What are the pros and cons of a vegetarian diet?

Question

Not vegan - just vegetarian.

Answer 1

your farts smell worse lol

Answer 2

Pros: Clean conscience, yummy food.

Cons: Can't really think of any other than eating out might be more tricky for you.

** IEC- NO vegetarian eats FISH.

Answer 3

The pros - you get more nutrient dense foods which are good for you.  Just make sure they are fresh or frozen fruits and veggies, not deep fried veggie chips, etc.   You also get more fiber which will keep you regular.

The cons - you have to make sure you include enough vegetable sources of protein such as beans and legumes, whole grains and soy.  And you can't eat cheeseburgers.

Answer 4

pros: you are cutting out fatty meats, read meats, and you're more likely to eat more proteins (beans, nuts, possibly fish, though some vegetarians don't eat fish), more likely to eat more fruits and vegetables, and more dairy (again, if you feel like it's okay to eat dairy)

cons: when (and if) you start eating meat again it will taste kind of weird, starchy foods and junk food such as potato chips, cookies, other processed foods, etc, are more likely to be eaten.

Answer 5

pro - cheap

con - unhealthy

Answer 6

pros - some people would throw up less

cons - some people enjoy throwing up.

Answer 7

I stopped eating meat couple months ago for health reasons. So far, I've had a great experience.

Pros:

1- you don't ingest nearly as many hormones. Commercially available meat is loaded with estrogen and other carcinogenic hormones. Plus, your skin will get very clear. It'll look really bad for a week until it detoxifies, and then it'll start looking great.

2- it's very easy to monitor your saturated fat intake, so your risk of heart attack and blood clots is much lower. Plus, they're lower in calories, so it's easier to maintain your ideal weight

3- unless you're one of those vegetarians who eat only grilled cheese sandwiches made from velveeta and wonder sponge, most vegetarian dishes are rich in fiber, which reduces your risk of colon cancer

Cons

1- You have to plan in advance and put some thought into your food to make sure you eat a balanced diet. This is not really a con, because it's always good to know exactly what you're eating. However, it can be very challenging when you have a deadline coming up in 12 hours, you're stuck at the office,you're starved and the only thing near the office is Arby's. I also find it a bit more challenging to assemble sandwiches quickly. It used to be much faster to just put ham and cheese on bread and go on with my life.

2- Few vegetarian options at restaurants/ take out places. Again, this is not a bad thing, since restaurant food sucks, but it can limit your social life. I'd suggest trying ethnic restaurants- they usually have much more vegetarian options. I discovered Indian and Pakistani cuisine after I decided to drastically cut down on meat.

The standard comment that you can't get enough protein and iron is BS. You can get all the protein and iron you need with minimal planning. For example, rice and beans is a great complete source of amino acids/ protein, and parsley is very rich in iron.

Answer 8

Well - it depends on your reasons for doing it really! If its going to be a struggle to give up meat, then I guess it may be a difficult choice, as you may be tempted by meat products -(think the smell of frying bacon...) If however you want to give up because you dont find meat that interesting or dont enjoy it (aside from any moral issues you may have), then its still a bit of a minefield as you end up checking everything for gelatine, or anything from animal sources. Even some food colours come from animal sources - cochineal - crushed beetle extract!!

As far as nutrition goes, a veggie diet can be just a healthy, providing you eat a wide variety of foods, with a good source of proteins (dairy and beans, pulses etc) You may have to watch your iron levels too as a veggie diet may lack in iron that is absorbable by the body. You might want to take a vitamin/mineral supplement.

I have been veggie for 28 years and am doin' fine!! Good luck.

Answer 9

Pros:

Environment friendly (green choice, can reduce our dependence on foreign oil, less carbon foot print, less greenhouse gas, etc etc)

Less chance of infectious disease

No guilt of taking another life (for some people)

Vegetarian are on average less fat (you can argue)

Cons:

Hard to get some nutrients (needs planning)

Less choices (too few in some parts of the world and restaurants)

Can be painful in many ways if you are the only vegetarian in your family

Answer 10

Major con - no more eating at Nando's!!!!

Answer 11

Pros - healthy and feel better/look better

Cons - hard to come up with tasty meals and ordering at take out places is hard because lack of options

Answer 12

a vegetarian diet has many pros,

such as being rich in energy, vitamins, and even protein.

that is, if you eat right.

