Chapter 2

Biological and nutritional consequences and complications due to pollutants,

vegetarianism.

Biological Complications due to pollution

Pollutants are toxic chemicals, metals found in air, water, soil. The source of pollutants
are from industrial accidents and improper storage or disposal of chemicals

Pollution and disease

Pollution in the environment may increase the risk of diseases. The common diseases due to
pollution are heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. The exposure to pollution cannot be
controlled. A good nutrition can help to keep up the health.

Nutrient pollution is one of most widespread, costly and challenging environmental problems,
and is caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the air and water.
Nitrogen and phosphorus are nutrients that are natural parts of aquatic ecosystems. Nitrogen is
also the most abundant element in the air we breathe. Nitrogen and phosphorus support the
growth of algae and aquatic plants, which provide food and habitat for fish, shellfish and smaller
organisms that live in water.
But when too much nitrogen and phosphorus enter the environment - usually from a wide range
of human activities - the air and water can become polluted. Nutrient pollution has impacted
many streams, rivers, lakes, bays and coastal waters for the past several decades, resulting in
serious environmental and human health issues, and impacting the economy.
Too much nitrogen and phosphorus in the water causes algae to grow faster than ecosystems
can handle. Significant increases in algae harm water quality, food resources and habitats, and
decrease the oxygen that fish and other aquatic life need to survive. Large growths of algae are
called algal blooms and they can severely reduce or eliminate oxygen in the water, leading to
illnesses in fish and the death of large numbers of fish. Some algal blooms are harmful to
humans because they produce elevated toxins and bacterial growth that can make people sick if
they come into contact with polluted water, consume tainted fish or shellfish, or drink
contaminated water.
Nutrient pollution in ground water - can be harmful, even at low levels. Infants are vulnerable to
a nitrogen-based compound called nitrates in drinking water. Excess nitrogen in the atmosphere
can produce pollutants such as ammonia and ozone, which can impair our ability to breathe,
limit visibility and alter plant growth. When excess nitrogen comes back to earth from the
atmosphere, it can harm the health of forests, soils and waterways.

Nutrition intervention

Healthy food choices can :

 help protect the body from the effects of pollution

 Improve the body’s immune system
 Provide antioxidants and other disease fighting nutrients

Food Choices

 Eating plant foods, such as nuts and seeds, makes your diet more nutritious
 May help prevent chronic diseases
 May help protect the body from pollutants in the environment
Benefits

 Great source of magnesium and vitamin E

 Good source of: healthy fats, fiber, protein and phytonutrients
 Monounsaturated fat
 May help lower cholesterol
 Polyunsaturated fat
 Small amounts are necessary for health
 Nuts and seeds are considered heart healthy
 Great source of fiber
 Good source of phytonutrients
Phytonutrients - Are nutritious compounds found in plant foods Also called phytochemicals.
They provide antioxidants, anti-inflammatory abilities, anti-tumor properties, protection against
heart disease and stroke.

Phytochemicals
Phytochemicals are non-nutritive plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventive
properties. They are non-essential nutrients, meaning that they are not required by the human
body for sustaining life.
Plants use phytochemicals as defense against potential threats which may include bacteria,
viruses and fungi. When we consume these plants as fruits and vegetables, these defenses are
passed along to us in order to fight off threats to our health. Brightly colored fruits and
vegetables contain the highest concentrations of phytochemicals, and may help us fight off
diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Foods Containing Phytochemicals
Fruits, vegetables, grains and beans contain phytochemicals. The actions of phytochemicals
vary by color and type. Below are some examples of phytochemicals, where they are found, and
how they benefit health:
Anthocyanins - found in red and blue fruits (such as raspberries and blueberries) and
vegetables. They help to slow the aging process, protect against heart disease and tumors,
prevent blood clots, and fight inflammation and allergies.
Carotenoids - found in carrots, tomatoes and tomato products. May help neutralize free
radicals that cause cell damage.
Lutein - found in leafy green vegetables. It may prevent macular degeneration and cataracts as
well as reduce the risk of heart disease and breast cancer.
Lycopene - found primarily in tomato products. When cooked, it appears to reduce the risk for
cancer and heart attacks.
Phenolics - found in citrus fruits, fruit juices, cereals, legumes, and oilseeds. It is thought to be
extremely powerful, and is studied for a variety of health benefits including slowing the aging
process, protecting against heart disease and tumors, and fighting inflammation, allergies, and
blood clots.

◦ Plant sterols

◦ Polyphenols

◦ Both plant sterols and polyphenols are found in nuts and seeds

Nutritional complications due to vegetarianism

 Vegetarian (no meat or fish or any product made using any part of any animal, including
fish and sea-creatures, but products derived from live animals are acceptable so dairy
 products such as milk, cream, cheese and eggs are included in the diet). This type of
vegetarian diet is also called ovolactovegetarian - because eggs and milk products are
acceptable.

 Vegan (no meat or fish or any product made using any part of any animal, including fish and
sea-creatures, and also excluding any and all products derived from animals - so dairy
products such as milk, cream, cheese and eggs are not eaten and other products produced
by animals e.g. honey - because that is made by bees - are also unacceptable.)

These include:

Lactovegetarian (no meat or fish products or any eggs are acceptable but

dairy products such as milk, cream, cheese, ice-cream and yogurts are eaten).

Ovovegetarian, (no meat, fish or dairy products such as milk, cream, cheese
etc. are acceptable but eggs are eaten).

Ovolactovegetarian, also known as lacto-ovo-vegetarian (as described

above - top of page - as simply "vegetarian", probably the most common case in
which no meat or fish products are acceptable but milk and eggs are eaten, usually
including eggs from both poultry and fish).

