What Are The Benefits Of Becoming A Vegetarian?
As a prospective vegetarian, you probably question whether or
not it really matters if you stop eating meat. You might wonder
how much of a difference one additional vegetarian can make.
And while it might be true that one vegetarian won't make huge
statistical difference in a world of meat-eaters--and while it
is also true that one more vegetarian probably isn't going to
turn the tide in the movement-- you can do a lot as an
individual that will be good for you and good for hundreds of
animals.
Take, for instance, the number one cause of death in the United
States and other countries with meat-centered diets: heart
disease.
If it weren't specifically for meat, eggs, and dairy
products--which are the three largest sources of
cholesterol--heart attacks and other heart and circulatory
problems would be far less prevalent. According to EarthSave,
the average vegetarian has about 1/4 the chance of having a
heart attack as the average non-vegetarian. As for people who
are pure vegans, it gets even lower: they have less than 1/10
the chance of having a heart attack as non-vegetarians.
In addition to heart health, you will get a number of other
health benefits as a vegetarian. For instance, you won't be
exposed to nearly as many preservatives, which are common in
meat and are linked to cancer. You won't be exposed to various
hormones (that are packed into animal feed), which often disrupt
normal hormonal processes in the body. And you won't consume as
much lactose, which most people cannot digest properly--and
which some dietitians have suggested is a cause of digestive
problems.
In addition to health benefits you will receive as an
individual, you will also reduce your share of the suffering
human beings inflict on animals.
According to veganoutreach.org, the average American consumes
2,714 land animals in their lifetime. If you quit eating meat
now, you could literally prevent the suffering and death of
hundreds of animals of the course of a couple decades.
In addition to this, if you stop eating eggs and drinking milk,
you will also reduce your share in the suffering and death of
battery hens and their offspring, as well as dairy cows and
their offspring, too.
So the answer is yes: it does matter whether or not you become a
vegetarian. It matters to the thousands of animals you could
potentially save and it matters to you as an individual because
you can greatly reduce your chances of getting cancer and heart
disease.