Being vegetarian has more to it than eating plants: it is about preserving the environment, improving human health, and upholding animals’ right to life.
Fundamental morality is incompatible with the idea that animals should suffer to please human taste buds. “Our anterior teeth are not suited for tearing flesh,” says anthropologist Dr. Richard Leakey. More importantly, nature could not have intended for humans to kill, torture, and enslave animals for human consumption.
Eating plant-based food is scientifically proven to be good for the environment. Production of meat leads to greenhouse gas emissions, extensive use of agricultural land and freshwater.
According to research from the University of Oxford, people who eat a plant-based diet contribute 75 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions than people who eat more than 3.5 ounces of meat per day. Such a diet also dramatically reduces damage to land, water, and biodiversity.
The source for the human tongue’s pleasure stems from an animal’s pain. Rising above the environmental aspect of it, vegetarianism holds up ethical accountability. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, each year 80 billion animals are slaughtered for food.
It has been discovered that cutting back on meat consumption lowers the risk of contracting specific cancers, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney failure, liver disease, or lung illness. Industrial farming places animals in close quarters and under stress, which increases their risk of disease.
Animals can be seen gasping and frantically trying to get away from cages. They are given a little dose of antibiotics to battle this. Regular use of antibiotics leads to the development of germs resistant to antibiotics that can infect humans. Globally, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is responsible for approximately 1 million deaths annually.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarians and vegans have a lower risk of dying from heart disease, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, hypertension, and body mass index. They also have lower rates of cancer overall.
Plant-based menu items are becoming increasingly common in restaurants, the variety and appeal of plant-based meat substitutes is increasing rapidly, and a vast portion of the world’s population has access to an amazing array of whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
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