Remember to eat foods that are high in protein and iron, because you are missing out on those when you choose not to eat meat. Things like tofu, chick-peas, lentils, dried fruit (apricots and dried cherries are my faves), soy beans+soy milk, dairy products, and nuts.

Some con's of the vegetarian diet are

1: loose some of the flavour that comes from meat products

2: it can be difficult to plan daily meals with variety

3: it's challenging to find good vegetarian food in some restaurants/ fast-food places. (which can sometimes be encouragment to eat healthier)

overall being a vegetarian is easy, it just takes some time :)

Answer 13

lol asking vegetarians if theres cons lol thats a joke...might i make a point...a normal vegetarian diet is not one ounce healthier than a diet consisting of fruits grains veg and lean white meats...end of story, prove me wrong...if you can

Answer 14

Cons...

fewer options to choose from at 'normal' restaurants

Pros...

everything else

Honestly, I haven't experienced many cons in the year that I've been a vegetarian.  I know one guy that bugs me about being a vegetarian, but he is completely ignorant about the subject and refuses to have a normal conversation about it.  But he lives on another continent right now so I really don't have to deal with him too often.  I became a vegetarian because my cholesterol levels were really high (about 300) and have since dropped 100 points to get into the normal range.  I use vegetarianism to keep me healthy and it works for me.  Generally the 'pros' that come with vegetarianism include not contributing as much to animal cruelty, having less of a negative impact on the environment, and for some being healthier and being spiritually satisfied.

Answer 15

Main pro: it's much healthier. Vegetarians live longer, I even got a discount on my health insurance!

Main con: Not as easy to eat out, people will give you a hard time about it even if you don't make a big deal about it.

Answer 16

Pros: vegetarians are awesome.

Cons: nothing.

Answer 17

Pros: you'll lose weight and have low cholesterol

Cons: meat tastes good

Answer 18

Reasons to become a vegetarian:

1. The consumption of animal products has been conclusively linked with heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and osteoporosis.

2. A vegetarian diet can prevent 97 percent of coronary occlusions. The rate of colon cancer is highest in regions where meat consumption is high and lowest where meat-eating is uncommon. A similar pattern is evident for breast, cervical, uterine, ovarian, prostate, and lung cancers.

3. Medical studies prove that a vegetarian diet is easier to digest, provides a wider range of nutrients and imposes fewer burdens and impurities on the body.

4. Vegetarians are less susceptible to all the major diseases that afflict contemporary humanity, and thus live longer, healthier, more productive lives.

5. Vegetarians tend to have have fewer physical complaints, less frequent visits to the doctor, fewer dental problems and smaller medical bills.

6. Stronger immune system

7. By following a pure vegetarian diet (no animal products at all) you reduce your risk of heart disease by 90%

8.  Excess protein (from meat) has been linked with osteoporosis, kidney disease, calcium stones in the urinary tract, and some cancers. Despite all this, many people still worry that they are not getting enough protein!

9. To consume a diet that contains enough, but not too much, protein, simply replace animal products with grains, vegetables, legumes (peas, beans, and lentils), and fruits. As long as one is eating a variety of plant foods in sufficient quantity to maintain one's weight, the body gets plenty of protein.

There are many reasons why being a vegetarian is good not only for you, but also for the environment:

- Helps prevent water and soil damage

- Helps maintain the rain-forests. Throughout the world, forests are being destroyed to support the meat-eating habits of the "developed" nations. Between 1960 and 1985, nearly 40 percent of all Central American rain forests were destroyed to create pasture for beef cattle. These rain forests are the primary source of oxygen for the entire planet; the very survival of the Earth is linked to their survival.

- Helps the atmosphere as 200 gallons of fossil fuel are burned to produce the beef currently eaten by the average American family of four in one year. Burning 200 gallons of fossil fuel releases two tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

- Economical reasons (It takes 8 kilograms of edible plant protein to produce 1 kilogram of edible pig protein. Protein from animals is an acutely wasteful way of feeding humans. 10 vegetarians can live on the same amount of land as one meat eater.)

Reasons against becoming a vegetarian  - The only thing is that some people can find it hard consuming iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12 from a vegetarian diet.

Hope i helped x