It seems that becoming a vegetarian or vegan is a growing trend in today’s world. There are tons of plant-based cheeses, meats, and so much more. Should you or I be a vegetarian or vegan?
I’m sharing some of the benefits of adopting a plant-based lifestyle, but why I personally will most-likely not become one.
The Benefits
There are a lot of well-known benefits to being a vegan or vegetarian. For starters, it can absolutely have a positive impact on the environment. Studies have found that it takes less land, water, and energy to produce plant protein vs. animal protein. As a result, there is less greenhouse gas emissions on our environment (1).
The same study has shown that the mineable phosphorus available is rapidly declining. Phosphorus is a mineral that’s used as a fertilizer for food production and could be depleted in 50-100 years if the current food trends continue. A vegetarian diet requires a lot less phosphorus throughout production compared to meat (1).
Besides the environmental benefits, a vegan or vegetarian diet could also have some health benefits. Most people who consume a plant-based diet consume more fiber through fruits and vegetables which can benefit digestion, blood sugar, and improve cholesterol levels.
A plant-based diet could also be cost effective since meat can be pretty pricey. This depends on the products you purchase because a lot of plant-based alternatives can be more expensive than the real thing!
Don’t Need a Label
I just listed off all of these benefits, so why won’t I become a vegetarian or vegan? The reason being is that I don’t want a label, and here’s why.
When a label is added to a way of eating, it tends to lead to rules and restrictions. Trust me, I’ve thought about going vegetarian multiple times because I really don’t eat meat that much. BUT, I know what it can lead to.
Anytime a rule is put into place, it most likely will end in rigidity and restriction. As soon as you tell yourself that you can’t eat meat for whatever reason, you may begin obsessing over it and just want the meat. It’s like that old saying, we want what we can’t have.
Now, I am not bashing the vegetarian or vegan diet and saying that it always leads to disordered eating. If chosen for the right reasons (which I discuss below), it can absolutely be part of a healthy diet! I’m speaking to the people who tend to be obsessive in their thinking and have an all-or-nothing mentality (which most type A people do).
For my friends who have a history of disordered eating, putting a label on your diet may not be the best thing for you. Instead of giving yourself those rules, why don’t you try and eat intuitively and see if it leads to less meat consumption? It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. If you don’t want to be plant-based, you don’t have to! Absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Ask Yourself “Why”
The biggest piece of advice I could give someone when they’re debating on becoming a vegan or vegetarian is to ask yourself “why?” Why do you want to have this label? Is it for environmental or health reasons? OR is it because you believe it will make you healthier and lose weight?
If your “why” is weight loss, I would steer clear. Becoming plant-based will not automatically make you lose weight. Having a restrictive mindset and not consuming enough food will make you lose weight.
If you want to try a plant-based diet because you have a reason BESIDES your body, I say give it a try. I’ve considered giving it a try many of times, and who knows, maybe one day I will. Knowing yourself and the way you think is key in this decision. Maybe try it out, but if you find yourself getting obsessive, there’s no reason why you can’t stop.
Instead of going full vegetarian or vegan, you could just adopt a more plant-based lifestyle instead of fully plant-based. You could still reap the health and environmental benefits through having one meatless meal a week or just having more vegetables with your meals. The point I want you to get is that it doesn’t have to be extreme! You can be plant-based and still eat meat and cheese.
I hope that this post has given you some insight into the benefits of a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, but how there could be some downsides as well. Remember that as long as you enjoy the way you eat and your body feels good, then that’s all you could ask for!
xoxo
Sources
- Lynch, Heidi et al. “Plant-Based Diets: Considerations for Environmental Impact, Protein Quality, and Exercise Performance.” Nutrients vol. 10,12 1841. 1 Dec. 2018, doi:10.3390/nu10121841
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