The Benefits Of Vegetarianism

Vegetarianism has existed for many centuries, but perhaps the most well known vegetarian was Pythagoras. Pythagoras was a philosopher whom educated much of the world on his ideas in life, one at the time being the abstinence of meat. Pythagoras, along with many of his followers, believed that the consumption of meat could affect the longevity of one’s life. Though not everyone believed in Pythagoras’ opinions, he still had a loyal group of followers. Pythagoras was so widely associated with a meat free diet that the terms vegetarian was not even in use until 1847, when the term “pythagorean” was changed to “vegetarian” (Avey). Today, there are 16 million people in America who follow a vegetarian-based or vegan diet (Watters). There is a common misconception that the choice to become a vegetarian is based only on a person’s love for animals, but there are many other benefits to being a vegetarian. Pythagoras and his followers gave many of the same arguments that people who abstain from meat today support; for example, Pythagoras had the belief that there was a majority of added health benefits from a meatless diet (Avey). Vegetarianism can decrease the risk of cancer along with other health concerns, can solve problems the world presently faces,—such as world hunger and animal cruelty— and can have positive effects on the environment—such as pollution reduction and overgrazing reduction. People need to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle because it will improve public

One of the most common moral debates is that of whether one should become vegetarian or not. Some of the factors that help tip that scale include religious practices and beliefs, environmental issues, animal rights and health issues. Vegetarianism is no longer a question of morality surrounding the maltreatment and slaughter of many innocent animals, but also on how hugely livestock production is affecting our environment. Furthermore, many people choose to become vegetarian, or quit eating certain meats, for religious purposes or in the best interest of their health. Vegetarianism, being such a large part of our current society, is met with three different reactions: acceptance, tolerance and hostility.

“Meats, Dairies, and Eggs, Oh Why” (2014) is an argumentative essay written by Rebecca Dent that explains the benefits of eating a plant-based diet and advocates for the better treatment of the animals affected by the meat industry. Dent supports her assertions by discussing the negative health effects of an omnivorous diet, addressing reasons some might be hesitant to convert to a plant-based diet, describing the advantages of substituting meat for vegetables for both the consumers and the animals, and finally, by including expert opinions and statistical facts. Dent’s purpose for this essay is to highlight the benefits of vegetarianism in order to convince readers to convert to a plant-based diet. The intended audience for this argument is those who currently eat an omnivorous diet so that they would assess and change their eating habits.

“You are what you eat”, a famous saying says. If this were truly the case, then the majority of Americans would be unhealthy, chemically processed, commercially grown slabs of animal meat. And although this is not a particularly pleasing thought, it is the epitome of a standard American diet that consists of Big Macs and Taco Bell. There are a select few who stray from this typical diet, and have altered it to where they can substitute meat with other nutrients. This type of diet is called vegetarianism, and is considered the way to live without poisoning oneself with the harmful and hazardous treatment that animals go through before becoming the next meal on your plates. While vegetarianism was once thought to be a movement without much action,

Traditionally, the individuals of the Western culture find eating meat perfectly acceptable and healthy. It wasn’t until relatively recently that a movement began to gain momentum within small groups of society to promote the widespread halt of all carnivorous activity by humans. People who support this movement and choose to live without the use of animal products of any kind are called total vegans. An analysis of the reasons behind veganism reveals two main factors contributing to the life-altering decision to become a total vegan: moral and ethical values primarily regarding animal welfare and health concerns involved in the consumption of red meat.

Dr. Michael Greger provides an eye-opening statistic regarding the link between health and nutrition when he states that, “The #1 killer in the US – heart disease – was found to be almost nonexistent in populations with diets centered around whole plant foods” (“Greger”). Even though the idea that a plant-based diet is the best option for many reasons, many groups still passionately contest it. However, recent research in nutritional and environmental science has established that a more plant-based, or vegetarian, lifestyle is the way society needs to go. Webster’s New World Dictionary defines vegetarian as, “one who eats no meat” (715). Society is showing a trend towards more people adopting plant-based eating. This trend can be seen playing out in the popular media via celebrities who openly discuss their vegetarian lifestyle choices and also in popular television shows whose characters talk about being vegetarian in the dialogue of show.

