Economics of vegetarianism

Dr. D. P. ATUKORALE

In Sri Lanka wide economic disparities are responsible for inequalities in food availability and food consumption among various social strata. We need to discard various myths like that of good nutrition being synonymous with expensive food.

As medical students (1958 - 1964) we were taught by our medical school teachers that if a person wanted to get all the essential aminoaicids (which are found in proteins) vitamins, and minerals we have to advise our patients to consume eggs, milk and other animal proteins such as beef, mutton liver and mutton.

Even today many doctors are seen advocating the consumption of expensive animal foods for recovery from illnesses.

The increase in prices of all foods in our country leaves a majority of the population devoid of “so-called nutritious animal foods” - such as fish, meat and eggs.

The need for the hour for both families and institutions is to try and substitute low-cost nutritious foods into the budget. This article is an attempt to evaluate the economic advantages of a vegetarian diet.

Cost Involved In Production of Food

It has been estimated that the cost involved in the production of animal foods is 6 to 10 times greater than that involved for vegetarian foods. (Proc 9th Int. Congr. of Nutrition held in Mexico (3 - 9 Sept 1975).

The caloric return is much greater when good land is used to grow food grains rather than to produce milk. At least 50 percent more biologically useful calories can be obtained from the crop in terms of the yield as compared to milk produced. (Blaxtor KL, Science, 1968, 453).

It has been estimated that it is possible to feed 7 times as many people on crops consumed directly than crops first consumed by livestock and then converted to meat and milk and eaten by people.

If countries were to accept a predominantly vegetarian diet, many more people could be fed on same acres (Paalberg D, Prospects of improving world food supply and nutrition. World Rev. Nutr. Dietat, 16: 414.

Approximately 8 kg of vegetarian protein is required to produce one Kg of animal protein (e.g. beef) which contains unhealthy cholesterol, saturated fats and other chemicals which may produce cancer (of large intestine, breast and prostate), Diabetes, obesity and renal disease etc) This implies that for the same nutritional constitution, one ends up spending up more of country’s available resources if animal foods are available (Leitch I and Godden W).

When vegetarian food is consumed by man, if relatively well digested, the food yields more nutrients than had it been first fed to the animals and the animal products (meat liver, ham, bacon, sausages etc.) then fed to man.

The efficiency with which animals convert the feed into food for man is thus only partial (Gopalan C, Rama Sastri B V et al Nutrition value of Indian foods, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, 1991)

I am citing a few examples of foods and the nutrient content of vegetarian and won vegetarian foods. Just to cite few examples (per 100 g of edible portion)

(a) Hens egg (100 g) supplies 176 Kcal 13.3 protein, 13.3 g of fat 60 mg of calcium, 2.1 mg of iron and 360 megram of carotene.

(b) Fowl (100 g of edible portion) supplies 109 Kcal of energy 25.9 g of protein, 0.6 gm of fat, 25 mg of calcium;

(c) Mutton (100 g of edible portion) supplies 194 Kcal of energy, 18.5 g of protein 13.3 g of fat, 150 mg of calcium, 2.5 mg if iron and 9.0 mcg of carotene.

(d) Pork (100 g of edible portion) provides 114 Kcal of energy, 18.7 g of protein 4.4 g of fat, 30 mg of calcium, 2.2 mg of iron;

(e) Buffalo milk (100 g of edible portion) provides 117 Kcal of energy, 4.3 g of protein 6.5 g of fat, 120 mg of calcium, 0.2 mg of iron and 160 mcg of carotene;

(f) Soya bean (100 g of edible portion) provides 342 Kcal of energy, 43.2 g of protein, 19.5 g of fat (no cholesterol in soya) 240 mg calcium, 11.5 mg of iron and 426 mcg of carotene.

(g) Dhal (100g) contains 372 Kcals, 24 g of protein, 1.4 g fat, 154 mg of calcium, 9.1 g of iron and 12.9 mcg carotene.

(h) Peanuts (Ground nuts) 100g of edible portion contains 567 Kcals, 25.3 g protein 40.1 mg of calcium, 2.8 mg of iron, and 37 mcg of carotene.

(i) Mushrooms (100 g) contains 40 Kcals of energy, 3.1 g of protein, 0.8 g of fat, 6.0 mg of Calcium and 1.5 mg of iron;

(j) Fish (100 g) contain 650 Kcals of energy, 16.6 g of protein, 1.4 g fat, 1.0 mg calcium.

Per unit cost of non-vegetarian food such as fowl, mutton, pork, beef, fish and milk is 10 to 40 times that of vegetarian foods such as soyabean, dhal and ground nuts.

Thus, although some non-vegetarian doctors argue that animal foods are good sources of proteins and calories the actual available protein and calories to man is significantly lower. Thus man ends up paying an extra amount of money for nutrients which are actually not fully available to him.

Nutritive Benefits of Vegetarian Foods

Coming to the consumer level vegetarian food is not lacking in any nutrients in comparison to non-vegetarian food. Non vegetarian diet does not contain fiber that prevents colon cancer).

In Sri Lanka non-vegetarian foods are extremely expensive compared to vegetarian diet. About 14 percent of the total protein and 17 per cent of the calories of normal non-vegetarian diet are believed to be met from animal origin.

It is estimated that if these calories are consumed from vegetarian sources then about 5000 Kcals per day per person would be made available to the world over. (Tannenbaum SR, significance and Potential for the Tropics, Plenum Fress New York, 1976).

Cost Efficiency of a Vegetarian Diet

It is misconception that vegetable foods are lacking in vital nutrients. If a comparison of the relative costs of per unit-of protein and calories is calculated, the vegetarian sources clearly emerge as cheaper sources of both good quality proteins and calories, vitamins and minerals.

Conclusion

It is clear that non-vegetarian food is neither superior, better off nutritionally, nor it is economically advantageous thought it is true that the amino-acid profile of some animal proteins such as eggs and milk ranks better than some of the vegetable protein. However this can be overcome by supplementation of the limiting aminoacid through other foods such as, legumes (Soya, dhal, lima beans (“mekeral”) beans and “dambala” and eating rice or bread and dhal or peanuts (ground nuts) which contain very high quality proteins, minerals and vitamins and which can be used as curries etc., All the other vegetables and fruits contain high quality proteins, calories, vitamins, minerals and fiber which animal food does not contain).

Vegetarian foods do not contribute to development of cancer, obesity hypertension, gall bladder calculi diabetes, hyperchlesteroaemia and vegetarian diet is very much cheeper than an animal diet.