Science Behind Diets

I will be comparing a plant based diet and a omnivore diet, I will also be seeing which one is healthier for the human body especially athletes
Alkhalil Jadalowen
Grade 9

Presentation

No video provided

Hypothesis

I suspect that a plant based diet provides enough proteins and nutrients that are essential to the human body just as well as the omnivore diet.

Research

Water makes up 75% of our bodies.

  • It helps to regulate our temperature. 
  • Acts as a solvent for nutrients in our body. (our blood)

Protein is made of amino acids. (Amino acids are molecules that combine to form proteins)

  • Main function: growth, repair, and maintenance of body tissue. 
  • The human body can make some amino acids but others must be taken from food
  • Fat holds more energy than any other nutrient. Fat is how our bodies store energy for later use. 
  • It's important for metabolic processes as part of hormones, insulate our bodies, provide shock absorption to protect different body part.

Carbohydrates (carbs for short) are the main sources of energy in our body. 

  • Each vitamin works as part of a different process in your body, helping make your metabolism, growth, and development, or immune system (among many other functions) work properly.
  • Vitamins A, D, E, & K. Almost every food contains some type of vitamin.

Minerals are elements that are also essential for our bodies to function. Some minerals are used for metabolic processes and others are used as part of body structures, like calcium in our bones.

 If you pay attention to your diet, some benefits include: 

  • Longer lifespan
  • Healthier eyes
  • Stronger joints
  • Supports muscles
  • Boosts immunity
  • Strengthens bones

“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison” -Ann Wigmore (health practitioner)

The standard American diet is mostly unhealthy.

It consists of high amounts of red meat, high-fat dairy products, processed and fast foods, refined carbohydrates, added sugars, salt, and calories. of low amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy oils. based on a consensus of mainstream nutrition experts drawing on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This is why there is a high percentage of cancer, diabetes, and obesity, and other health problems. 20% of children in America are obese [source 8]

 

What is an omnivorous diet?

A type of diet in which both animal and plant matter are the main food source. An omnivorous diet is a type of diet wherein the organism derives energy and nutrients by feeding on both animals and plants.

What is a vegan diet?

A vegan diet is based on plants such as vegetables, grains, nuts, fruits, and foods made from plants. A vegetarian diet does not include foods that come from animals, including dairy products and eggs.

LDL cholesterol  is a waxy substance found in you\r blood. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, sometimes called “bad” cholesterol. High levels of LDL cholesterol raise your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Most plants are incomplete proteins. (The few that are complete are soybeans and peas)

Animal proteins are known as complete proteins which means they contain all 9 essential amino acids.

Why protein is important for athletes to eat? It's not just for muscle gain, but to recover damaged tissue and speed up recovery, endurance and adaptation.

Most study results show that athletes can meet all their nutritional needs through a well-planned plant-based diet.

 

One study did find that protein intake was lower among vegetarian athletes, and while they did meet the Dietary Reference Intake for protein, they did not meet the recommended protein intake for athletes. 

Live stock production emits more pollution than transportation as a whole

 

When there is heavy demand on livestock the amount of animals increase in farms meaning more land is needed. habitat conversion, commonly referred to as deforestation, lies at the crux of what is shaping the future of the Amazon Biome. Extensive cattle ranching is the number one culprit of deforestation in virtually every Amazon country, and it accounts for 80% of current deforestation (Nepstad et al. 2008).

  • The closer people are to being vegetarian, the lower their risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome
  • Vegetarian diets tend to have fewer calories, lower levels of saturated fat and cholesterol, and more fiber, potassium and vitamin C than other eating patterns. Tend to weigh less than meat-eaters, and to have lower cancer rates.
  • Must have a PLANNED, disciplined diet to get all the nutrients you need. (Most be more attentive to diet to ensure an intake of iron, calcium, zinc and vitamin B12.)
  • People with lower income might find it difficult to stay vegetarian because fruits and vegetables are more expensive nowadays

 

 

Variables

My diet

Procedure

I will go on a plant-based diet for a week and see if there are any noticeable major improvements in my body

Observations

Through comparing a plant-based diet with a omnivore diet, planning a diet that is towards one extreme is not realistic for athletes.

 

→Balancing meat and plants in our diet is essential for our health and development.

 

→Studies show that there is most health benefits when one maintains a omnivorous diet, but with increased plant intake(eat meat less frequently)

 

Analysis

Through comparing a plant-based diet with a omnivore diet, planning a diet that is towards one extreme is not realistic for athletes.

 

→Balancing meat and plants in our diet is essential for our health and development.

 

→Studies show that there is most health benefits when one maintains a omnivorous diet, but with increased plant intake(eat meat less frequently)

 

Conclusion

Research reveals my hypothesis is correct!

→ A plant-based diet can sustain an athlete entirely but it is not easy. A plant based diet is able to provide all the nutrients needed for the body. The only issue is you must be very attentive and informed on what plants make up for the lack of protein, and have planned meals. 

→ External factors like one's economic status, access to fresh vegetables, and lifestyle (being an athlete) might make this diet difficult to maintain realistically. 

 

In the end, the middle ground to still get the health benefits a plant-based diet provides as an athlete is to simply increase the amount of plants in ones diet, and reduce meat consumption.

 

Application

In the future, I want to add another experimental aspect to delve deeper into answering my question. I want to test myself, over a duration of time, how my athleticism and endurance change if I stick to a plant-based diet.

 

Sources Of Error

Acknowledgement

I acknowledge my Father, Mother, and, older sister Older sister for helping me in this project