Are Your Food Options Sustainable Choices?

You’re on a quest…a quest to eco friendly living and be more green.  That pursuit has helped you adopt new practices into your life and now you are considering how and what you eat.  A good place to start is by examining why meat diets are not really a sustainable choice and why a plant-based diet option, such as vegetarianism and veganism, may be better choices. Let’s explore the benefits of vegetarian diet.

You may be thinking…’What on earth would I eat without meat?’  ‘How can I live without meat?’ or ‘Life is too short to not eat meat.’  Indeed, life may be too short if you do not pay attention to what you are feeding yourself; it could be taxing on your body and it could be taxing on the Earth.  We need to open our eyes (WIDE) and understand the consequences our massive food consumption and poor agricultural practices are putting on the Earth.

BUT…it can change!  You can change and when you change you can enlighten others to a better choice.  And do you know what?  It is not nearly as scary as it sounds, I promise!  Read on…

Difference Between A Vegan And Vegetarian

A vegetarian is someone who does not consume meat, fish, seafood or poultry.

A vegan does not eat or use any animal products. So in addition to not eating meat, fish, seafood or poultry they also do eat or use: eggs, milk, cheese, wool, leather, fur etc.

Benefits of Vegetarian Diet

Now why would you want to make the leap to a plant-based diet and what makes it a more sustainable choice?

• Only 25 gallons of water are needed to produce one pound of wheat vs. approx. 2500 gallons of water for one pound of beef.

• It takes much less energy to produce a plant crop than to produce meat.

• Plants do not need to be grown at the expense of depleting the rainforests.  You can grow them anywhere (literally)!

• Studies show that a balanced vegetarian diet is healthier than an animal-based diet.

• It will cost you less; in terms of money and health.  Take heart, it will cost the Earth and future generations less, too!  Just with our food choices alone, we can  help the environment in more ways than one.

• It’s tasty and colorful!  There are so many foods and flavors out there that you can discover.  Your taste buds may have been deprived if you are eating a bunch of processed, take-out food. The colors of fresh produce are simply glorious and it is a good way to teach kids that the more color they have in their diet, the better!

• It may help you lose weight.

• It is also a compassionate choice.  No animals have to live in the deplorable, inhumane conditions, which is fairly common in most factory farms.  This is one way you can help the animals.

Where Do I Get My Protein?

Just because you do not have a meat protein source does not mean you cannot eat a balanced meal. There is an abundance of vegetarian and vegan protein sources!  Nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, grains, seitan, vegetables, fruits, eggs and dairy products contain significant amounts of protein.  Also, there numerous soy alternatives available in the current grocery market today.  There is everything from soy bacon to soy burgers, etc. and it tastes great!  Just because you don’t have a meat protein source does not mean you cannot eat a balanced meal.

How Do I Start?

You know yourself best and you know if you can jump in with both feet or if you need to start extending a toe at a time.  Locate a good vegetarian/vegan cookbook in your local library or bookstore and of course, you can find endless recipes online.

You can make the change and you can educate others!  Talk to people.  Most people are unaware that a plant based diet can make a positive impact on global warming.

It makes sense for a sustainable life and I believe that if you follow the path to a plant based diet you will find that it is delicious and rewarding.

Eating a plant-based diet may be the single most important choice you can make to reduce your carbon footprint and help sustain Mother Earth’s resources.  Eat up and enjoy!

Marisa

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