The Effects of a Vegetarian Diet

The purpose of this paper is to equip individuals with knowledge of the effects of a vegetarian diet. This paper will provide factual research for a group of individuals willing to investigate how certain dietary choices can provide benefits for current and future generations in all aspects of life. The consumption of a vegetarian diet impacts a person’s health, the environment, the economy, and society. This concept is examined through the idea of nutrition ecology. Exploring concepts related to these four components will provide insight into the food consumption choices that people make while also understanding the effect it may play. Many individuals choose to consume a vegetarian diet for health reasons, such as weight loss, cholesterol issues or diabetes. Other individuals choose to eat a vegetarian diet for animal welfare reasons or environmental issues, such as sustainability concerns. Whatever the decisionmaking factor may be, the effects of a vegetarian diet possess positive outcomes for the individual, the environment, the economy, and society while maintaining an ecological balance. THE EFFECTS OF A VEGETARIAN DIET 3 The Effects of a Vegetarian Diet A vegetarian diet is meal plan comprised of foods primarily from plant sources. Foods include fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds and possibly dairy products. Depending on the type of vegetarian diet a person may associate themselves with, depends on the foods they choose to eat. Vegetarianism has been documented since the 1600s, but increased awareness became more prominent when a food movement emerged in the 1960s that dealt with issues of the environment and food producers. The subject of the plant-based diet came into the spotlight again in 2010 when the European Parliament enforced a legislation ruling that companies cannot mark food labels as vegan when they contain animal products, or utilize the use of animal aid to process or manufacture the food. Since then, vegetarian diets have become a hot topic among people. Vegetarian diets become popular when an individual chooses to get healthy, whether it be for weight loss or a health diagnosis. But there are some people that choose to consume a vegetarian diet based on other choices, such as animal welfare or environmental concerns. Whatever the decision-making factor may be, the effects of a vegetarian diet possess positive outcomes for the individual, the environment, the economy and society. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of a vegetarian diet on personal health, the environment, the economy, and society. Even though vegetarian diets can be difficult to maintain and therefore become fad diets rather than lifestyle changes, a vegetarian diet is beneficial to personal health and the environment. Vegetarian diets present personal health benefits for individuals, while supporting the environment. Consuming a vegetarian diet encourages the skillset of preparing and cooking wholesome and nutritious foods, being an THE EFFECTS OF A VEGETARIAN DIET 4 educational learning tool for future generations, and preserving our natural resources, while also protecting the welfare of animals.