The Characteristics Of The Vegetarian Diet

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

“Against Meat” by Jonathon Safran Foer (2009, New York Times Magazine) is intended to educate current non-vegetarians on what vegetarianism is, the benefits of it in terms of health and animal rights, and also the struggles of consistently being a vegetarian. Although Foer does not specifically express what a vegetarian is we can assume he is going off the generally known definition of a person who does not consume the meat of an animal, as oppose to a vegan who does not consume any animal products at all. According to an article about vegetarian Americans, 5% or 16 million Americans classify themselves as vegetarian in 2015, compared to the 1% back in 2009, making vegetarianism a growing trend throughout the US (Raw Food World). Foer proves his opinion on vegetarianism by backing it up with facts from the USDA and his own personal experiences with his babysitter, growing up struggling with being a vegetarian that loves meat, and the decision to marry and raise his child vegetarian. Foer does, however, have a few gaps in his argument about nutrition, the costs associated with vegetarianism, and the lack of a definition of vegetarian.

Vegetarianism has important philosophical grounds related to murdering animals and the fact that all life on earth should be respected and protected. Unlike extreme ideas about animal rights that go as far as forbid people to ride mules for their benefit, advocates of vegetarianism proceed from one simple principle - that killing is wrong and animals have the same right to live. In theory, such a position means that a person is striving to live in harmony with the outer world, a feature that in itself can promote healthier lifestyle. However, there more matter-of-fact arguments in favor of vegetarianism, and these arguments hinge on the nutritional benefits of a veggie diet.

Note: For the purpose of this essay, vegetarians are people who do not eat meat, fish or egg. They consume milk products, plants and plant products.

Thesis statement: There should be meat free alternatives and more awareness of the benefits of choosing a vegetarian lifestyle as eating less meat is better for an individual’s health and the environmental.

“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.

In his essay, “Against Meat”, found in the They say/I say readings, author Jonathon Safron Foer analyzes how he became a vegetarian and how it affected his future lifestyle. Foer delves into his childhood and explains what caused him to become vegetarian, as well as the people that influenced his decision. He also discusses the importance of what pursuing this type of lifestyle can do for those that decide to follow his footsteps. Although meat may contain types of protein and other favorable aspects, Foer and others argue that, in the long run, abstaining from meat provides to be more beneficial for your health.

There are two main lifestyles that we as human beings practice that impact our eating habits. One being a Vegetarian, a person who chooses not to eat meat. The other being a Meat Eater (also known as an Omnivore), a person who chooses to eat both meat and vegetables. A controversial debate continues to go on, evaluating the pros and cons of each group, along with the reasons behind their choice. In the end it all depends on the individual’s outlook on life that makes the decision.

Americans stick to their traditional diets that have too many calories and too much fat (especially saturated fat), cholesterol, and sodium (Higgins). These drawbacks of American food habits can be reduced if people choose to reduce their intake of meat or give up eating meat altogether. Vegetarian and vegan diets have been found to be healthier by the American Dietetic Association that acknowledged the health value and nutritional adequacy of vegetarian diets. The effect of meat consumption upon the origin of cancer has not been studied in detail, but statistics found in different studies show that certain food consumption can reduce the risk of cancer greatly by eating less meat and related products, and more vegetarian friendly substitutes. Most cancer researchers report that vegetarianism reduces the risk of cancer. Consumption of meat raises the risk of breast cancer for women who eat meat daily compared to less than once a week by 3.8 times (Vegsource.com). Men who consume meat, eggs and other animal foods daily have an increased risk of prostate cancer by 3.6 times as opposed to men who are on a vegetarian diet. Even frequent consumption of eggs and/or butter can lead to greater risk of developing cancer as opposed to those who have totally given up animal products. These people are known as vegans. They are pretty similar to vegetarians in the fact

Our goal for this project was to show the arguments that both sides use to support their reasoning behind why eating meat or no meat is better or why each person on both sides prefer one or the other. For each side we all chose an argument one might use to explain why their choice in diet is better and more preferable than the other. Each member of each group chose a side to argue for and then discussed different aspects of the argument; those being the economic, the health, the ethic and the environmental side. The vegetarian side would argue on what vegetarians contribute to these for aspects of the debate and also defend why their position is better compared

The next day passed without meat, and then a week, and as time went on my father realized I was serious. My mother had given up after her first encounter with the horrors of ‘tofurky’, deciding that maybe ‘bad energy’ added character, but I persisted to my father’s dismay. I kept this up for eighteen months, through a school year and a summer vacation, dodging my father’s attempts to sneak meat into my diet, and making it through asados with my grandparents, where the family meal consisted of three types of meat doused in a mouthwatering chimichurri, a baguette, and a tomato salad. It was on the first day of the nineteenth month that I quietly placed a slice of meat on my plate, and it was over. I was absolutely sure that my dad could not doubt my sincerity when I said I would be a vegetarian, and would hopefully know better than to doubt me

Vegetarianism has fundamental philosophical grounds identified with butchering creatures and the way that all life on earth ought to be regarded and ensured. Supporters of vegetarianism continue from one clear control - that butchering isn't right and creatures have a tantamount fitting to live. On a fundamental level, such a position proposes, to the point that a man is endeavoring to live in congruity with the external world, a part that in itself can move more worthwhile way of life. Regardless, there more doubtlessly clear truth clashes for vegetarianism, and these debate rely upon the solid purposes of enthusiasm of a veggie weaken.

These days, many people around the world are changing their eating habits towards vegetarianism, which implies a diet where the consumption of animal products is avoided. There are different positive aspects that explain this trend. However, as always there is another side of the coin, the disadvantages will be greater as our diet becomes more restrictive. The idea of being a vegetarian personally seems to me a very radical decision, everything must have a balance even the food, because it is a very important factor in our daily life. We must be aware of what we eat, trying to do it in a healthy way and without the need to abuse the consumption of products of animal origin. Being vegetarian in simple terms is not eating meats. But it really goes beyond that. That is why this essay shall explore positive and negative aspects from people who decide to change their lifestyle, when they are going from an omnivorous diet to a vegetarian one. Motivated for reasons such as health, ethical, ecology, and trend.

A vegetarian diet is a meal plan made up of foods that come mostly from plants. These include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts. A vegetarian diet has little or no animal products according to the vegansocity.com. What would you do if you had a chance to live healthy, save money and get great meals by simply becoming a vegetarian? This essay will show you why a vegetarian diet is the answer to reducing all health problems. Become a vegetarian to reduce the chances of becoming obese, obtaining long term diseases that might cost you fortunes, increase your chances of becoming healthy with great meals, and you will be part of a group that fights animal cruelty.

According to Dr. T. Colin Campbell, “No chemical carcinogen is nearly so important in causing human cancer as animal protein”. There are nine categories of vegetarianism which include many different diets such as vegan, raw food and macrobiotic diets (ProQuest). The different categories of vegetarianism from which you can choose depend on your body type and lifestyle (Preyss Pro). Not being a vegetarian can lead to obesity, illness and harm to animals. These problems can be solved by more vegetarian foods being served in public places.