10 Reasons To Eat Less Meat
10 Reasons To Eat Less Meat
Written by Jenny Rose Edwards
The concept of consuming less meat, and more whole foods is everywhere at the moment. And it’s a conversation that we need to keep going!
It’s imperative for meat reducers to take the responsibility of educating those around them on the benefits of the reducetarian diet. Reducetarians are a community of people committed to reducing meat consumption, regardless of the degree or motivation.
The more we let people know that it’s never an ‘all or nothing’ lifestyle, the more they will feel comfortable and confident enough to try it out. We should celebrate any effort that people are making in order to improve their health, ethics, or the planet!
If you’re new to the community we recommend taking our pledge, taking part in Meatless Mondays, or even going vegetarian just for the weekend!
If you are interested in eating less meat, or would like to share with others on why they should eat less meat too, keep on reading!
To Join In With The Changing World
We are constantly seeing news coverage that highlights how detrimental meat is for our planet. Even National Geographic reported that we need to ‘radically change our food systems’ in order to save the world we live in. Actively trying to reduce your carbon footprint (and to be more ethical) puts you in a small, but growing, category of individuals that are going to change the world one day!
To Adopt One Of The Healthiest Diets In The World
The Mediterranean diet is proven to be one of the healthiest diets in the world. It’s one comprised of primarily plant-based foods, with lots of healthy fats (e.g. olive oil). People that follow this diet limit their red meat consumption to only a few times per month. It’s a diet that is great for your heart health, and great for managing diabetes, among lots of other health benefits.
To Be More Energetic
Your body works harder to digest meat than it does to digest plant-based foods. Wholefoods such as leafy greens and legumes are easy to digest as they have plenty of fiber in them, and will keep you lively for a longer period of time. Haven’t you ever eaten a heavily meaty meal and felt like napping afterwards? Why not ask a vegan how much lighter, and more energetic they felt once they stopped consuming meat – it may surprise you!
To Stay Slim
There’s no argument that replacing processed meats with vibrant wholefoods will make you lose weight. Plant-based diets have significantly fewer calories, and very little saturated fat, compared to diets that include lots of animal products. Eating vegetarian occasionally may even force you to cook from scratch, and eat less convenience food (AKA fatty foods with lots of salt).
To Be In Line With Your Ethics
Although you may think that your meat comes from a beautifully, idyllic farm surrounded by green pastures, chances are… it didn’t. The more we reduce your meat consumption, the fewer factory farms there will be. Did you know that the mass amount of grain used to feed livestock, could instead feed people in severe poverty all around the world?
To Avoid Disease
Eating meat has been linked to various cancers, heart disease, and diabetes. It also seems as if the type of protein that you choose to consume has a lot of effect on your risk of having a stroke. For example, red meat increases the risk of a stroke, whereas proteins like fish, soy and beans can actually lower the risk.
To Save Money
It’s no secret that animal products put a strain on the pocket. Vegan or vegetarian diets that mainly consist of wholefoods are wonderfully cheap. If you don’t go overboard with processed vegan/vegetarian foods, then a reducetarian diet will 100% be cheaper than a regular meat-eating diet. Concentrate on buying pasta, rice, and beans in bulk, and fill yourself with colorful fruits and vegetables.
To Try Delicious Vegetarian/Vegan Alternatives
Vegan and vegetarian diets have come a long way in the past few years! Just a decade ago, most people would associate these diets with bland salads, however, now we have Beyond Meat, Gardein, and countless restaurants serving up plant-based options. Vegan and vegetarian diets are the most versatile in the world, and it’s so much fun to try all of the alternatives that are available to you.
To Live Longer
As previously said, you will likely suffer from fewer sicknesses and disease if you adopt a plant-based diet. The world’s longest living communities eat primarily plant-based, and limit their animal product intake. Research from Massachusetts General Hospital, found that raising the consumption of animal protein in one's diet by 10% led to a 2% higher risk of death.
To Save The Planet
The Amazon is gradually being cut down and destroyed in order to feed cattle, and make space for them to graze. As well as this, animal agriculture is responsible for around 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions, which amounts to more exhaust from all transportation. Reputable British newspaper, The Guardian, stated that ‘avoiding meat and dairy is ‘single biggest way’ to reduce your impact on Earth’.