“Why be a vegetarian?”: this is one question that new vegetarians are asked over and over again. In as much as people are not familiar with the wealth of delicious food available to vegetarians, they are simply at a loss about the reason for taking meat out of your diet.

A lot of vegetarians feel that they have to defend their position when asked “why be a vegetarian?” This question can sometimes feel almost like an attack on vegetarianism, but most people who ask are genuinely curious as to the motivations behind being a vegetarian.

Meat is Cheap and Tasty! Why be a Vegetarian When it’s So Expensive?

It requires a lot of effort and thought, is one of the arguments made against vegetarianism. It is a common misconception that vegetarians put more effort on their diet than meat eaters, but vegetarians are only more careful with their diet and stick to it diligently so as to maintain balanced nutrition.

It is a common misconception that vegetarian food is more expensive than meats. Bulk amount of vegetarian food can be bought quite inexpensively, whereas the pre-made packaged meat substitutes are typically quite costly. The common vegetarian staples such as rice, oats, beans, and pasta are very affordable.

The cost is a little higher when you factor in fresh fruits and vegetables, however it is commonly accepted that we could all benefit from more fruits and vegetables in our diets. Vegetarians typically do not consume much more in the way of fruits and vegetables than the recommended amounts for the general, meat eating, public.

If the amount of resources needed to produce crops and meat are taken into account, it will be seen that it is less expensive to produce plant foods. The artificially low priced meat available in the supermarket and in restaurants are the products of the subsidies provided by the government to the farmers in the form of payments to encourage meat production.

Why Be a Vegetarian When Humans Were Meant to Eat Meat?

Many meat eaters argue that humans were not made to live without meat in their diets, however biological evidence doe not support this claim. Our physiology resembles more closely that of herbivores than carnivores: our digestive system reveals that plant matter, not meat, is our optimal food.

While the human body is capable of digesting meat, eating meat long-term is known to cause many health problems. High cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis are all directly linked to eating meat. Although eating meat infrequently does not seem to significantly raise our risk for these maladies, the typical American diet contains so much meat that it effectively poisons our bodies. Were we designed to be meat eaters? The evidence suggests that we were not.

Why become a Vegetarian? Why Can’t You Be One?

Even, though there are many reasons to be vegetarian, your personal beliefs are the most important. Becoming a vegetarian removes your endorsement from an industry that produces more waste than all other American industries put together. You will be doing your part to achieve a healthy lifestyle, as well as a healthier planet. You will also be doing your part in supporting animal rights. There are no known detrimental effects of being a vegetarian, in fact being one has many benefits for one’s physical, emotional, and financial well-being.