OPPapers.com

Vegetarianism

As of 2002, there were over four percent of Canadians leading some form of a vegetarian lifestyle; living on a diet consisting wholly or primarily of non-animal products. The term vegetarian comes from the Latin word vegetative, meaning vigorous, not vegetable, contrary to what many people believe. Provided that the individual maintains a balanced diet, vegetarianism can be a very healthy decision, and is beneficial in many ways. People decide to become a vegetarian for many reasons, including animal rights, ethics, heath or nutrition, religion or environmental reasons. For some, the issue of animal rights is central; animals raised for food are often kept in inhumane conditions. In addition, there are many negative effects of the environment and the world because of the waste of land, money and food used to raise animals for food production. Another benefit of vegetarianism is health related. Although eliminating meat from one's diet is a controversial idea it has been proven by many studies that vegetarians are more likely to lead a longer and healthier life than meat eaters are. Celebrity and historical figures that were vegetarians include Thomas Edison, Mahatma Ghandi, Mr Rogers and Alicia Silverstone. Becoming a vegetarians creates a healthier population, reduces animal suffering and has a very positive effect on the world by preserving valuable land and resources wasted in the raising of animals for food production.

Many studies have shown that vegetarians are more likely to lead a longer, healthier life than individuals that have a lot of meat in their diets. Although some people are concerned about a lack of iron, calcium and zinc in meatless diets, supplements are available and there are also many other foods that provide the same dietary requirements as a non-vegetarian diet without the unnecessary added fat of animal products. Significant portions of medical groups and doctors have begun advising their patients to reduce the amount of meat...