Vegetarianism=hazardous

I can still be found reading this morning.  More of The Paleo Answer.  I started at the beginning last night and have just arrived at the chapter on vegetarianism. 

I assume many of you (if there were people actually reading this) have numerous friends and/or acquaintances who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. I certainly do.  Heck, there was a time when I chose vegetarianism and surely believed it to be THE way to eat.  The healthiest choice.  Now, I definitely don't think it is a healthy way of living but who am I to convince the world otherwise?  

Loren Cordain on the other hand, now he's a bit more qualified.

VEGETARIANISM

"Any lifelong dietary plan that requires nutrient supplementation on a regular basis makes no sense from an evolutionary perspective."

"One of the most destructive changes in our bodies caused by vitamin B12 deficiency is the appearance of a toxic substance in our bloodstream known as homocysteine.  Without sufficient dietary sources of vitamin B12, a chemical reaction within our bodies is impaired and causes blood concentrations of homocysteine to rise."

"Because vegetarian diets cause vitamin B12 levels in the bloodstream to plummet, which in turn makes homocysteine levels rise dangerously, you might expect to find high rates of cardiovascular disease in strict lifelong vegetarians."

"Phytate is not a good thing because it prevents the absorption of essential minerals.  Whole grains and legumes are rich sources of phytate, and our bodies have great difficulty extracting certain minerals from these foods because they are tightly bound to phytate.  ...phytate in whole grains impairs calcium absorption and may adversely affect bone health; phytate also binds zinc, interfering with its assimilation and incorporation into our cells.  To this list, you can add iron and magnesium."

"Because vegetarian diets are virtually impossible to follow without including lots of whole grains, beans, soy, and legumes, they are inherently high in phytate.  This is why it is difficult or impossible for vegetarians and vegans to maintain adequate body stores of calcium, zinc, and iron."

There you go.  And I still am only about half way through the chapter.