Persuasive Essay
Taking Life Into Account:
The Health Benefits of A Vegetarian Diet
Fiona Steinour
Senior Thesis
Mr. Zontine
14 December 2020
It is easy to consider changing your life habits in a positive way, like watching what you eat, working out, or quitting smoking and drinking, but many do not pursue this path due to uncertainty and lack of motivation. Although this is common, through history many individuals have undergone changes to better improve themselves and their outlook on life. Usually, these people pursue a more dedicated path of religion or philosophical change, but certain others have undergone a very challenging and self-improving route: Vegetarianism. Vegetarianism is the choice to not eat meat of any sort, including fish. Not only does this diet change your choices and lifestyle, but also the diet changes your body, mind, and emotions. By becoming a vegetarian you stand for certain standards and you are helping a cause that has been growing for centuries, reducing the killing and suffering of animals produced only for their meat. A vegetarian diet is healthier than an omnivorous diet because of the many physical and mental benefits it provides.
Originally the vegetarian diet was simply called the Pythagoras diet, as it was created by the great Greek philosopher Pythagoras. Pythagoras believed that all animals had souls like people, and therefore it was wrong to kill and eat them. Over time, his philosophy convinced others to join, and his movement grew to great numbers and carried on through centuries. Furthermore, his ideas spread throughout Europe and Asia, and settled in England where the vegetarian society was created, and still stands. It is not known when Pythagoras made the official change to not eating meat in his life, but his reasons were carefully recorded through his followers, these reasons can be found in the following quote: “Pythagoras and his many followers practiced vegetarianism for several reasons, mainly due to religious and ethical objections. Pythagoras believed all living beings had souls. Animals were no exception, so meat and fish were banished from his table” (Butler).
Pythagoras’s movement has stunned the scientific community that has long believed that an omnivorous diet is the most nutritional diet out there, but with further research, the vegetarian diet is much more beneficial to the human body. The physical benefits are noticeable after mere months. In fact, most cases strongly suggest that vegetarians are much less prone to getting major diseases and conditions such as cancer, heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure. There are a few reasons for this, primarily because the consumption of more natural foods is purging the body of industrial chemicals in the food industry that has caused most of the diseases everyday people have. For example: “Only 5-10% of breast cancers are caused by genes the rest are due to lifestyle factors including diet. Cow’s milk and dairy products are a major source of saturated fat and hormones – both linked to breast cancer” (“Why Meat, Fish, and Dairy Harm”). This stunning statistic is not the only example of meat causing major illnesses, another instance just like this is prostate cancer. “Only 10-15% of this cancer is caused by genes, the other cause is diet, specifically the consumption of cow’s meat and milk which contains tons of unnatural hormones. The type of iron that red-processed meat contains has been linked to causing other illnesses like Diabetes and high blood pressure” (“Why Meat, Fish, and Dairy Harm”). With all of the harm the mass-produced meat causes, it is no wonder why becoming a vegetarian is better for the body.
The maintenance of a healthy weight and a healthy metabolism is another factor that should be considered as another benefit of the switch to no meat. Weight goes up and down for some, and this rise and fall of weight can be related to the seasons, exercise, or diet but most people do not realize that weight is changed more because of the food we eat, rather than the amount of time we exercise. Being a vegetarian almost ensures that your weight will maintain over a long period of time, and it will not change regularly. The reason for this is because people do not eat as much, as they stay fuller for much longer with foods that do not contain meat. Vegetables contain different levels of carbohydrates than meat, these carbohydrates are in much larger numbers and don’t burn off as easily through daily activities. In fact, “A vegetarian diet will prevent you from experiencing annoying blood sugar crashes throughout the day. This, again, has to do with all those fiber-rich foods” (Steber). Ultimately if people change their eating habits and become more aware of fiber-rich foods and carbohydrate-rich foods, weight can be lost and maintained and the fastest and healthiest way to do this is to become a vegetarian. Good eating habits in the vegetarian diet can keep your digestive tract from being overworked, as well. When determining what foods in the vegetarian diet will keep you fuller for longer it is important to do some personal research, but here is another example of how vegetarian foods should be consumed for their carbohydrates “For heart protection, it's best to choose high-fiber whole grains and legumes, which are digested slowly and have a low glycemic index — that is, they help keep blood sugar levels steady. Soluble fiber also helps reduce cholesterol levels. Refined carbohydrates and starches like potatoes, white rice, and white-flour products cause a rapid rise in blood sugar, which increases the risk of heart attack and diabetes (a risk factor for heart disease). Foods like carrots, peas, and artichokes do the opposite, and keep the blood sugar steady and ready for a day of hard work ” (Walter).
Another benefit to the Vegetarianism diet is that it is sustainable for all ages and situations in life, even pregnancy. