Why should I go veggie?
The benefits of a vegetarian diet are many and varied. Take a look around you... the number of vegetarians is increasing by the day. They're on to something! While different people adopt a meatless diet for different reasons, the benefits to both people and animals are staggering.
Despite what you may have heard, vegetarian diets are very healthy. Did you know that vegetarians live, on average, ten years longer than meat eaters? That's because plant-based foods offer our bodies every nutrition that it needs to maintain optimal health, without the “nasties” that are present in meats and animal byproducts. Because a vegetarian diet is virtually free of contaminants, saturated fat and cholesterol, going veggie reduces your risk for many illnesses, including:
- Certain cancers
- Obesity
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Stroke
Not only is a vegetarian diet healthy, it's delicious! Contrary to popular opinion, veggie diets are not “rabbit food”. They're full of delicious and nutritious dishes that you can feel good about eating and truly enjoy. The wide scope of vegetarian cuisine is sure to titillate your taste buds. As vegetarians become more prevalent, many specialty veggie diners are opening, and most restaurants offer a vegetarian menu. There are a multitude of websites that offer vegetarian recipes, tips, and tricks. Going veggie is easier than ever before.
Cruelty to animals is another major motivation for many vegetarians. Have you ever seen what happens in a slaughterhouse or dairy farm? It's absolutely heartbreaking. Do a little research. Take a look around; there are many resources on the web offering insights into these establishments and their everyday practices. Videos are available as well, but a word of caution: they are very disturbing.
Inhumane practices aside, raising animals for food is also terribly inefficient. Take a look at your common food animal. When comparing the amount of food that they eat to the amount of meat that they produce, you can see that it's not an even trade. Additionally, over half of the potable water available in the United States goes to animal agriculture. If more people adopted a vegetarian lifestyle, it would significantly decrease meat production and its negative impact on the environment.
Regardless of your reasons for going veggie, there is no doubt that it will increase your level of health and satisfaction. Taking a proactive step to better your life, and the lives of innocent animals, is definitely taking a step in the right direction.