Many people are going back to the basics in the food group andbecoming vegetarians for health and moral reasons. Some vegetariansare taking the issue a step further and solely consuming raw foodsto obtain the ultimate amount of nutrients.
Philosophy senior Scott Ziegler, a vegan, said the definition ofa vegetarian or vegan lifestyle can change slightly from person toperson. Ziegler said there are fewer restrictions among vegans, whousually abstain from eating animal-produced products, such as milkand meat, to choose whether or not to consume other animal-madeproducts, such as honey.
According to the Food Guide Pyramids provided by the U.S.Department of Agriculture, three to five daily servings ofvegetables and two to four daily servings of fruits contribute to abalanced diet, but Ziegler said he knows some vegetarians who livesolely on the raw food diet.
The raw food diet has become a national trend. There are manyWeb sites and publications about the raw food diet, which has beenpopularized by movie stars such as Demi Moore. Ziegler said he hasheard raw vegetables and fruits give the consumer more vitamins andnutrients, leading to a healthier lifestyle.
The premise of the raw food diet encourages cooking vegetablesbelow 160 degrees Fahrenheit to keep intact the food enzymesnecessary for the body to digest and absorb the food.
However, the American Dietetic Association Web site says thehuman body already makes these enzymes. The ADA also said the dietsuggests eating a variety of sprouts, many of which grow inenvironments that can produce harmful bacterial growth, and cookingthese foods below 160 degrees Fahrenheit can lead to food-borneillnesses.
Autumn Douglas, a dietician at the Student Health Center, saidmicrowaving vegetables may deplete vegetables of some of theirnutrients, but it still is beneficial to eat them, even if they donot have their full vitamins and nutrients.
Douglas said she agreed the diet is healthy and provides fiber,vitamins and minerals, but it is important to include some proteinand fat in the diet, which can be found in many nuts and othernon-meat products.
With busy schedules and numerous fast food alternatives, manystudents also question whether a diet restricting dieters to solelyfruits and vegetables is feasible and healthy.
“With my hectic schedule it would be difficult to find placesselling healthy foods,” said Jeremy Fontenot, a philosophy senior.”I am impressed that the Union sells sushi.”
David Heidke, director of LSU Dining, said the University hastaken steps to accommodate vegetarians.
Heidke said most areas of the Union, with the exception ofChick-Fil-A, also offer vegetarian options.
Heidke also said his department met with the vegetarian societyon campus, and the two groups collaborated to allow more vegetarianoptions in the dining halls.
The Pentagon and Highland dining halls added vegetarianstations, called “Terre Ve,” offering vegetarian entrees at lunchand dinner every day. The dining halls also offer a vegetarianburger, the Boca Burger, and salad bars with many vegetableoptions.
“A couple of years ago we went through the Master Plan processand brought in an independent group to conduct a survey that found,in terms of vegetarians’ needs, we are meeting the overallexpectations of the students on campus,” Heidke said. “We arecontinuing to add options.”
Baton Rouge businesses also are catching on to the vegetarianscene. Koto, a Japanese restaurant, serves Japanese cuisineincluding sushi, teriyaki and other vegetarian options.
“We have a lot of vegetarian options,” Danny Caudle, a businessjunior at Baton Rouge Community College and employee of therestaurant, said.
Caudle said the basic components of sushi are rice and vinegar,and the different types of sushi depend on the other ingredients,which can include raw vegetables and fish.
Although some people may find the diet confining, Ziegler saidhe has many options as a vegan.
“There’s nothing lacking that can’t be found [by choosing avegetarian alternative],” Ziegler said. “I eat a lot of tofu, whichis a source of protein, and pasta and bread providecarbohydrates.”