This letter is written response to "People should know facts before judging vegetarians" Oct. 8. It seems as though the nutritional content of beef is at question here.

I am in no way rubbing anything in anyone's face or judging anyone's dietary choices. I believe in backing up statements with valid research rather that emotion, so that is what I shall do.
Beef is the No. 1 source of protein, zinc and vitamin B12. Ninety-two percent of all vegetarians are deficient in vitamin B12 because B12 is only found from animal sources. Beef is also the No. 3 source of iron, following breads and cereals.

The type of iron found in beef is known as heme iron, which is two or three times more absorbable than non-heme iron, which comes from plant sources.

Beef always seems to be criticized for its fat content; however, the majority of the criticisms are inaccurate.

There are 29 cuts of beef that are considered to be lean by the United States Department of Agriculture, which means they have less than 10 grams of total fat. Also, more than half of the fats found in beef are monounsaturated, which is the exact same type of heart-healthy fat found in olive oil!

People try and fill their bellies with vitamin and mineral supplements to compensate for not eating meat.

Why is that?

You would almost have to believe that if the vegetarian diet was complete, the need for supplements would be optional rather than required.

Christie Molinaro
junior-animal science