With the growing awareness of the importance of healthy food, many people are also becoming vegetarian because it matches the kind of low fat, high fiber diet recommended by dieticians and doctors. Concern about the environment is another factor as people become more aware of the effect raising animals for their meat is having on the environment. Or you may be concerned about wasting world food resources by using land to raise animals for meat instead of growing crops that can feed more people directly.
Animals need far more water than grain crops. According to the USDA, growing the crops necessary to feed farmed animals requires nearly half of the United States‘ water supply and 80% of its agricultural land. Additionally, animals raised for food in the U.S. consume 90% of the soya crop, 80% of the corn crop, and a total of 70% of its grain.
One acre of pasture produces an average of 165 pounds of beef; the same acre can produce 20,000 pounds of potatoes.
Vegetarian diets have been found to satisfy the nutritional needs for all stages of life, and large-scale studies have shown vegetarianism to increase longevity, improve health, and significantly lower the risks of many diseases.
Studies show that vegetarian diets help to keep body weight under control and reduce the risk of heart disease, osteoperosis and many cancers - particularly lung cancer and colon cancer. Vegetarians tend to have lower levels of cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and less incidence of dementias such as Alzheimer’s. Vegetarian diets that are low in saturated fats have been successfully used to reverse severe coronary artery disease.
It was once widely believed that vegetarians had to carefully combine plant protein sources in each meal in order to obtain all the essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids needed to stay healthy. However, scientific studies have shown that the human body can store essential amino acids and combine them as necessary. So, while combining beans and rice, or peanut butter and bread produces a complete protein, it’s not necessary to consciously do this at every meal. If you eat a varied diet and adequate calories, combining proteins is not an issue.
Vegetarian diets are lower in saturated fats, cholesterol, and animal protein. They’re also high in folate, anti-oxidant vitamins like C and E, carotenoids, and phytochemicals.
Some famous vegetarians are Leonardo Da Vinci, Charles Darwin, Socrates, Plato, Sir Isaac Newton and Thomas Edison. Famous modern day vegetarians include Bryan Adams, Alicia Silverstone, Liv Tyler, Jerry Seinfeld, Kim Basinger, and Paul McCartney.
If you are new to vegetarianism, The Higher Taste by Srila Prabhupada is a great beginners booklet. Not only does it explain vegetarianism clearly but it also gives some delicious easy to follow recipes.
There are many vegetarian websites today that provide many delicious recipes. There are a large variety of vegetarian recipes available from Italian and Greek cuisine to Middle Eastern, Indian and Chinese cuisine.
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There is research to suggest that vegetarians live 10-15 years longer than meat-eaters and vegans live 15-20 years longer. I’m not certain if it’s the lack of meat or whether these groups are more careful overall with what they eat.