
The debate about whether becoming a vegetarian is more beneficial or more inconvenient and risky for humans is a long and complicated one. There are a lot of positives and negatives to both eating meat and to living meat-free. People everywhere and of all ages, turn towards vegetarianism for a number of different reasons, such as health benefits, religious practices, to fight off disease, issues with animal slaughter, and many more. There is also large groups  of people everywhere who strongly believe that meat is crucial to a healthy diet and who believe you cannot, in anyway, get an adequate amount of vitamins and nutrients that you need to be healthy from anywhere else. This group of people, however, do not see the issues that raising animals for meat products has on our environment and on the lives of the animals. I personally choose to be a vegetarian about 8 months ago. I have never felt healthier or better about something in my life. The health, environmental, economical, and ethical benefits of switching to a well-planned vegetarian diet outweighs the inconvenience of giving up meat and having to find other sources for the vital  nutrients that are typically found only in meat products. 

There are multiple different levels and types of vegetarianism, as listed in the Times article "Should We All Be Vegetarians?". These include  sproutarianism, a diet limited to spouted seeds, fruitarianism, a diet built on just fruits, berries, nuts, and grains, raw foodism, which excludes anything cooked past 118 degrees Fahrenheit, veganism, which excludes meat, dairy ,eggs, and anything else that comes from animals, ovo-vegetarianism, a diet that includes just vegetables and eggs, lacto-vegetarianism, a diet built on vegetables and dairy, but not eggs, ovo-lacto-vegetarianism, these individuals eat vegetables, eggs, and dairy, pesco- vegetarianism, includes fish, pollo-vegetarians, who only eat chicken for their meat source, and semi- vegetarianism, for people who typically try to not eat meat and dairy . Some of these levels of vegetarianism are clearly much easier to make the switch to than others, but all levels are beneficial to our bodies and our environment and are a step in the right direction-away from meat. Even just occasionally cutting back on meat consumption makes a real difference.

Vegetarianism is not some new, hipster fad that is popular right now, but will not last.  It has been around for centuries and will hopefully continue to grow more and more popular among people all around the world due to the increasing knowledge we have on the subject.  As stated in The Vegetarian Guide "Vegetarianism dates back to a time before recorded history". Before the Industrial Revolution there was much less meat consumption because the lack of transportation or refrigeration for meat products. In the early 1900s there was a dramatic rise in meat consumption among humans. This rise continued until about 1975, when Peter Singer, an Australian ethic professor, founded PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), which sparked an uproar of people for an animal rights movement. PETA is now the largest animal rights organization in the world(The Vegetarian Guide). The acceptance that vegetarians receive in today's society is at an all-time high. People have different attitudes now that there is so much information and so many studies done that have real, concrete proof that a vegetarian or vegan diet, when done correctly, is in fact good for us and that grains, vegetables, beans, and fruits are a lot more important to the human diet than meat. 

There are many reasons for us to cut back on our meat consumption in favor of an increase in the amounts of fruits and vegetables in our diets, but the most common draw to vegetarianism is the positive effect it has on our health. Some people just do not like the taste/texture of meat, others feel sick after consuming it, but eating meat is actually the cause of various health complications, "A diet high in animal protein is responsible for the high rates (15% of men and 7% of women) of kidney stones in the United States, according to a peer-reviewed Nov. 15, 1999 study"(Vegetarian ProCon). A diet in which meat has been replaced with various protein-rich fruits and vegetables is directly linked to much better health and a longer life. An increase in the intake of fruits and vegetables will pump complex carbohydrates through our systems and gives your bodies a boost to produce more energy that lasts. Switching to a vegetarian diet also helps the human body lose weight and maintain a healthy, more desirable size:

 " A study conducted from 1986 to 1992 by Dean Ornish, MD, president and director of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, found that overweight people who followed a low-fat, vegetarian diet lost an average of 24 pounds in the first year and kept off that weight 5 years later."(Vegetarian Times).

 Replacing burgers, chicken, steaks, etc. with beans, broccoli, avocados, various berries, or any fruit and vegetable that is high in protein helps regulate the digestive track and acts as a detox, helping cleanse your body of unwanted toxins. A regular, or faster, digestive track plays a huge role in weight control. By removing the meat from your regular dinner spread and adding the right vegetables or fruits you will be a healthier, potentially thinner person, with an aesthetically appealing plate full of food.

Every vegetarian has their own reason behind their choice to adopt a meatless diet. For many the draw to vegetarianism is due to their love and sympathy for animals. The writers behind ProCon Headlines point out the how far humankind goes just to satisfy an unnecessary dietary choice, "Scientific studies show that cattle, pigs, chickens, and all warm-blooded animals can experience stress, pain, and fear. In the United States about 35 million cows, 115 million pigs, and 9 billion birds are killed for food each year." (Vegetarian ProCon). The knowledge that many animals are born and raised just to someday be food, being forced in overcrowded, filthy conditions and then are brutally slaughtered, just to someday become food, is more than enough motivation for some people to give up meat or, for those who choose to go fully vegan, give up all animal products.  

Another big draw to vegetarianism is the impact that eating meat has on the environment. The production of meat uses a shocking amount amount of water, "It takes about 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, and about 660 gallons to make a pound of chicken"(Vegetarian ProCon). The water the meat industry does not use, it pollutes, "According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), chemical and animal waste runoff from factory farms is responsible for more than 173,000 miles of polluted rivers and streams. Runoff from farmlands is one of the greatest threats to water quality today"(Vegetarian Times). Some vegetarians choose this lifestyle because of their religion. Religions like Hinduism and Buddhism promote vegetarianism because they see it as a way to reconcile their beliefs in nonviolence and to fulfill themselves spiritually. The Vegetarian Times also explains how as a nation we can fight against hunger by cutting back on our meat consumption, "The 7 billion livestock animals in the United States consume five times as much grain as is consumed directly by the American population. If all the grain currently fed to livestock were consumed directly by people, the number of people who could be fed would be nearly 800 million"( Vegetarian Times). Another benefit of making the switch to vegetarianism is saving money at the grocery store; replacing meat with fresh produce you can save a large sum of money. These are all legitimate reasons to become a vegetarian and for whatever reason an individual chooses to take on this diet, the results will include a healthier and longer life. 

