Reasons to Become a Vegetarian
Created | Updated Oct 19, 2012
All over the world, people eat in all sorts of different ways. Some use their hands, some use forks and knives, some use chopsticks, and some take the direct route to culinary satisfaction and use their fingers to eat. As many ways as there are to eat, there even more foods to eat. Humans have more variety in their diet than any other organism on earth. Bread, fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, dairy, and processed foods can all be found at your local supermarket. With all this variety, it's easy to understand why some people decide to exclude some of these foods from their diet. Vegetarians are those of us who decide to stop eating meat.
-There are several reasons for becoming a vegetarian:
1) One may disagree with the consumption of meat. This means: One may deplore slaughterhouses, or the treatment of the animals going to the slaughterhouse. Therefore, one refuses to support the meat industry by not buying its products.
2) One may disagree with the economic and environmental impacts of the meat industry. This means: One refuses to eat meat because there are other, more environmental friendly alternatives. For example: Here are some interesting facts about meat eating: (Taken out of a pamphlet called "How to Win an Argument With a Meat-Eater")
-Gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat: 25
-Gallons of water to produce a pound of meat: 2500
-Pounds of potatoes that can be grown on an acre: 20,000
-Pounds of beef produced on an acre: 165
Eating meat is far harder on our land and resources that eating vegetables.
3) One may simply want to be a vegetarian because one dislikes the taste of meat.
4) One may decide to be a vegetarian because his/her religion discourages the consumption of meat. (Seventh Day Adventists for example) Some religions believe that all creatures should be treated with respect. This means that, unless you want to eat another human, you shouldn't consume any other animal.
5) Eating a meat centered diet is far more expensive than eating a vegetarian diet. Just compare the amout of meat you can get for 10 dollars to the amount of bread you can get for 10 dollars. You might be suprised.
6) Because of the recent outbreak of Mad Cow Disease, both over in Britian as well as here in the States, many people have become vegetarians because they fear contracting some kind of meat-borne illness.
7) Vegetarians tend to form their own circles; after all, you dont see many meat-only markets or co-ops for meat eaters. You may meet some great people you would have not otherwise in your local vegetarian restaurant.
Note: For those who want to stop eating meat for one reason or another but could not live without the taste of meat, there are many tasty alternatives avaliable today, some are virtually indistingushiable from real meat.
Of course, there are some problems associated with being a vegetarian:
-Humans' main source of protein is meat. When one stops consuming meat, that person may have trouble getting enough protein in their diet. However, if one is careful to eat enough protein-rich meatless foods, (eg: soybeans, nuts) a lack of protein will not be a problem.
-The simple fact that vegetarian diet takes more time and effort than a meat-centered diet turns many people off from the idea. After all, when you can no longer throw some lunchmeat on some bread and call it a sandwich, and you're sick and tired of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, what else is there for a quick lunch?
Although it takes some adjusting, and quite a bit more food preparation time, being a vegetarian just might be the thing for you.
-There are several reasons for becoming a vegetarian:
1) One may disagree with the consumption of meat. This means: One may deplore slaughterhouses, or the treatment of the animals going to the slaughterhouse. Therefore, one refuses to support the meat industry by not buying its products.
2) One may disagree with the economic and environmental impacts of the meat industry. This means: One refuses to eat meat because there are other, more environmental friendly alternatives. For example: Here are some interesting facts about meat eating: (Taken out of a pamphlet called "How to Win an Argument With a Meat-Eater")
-Gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat: 25
-Gallons of water to produce a pound of meat: 2500
-Pounds of potatoes that can be grown on an acre: 20,000
-Pounds of beef produced on an acre: 165
Eating meat is far harder on our land and resources that eating vegetables.
3) One may simply want to be a vegetarian because one dislikes the taste of meat.
4) One may decide to be a vegetarian because his/her religion discourages the consumption of meat. (Seventh Day Adventists for example) Some religions believe that all creatures should be treated with respect. This means that, unless you want to eat another human, you shouldn't consume any other animal.
5) Eating a meat centered diet is far more expensive than eating a vegetarian diet. Just compare the amout of meat you can get for 10 dollars to the amount of bread you can get for 10 dollars. You might be suprised.
6) Because of the recent outbreak of Mad Cow Disease, both over in Britian as well as here in the States, many people have become vegetarians because they fear contracting some kind of meat-borne illness.
7) Vegetarians tend to form their own circles; after all, you dont see many meat-only markets or co-ops for meat eaters. You may meet some great people you would have not otherwise in your local vegetarian restaurant.
Note: For those who want to stop eating meat for one reason or another but could not live without the taste of meat, there are many tasty alternatives avaliable today, some are virtually indistingushiable from real meat.
Of course, there are some problems associated with being a vegetarian:
-Humans' main source of protein is meat. When one stops consuming meat, that person may have trouble getting enough protein in their diet. However, if one is careful to eat enough protein-rich meatless foods, (eg: soybeans, nuts) a lack of protein will not be a problem.
-The simple fact that vegetarian diet takes more time and effort than a meat-centered diet turns many people off from the idea. After all, when you can no longer throw some lunchmeat on some bread and call it a sandwich, and you're sick and tired of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, what else is there for a quick lunch?
Although it takes some adjusting, and quite a bit more food preparation time, being a vegetarian just might be the thing for you.
