I share a lot of recipes on my blog – but there are just a handful of vegetarian meals. Here is some great information about Vegetarianism. Have you ever considered not eating meat?
Perhaps you want to switch to a vegetarian diet, but you aren’t sure how, or you’re not fully ready to make the change, but you’re willing to cut at least some meat out of your diet. Maybe your health isn’t as great as it could be, as you’re heavier than what is ideal for your body shape and height, or you simply want to reduce overall animal suffering, exploitation, and pollution caused by massive factory farms and slaughterhouses. Whatever your reasons may be, ditching meat and evolving toward a more plant-based diet is great for you, great for the animals, and great for the environment, too. It’s easier than you might think, too — the Internet has an abundance of vegetarian and vegan meal ideas. Whether you’re ready to take the plunge and become fully vegetarian, or you’re just looking to beef up your Meatless Monday recipes, you can find anything you need online. And with all of the meat alternatives out there, it’s easier than ever to get the nutrition you need without feeling like your meals are missing something.
What Is “Meatless Monday,” Anyway?
Meatless Monday refers to the concept of abstaining from meat just one day a week, on – you guessed it – Mondays. This project launched in 2003, in association with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. It is now a global movement, with Meatless Monday campaigns spreading throughout schools and universities, restaurants, entire cities, and even military armies. Celebrities have joined the campaign, notably Sir Paul McCartney.
Why Go Vegetarian?
If living longer and stronger is important to you, you owe it to yourself to learn more about plant-based diets. There are numerous health benefits to cutting out meat even just one day a week. Some examples include:
- Curbing Obesity: Those who stick to a purely plant-based diet have overwhelmingly lower body fat and weight than those who eat large quantities of meat and dairy products.
- Strengthening Your Heart: Opting for vegetable oils, seeds, and nuts rather than fattening meats and dairy can reduce your chances of heart disease.
- Avoiding Cancer: Red meat has been linked to colon cancer. In contrast, many studies have concluded that diets very high in fruit and vegetable intake can actually reduce your chances of getting cancer.
- Increasing Longevity: Red meat and processed meats in general have long been associated with shorter lifespan, due in part to increases in cancer and heart disease. Skipping it in favor of plant-based foods can lead to a longer, happier, healthier life.
Environmental Benefits
Yes, there are distinct environmental benefits to avoiding meat, too, whether it’s for one day a week or forever more. If you care about the environment, you should research how mass meat production influences our climate and increases pollution; you will probably be amazed to learn just how significant an impact it all really has.
- Water Conservation: It probably isn’t the first thing you think of when switching to a vegetarian diet, but eating meat requires a ton of water to be wasted in the process. Livestock water needs are vastly larger than the amount of water needed to grow tofu, grains, or vegetables. Up to approximately 2,500 gallons of water can be wasted on just one pound of beef. Think of all the vegetables that could be grown with that much water.
- Fossil Fuels: Between transportation, electricity for the farm or slaughterhouse, and many other factors, quite a bit of fossil fuel energy is spent on producing beef—again, far more than an equivalent amount of the average plant-based protein. Cutting back on meat means cutting back on fossil fuel consumption, plain and simple.
- Carbon Footprint: Familiar with “greenhouse gas” emissions? They are responsible for producing extreme climate change, and per the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, the global meat industry is responsible for at least 20 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions that are manmade in nature—that’s even more than what transportation produces! Quitting meat, or at least cutting back on your consumption, will help curb these emissions and make your carbon footprint just a little bit smaller.
Making the Switch
With the abundance of meat replacers on the market, not only can you effectively remove meat from your diet, but your taste buds won’t even miss a thing. Many “fake” meats are soy-based or pea-based, which means you get all of the protein without all of the saturated fat and cholesterol that comes with eating meat. You can cook with these meat replacers just as you’d cook with real meat. Best of all, you’ll know that your choice is making a real impact, both on our world as well as on your overall health and wellbeing.