A Vegetarian Diet Is Beneficial - 922 Words

A Vegetarian Diet is Beneficial to the Human Body and to the Planet Did you know that Benjamin Franklin was a vegetarian? He lived to be 80. As Mr. Franklin himself wrote: â€Å"My refusing to eat meat occasioned inconveniency, and I have been frequently chided for my singularity. But my light repast allows for greater progress, for great clearness of head, and quicker comprehension.† (Cite) A vegetarian diet is healthier than you might think and benefits the environment as well. The health benefits of a plant-based diet include preventing heart disease, cancer prevention, weight management, and slowing the aging process. Additionally, there are added benefits in vegetarian proteins compared to animal proteins. A vegetarian diet is†¦show more content†¦Additionally, there is the problem of methane gas. Raising animals for food generates more greenhouse gasses than all the cars and trucks in the world combined. These gasses are created by manure. (2) (Cite United Nations 2006 report, Livestock’s Long Shadow - Envi ronmental Issues and Options) Furthermore, forests are being bulldozed to make more room for factory farms and feed crops to feed farmed animals. The destruction of the forests causes soil erosion, pollution of streams, rivers and oceans, and destruction of wildlife. In making the following comments, The Nature Conservatory urges us to take this matter very seriously. â€Å"Thirty percent of the earth’s land mass is used for livestock pasture and production of livestock feed, causing mass deforestation compaction, and erosion from overgrazing. Water pollution from animal waste, antibiotics and hormones, fertilizers, and pesticides is an increasing worldwide concern.† (The Nature Conservatory). Ultimately what is at stake here is the well being of our planet for future generations. The American Dietetic Association reports that vegetarians have â€Å"lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; †¦ lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.† Many leading well-being experts agree that a balanced vegetarian diet is the greatest thing we can easily do for our families and also ourselves.