Bantu people.
What most people don't know is that dairy products make the blood acidic and to balance it out, calcium is drawn out from the bones, laying the perfect grounds for osteoporosis. So even though we are eating/drinking products that are high in calcium it is actually having a reverse effect due to these dairy products making our blood acidic.
Our daily intake of calcium is approximately 800 - 1000 mg, but the Bantu women of Africa live on vegetable sources and are completely free of dairy foods. Their average intake of calcium is 250 to 400 mg a day, much less than our RDI. Studies have also shown that countries with a higher dairy intake have higher cases of osteoporosis, whereas osteoporosis is unknown to the Bantu people.
How do you get your iron if you don't eat meat?
I hear this question a lot and no offense - it is a ridiculous question at that. There are so many other foods that contain high amounts of iron and are healthier. Meat is actually a very unhealthy source of iron, but meat companies have you all believing that animal flesh is the best way to obtain your iron and if you don't eat meat you will be iron deficient. This is simply NOT true.
Plant iron is actually better for you than meat iron and a well balanced vegetarian and vegan diet, provides plenty of iron for your body. A recent study compare iron intakes and studies showed that vegans have the best iron intake, followed by vegetarians and fish eaters; the meat-eaters had the lowest iron intake.
Over 75% of iron comes from plant foods while only 17% comes from meat. Some of the plant foods that contain iron are:
Lentils; Spinach; Tofu, Sesame Seeds, pumpkin seeds; broccoli; Blackstrap Molasses; Pine Nuts, Pignolia; Soybeans; Pistachio Nuts; Sunflower seeds; Winged Beans; Cashews; Potoato; Kidney beans; Navy Beans; Pinto beans; Adzuki Beans; Black Eyed Peas; Almonds; Brazil nuts; Apricots; Pine nuts, pinon; Chickpeas; Raisins; Mung beans; and Figs.
Plant iron is actually better for you than meat iron and a well balanced vegetarian and vegan diet, provides plenty of iron for your body. A recent study compare iron intakes and studies showed that vegans have the best iron intake, followed by vegetarians and fish eaters; the meat-eaters had the lowest iron intake.
Over 75% of iron comes from plant foods while only 17% comes from meat. Some of the plant foods that contain iron are:
Lentils; Spinach; Tofu, Sesame Seeds, pumpkin seeds; broccoli; Blackstrap Molasses; Pine Nuts, Pignolia; Soybeans; Pistachio Nuts; Sunflower seeds; Winged Beans; Cashews; Potoato; Kidney beans; Navy Beans; Pinto beans; Adzuki Beans; Black Eyed Peas; Almonds; Brazil nuts; Apricots; Pine nuts, pinon; Chickpeas; Raisins; Mung beans; and Figs.
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