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Kallie Larkin

Prof. Loudermilk

ENG 1103-503

1 December 2021

Vegetarianism: Make the Switch and Save the World

Growing up, you are always taught to look for ways to better the place that you are going

to be spending the rest of your life in. I was always taught to make sure I am conserving my

water when being used or to just simply reduce, reuse, and recycle my trash. There are many

ways and opportunities to help with conserving our environment even if it is as simple as making

sure you throw your plastic water bottle in the recycle instead of the trash. Although a vast

majority of people are contributing to the change to better our environment, we are still facing an

environmental crisis. Although the population's focus is driven on things like conserving, part of

the underlying issue we have with our environment is what we are consuming. Unbelievably, the

products we are consuming do have a direct impact on what makes up our environment. With a

vegetarian diet, you are using much less water or fossil fuel resources during consumption. Not

only does a vegetarian diet provide great environmental benefits but it also contains a list of

different health benefits it provides.

The U.S is estimating that around 9.7 million Americans are beginning to converse into a

vegetarian diet. With the high increase in such a specific diet, marketers have begun shifting

what they put out on the shelves. In her essay entitled, “The Future of Meat is Shifting to Plant-

Based Products,” Lisa Kramer outlines the changes that are occurring in the vegetarian foods

market as many consumers switch to this new diet. Although this change is happening in the
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United States, it is also occurring in different countries. Canada has begun many new restaurant

chains introducing plant-based products (Kramer 5). Kramer also pointed out that trying to raise

an animal for consumption is quite expensive. She pointed out that it would be less costly to

switch to a plant-based diet rather than the consumption of animals.

As more people begin to switch to this diet, the question of what a vegetarian diet

consists of arises. Dr. John Mcdougall advocated a vegan diet which is not to be confused with a

vegetarian diet. While the two are remarkably similar, the two diets also differ in many ways.

Veganism is considered a higher form of vegetarianism. In which one will not consume any type

of product that pertains to animals, while a vegetarian diet restricts only to the consumption of

meat from animals. Although you are not eating any type of meat from animals, you are still able

to consume things like honey or eggs. It would be more conscientious for the environment if we

all began to start eating lower down on the food chain (Fraley 1). Different substitutions for meat

like vegetables, fruit, and dairy products are a clever way to fulfill nutrients in a vegetarian's diet

(Fraley 7). Johana Dwyer conducted a study that listed that becoming a vegetarian is proven to

expand the lifespan than those who are following a non-vegetarian diet. The FDA has also put in

great response to this diet stating things like having lower risk of heart disease or reducing cancer

risks.

For many vegetarians they must find new sources of protein to maintain a well-balanced

diet. Without the intake of meat, they are off to find diverse ways to get that source of protein. In

an article entitle, “How to Get Enough Protein, Without Meat,” Casey Seidenberg gives a variety

of various sources of protein that vegetarians obtain throughout their diet. Seidenberg lists the

statistics for each age and gender consume levels of protein. On average it is listed that a child

should be consuming anywhere from around 10-30 grams of protein while the average adult
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would be consuming around 40-60 grams of protein. Although meat is the more common source

of protein, there are other alternatives like beans, eggs, and nuts that consist of a favorable

amount of protein (Seidenberg 5). High protein foods that do not entail meet can also consist of

things like nuts, which contain up to 10 grams of protein, soy, which contains up to 16 grams of

protein and beans, which contain up to 10 grams of protein per half a cup. When consuming a

plant-based diet, lots of fiber and several types of vitamins are consumed.

Although there is a plethora of benefits that come along with switching to a more

environmentally friendly diet, this restrictive diet is not necessarily for everyone. There is a

handful of individuals who need more protein than a vegetarian diet would be able to sustain. If

you are not keeping up with your health prior to making a switch to your diet that is restrictive, it

could result in an impairment physically or mentally. The shift in consumer habits would also be

a noticeable change. Restaurants should not have to be required to make altercations for what

most of the population consumes (Cohen, Leroy 6). It is believed that people who try this diet are

setting unrealistic expectations regarding the extent of thinking that worldwide, everyone could

switch to a plant-based diet. Although it may be unlikely for everyone to switch to a plant-based

diet, flexitarian diets would still be able to make an environmental impact.

Making a switch to your diet can always be difficult at first. However, even if the change

in the beginning is small, the smallest amount of change can still make the biggest difference.

Becoming a vegetarian can lead you to not only better health benefits, but also better benefits for

our environment. Any chance to avoid the excessive use of environmental resources should be

more expressed in our society. For some people, switching to a vegetarian diet not only can

improve their physical health but it can also have a significant impact on their mental health.

With the development in the production industry, it has never been easier to make an altercation
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that can improve the environment. Once you can find a balance in your diet without meat,

everything else will become much easier.

Work Cited

Cohen, Martin, and Frédéric, Leroy. "Why we shouldn't all be vegan." Gale Opposing

Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2021. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/BEGQOE638965344/OVIC?u=dayt30401&sid=bookmark-

OVIC&xid=4983864f. Accessed 23 Nov. 2021. Originally published as "Why we shouldn't all

be vegan," The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2019.

Farley, Dixie. "More People Trying Vegetarian Diets." Medicine, Health, and Bioethics:

Essential Primary Sources, edited by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, Gale, 2006, pp.

416-420. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3456500157/OVIC?u=dayt30401&sid=bookmark-

OVIC&xid=64339d5f. Accessed 23 Nov. 2021.

Kramer, Lisa. "The future of meat is shifting to plant-based products." Gale Opposing

Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2021. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/BDJZOQ177453384/OVIC?u=dayt30401&sid=bookmark-

OVIC&xid=01259524. Accessed 23 Nov. 2021. Originally published as "The future of meat is

shifting to plant-based products," The Conversation, 13 June 2019.

Seidenberg, Casey. "How to get enough protein, without meat." Washington Post, 14

Nov. 2017. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/A514445631/OVIC?u=dayt30401&sid=bookmark-

OVIC&xid=f8b5da7e. Accessed 23 Nov. 2021.

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