Reasons for Vegetarianism

There are a number of reasons for vegetarianism, ranging from personal health to the health of the planet. For most people, the more invested they become in eating vegetarian, the easier it is to turn away meat.

The benefits to your health are a main reason for going vegetarian.

Meat purveyors like to tout the fact that humans are omnivores and evolved to eat meat. This is true, but it neglects some important details. One: until the advent of agriculture, meat was an occasional thing. People only ate meat when it was caught. The bulk of the diet was plant-based. Two: life spans and bodies have changed considerably. Heart disease, cancer and diabetes were never issues when the average person only lived 30 to 40 years.

While it is true that meat is full of protein and vitamins, the same amount of nutrients can be derived from plant-based sources, without the excess of saturated fat and cholesterol that accompanies even lean cuts of meat. Additionally, any meat that is non-organic is very likely to be treated with hormones, which can promote a host of health problems.

If you’re concerned about weight, this is another important reason for vegetarianism. Vegetarians tend to maintain a healthful weight far more easily than meat eaters. This is not to say that there are no obese vegetarians, but the sheer amount of saturated fat in meat means that you are increasing your chances of obesity, even if your diet is otherwise healthy. For those who have tried everything else to lose weight and keep it off, vegetarianism is an excellent option. Additionally, you will cut down your risk of heart disease and other diet-related illnesses.

Vegetarians also tend to live longer and look and feel better during those added years. They have increased cognitive function and have less chance of sexual dysfunction. Good skin and hair are directly related to the diet, so it stands to reason that the more healthful your intake is, and the less stress you place on your digestive track (meat slows the system down), the younger, healthier and better you’ll look – a major benefit of vegetarianism.

Agribusiness has changed meat production, and not for the better. Instead of a local family farm and animals that are allowed to roam and graze, forests are clear-cut and animals are crammed into factory lots. When they are slaughtered, they are processed and then the meat is shipped long distances to get to stores. Increasingly, environmentalism is one of the strong reasons for vegetarianism. Factory farms produce an alarming amount of methane, which traps greenhouse gasses. The waste creates runoff, which often pollutes the local water supply and can affect other crops. The amount of grain necessary to feed the animals could instead feed many of the starving people around the world. The demand for meat is producing an enormous environmental strain, to the point where a United Nations report cited meat as a significant contributor to environmental problems at every scale.

Gone are the days when a vegetarian meal was macaroni and cheese. A wider range of fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes are available to delight the eye and palate. You can determine how healthy your meal is just by color, so if you have a plate full of dark green, bright red and tempting yellow and orange, you know you are eating nutritiously as well as deliciously. Many exciting world cuisines, such as Indian, Chinese and Greek, are predominantly vegetarian and all are easy to learn to prepare. New vegetarian cookbooks are available all the time, as well as forums and recipes online. Far from creating more work, many vegetarian meals are one-pot wonders that only involve dirtying a knife.

Finally, not only will you eat better, you’ll eat cheaper. Even the cheapest meats aren’t as economical as a vegetarian diet. Adding more green (and red and yellow) saves you green, yet another great reason to go vegetarian.

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