Digestion: Meat Eaters vs. Vegetarians Biology, Digestive

Digestion: Meat eaters vs. Vegetarians

Biology, digestive

Digestion

Vegetarians vs. Meat-eaters

The purpose of this paper is to compare vegetarians and meat-eaters through the digestive system as to processing to examine how research can assist in the study of lengthening the human life span.

Due to time limitations the method of research in this study will be that of a literature review of information available concerning elements and factors in terms of digestion as compared between meat-eaters and vegetarians.

The objective of this study is to determine what differences, if any exist in the digestive processes exist between those who consume meat on a regular basis and those vegetarians who abstain from meat consumption.

Hypothesis:

The hypothesis may be stated as a belief that those who consume meat regularly have more digestive problems and in fact more overall health problems than do those who consume only vegetables, fruits and breads in their diet and than vegetarians can expect a longer life span than can those who consume meat on a regular basis.

Research Breakdown:

"Simply put the digestive system is a portal for nutrients from the environment to gain access to the circulatory system. Before such transfer can occur, foodstuffs first have to be reduced to very simple molecules by a combination of mechanical and enzymatic degradation. The resulting sugars, amino acids, fatty acids and the like are then transported across the epithelium lining the intestine into blood." (Jain. Unknown date) "Food components which are incompletely absorbed in the small intestine or not absorbed at all but delivered to the colon have been part of the diet through the course of human evolution.' ." (Jenkins et al. 1997) A separate study comparing the diet of vegetarian Adventists, non-vegetarian Adventists and non-Adventists on a conventional American diet the finds showed that: "the Adventists groups had significantly fewer septicum and C. tertium islolates than the non-Adventists." (Finegold et al. 1977) Adventists as compared with Japanese-Americans on Japanese or Western diets or Caucasian individuals on a conventional U.S. diet. There were "a number of significant differences in fecal flora when high risk groups were compared with low risk groups. (Finegold, et al. 1977)

Literature Review:

Just as there are many reasons for adoption of the vegetarian lifestyle there are many methods of vegetarian consumption in terms of the level of avoiding animal products in food. The terms which are applied to the newly categorized semi-vegetarian diets are that of "New Wave Vegetarianism," "Quasi-Vegetarianism," "Partial-Vegetarianism" and "Transitional-Vegetarianism." The human body has a digestive tract that runs from the mouth to the anus and is a winding and twisting structure unlike that of the Lion or Tiger which has a straight tubular digestive tract. The straight short digestive tract is believed to be for the purpose of taking the nutrients from the dietary intake, or the meat, and quickly processing it through the system in order for the meat to be rid of by the body before it becomes putrid or poisonous to the system of the animal. Since humans do not have a digestive system that is in the nature of a carnivore many claim, including some scientists, that the human being is better off in terms of health to consume less meat and more vegetables. Although it is advised to take iodine supplements if switching from a diet that allows meat to a strictly vegetarian diet. "Simply put the digestive system is a portal for nutrients from the environment to gain access to the circulatory system. Before such transfer can occur, foodstuffs first have to be reduced to very simple molecules by a combination of mechanical and enzymatic degradation. The resulting sugars, amino acids, fatty acids and the like are then transported across the epithelium lining the intestine into blood. The three fundamental process taking place: Secretion, Absorption and Motility." Secretion is the process used by the body for delivering enzymes, ions, mucus to the lumen as well as hormones to the blood. Absorption is the process by which the body transports water, ions, and nutrients from the lumen across the epithelium and into the blood. Finally, Motility is the process by which the wall muscle in the wall of the tube contracts in order to "crush mix and propel" the contents within it. (Jain et al. For National Council of Educational Research & Training Online)

In a study on the Metabolic effects of non-absorbable carbohydrates the findings were that: "Food components which are incompletely absorbed in the small intestine or not absorbed at all but delivered to the colon have been part of the diet through the course of human evolution. Our great ape cousins may derive 30% of more of their dietary calories from colonic uptake of short-chain fatty acids (SCF As) generated in their colon. The metabolic effects of dietary carbohydrate entering the colon are many and include laxation, the growth of the fecal biomass, nitrogen entrapment and SCFA generation. The SCFAs in turn may nourish mucosal cells, spare glutamine utilization, and enhance hepatic gluconeogesis and lipogenesis and possibly influence handling of uric acids. The health implications are significant in terms of modifying risk factors for disease and disease prevention and justify interest in the metabolic effects of non-absorbable sugars such as lactulose." (Jenkins et al. 1997)

In another study named "Influence of Different Dietary Regimens upon the Composition of the Human Fecal Flora," two groups of primary school age children were examined with:

Normal, ad libitum diet; and Lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet

According to the findings of the study "fecal analysis was concentrated upon the isolation of the main anaerobic and aerobic micro-organisms. The pattern of S-, M- and R- forms of Enterobacteriaceae with special regard to E. coli was investigated also. In the school-group counts of Clostridium species, R- and M- of E. coli were significantly higher than in the Salem-group. The numbers of Bifidobacterium, Actimonyces, and Enterobacteriaceae species as well as S-forms of E. coli were significantly increased in the Salem-group, as compared to the school-children. The data reveal a relationship between the occurrence of different anaerobic species and the SMR-pattern of E. coli, with Clostridium species in particular. The SMR-pattern of E. coli may reflect conditions of intestinal metabolism and mucosal immunity. It may serve as a simple parameter in routine examination of fecal specimen." (Noack-Loebel et al. 1983)

In the third and final study in relation to "Fecal microbial flora in Seventh Day Adventists" populations and control subjects comparison of 13 vegetarian individuals with 14 non-vegetarian individuals revealed "relatively few significant differences in fecal flora. A separate study comparing the diet of vegetarian Adventists, non-vegetarian Adventists and non-Adventists on a conventional American diet the finds showed that: "the Adventists groups had significantly fewer septicum and C. tertium isolates than the non-Adventists." Reference to the earlier similar diet studies had significant noted differences in that:"Fusobacterium and C. perfringens counts were very low and lactobacillus counts very high in Adventists as compared with Japanese-Americans on Japanese or Western diets or Caucasian individuals on a conventional U.S. diet. There were "a number of significant differences in fecal flora when high risk groups were compared with low risk groups. (Finegold, et al. 1977)