Being a Vegetarian is Better For the Planet

896 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Health benefits of being vegetarian

Albert Einstein once said, "Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." As people move into a more health conscious society, vegetarianism is becoming a popular choice. While some people cannot imagine a day without meat, others are convinced that a vegetarian lifestyle is the better option. There are numerous benefits of being a vegetarian. Some of the reasons are as follows: vegetarianism has multiple health paybacks, is far better for the environment, and is morally sound. Most people believe that vegetarianism is unhealthy, goes against our natural diet, and unnecessary, however, a vegetarian diet offers many health benefits and is more ethical than an omnivorous existence. The health benefits of a vegetarian diet are hard to ignore. Vegetarians have a lower chance of developing many diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. Women who eat meat daily are more likely to develop breast cancer. According to an article in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, “consumption of well-done meats and, thus, exposures to heterocyclic amines (or other compounds) formed during high-temperature cooking may play an important role in the risk of breast cancer.” Men are also more than almost more likely to develop prostate cancer than those who do not include meat in their everyday diets. “Up to 80 percent of prostate cancer is attributed to dietary practices, and international comparisons show strong positive associations with meat consumption” (Alexander, 2010). Vegetarians have also shown to have lower blood pressure, better digestion, and more energy than humans with a meat based diet. The effects of a vegetarian life style ... ... middle of paper ... ...nnot keep up with the mass destruction of forests. In addition, the tremendous amount of grain used to feed the animals could be transported to undeveloped countries for food supply. People have used the argument that eating meat plays an important role in the overall health of a human and it is the way the cycle of life is meant to be, but this is not the case. Eating meat is unnecessary. Becoming a vegetarian could save countless animals from unnecessary suffering, improve human health, and help preserve numerous natural resources. Works Cited Alexander, D. D. (2010). A review and meta-analysis of prospective studies of red and processed meat intake and prostate cancer. Nutrition Journal, 50. Kennedy, S. F. (2001). Antibiotics, Animals, and People--Again! Science Journal, 397. Now! The best of times for a diet change. (2009). Pacific Ecologist, 34.

Show More
Related

  • Mad Cowboy

    2443 Words  | 5 Pages

    I will first show the lack of validity and soundness to Howard’s claim that A) a vegan lifestyle is a healthier choice and B) his claim that one must switch to that lifestyle to enjoy these said benefits. To the claim made in A, Howard uses his own health problems he endured on his meat diet, and uses it as a constant variable comparing it to his now relative healthy lifestyle as a vegan. On first glance anyone who eats a calorie-laden, unbalanced diet and ends up weighing 300 pounds, as Lyman himself admitted, will have health problems regardless of his orientation to meat or vegetables. With this said his comparing analogy is inertly flawed and must be disregarded from the argument he presents. On march 8 before the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, Mary K Young, MS.,R.D,NCBA Director of Nutrition Research and Information, presented the benefits of eating meat. Using Data from the 1995 USDA Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSI) she confirms that red meat enhances one overall diet quality. Young goes on to point out that red meat is the number one source for protein, B12, and zinc, number 2 source for B6 and third greatest source for iron, niacin and potassium. She also pointed out that red meat alone has the greatest concentrates of iron and zinc together. Also included cited in Young’s report was the research recently published in the Journal of the American...

    Read More

  • The Omnivore's Dilemma Analysis

    1384 Words  | 3 Pages

    They've studied about 53.000 participants. Among these participants were about 17.000 vegetarians. They've studied the data of all these participants and something interesting became clear: People that were not consuming meat during their lifetime had fewer cancers on average than people who were consuming meat. There was also a remarkable result. Colon cancer is a type of cancer associated with consuming of red meat. However it became clear from the study that vegetarians had more colon cancer than other participants. Although the results are interesting, it's not completely new. It is already well known that people can reduce the cancer if they regularly eat fruit and vegetables. If you stick to this then it is said that you can decrease the risk of getting cancer. The new element of this study however is the fact that it concentrates on full vegetarians. The study doesn't only focus on meat eaters that eat fruit and vegetables occasionally. This gives a better view on the effect of meat by itself on the development of cancer. The researchers studied the participants from the age of 20 to 89. These people were organized into 4 groups. There were of course the meat-eaters. Also people who ate fish got their own group. The remaining groups were the vegetarians and the extreme vegetarians. Extreme vegetarians are also called vegans. What the difference is between vegetarians and vegans is that vegans are very strict. Vegetarians just avoid meat and such things. Vegans avoid every ingredient that is related to animals. Vegans don't even want to wear clothes that were made of animals. So vegans go much further than a 'normal vegetarian' The group of people who ate fish and the vegetarians showed fewer cancers than meat eaters. So it's not only vegetarians that show better results. The people who eat fish also

    Read More

  • Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman

    582 Words  | 2 Pages

    As healthy lifestyles have come to take over the minds of the general public, people have begun to pay increased attention to the food they eat, which in turn has sparked a renewal in vegetarianism. Vegetarianism is a term used to describe the practice of living on a diet consisting of nuts, grains, fruits, and vegetables, with or without the use of eggs and dairy products. People usually associate vegetarianism with the hippy movement in the 1960’s; however, it was Frances Moore Lappé's iconic book, Diet for a Small Planet, released in 1971 that launched the vegetarian movement. Since 1971 vegetarian cookbooks, restaurants, and food brands have become popular and have enticed the likings of about 7 million Americans. Unfortunately, despite the growing popularity of vegetarianism most people living on a carnivorous diet laugh at the idea of giving up meat. Although omnivores are reluctant to give up their current diets, giving the vegetarian diet a chance even for just a month or two can bring about a number of positive consequences. By adopting a vegetarian diet a person is not only...

