Do I really need to eliminate meat entirely to get the health and environmental benefits of a vegetarian diet?

Many recent studies show that cutting way back on meat and animal products is a great way to boost health. If you are able to maintain a nearly vegetarian diet, you will likely get all the health benefits that vegetarians enjoy (less cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, etc). The same is also true for environmental concerns, restricting meat consumption goes a long way towards freeing up land for wilderness, saving energy and reducing climate change gasses.

But going entirely vegetarian makes it much easier to maintain a healthy planet-friendly diet. Here's why:

1. Committing to being vegetarian forces to you stay on track. You can't so easily give in to temptations when you have drawn a firm line in the sand. It is like a paradigm shift in your life. New vegetarians often purge their fridge, freezer, and cupboards of all the foods they no longer will eat, educate themselves about nutrition and new ways of cooking, replace their cookbooks, seek out vegetarian recipes online, etc.

2. Being firm will also get you over the difficult initial transition period. After a couple of months, your taste buds will change and your desire for meat will most likely diminish. Many vegetarians find that the smell of cooking meat actually becomes unpleasant. It is similar to quitting smoking in some ways. Going from a pack-a-day to one cigarette may net you all the health benefits of quitting, but it would be extremely difficult to get over the constant craving for more.

3. Being able to say that you are vegetarian provides an excellent excuse to tell friends and family, when explaining why you can no longer indulge in their meaty meals.

4. You will more likely be seen by others as an example of healthy positive change. Many people who become vegetarian find that some friends and loved-ones eventually change their diets as well. Just your silent example can be very effective. Being vegetarian proves that it is possible, healthy and popular (popular in the sense that your friends now know someone else who is veggie). If you're still eating some meat or fish, others may view you as being no different, and will have no reason to examine the role of meat in their own diet.

5. Going entirely vegetarian can soothe your conscience. It can be a karmic load off your mind and soul to know that your diet no longer contributes to animal suffering and death.

For help going entirely vegetarian, check out our Veggie Challenge.

For more questions see our FAQ's page.