Raw Food (in many cases vegan uncooked food, although some food
processing such a blending e.g. to make smoothies is done). Raw food diets are
usually followed for health reasons, although sometimes by people who were already
vegetarian or vegan for other reasons. The good health of people who follow raw food
diets successfully proves that this is possible, at least for them.

Fruitarian (raw food vegan diet but only including fruits, greens, and some nuts
and seeds).

Organic-only vegetarian or vegan (very difficult to follow strictly in some

places; implies concern about chemicals and/or the possibility of genetically modified
organisms in the environment and/or food chain).

Low Fat Vegetarian (could be any type of vegetarian, i.e. lactovegetarian,

ovovegetarian or ovolactovegetarian, with the additional constraint that the overall diet
consists of less than 10% of its calories i.e. "energy" from fat). This may be due to a
 vegetarian diet by choice or religious commitment with modification for health/medical
reasons. 

Pescovegetarian also called pescatarian (no meat or any product made using

any part of any land-animal including poultry and other birds, but dairy products such
as milk, cream, cheese and eggs are included in the diet and fish and sea-creatures
such as shell-fish e.g. crab, mussels, cockles etc., and crustaceans e.g. prawns and
lobsters are eaten). 
Note: This is not generally considered truly vegetarian but it is quite a widespread
lifestyle choice and meets some health, environmental, and animal welfare reasons.

"Semi-vegetarian" is not really a category of vegetarian diet either but is a

description sometimes applied to the diets of people who do not eat a substantial type
or category of meat products, e.g. "no red meat". So, people who do not eat red meat
and call themselves "semi-vegetarian" may still eat both fish and "white meats" such as
chicken. 

Finding Balance in a Plant-Based Diet: The Benefits

Eating a nutritionally sound plant-based diet has many benefits. Consuming more fruits and
vegetables supply healthy fiber, vitamins, minerals, and important micronutrients. A well-
balanced vegetarian diet may be higher in complex carbohydrates and certain nutrients like
magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, and phytonutrients. This results in lower rates of
heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Complications of a Vegetarian Diet

The problems associated with a plant-based diet can be because of not knowing how to
compensate for nutrients missed from animal products.

Steps to ensure sound nutrition and minimize the risks of a vegetarian diet:
  Refined carbohydrates and sugars from processed foods must be avoided
 Multivitamin that contains 100 percent of the daily value (DV) for B12 and at least 70
percent of the DV for zinc should be taken. For children and women of child-bearing age,
100 percent of the DV for iron should be given.
 DHA supplement or a high-quality (molecularly distilled) fish oil supplement must be
taken and consumption of plentiful amounts of plant-based forms of omega-3 fats, such
as whole soy foods, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, canola oil, dark leafy greens,
wheat germ, and walnuts should be encoraged.
 Beans, whole soy foods, nuts, and seeds must be taken regularly to acquire adequate
protein.

Vegetarians exhibit a wide diversity of dietary practices, often described by what is omitted from
their diet. When a vegetarian diet is appropriately planned and includes fortified foods, it can be
nutritionally adequate for adults and children and can promote health and lower the risk of major
chronic diseases.

Nutrients of concern

The nutrients of concern in the diet of vegetarians include vitamin B(12), vitamin D, ω-3 fatty
acids, calcium, iron, and zinc. Although a vegetarian diet can meet current recommendations for
all of these nutrients, the use of supplements and fortified foods provides a useful shield against
deficiency. A vegetarian diet usually provides a low intake of saturated fat and cholesterol and a
high intake of dietary fiber and many health-promoting phytochemicals. This is achieved by an
increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, legumes, nuts, and various soy
products.

Due to the above factors, vegetarians typically have lower body mass index, serum total
and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and blood pressure; reduced rates of death from
ischemic heart disease; and decreased incidence of hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and
certain cancers than do nonvegetarians.

HEALTH RISKS

Anaemia
Meat, eggs, poultry, fish and dairy products are the primary dietary sources for iron and hence
vegetarians need to choose other sources of iron. A balanced vegetarian diet that includes
plenty of green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, dried fruits such as apricots, raisins and
prunes, and tofu will provide enough iron for most people.

Protein

Although protein is usually associated with meat-based foods, it is also found in a number of
others including nuts, pulses, wholegrains, rice, and soy products such as tofu and tempeh.
Ovo-lacto vegetarians -- those who refrain from meat but still eat dairy products and eggs --
often tend to overload on high-fat options such as cheese to get enough protein in their diets.
Low-biological-value protein is found in. Separately, the latter don't contain all the essential
amino acids, but do when combined correctly. Knowledge of which foods to mix together is
therefore crucial. Most vegetarians will meet the daily protein requirements when balanced diets
are consumed.

. Osteoporosis

Getting enough calcium in the diet -- at least 1,200 milligrams per day -- is crucial to the
development of new bone in adults. Major dietary sources for calcium include milk, cheese and
yogurt, but vegetarian sources are green, leafy vegetables such as spinach or greens and in
soy products such as soymilk and tofu. Calcium supplements are also readily available and
should be taken with vitamin D to assist with absorption.

Vitamin B-12 Deficiency

It is most commonly found in animal and dairy products such as meat, eggs and milks and their
products, so getting enough is a real concern for those switching to a vegetarian diet.
Fortunately, many foods are fortified with B-12 including many breakfast cereals, veggie
burgers, soymilk and nutritional yeast. It is also commonly available as a supplement.

Vitamin D
Oily fish is one of the best dietary sources, but vegans can obtain it from fortified breakfast
cereals and margarine..

Calcium
Found in dairy products, this is essential for strong bones. It is often lacking in a vegan diet
unless taken as supplement.