As we can now observe, vegetarianism has become something fashionable, and the number of people who reject eating meat is constantly increasing. In Britain, for instance, over 5 million people have done it so far. It is obviously connected with the recent animal diseases, but this tendency is likely to spread on the other regions of the world. However, it is not only a fashion or fear of illnesses. I myself became a vegetarian about 2 years ago, and I can see a number of reasons why people should stop eating meat. They are mainly of ethic, economic and health type. Those who think in an ecological way should also be aware of how this meat consumption ruins our environment. I don’t have an intention

Living a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle comes with enormous benefits such as reducing the possibility of diseases and cancers allowing one to live longer and also assist with losing weight through learning how to eat proper portions and the correct types of food. This is proven by Lap Tai Le and Joan Sabaté in their article, “Beyond Meatless, the Health Effects of Vegan Diets: Findings from the Adventist Cohorts.” However, less than ten percent of the U.S population is experiencing these benefits mainly since the public is unaware of the perks of living a vegan or vegetarian

Vegetarianism and veganism have become a widely accepted and practiced lifestyle over the past couple years. “According to a Harris Interactive study commissioned by the Vegetarian Resource Group, approximately five percent of the U.S. is vegetarian (close to 16 million people) and about half of these vegetarians are vegan” (Is 2014 the Year of the Vegan?). That means that the number of vegetarians has doubled over the past 7 years. Due to increased awareness, one can assume that this number is only going to continue growing. Many people ask “Why would I ever go vegan?” Choosing to go vegan is not only a way to better a person’s health, but also, to help the animals, the environment, and the people of the world.

Is a vegetarian diet healthier than a meat eating diet? Becoming vegetarian certainly has pros because of its potential health benefits. However, becoming vegetarian also has its cons because it can cause the human body to become deficient on some of the body’s needs such as iron. With that, there are many advantages and disadvantages to vegetarianism that could make or break the choice of becoming one.

They say, “You are what you eat” and if making good food choices makes you a healthier and happier person, why are healthy food trends seemingly misunderstood and becoming a thing of the past? This semester I will be researching the advantages of choosing to obtain a vegetarian lifestyle and why some individuals are making arguments that are extremely against the practice. This topic is appropriate for a semester of sustained research because there are multiple viewpoints on the issue (including people who have experienced positive health benefits when they cut meat out of their diets, people who disapprove of the industry’s animal treatment, and people who strongly feel that there are extreme health risks and financial burdens that come

With just 3.2 percent of Americans eating a vegetarian diet, 0.5 of them being vegan, consuming animal products is part of an everyday culture in the United States (“Vegetarianism in America”). Choosing to not consume animals may be seen as strange and unhealthy. Vegan and Vegetarian diets may be seen as restrictive because people are often misinformed about the lifestyle. During a course of one year, the average person will consume thirty-one land animals (Livestock Slaughter 2000...); on average, a vegan or vegetarian will save approximately thirty-four (Zacharias). Our bodies do not need animal products to function properly; by consuming animals, people are deteriorating the environment and their bodies. The choices a person makes in

As someone who 's grown up with meat, the first idea of having no meat in a diet sounds almost barbaric. Since meat has become such a part of our culture, whether it 's the turkey on the Thanksgiving table, the ham at Christmas dinner, or even just the steak and burgers at a Saturday barbeque, living without them can scare pretty much any meat-eater. As one myself, I must admit the thought of it made me turn my nose, considering I would have to live without pork, which includes bacon and hotdogs. But, when I actually looked into the benefits of being a vegetarian or even a vegan, I saw that the benefits outweighed the downsides. There are many ways can becoming a vegetarian benefit not only you, but the world around you.

Until recently, vegetarianism has remained ostracized at the outskirts of our society, associated in collective public opinion almost exclusively with radical animal rights activists and "left-wing political attitudes" (Lund). In recent years, however, the practice of abstaining from meat consumption has taken on new life, fueled by new evidence of its health benefits and a changing moral landscape that is gradually expanding to include the rights of animals with those of humans. In spite of its rapid growth, the vegetarian philosophy remains a largely controversial subject for many Americans. Its almost sudden appearance in the mainstream leaves many avid meat-eaters questioning the validity of its lauded benefits and struggling to defend

Vegetarianism is a controversial topic that involves the consumption of meat. Should one become a vegetarian? If consuming meat involves the production of factory farming and health risks the consuming meat is not good. If consuming meat is not good, one should become a vegetarian. Therefore one should become a vegetarian. A suitable beginning would be to define a factory farm.