Until a year and a half ago, I was a major meat-eater. I loved filet mignon and skirt steak, and couldn’t imagine a life without red meat. Then, a close friend of mine decided to become a vegetarian for health reasons, and I stopped and thought about my eating habits? I did some research, and learned that cutting out meat from my diet would have significant health benefits. Here are some of the top reasons I think you should become a vegetarian too:
- Limiting your consumption of red meat will reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease, which is the number one cause of death for women.
- There is a correlation between meat consumption and risk for breast cancer. Eradicate your chance of developing cancer by cutting out meat from your diet.
- Save the environment! By substituting a plant-based meal for a meat one, you can save 2.5 lbs of CO2 emissions, 133 gallons of water, and 24 square feet of land.
- Studies have shown that people who eat an entirely vegetarian diet gain less weight over five years than people who consume the same amount of calories of a diet that included meat. Stay skinny!
- Think about your pet. The Humane Society of the United States confirms that if every American cut out meat only once a week, 1.4 billion animals will escape slaughter.
- There are tons of lower calorie meat-substitute products available in super markets! You can get the taste of meat without reaping all of the negative health benefits that come with real meat.
Even if you can’t commit to being a vegetarian full-time, every health conscious girl should think about cutting out meat once a week! Save your body, the environment, and animals by eating a vegetarian diet.
By: Becca F, Penn
Emily P has 76 post(s) on RTR On Campus