Although there are many persuasive arguments against eating meat, there are real reasons why people believe they cannot or should not give it up. It is a fact that we, as humans, have been meat eaters for millions of years. Meat is the main and most common source for many of the nutrients that we need for healthy muscles and bones:

"Meat also contains vitamins and minerals that aid in muscle growth like zinc, which assists in muscle repair, and iron, which boosts energy levels and combats fatigue. Meat also contains creatine, a nitrogen-containing compound that improves protein synthesis and provides muscles with energy, encouraging muscle gain." (Kadya Araki).

 It is hard to find any sort of supplement or vitamin that can really replace meat and be as effective and beneficial in our diets. Some vitamins, such as vitamin B12, are only found in animal sources "Two in three vegetarians are vitamin B12 deficient, compared to one in 20 meat eaters"(Vegetarian ProCon). It is clear that vegetarians and vegans do struggle to get the dietary vitamins and minerals they need. The USDA includes meat as a vital part of a balanced diet, so why would we not want to include it in our diets? Apart from the health benefits behind eating meat there is the argument that as animals, humans are a part of the food chain, so is it really cruel for us to raise animals for the sole purpose of becoming food? It is our personal choices to decide for ourselves if we are bothered by the treatment of animals or if it is really not as cruel as we are lead to believe. The Vegetarian ProCon explains what is misunderstood about the meat industry, "In the United States, animals raised for certified organic meat must be given access to the outdoors, clean air, and water. They cannot be given growth hormones or antibiotics and must be fed organically-grown feed free of animal byproducts" (Vegetarian ProCon).  Aside from the health and ethical reasons some people just really love the taste of meat and like the way it makes them feel and have no desire to stop eating it anytime soon. 

Eating meat does do a lot of things to our bodies that leaves a positive effect, but there is also a long list of negative effects eating meat has on the human body.  First, if you avoid meat you are avoiding consuming multiple toxic chemicals:

 "The EPA estimates that nearly 95 percent of the pesticide residue in the typical American diet comes from meat, fish and dairy products. Fish, in particular, contain carcinogens (PCBs, DDT) and heavy metals (mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium) that can't be removed through cooking or freezing. Meat and dairy products can also be laced with steroids and hormones"(Vegetarian Times)

Digesting these chemicals can lead to various life- altering health complications. The long list of health complications are not just from the toxic chemicals, but also just from regular meat itself. This list includes heart disease "According to a peer-reviewed 1999 study of 76,000 people, vegetarians had 24% lower mortality from heart disease than meat eaters" (Vegetarian ProCon). Another health complication associated with meat is breast cancer "A study published in The International Journal of Cancer associated red meat with breast cancer. The institute also claims that women who eat meat everyday increase their risk of breast cancer by four times that of non-meat eaters." (Vegetarian.LoveToKnow). The article Vegetarian ProCon explains how eating meat is often the cause of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney stones and gallstones, and can be the cause of many other illnesses. It is much easier to just replace meat in your diet, even if it is just occasionally, with fruits, vegetables, or grains, than it is to deal with a life-threatening illness. 

I am, by definition, a pesco-vegetarian. I do not eat chicken, cow, pigs, or anything else that was once an animal living on land. I rarely eat fish, but I will on occasion. I drink almond milk, not milk from a cow, but I eat eggs sometimes. I have my own reasoning behind very specific diet choices. I cannot call myself a full vegetarian or vegan, but I am pretty close, and I have experienced a lot of the benefits first hand. I have never really enjoyed the taste or texture of meat, and I used to always feel really heavy and sick after eating a good amount of meat, especially red meat. I slowly stopped eating meat and then just stopped all together, which ended up being one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have felt all around better about my health. I have lost weight and gained energy and no longer feel gross when I finish a meal. I make it a point to eat protein-rich foods every single day, and it really has been easy, even though I am a college kid who eats at dining halls. The dining halls have very limited selections for meals, bu ti can always find something that fills me up and that does not have meat in it. I take normal One-a-Day vitamins and I have reported my typical daily diet to my doctor, who totally supports my decision, and agrees that I am healthier than ever. There is are a lot of reasons I have found through my research for being a vegetarian that just make me more and more sure of my dietary choice I am extremely happy with this lifestyle and I have not had many struggles with it at all. I did not plan to be a vegetarian for this long, I thought it would be a lot more of a challenge and I thought I would miss meat, but I honestly cannot imagine myself ever really wanting to eat meat again, especially not after learning so much more on this topic. 

This is a hot topic today, vegetarianism and veganism are growing more and more popular among all different types of people. A lot of people are misinformed or under informed about the truth about meat, while others know the facts, but choose to eat meat anyways because they like it too much to give up or do not think cutting back is a realistic and easy dietary plan. It is really simple to make the switch, despite the common misconceptions. The lack of protein can be made up for easily, with certain fruits and vegetables, beans, grains, nuts and seeds. It is important that we know exactly what we are putting into our bodies and what short and long term effects it will have on us, on our environment, and on our health. It is also important, but hard, to know where your food has come from, where it was grown or raised, and if it has been genetically modified or exposed to any chemicals. If more people knew exactly what the meat industry has done to our bodies, our environment, our wallets, and to the poor animals we consume, I think vegetarianism would become much more popular.   

