When Eating Meat is Simpler, Why Become a Vegetarian?
June 29, 2008 – 7:59 amIf there’s one thing that new vegetarians are asked time and time again, it’s “why be a vegetarian?” The motivation for taking meat out of your diet may be confusing for some people, especially if they aren’t familiar with the wealth of delicious food available to vegetarians.
When asked “why be a vegetarian?”, the question can feel like an attack but most people are just curious about the decision. Many vegetarians are caught off guard and feel compelled to defend their lifestyle.
Why Stick To Vegetables Only When It Is So Expensive? Meat Is Tasty And Cheap
It requires a lot of effort and thought, is one of the arguments made against vegetarianism. It is a common misconception that vegetarians put more effort on their diet than meat eaters, but vegetarians are only more careful with their diet and stick to it diligently so as to maintain balanced nutrition.
A common misconception about vegetarianism is that it’s more expensive to eat foods to take the place of meats. While it’s true that pre-made packaged meat substitutes can be quite expensive, vegetarian food can be found in bulk for very little money. Vegetarian staples like rice, oats, beans, and pasta are very inexpensive.
It is an accepted fact that we all could benefit from more fruit and vegetables in our diets. However, when fresh fruits and vegetables are taken into account, the cost of the vegetarian diet does go up a small amount. However, vegetarians generally do not consume significantly more fresh vegetables and fruit than the rest of the general public.
If the amount of resources needed to produce crops and meat are taken into account, it will be seen that it is less expensive to produce plant foods. The artificially low priced meat available in the supermarket and in restaurants are the products of the subsidies provided by the government to the farmers in the form of payments to encourage meat production.
Since Humans Were Meant to Consume Meat, Why Would You Choose To Be A Vegetarian?
Many meat eaters argue that humans were not made to live without meat in their diets, however biological evidence doe not support this claim. Our physiology resembles more closely that of herbivores than carnivores: our digestive system reveals that plant matter, not meat, is our optimal food.
While the human body is capable of digesting meat, eating meat long-term is known to cause many health problems. High cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis are all directly linked to eating meat. Although eating meat infrequently does not seem to significantly raise our risk for these maladies, the typical American diet contains so much meat that it effectively poisons our bodies. Were we designed to be meat eaters? The evidence suggests that we were not.
Why Be a Vegetarian? Why Wouldn’t You Be One?
Even, though there are many reasons to be vegetarian, your personal beliefs are the most important. Becoming a vegetarian removes your endorsement from an industry that produces more waste than all other American industries put together. You will be doing your part to achieve a healthy lifestyle, as well as a healthier planet. You will also be doing your part in supporting animal rights. There are no known detrimental effects of being a vegetarian, in fact being one has many benefits for one’s physical, emotional, and financial well-being.
Tags: Health and Fitness
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