If you are considering becoming a vegetarian, then you have to be asking yourself about the pros and cons of doing so. There are different methods of looking at this. On the macro or global scale, you as an individual, by giving up eating meat, will personally save the lives and distress of all the animals that you would have consumed, if you had not given up.
On the other hand, a couple of hundred animals over quite a number of years will not make much difference to the animal numbers. What is more, with the Chinese and Indian populations becoming richer, it is almost certain that they will be eating more and more meat in the near future. You will be doing your bit though.
However, on the micro, or personal level, becoming a vegetarian will change your life. Those who have faith in detox diets say that lots of the toxins that they say mount up in our bodies come from the hormones, pesticides and antibiotics that are in meat but ought not to be.
Meat, eggs and dairy products are a Westerners foremost sources of cholesterol and fat and cholesterol and fat are blamed for being the foremost contributor to the West's biggest killer - heart disease.
It is the case that there are other reasons for heart disease, but it has been worked out that vegetarians have around a quarter of their meat-eating compatriots' chances of having a heart attack. This appears noteworthy, but the difference between vegans and meat-eaters is even more glaring at one tenth the chance.
So, it seems to count what form of vegetarian you are, because lots of vegetarians still eat fish, eggs and cheese and drink milk. However, by giving up meat alone, you will miss out on many of the chemicals that farmers pump into their meat and poultry.
For instance, preservatives are thought to get linked to some cancers; growth hormones given to animals affect our own hormones and numerous people just cannot digest milk, which causes the production of mucous but can give increase to digestive problems
On the negative side, you will have to learn a whole new system of providing your body with the nutrients yet vitamins that it needs. Meat is a concentrated kind of food but just eating a regular western meat and two vegetables type meal without the meat will soon become boring and land you in hot water.
Malnutrition is the danger that greenhorn vegetarians have to become suspicious of. Of course, it is not so difficult to get hold of information to help you get your vegetarian diet right as it used to become and there is a vast choice of foodstuffs available to the modern vegetarian, yet they are not all cheap, so cutting out meat will not likely save you any money.
At the end of the day, becoming a vegetarian is a highly personal affair. It is between you and your conscience, but doing the right thing will make your life more difficult, as does attempting any lifestyle change, yet you will find it simpler as you get into the swing of things.
On the other hand, a couple of hundred animals over quite a number of years will not make much difference to the animal numbers. What is more, with the Chinese and Indian populations becoming richer, it is almost certain that they will be eating more and more meat in the near future. You will be doing your bit though.
However, on the micro, or personal level, becoming a vegetarian will change your life. Those who have faith in detox diets say that lots of the toxins that they say mount up in our bodies come from the hormones, pesticides and antibiotics that are in meat but ought not to be.
Meat, eggs and dairy products are a Westerners foremost sources of cholesterol and fat and cholesterol and fat are blamed for being the foremost contributor to the West's biggest killer - heart disease.
It is the case that there are other reasons for heart disease, but it has been worked out that vegetarians have around a quarter of their meat-eating compatriots' chances of having a heart attack. This appears noteworthy, but the difference between vegans and meat-eaters is even more glaring at one tenth the chance.
So, it seems to count what form of vegetarian you are, because lots of vegetarians still eat fish, eggs and cheese and drink milk. However, by giving up meat alone, you will miss out on many of the chemicals that farmers pump into their meat and poultry.
For instance, preservatives are thought to get linked to some cancers; growth hormones given to animals affect our own hormones and numerous people just cannot digest milk, which causes the production of mucous but can give increase to digestive problems
On the negative side, you will have to learn a whole new system of providing your body with the nutrients yet vitamins that it needs. Meat is a concentrated kind of food but just eating a regular western meat and two vegetables type meal without the meat will soon become boring and land you in hot water.
Malnutrition is the danger that greenhorn vegetarians have to become suspicious of. Of course, it is not so difficult to get hold of information to help you get your vegetarian diet right as it used to become and there is a vast choice of foodstuffs available to the modern vegetarian, yet they are not all cheap, so cutting out meat will not likely save you any money.
At the end of the day, becoming a vegetarian is a highly personal affair. It is between you and your conscience, but doing the right thing will make your life more difficult, as does attempting any lifestyle change, yet you will find it simpler as you get into the swing of things.
About the Author:
Owen Jones, the writer of this article writes on many subjects, but is at present concerned with French dip sandwich recipes. If you want to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our site at Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes.