7 Reasons Why You Should Become Vegetarian ...

By Jennifer

Why become vegetarian, and give up yummy steaks and delicious bacon? There are lots of reasons, and most of them are related to health: your health, the Earth’s health, even the health of your food budget. I’m not a militant or “pushy” vegetarian, but I have to say, I’m always eager to tell people how much money I save by not eating meat, and how marvelous it feels to know my heart’s a little healthier, too. Here are 7 reasons why you should consider becoming a vegetarian.

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1

It’s Animal-friendly

It’s Animal-friendly Without even glancing at the PETA website, I’m sure you already know this: following a meatless diet usually also means following a cruelty-free diet. If you’re an animal lover and advocate, then this is an excellent reason why you might become vegetarian.

2

It’s Earth-friendly

It’s Earth-friendly Did you know that raising cows, pigs, and chicken uses far more water, and causes far more pollution, than raising fruits, grains, and vegetables? If you’re concerned about the environment, then research just how much pollution (ground water and air pollution) is causes annual by just one feed lot. You’ll be shocked. I was!

UPD:

The environmental impact of raising animals for meat, dairy, and eggs is significant and far-reaching. Animal agriculture is responsible for 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions, more than the combined exhaust from all transportation. It is the leading cause of species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution, and habitat destruction.

Raising animals for food also requires a tremendous amount of resources. Animal agriculture uses up to 10 times more water than plant-based agriculture, and is responsible for 80-90% of US water consumption. It also contributes to deforestation, as forests are cleared to create land for grazing and feed crops.

Furthermore, the production of animal-based foods is incredibly inefficient. It takes 2-5lbs of grain to produce 1lb of meat, while it takes just 1lb of grain to produce 1lb of plant-based protein. This means that if everyone switched to a plant-based diet, it would free up enough food to feed an additional 3-4 billion people.

3

It’s Better for Your Heart

It’s Better for Your Heart Many of the fats found in meats are dreadful for the human coronary system. Following a vegetarian diet has long been known to help prevent heart disease. If you’re not ready to take the meat-less plunge just yet, you can still reap some of the heart health benefits by limiting meat to a couple of times a week.

4

It’s Better for Your Body, in General

It’s Better for Your Body, in General Aside from the negative impact on your heart, did you know that eating a meat-rich diet can also cause digestive and other health problems?

5

It’s Cheaper

It’s Cheaper Take a peek at your last grocery receipt and you’ll notice that meats, especially processed meats, are pricey! Granted, so is fresh produce, especially if it’s out of season, but a vegetarian’s grocery bill is bound to be a lot less, overall, than a meat-eater’s. True story.

Famous Quotes

Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.

Bruce Lee
6

It Can Help You Look Better

It Can Help You Look Better Want clear skin, a healthy glow, shiny hair, and a slimmer waistline? All of these “looks-related” benefits can also be yours if you follow a vegetarian diet. For example, look at Natalie Portman. Need I say more?

7

It’s Fun to Be Smug

It’s Fun to Be Smug Let’s face it: it’s fun to be smart and smug. When your friends complain about heartburn, constipation, dull skin and hair, or weight gain, you can kindly suggest switching to a full-fledged (or “beginner’s”) vegetarian diet, or, just bask in the glow of knowing something everyone else doesn’t.

So again, I ask: why become vegetarian? At least now you know some of the reasons why you might want to at least try it, or think about it, right? And I didn’t even show you horrible pictures of suffering animals or drought-stricken lands to make my points (I have when PETA does that!). Which of these reasons surprised you? Which do you think might make you try it? Do tell!

Top Photo Credit: data.whicdn.com

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Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

Just skipping meat is not cruelfree, animals are mistreated and killed in the egg and dairyindustry too...

It's actually much more important to stop eating heavily processed foods than deciding whether or not to eat animal flesh. Like Denise, I did raw foods for a year, and never felt or looked better.

im a diabetic just recently and i change my deit to vege and fish and a very little meat my sugar is now normal and i felt great

Ok well some of my girlfriends are vegetarian so I don't have anything against them...but humans aren't supposed to be herbivores...it's not in our genes, we're supposed to be carnivores, there are some things in meat that are crucial in a human's diet, some things that are hard to find in non-meats. Personally, I can't really eat fruits and vegetables as it is, so if I didn't eat meat I don't know what I'd eat!

I've been vegetarian for two years, and more recently have eaten an almost entirely vegan diet, and I've never felt better. Gone are issues of my meat eating past...weight gain, lethargy, dull skin, acne, "food comas", heartburn, etc. I'm a lean, mean marathon running machine. (Who gets plenty of protein through plant based foods such as quinoa, tempeh and leafy greens). My diet was such an ispiration to my boyfriend (a former professional athlete) that he went vegan. At 38 years old, he's never looked or felt better, has way more energy and needs less sleep. I'll never go back to eating rotting flesh pumped with hormones & antibiotics just because it's what everyone thinks is a "normal" diet. Think for yourself!

I see some benefits for vegetarians but I don't think it's the more healthy option. My sister decided to cut meat out of her diet for 5 years and because she wasn't eating red meat she had to take iron tablets, her hair and skin were in bad condition because of the lack of omega 3 and 6 & protein in her diet. Fruit and veg will always be good for you but I feel that meat and fish are essential to your health too.

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