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人類的生存與成長，除了器世間的房廊屋舍、園林田地外，最重要且最受人們關注者，莫過於「吃」的問題。因此在食、衣、住、行四事中，以「食」高居首位，這正是「民以食為天」。
醫學上，學者們研究證明，得知所有的食物經過人們體內化學工廠的循環代謝之後，分別轉換製造成脂肪、蛋白質、糖、維生素、礦物質與水等形式，在體內各組織貯存。當人體所需要時，再由更精密的化學工廠，轉製成各種胺基酸與能量，提供身體各組織之消耗。
一般人隨著肉食習慣，飽嚐各種肉類，高唱肉類富含營養。殊不知植物性的五穀、蔬果等食物，毫不遜色，甚有過之而無不及。
就以“臘八粥”為例吧！（十二月八日為釋迦牟尼佛成道日，故寺院取香穀及果實造粥以供佛；其後民間亦相沿成俗，故皆有臘八粥。）當您參看了下面普遍植物性食品及普通肉類食品之營養組成後，您是不是會說：「哇！原來素食這麼有營養！僅僅一碗就勝過慣常吃的雞、鴨、魚、肉，若再加上蔬果，又何必擔心營養呢？我應該立刻動手，讓家人嚐嚐這道既不傷生又具營養的臘八粥。」（待續）
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In addition to the material world of buildings, roads, gardens, woods, and fields, the most important aspect of human subsistence and development, the aspect which we are most concerned about, is what we eat. Among the four matters of food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, food takes the top priority. As the saying goes, "The people take food as their deity."
Medical research has shown that all food, in passing through the metabolic processes of the chemical factory within the human body, is decomposed into fat, protein, glucose, vitamins, minerals, and water, which are then stored in our body tissues. When our bodies need them, they are depleted from the tissues for further refinement in the chemical factory, being transformed into various amino acids and energy.
Most people, accustomed to eating meat, have consumed all kinds of meat, and promote meat as being rich in nutrition. What they don't know is that plant products such as grains, vegetables and fruit often surpass meat in nutrition value.
Take the Buddha's Enlightenment Congee (traditionally eaten on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month to celebrate the Buddha's Enlightenment; recipe to be given in next issue), for example. The nutritive content of just one bowl is already more than that found in your ordinary fare of chicken, duck, fish, or meat. If fruits and vegetables are added, what need is there to worry about getting enough nutrition? After taking a look at the nutritional breakdown of common vegetarian and animal products in the next issue, you'll say, "Oh, vegetarian food is that nutritious! I should start right away to let my family taste this Congee which is both nutritious and harmless to living creatures."
(to be continued)
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