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On American Food

    1524 Words  | 4 Pages

    Vanessa Ha and Russell de Souza published a study they did over the health benefits of vegetarianism in the Journal of the American Heart Association. They found that switching to a vegetarian diet can cause healthy weight loss, lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure. They also found that vegetarians eat lower amounts of total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. If the United States’ population could start to lose weight, there would be a multitude of benefits. People would have more energy, they would sleep better, and the nation would get back on track. Weight loss can also help to reverse Type 2 Diabetes. Many people would be able to get off their medication and be able to function without being dependent on their medicine. They would also save time because they would not have to go to doctor’s appointments so often. If the American people were all vegetarians, the obesity problem in the United States could practically be eradicated, as Ha and Souza proved that the vegetarian diet could cause weight loss. People could live normal, healthy

    Read More

  • Animals Rights and Religion Analysis

    1223 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...evidence and statistics. A vegetarian diet is becoming more and more popular. Scientific data suggest a relation between vegetarian diet and reduced risk for several chronic diseases including obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and some type of cancer. All this research should make us think and confirm that God knew what He was talking about when He told us in the Bible what to eat and what no to eat.

    Read More

  • Vegetarianism: The Argument For Vegetarianism

    1324 Words  | 3 Pages

    Every day across America millions of people wake up to start their morning. Throughout the day the vast majority of these people will consume meat, but 3% will replace the pig, cow, and chicken products for vegetable or fruit made meals (Harris). These vegetarians all have many different reasons to make this choice. This decision is a huge change in one’s life and is not without questions. Some people may wonder why would anyone abstain from the amazing food that contains meat. This essay will briefly explain the history of vegetarianism, the reasons for vegetarianism, and answer questions about vegetarianism. Vegetarian diets are all around better than diets containing meat because of three main reasons; the abuse of animals, the environmental damage, and the health benefits for humans.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Vegetarianism

    1714 Words  | 4 Pages

    Rachel K. Johnson, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association and professor of nutrition and Medicine at the University of Vermont says, “[Your risk of heart disease reduces] because of the fatty red meats and many processed meats that are high in saturated fat, which raises LDL cholesterol which increases risk of coronary heart disease.” Being vegetarian doesn’t just help women with heart disease, but it helps with so much more. For one it helps lower your blood pressure, in a research that was done on a group of people it was found that only vegetarians were found with the lowest blood pressure (Alexandra p.1). Secondly it helps lower the risk of death. A 2013 study showed that more than 70,000 people found that vegetarians had a twelve percent lower risk of death compared with non-vegetarians (Alexandra p.2) With the absence of the saturated fat and cholesterol that clogs arteries, vegetarians are at a lower risk for chronic disease overall. Thirdly, when being a vegetarian you are also in a better mood. “ A 2012 study randomly split participants into three diets: all-meat allowed, fish-only and vegetarian no-meat. The researchers found that after two weeks, the people on the vegetarian diet reported more mood improvements than those on the other two diets.”(Alexandra p.3). Being a vegetarian also gives you a less risk of being over weight, which we all know has been one of the biggest problems here in America. Too many people are overweight and are not doing

    Read More

  • The Benefits Of Being A Vegetarian Diet?

    1164 Words  | 3 Pages

    On a daily basis, a majority of people across the world consumes meat products in their diet, yet a small percent of people have chosen the unique lifestyle of being a vegetarian. Although everyone has to make their decision on whether to follow a meat based or vegetarian based diet, there have been continuous debates on the benefits that come from being a vegetarian versus eating meat. According to nutritionists, it was concluded that eating a more vegetarian based diet has greater positive values to the health of the body than consuming meat. The benefits of a vegetarian diet over the meat diet are determined by the nutrients that an individual may gain from being a vegetarian. There are numerous organizations and societies that continually educate people about the best ways of living a healthy lifestyle. The main objective of this paper is to assess the importance of the vegetarian diet compared to the meat based diet.

