The Pros of Being a Vegetarian
Pro-Planet. Pro-Animals. Pro-Health: The Pros of Vegetarianism. Vegetarianism, is it just a fad, or will it continue to cultivate and grow more mainstream than it is today? All signs are indicating that it will, indeed, continue to grow. “As many as 3.2% to 6% of the U.S. adult population is a vegetarian” (Parker 1). If one loves life, why not try vegetarianism? Having a vegetarian diet not only saves animals, but also improves health and uses less of our planet’s diminishing resources. The earliest known practice of vegetarianism was in ancient Greece. Vegetarianism was encouraged by the famous Greek philosophers, such as Pythagoras and Socrates. They stated that it was unclean and unfair to the living animals around them (Driscoll 2). Vegetarianism was – and still is – practiced by Hindus and many Buddhists for their religion. Even some Christians are vegetarians for religious reasons, most notably Seventh Day Adventists. Benjamin Franklin was one America’s earliest vegetarians. According to Vegetarian Times, a magazine that caters to vegetarians, there are four major types of vegetarians. Lacto-ovo vegetarianism (the most popular): no meat, poultry or fish, but they consume eggs, dairy and honey. Lacto vegetarianism: no meat, poultry, fish or eggs, but they consume dairy and honey. Ovo vegetarianism: no meat, poultry, fish or dairy, but they consume eggs and honey. Finally, veganism: do not consume or use anything from animals (Driscoll 3).
Vegans consist of only 5% of all vegetarians (Time 48). There are also many other small groups that are considered legitimate by some vegetarians, such as individuals who eat poultry, but no meat. Why do people choose to become a vegetarian? There are a multitude of reasons. Including environmental concerns and, as previously stated, religious reasons. The most popular reason, though, seems to be for one’s wellbeing. Health benefits of vegetarianism are remarkable. Having a vegetarian diet will reduce your
Vegans consist of only 5% of all vegetarians (Time 48). There are also many other small groups that are considered legitimate by some vegetarians, such as individuals who eat poultry, but no meat. Why do people choose to become a vegetarian? There are a multitude of reasons. Including environmental concerns and, as previously stated, religious reasons. The most popular reason, though, seems to be for one’s wellbeing. Health benefits of vegetarianism are remarkable. Having a vegetarian diet will reduce your
Cited: Ballaro, Beverly. "Vegetarianism Promotes Both Human and Planetary Health." Points of View: Vegetarianism (2008): 2-2. EBSCO. Web. 26 Nov. 2009. Corliss, Richard, Melissa August, Mathew Cooper, David Bjerklie, Lisa McLaughlin, Wendy Cole, and Jeffrey Ressner. "Should We All Be Vegetarians?" Time 15 July 2002: 48-57. Print. Driscoll, Sally. "Vegetarianism: An Overview." EBSCO. Great Neck Publishing, 2008. Web. 26 Nov. 2009. Knopper, Melissa. "Cheeseless and Loving It." E Magazine Vol. 18, No. 6 Nov./Dec. 2007: 40-41. SIRS Researcher. Web. 05 November 2009. Parker, Elisabeth. "Kids Become Vegetarians with Parents ' Backing." Times-Transcript Moncton, N.B., Canada 23 Oct 2009: B2. SIRS Researcher. Web. 05 November 2009.