Is Vegetarian diet necessary in the Philippines?

Many people do not give much importance to eating vegetables. They even have the wrong perception of a vegetarian diet. In the Philippines where food is so delicious, exotic and colorful. The question whether it is nutritious does not matter anymore, especially if they see the delightful presentation of food on the table. Some Filipinos are mixed descendant of conquerors from Europe (Spain), America (U.S.A) and Asia (Japan), these countries had shared their exquisite food culture. However, before the conquerors arrived in the island of Philippines, the Malays (Malaysia), Indo (Indonesia), Thai (Thailand) and Chinese (China) were already inhabitants of the island through sea trade. These people were the first batch of influencers when they brought their food culture and introduced it to the native Filipinos as early as 11^th century.

Paella is the food that composed of rice, seafood, meat, and tomato sauce is a classic example of Spanish cuisine. Americans introduced burger and barbeque. Ramin noodles, Sashimi, and Sushi are the trademark of Japanese cuisine. Chinese has also a big influenced when it comes to food, in fact, you can see many Filipinos eat at a Chinese restaurant at present. While, Muslim ethnic groups down south of Philippines have their own unique food culture which has directly influenced from Malays, Indo and Thai people due to their original herbs and species mixed in the food which gives strong flavor and taste.

Meat consumption is part of Filipino food culture. Chicken, Beef, Pork, Goat, and seafood are most preferred to eat by Filipinos. What about vegetables? Eating vegetables does not give so much satisfaction as eating meat, because of its lightness inside the stomach. Is it only a state of mind? The answer could be Yes or No depending on one’s opinion of eating meat vs. eating vegetables. Does that mean Filipinos do not eat vegetables? It is wrong to put that assumption; the truth is they do eat vegetables but in minimal amount. Meat is rich in protein as well as vegetables, but the majority of the citizens do not know about it. What is more necessary eating meat or eating vegetables? A study shows that frequent eating of meat protein leads to some major illnesses and if the government will not find solutions, it will become as one of the social problems now and in the future. That is why Filipinos must turn their eyes to vegetables and know the health benefits. There is a growing population of obesity; it is not only attributed to eating meat but also lack awareness in proper diet. A vegetarian diet should be given importance, especially to the younger generation so they will grow healthier, school children as early age of 5 should learn the essential vitamins and minerals found in vegetables and its benefits, it creates a healthy lifestyle of the present generation and is carried on to the next generation.

Recently, people opted to try different diets that would suit them without knowing the advantages and disadvantages it would bring to their body. It is best for people to know deeper about the substance of vegetables and its nutritional value before they decide for it as their chosen diet. Not all delicious food is nutritious; some are full of artificial preservatives. A biblical quote “Let your food be your medicine,” is a reminder for us that nature has given us enough for our survival. “What you eat is what you are,” might be true or not to some people, but one thing is for sure that vegetarian diet is necessary for the Philippines.