The following is a question that has been circulating for many years now. Will the world change if people become vegetarians? Some say it will, while others believe that meat is essential to human health and nutrition.
The debate over whether or not vegetarianism can help save our planet continues to rage on with no clear resolution in sight. But one thing’s for sure: There are significant benefits of going veg—both personal and global—that make this issue worth investigating further.
What is vegetarianism and how does it differ from veganism?
Vegetarianism is a lifestyle that excludes all animal products, such as meat, fish and poultry. Vegans take it one step further: They avoid all animal-derived foods and goods (leather shoes and wool sweaters) and animal-tested toiletries and cosmetics, too.
Both vegetarians and vegans are interested in maintaining a healthy diet that is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and high in fiber. But each person chooses to do it their own way, so the end result may look slightly different.
Vegans tend to be leaner than vegetarians since they avoid all dairy products, which are high in calcium and protein. Vegans also have a lower intake of saturated fat and cholesterol because they don’t eat eggs or meat.
Health benefits of a vegetarian diet
A vegetarian diet is high in fiber and complex carbohydrates, which help reduce blood cholesterol levels. A vegetarian can lower his or her LDL (bad) cholesterol by five to ten percent on a meat-free diet. That’s good news for the heart, as well as those who suffer from hypertension and diabetes.
It’s not just about cholesterol. The benefits of a vegetarian diet also include lower blood pressure, improved artery health and reduced risk for certain cancers. Vegetarians seem to have a lower risk for diabetes than non-vegetarians (they tend to be leaner), which can help protect them against heart disease later in life.
Vegetarianism can pose some nutritional challenges, however. Since red meat is very high in iron, leaner meats must be consumed to avoid anemia. A vegetarian diet can also be low in calcium if it doesn’t include diary products.
Environmental benefits of a vegetarian diet
As with veganism, vegetarians are at the forefront of “green eating”. While they avoid all meat products, vegetarians are also passionate about environmentalism.
They use far less natural resources than omnivores—for example, crops grown for feed animals produce five times more CO2 emissions than those grown for human consumption.
This is because cows and chickens require large quantities of water for drinking and growing feed grasses. Then there is the issue of deforestation, as the land cleared for growing feed crops is often used to replace food sources of wild animals.
All in all, a more plant-based diet improves water conservation and does a better job of feeding the world’s population with fewer natural resources. So it’s no wonder that people who eat less meat also tend to have a lower carbon footprint.
Ethical benefits of a vegetarian diet
For many vegetarians, the ethical reasons for becoming meat-free are just as important as health and environmental concerns. In fact, studies show that animal rights issues play a role in an estimated 70 percent of people’s decisions to adopt a plant-based diet.
If everyone went vegetarian today, would it reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
No. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, livestock account for just five percent of total carbon dioxide emissions in the United States—and only two percent worldwide.
That’s not enough to reverse global warming. However, that’s an important statistic since the food industry is often blamed for being a major contributor to greenhouse gases.
Conclusion
So, while vegetarianism won’t singlehandedly reverse global warming, it does have a positive impact on the environment. It also has many health benefits, as well as ethical reasons for adoption.
If you’re looking to make a change in your diet that is good for both you and the planet, consider going vegetarian!
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