It is a common assumption that vegetarians are healthier than meat eaters and that is the main benefit of the vegetarian diet. Of course, it is possible to be a vegetarian and be unhealthy but it seems that statistics do support the common assumption. There may be many reasons for this and one may well be that the decision to abstain from eating meat is one which results in a greater awareness of what foods you are eating and how balanced your diet must be – an awareness that a meat eater may not have indulged themselves in. But a vegetarian diet planned properly is rich in dietary fibre, carbohydrates, omega 6 fatty acids, vitamins C and E, carotenoids, magnesium and potassium and contains far lower levels of cholesterol and saturated fats and none of the animal protein of a meat eater’s diet.
Despite the fact that Japanese Sumo wrestlers get fat on vegetarian stew, they are the exception and the vast majority of vegetarians don’t. In fact, the high level of dietary fibre in a normal veggie’s menu is what reduces the overall number of calories absorbed into the body and, therefore, makes a vegetarian diet a slimmer one. The high fibre, high antioxidant and low saturated fat which is typical of a non-meat diet is also conducive to low blood pressure and a healthy heart: further health benefits from ceasing to eat meat. Additionally, the lower general fat and protein intake of a veggie tend to cause lower production of carcinogens in the body and, therefore, produces a lower risk of cancer. The higher presence of dietary fibre is also good for your general health and well-being, promoting good digestion and less change of digestive disorders.
Aside from the dietary elements of vegetarianism, there are additional benefits which may be overlooked. For those concerned about the well-being of animals, there is some reassurance in refusing to eat meat. The general awareness which comes with making such a big change to your diet can affect other areas of your life and often a result is a greater awareness of environmental and health issues, as well as a better understanding of your own body and health. It may be that, statistically, a more healthy body is a major benefit of not eating meat but a better awareness of health and your environment may, in the longer term, be the greater benefit of a vegetarian diet.
With this is, of course, the consideration of the environment. With climate change ever on everyone's mind, a Planetarian diet is fast becoming popular. With documentaries like Cowspiracy showing us how much pollution is emitted from the meat industry, not to mention the suffering of factory farm animals, we can see just cutting down our meat intake if not stopping altogether has positive impacts on the environment.
Our purchase decisions matter and being ethical consumers that encourage companies to not destroy the environment by doing our best to buy goods that are ethically sourced and that are not polluting the environment are steps towards fighting climate change. Vegetarian or planetarianism are positive steps in that direction.
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