Among the most common reasons for giving up meat were health related. Over half (53%) of vegetarians said they eat that way to improve their overall health. Other reasons people gave for becoming vegetarian were:
- Animal welfare (54%)
- Environmental concerns (47%)
- Natural approaches to wellness ( 39%)
- Food-safety concerns (31%)
- Weight loss (25%)
- Weight maintenance (24%)
But while this style of eating certainly has its devotees, it also has its fair share of critics. So, once and for all, what do the experts say about being a vegetarian? Is it a good choice, a bad choice or, perhaps, somewhere in between?
In your own words…
Do you think that the vegetarian diet is healthy? Unhealthy? Why? What do you think is the best way to eat?
Useful vocabulary
- welfare (noun): the health, happiness and comfort of a person or group
- wellness (noun): being in good health
- maintenance (noun)/maintain (verb): keeping something in good condition, at the same level
- devotee (noun): someone who is devoted (cares a lot about) a topic or idea
- critic (noun): someone who shares a negative opinion about something
“Why Go Veg?” Veg 101. Vegetarian Times. n.d. Web. 23 Sep 2013.
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