The idea of taking meat out of their diet confuses most people, so new vegetarians are often asked “why be a vegetarian?” Most people simply are not familiar with the abundant, tasty food options that vegetarians are able to take advantage of.
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 Very Inexpensive and Tasty, So Why be a Vegetarian When it is So Expensive?
One of the arguments made against vegetarianism is that it takes a lot of work and thought. At first glance, it may seem that vegetarians put a lot more work into their diet than meat eaters, but the truth is that they are usually just more careful with their diet and do everything they can to ensure that they are getting balanced nutrition.
The idea that it is more expensive to eat foods to replace meat in their diet is a common misconception about vegetarianism. Although meat substitutes can be costly, inexpensive vegetarian foods can be purchased in bulk. Some examples of the most inexpensive vegetarian staples are rice, oats, beans, and pasta
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.
When you take into account the fact that meat takes many times the amount of resources to produce that crops do, you’ll see that plant foods are actually less expensive to produce. The artificially low prices of meat in the supermarket and in restaurants are the result of government subsidies that provide farmers with payments to encourage them to produce meat.
Why Be a Vegetarian When Humans Were Meant to Eat Meat?
There is plenty of biological evidence to counter the argument of meat eaters that humans were not made to live as vegetarians. Our digestive system shows that the optimal food for our bodies is plant matter, not meat, as we more closely physiologically resemble herbivores, rather than carnivores.
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?
There are even more reasons to be vegetarian, but the most compelling reason is the one that resonates with you personally. Being a vegetarian means that you are removing your support from an industry that produces more waste than all other American industries combined. You are standing up in favor of a healthy life and healthy planet, and you are doing a good turn for animal rights. Being a vegetarian comes with many, many benefits for your physical, emotional, and financial well-being - and no detrimental effects to any of these.
