Is A Vegetarian Diet As Healthy As You Think?
Vegetarianism has become a more and more popular diet in recent years. According to a 2012 Gallup poll, 3% of people identify as vegetarian. If you’re considering becoming a vegetarian, or just want to learn more about their lifestyle, read on!
A vegetarian diet does not include any products from animals such as eggs, dairy, fish, and meat. A vegan lifestyle excludes all animal by-products including honey. They may also choose not to wear any clothing or accessories made from leather or fur.
Vegetarians do this for several reasons: ethics, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability. The impact of land use and livestock on climate change and the environment has led many to decide it's better if we don't eat meat or anything that comes from an animal. Some people choose not to eat meat for health reasons such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure... Others do it to lose weight or because they want to feel cleaner and healthier.END>.
Why do people choose a vegetarian lifestyle?
There are many reasons why people choose to become vegetarian. Some do it for ethical reasons, some for animal welfare, and others for environmental sustainability.
Vegetarians don't eat meat because they believe animals should be kept as pets or that eating them is cruel. Some vegetarians also feel that eating meat is wasteful since the resources used to raise livestock could be used to feed people around the world instead.
People who become vegetarian for ethical reasons may also decide not to wear any clothing or accessories made from leather or fur.
If you're considering becoming vegetarian, there are many different styles of vegetarianism to choose from. For example, you can be an ovo-Lacto vegetarian (eating eggs and dairy), a Lacto-Ovo vegetarian (eating eggs and dairy but no meat), or a vegan (not eating anything that comes from an animal).
How is a vegetarian diet different?
A vegetarian diet is different from a carnivorous one because it contains no meat. And, as we mentioned earlier, not all vegetarians are vegan. So what exactly do they eat?
As you might imagine, vegetarian diets can be very diverse and depend on the needs and preferences of the individual. Some people choose to be vegetarian for ethical reasons and prefer to eat only plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables.
Others may choose to do it for health reasons such as lowering cholesterol or blood pressure or losing weight – some will also do it because they feel cleaner and healthier with a vegetarian diet.
A vegan lifestyle excludes all animal by-products including honey. They may also choose not to wear any clothing or accessories made from leather or fur. A dairy-free diet excludes milk products but does allow eggs, tofu, soy milk, pumpkin seeds, beans, lentils, rice milk, and so on.
Vegetarianism has become a more popular diet in recent years with an estimated 3% of people identifying as being vegetarian or vegan in 2012. If you’re considering becoming a vegetarian or just want to learn more about their lifestyle read on!
What are some of the benefits of being a vegetarian?
Some people eat a vegetarian diet for ethical reasons, some for environmental ones, and others just because they want to try something new.
Here are some of the benefits of being a vegetarian:
- Vegetarian diets are usually lower in calories and saturated fat than meat-based diets
- They may be healthier for people with heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, or other conditions
- Vegetarians have been shown to have lower blood pressure and lower rates of cancer
- A vegetarian diet is typically more environmentally sustainable than one that includes meat products
See Also: How Can Vegetarianism Help You Control High Blood Pressure?
What are some of the drawbacks to being a vegetarian?
The one drawback to being a vegetarian is that it's hard to get all the nutrients you need. There are some versions of vegetarianism out there that are healthy, but others are not.
A plant-based diet is generally lower in protein, calcium, and iron than a diet with meat, so it's important to make sure the vegetarian lifestyle you choose has enough of these nutrients.
It can also be difficult to find vegetarian options at restaurants or grocery stores. If you're not eating meat because of health reasons, this might be a bigger problem since there can be less nutritional value in some vegetables and fruits than in meat.
Some people also say it's more expensive and takes more time to cook vegetables than meat. Vegetarians sometimes have to think about their meals ahead of time rather than just grabbing something quick for dinner like they used to before they were vegetarian.
See Also: What's the Difference Between? Vegan VS Vegetarian.
Transitioning from a Non-Vegetarian Diet to a Vegetarian Diet
Switching from a non-vegetarian diet to a vegetarian diet can be difficult. If you’re considering this lifestyle change, there are some things you need to know.
Eating a vegetarian diet is not just about the foods you eat. It’s also about the ingredients that go into those foods. You have to be aware of any animal products or by-products in your food and how it is being made so you can avoid them.
Before making a switch to a vegetarian lifestyle, research what a healthy vegetarian diet looks like. Make sure you understand all of the requirements so that you don’t accidentally limit your intake of important nutrients like protein and calcium.
A lot of people find that after they become vegetarians, they can't stand meat anymore and they aren't as tempted by it as they used to be. This means that transitioning may not be as difficult as it seems!
Conclusion
If you’re considering making the transition to a vegetarian diet, it’s important to do your research and find out if it’s really right for you. There’s plenty of information online about what it means to be a vegetarian, the benefits of following a vegetarian diet, and the drawbacks.
Make sure to do your research and consult with your doctor before making any changes to your lifestyle.