by Jason Huang Fed up with greasy meat? Losing interest in enjoying the texture of flesh? Perturbed by the lack of vegetables in your diet? Vegetarian diets are popular worldwide, and the number of vegetarians has been growing in recent years, with Taiwan having one of the highest vegetarian densities in the world. People opt for vegetarian diets for many reasons. Some people do it for religion or other cultural reasons. But here are few more reasons for you to think about: Staying Healthy
Meat-free diets can make people healthy. They prevent serious diseases, not only improving our health but helping us to maintain it. A vegetarian diet reduces the risk of cancer, especially colorectal cancer. Cellulose in vegetables triggers movement of the bowels, and excrement contains many sorts of cancer-causing bacteria that can be easily discharged. Cardiovascular diseases are also prevented as vegetables are void of substances that pose cardio threats. Vegetables have a lower concentration of environmental hormones and harmful chemicals than meat products. Meat-consuming humans, one end of the food chain, are likely to receive a maximum number of these chemicals. The odds of diabetes and many other diseases are also reduced significantly. On average, vegetarians have lower blood cholesterol levels and little chance of being obese. Plant proteins have greater health effects than animal proteins; thus, vegetarians also have a longer life expectancy. Don’t forget, too, that when you eat meat you are also eating many other ingredients. Hamburger meat, for example, can contain a variety other components including chicken and pork, not to mention much nastier things. Staying Fit Many people realize that being fat isn’t happy, and thus they turn to a vegetarian diet in order to lose weight. A vegetarian diet features less oil and lower levels of fat, thus lowering the ratio of cholesterol and fat in our bodies. Fatty acid cells consequently don’t absorb as much fat and don’t grow as big. Constipation is often another problem for those hoping to lose weight; in this case, consuming vegetables can help get rid of the waste in the body. Since vegetables also contain more nutrients than meat, a vegetarian can also eat less. But regular exercise is also highly recommended! Being Environmentally-Friendly According to the United Nations, the livestock industry is one of the largest contributors to environment aggravation. Global warming is, as a matter of fact, strongly related to human’s meat-consuming habits. Huge amounts of greenhouse gases, mostly methane and carbon dioxide, are generated through factory farming. Farm animals also require tremendous amounts of water and crops made into animal food. The ratio is about 2500 gallons of water per pound of meat and 16 pounds of crops. Lacking fields to cultivate crops to supply this great need, people turn to deforestation in tropical areas, which results in biodiversity damage and severe land degradation. Every bite of savory meat turns out to be a gradual deterioration of the earth. Vegetarian diets may seem nice and simple: just rule out meat and you can achieve all your longed-for goals. But to be honest, the reality is sometimes a little bit different. Having been a vegetarian for six years, I have seen profound changes in my life, but there are also a number of misunderstandings and myths about vegetarianism: True Fitness? Do vegetarian diets really make people healthy? The answer is yes and no. Meat surely contains substances harmful to human beings, and avoiding them is a good way to distance ourselves from diseases. But not maintaining a nutrient-sufficient diet gives rise to other health problems. The intake of protein is an important example. Vegetarians have to keep careful track of this. Nuts can take the place of meat and provide vegetarians the necessary amount of oil. Products simulating meat may curb our desire for meat, but artificial ingredients can do considerable harm to us. Besides, these products are not environmentally friendly and only slightly better than processed meat. Keeping a balanced diet is still the best rule of thumb when it comes to vegetarianism. The Paradox of Being Thin Vegetarian diets won’t always guarantee a slim physique. In fact, weight is affected by many factors; for instance, genetic traits, high fat and cholesterol levels, constipation, nutrient absorbance, etc. As a result, not all weight problems can be resolved by vegetarian diets. It is certain that vegetables can help people to slim down, and that they can lower cholesterol. But many restaurants cook their vegetables in too much oil in order to attract more people. We also need to be careful not to eat too much; vegetarians sometimes do this because vegetables are more easily digested. And as for weight control, some vegetarians feel tempted to eat more snacks because they feel hungry, which keeps them from reaching their goal. High Cost It is widely believed that it is cheaper to eat vegetarian. It is obvious that vegetables cost less than any kind of meat in the supermarket. But sometimes cheaper things when cooked actually become more expensive. In restaurants, it often costs more to cook vegetarian meals: the design of new menus, a separate set of cookware for special meals, and the risk of not selling out all the freshly prepared food all add up to the cost. Again, since vegetarians tend to eat more, it also results in a higher cost. Not Enough Vegetarian Restaurants As an NTU student, it is fairly pleasant to live in Taipei, a city abounding with vegetarian-friendly restaurants. But truly vegetarian restaurants are still a minority. The more populous and prosperous a place is, the more likely it is to find vegetarian food, while in rural areas there is little chance. And those that offer vegetarian meals typically have only a limited number of choices, so it’s easy to get bored from eating the same thing every day. In conclusion, it may seem hard to lead a vegetarian life, but I am very happy to live with it. When feeling tired of meat, why not give it a try? A different dish, a different texture in the mouth, may become a beneficial experience in more ways than one! a
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May 2024
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