    Read More

  • Vegetarian Diets: The Benefits Of A Vegetarian Diet

    1198 Words  | 3 Pages

    Society has recently become increasingly obsessed with health and nutrition, as more and more individuals realize that they can dramatically change their quality of life by adjusting their diet and lifestyle. One way that people have tried to pursue a healthier lifestyle, is by removing meat and other animal products from their diets, whether they become a strict vegetarian who eats no animal byproducts, or a lacto-ovo vegetarian who still eats eggs and dairy. As with any other lifestyle, research is always being done to see if the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, and so far, the results of vegetarian diets have been encouraging. Vegetarian diets have proven to decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and many other health problems. With a little planning and dedication, a vegetarian diet will be healthier and more beneficial than a traditional diet

    Read More

  • Saving the Environment with Veganism

    908 Words  | 2 Pages

    A United Nations report states that land used for animal agriculture, both for grazing and production of crops fed to livestock, takes up an astounding 30% of land on Earth. ("Meat Production Wastes Natural Resources") To meet the industry’s demands, over 260 million acres of forest in the U.S. have been cleared to grow grain fed to farm animals. ("Meat Production Wastes Natural Resources") With that in mind, the meat industry also dumps disease-causing pathogens through animal waste that pollutes water and forces the need for waste lagoons to be constructed, which are susceptible to leaking and flooding. ("Facts about Pollution from Livestock Farms”) Scientists say that about 14% of the world’s greenhouse gases are released by said agriculture industries, which is a growing concern for climate change and global warming. (Silverman) The meat industry uses one-third of all the fossil fuels consumed in the United States. (Moore) There is no question that farming animals has a negative effect on the environment and steps should be taken to mitigate air and water pollution risks and future deforestation. If animal agriculture was phased out, land used for animal grazing could be returned to forest land and some of it converted into fields for cultivating crops for humans. A global shift toward veganism, resulting in the elimination of the meat and animal agriculture industries, would protect the environment from various detrimental effects.

    Read More

  • Healthier being a meat-eater or a vegetarian

    726 Words  | 2 Pages

    Today’s medical experts say that avoiding meat helps you avoid saturated fat. They have found out from studies that women who eat meat daily have a fifty percent greater risk of developing heart disease than vegetarian women and a sixty-eight percent greater risk in men (staff writer). People may not know about serious diseases meat can cause such as, mad cow disease and foot-and-mouth disease. In the September 1999 issue of the Emerging Infectious Diseases, approximately 76 million food-borne illnesses- resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths occur in the United States each year from improperly cooked or diseased meat (Licher). That is a lot of fun!

    Read More

  • It is Better to be a Vegetarian

    1128 Words  | 3 Pages

    The first benefit to being a vegetarian is health reasons. Recent research studies have shown that vegetarians have better health than people who eat meat. The risk of a disease is less likely when being a vegetarian. For example, vegetarians have a lower rate of gallstones, kidney stones, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and colon disease. Studies have also shown that not only does a vegetarian diet have a greater chance of preventing these diseases but becoming a vegetarian can sometimes even cure these diseases. In a study conducted by Dr. Ornish from the University of California, he found that a vegetarian diet is also good for unclogging arteries of patients with very serious heart disease. The American Medical Association announced, in 1961, that heart disease, which is the cause of over half of deaths in the United States, could be eliminated by a vegetarian diet. The AMA has also reported that a high saturated fat diet is a key component to high levels of the diagnosis of coronary heart disease. The reason for vegetarians less risk for heart disease ...

    Read More

  • Should People Become Vegetarian?

    1082 Words  | 3 Pages

    In conclusion, vegetarianism benefits many part of our life. A healthier body, a better environment, and more fair treatment of animals are all requites of becoming vegetarians. It is hard to change eating habits, but it is not impossible. There are many kinds of food that vegetarians can choose today. The taste of the non-meat food is not all bad and some of them maybe much better than imagination. It is not wise to deny being a vegetarian before trying to be. With more and more people adopting the vegetarian diet, the world will be a better place in the future: animals will be treated better; global warming will be alleviated; fewer people will be starving, and ultimately, people will be healthier and be living longer. Therefore, people should start action before it is too late.

    Read More

  • Vegetarian Diet Argumentative Essay

    1935 Words  | 4 Pages

    Vegetarians tend to be healthier than those who consume meat. This is due to the prevalent unnatural chemicals used in the processing of meats, and eating these are unsuitable for the body. Meats already contain harmful amounts of cholesterol, and over-consumption of red meat can lead to early heart disease. Animals that are raised on farms for their meat are not treated well, and this mistreatment can lead to harm in the meat they are producing. Although one life choice cannot change one’s environmental

    Read More

  • The Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet

    899 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Advantages of a Vegetarian Diet Having a healthy dietary method can reduce the chances of receiving many health diseases. These health diseases include obesity, heart disease, and cancer. By consuming certain foods and nutrients in one’s diet, the risk factors for these health diseases can be reduced. A healthy dietary method that is beneficial to reducing and/or improving these health diseases is the vegetarian diet. The vegetarian diet follows a dietary pattern that is characterized by the consumption of plant-like foods and the avoidance of flesh foods (meat, poultry, and fish).

    Read More

More about Being a Vegetarian is Better For the Planet

Open Document