A vegetarian diet is one that is free of fish and other types of animal flesh. Some vegetarians include dairy and/or eggs in their diet, whereas vegans do not. Read on to see why more and more people are choosing meat-free meals for animals, the environment, and their health.

Animals

Just like the cats and dogs with whom we share our lives, farm animals are feeling beings capable of experiencing pain, frustration, excitement, and joy. Yet on today's factory farms, animals are treated like mere meat-producing machines. They are routinely mutilated without painkillers, denied veterinary care, transported through all weather extremes, and then slaughtered—often while still fully conscious.

No federal law protects animals from farming practices so cruel that they would be illegal in all fifty states if cats or dogs were the victims. Crammed into tiny cages and crates, the animals on factory farms are denied everything that is natural and important to them. They won't even breathe fresh air or feel the sun on their backs until the day they're loaded onto trucks destined for the slaughterhouse.

Fortunately, we can help to end animal suffering by choosing to eat vegetarian foods.

Environment

More than ten billion land animals are slaughtered for food every year in the United States alone. Aside from the cruelty involved, factory farming takes a heavy toll on the environment.

The meat industry requires massive amounts of land, energy, water, and other natural resources. Vast areas of land are cleared to grow crops to feed the billions of animals we eat, and almost half the water consumed in the U.S. is used for raising animals for food. Air and water pollution also result from the tons of excrement that farmed animals produce.

Factory farming even contributes to global warming via carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions. In 2006, the United Nations reported that the meat industry generates more greenhouse gases than all the transportation systems in the world—combined! Going vegetarian is an important tool for reducing one's ecological footprint.

Health

Leading nutrition experts agree that a balanced vegetarian diet is an effective and enjoyable way to achieve good health. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) states that “appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.” The ADA also notes that vegetarians show “lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; ... lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.” What’s more, many people find that plant-based diets can be helpful for losing weight and staying fit!

Each time we sit down to eat, we have an opportunity to live our values. Adopting a vegetarian diet is a powerful way to alleviate animal suffering, protect the natural environment, and improve our health.

Need some help getting started? Order a FREE vegetarian starter guide today!