Vegetarian Food - Cheap & Best
 |
It is often said that eggs are a cheap source of proteins and nutrition. But this is a false propaganda. According to the table highlighing the percentage of proteins in various substances, given on chapter 11, cost of one gram of protein comes out as under :-
|
Material |
Cost of one gm. of protein |
Material |
Cost of one gm. of protein |
|
Eggs |
14 Paise |
Pulses |
3 Paise |
|
Wheat |
4 Paise |
Soya Beans |
2 Paise |
Looking from energy point of view, the cost per 100 calories comes out as follows.
Material Cost of 1 00 Calories Material Cost ot 100 Colw
|
Material |
Cost of one gm. of protein |
Material |
Cost of one gm. of protein |
|
Eggs |
90 Paise |
Pulses |
8 Paise |
|
Wheat |
9 Paise |
Soya Beans |
5 Paise |
It is thus obvious that as compared to eggs, pulses and cereals are at cheaper source of both proteins and calories, besides they provide important nutriments such as vitamins, minerals, fibre, carbohydrates etc, which are almost non-existent in meat products.
The Government of India's Health Bulletin No. 23 makes it clear that the calorific value of vegetarian food is far more to that of non-vegetarian food.
From the economical point of view, it has been concluded that to derive one kg. of meat protein, the animal has to be fed 7 to 8 kgs. of vegetable protein. It has also been estimated that to obtain one animal flesh calorie, seven vegetarian plant food calories have to be spent. Data compiled by the American agriculture department shows that the land needed to graze an average animal can sustain five average families of human beings. An average American consumes about 120 kgs. of meat every year and to obtain it about 1000 kgs. of food grains are fed to the animals. If the same Americans consume food grains directly then atleast eight people can be fed for a whole year with the same quantity as is required for flesh food for only one person. Professor George Borgstorm has estimated that the amount of plant food fed to the animals in America alone would be enough to food all the human population of the world.
According to Mr. Nitin Mehta of Surrey (U.K), 90 percent of the land in Europe and America is used to raise fodder for their animals. As much as 90% of protein content of the animal's food goes to sustain their growth and only 10% remains in the form of its flesh. Out of this only 44% animal flesh worth eating. Thus, for every 16 kilograms of food grains fed to the animal one Kilogram of edible meat is obtained. The land required to produce fodders to feed the animals to obtain flesh food is 14 times more than required to feed vegetarian diet to man directly.
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