Vegetarianism

More and more people these days are realizing the economic and health benefits of a meatless diet. As the public becomes aware of meatborne diseases such as mad cow, the effects of growth hormones on children who consume meat or dairy products from animals treated with hormones, and the emergence of resistant strains of bacteria (thought to be linked to the vast quantities of antibiotics given to livestock and even fish in farms), an increasing number of people are turning to a vegetarian diet.

Besides being naturally higher in fiber and lower in cholesterol, a vegetarian diet is economically sound. In the United States, the “meat and potatoes” standard has been promulgated since the year dot as the “only” way to get proper amounts of vitamins and nutrients. Alternative diets have received negative media attention as unhealthy, especially for children.

To many people’s surprise, a vegetarian diet is both nutritious, healthful, and tasty. Besides saving money in grocery bills (especially if you can manage to have a little bit of garden), you will also save medical bills, as positive health benefits have been statistically proven across the board in those who consume a meatless or near meatless diet.

There are hundreds if not thousands of vegetarian recipes available on the Net, and more and more cookbooks are becoming available, addressing various types of cuisine to suit everyone’s tastes. It’s worth investigating, and in light of the global famines (due at least in part to the vast tracts of land given over to growing food for livestock instead of food for humans) and the many problems and illnessess attributed to a diet high in animal products, possibly one of the only options we have in a shrinking world.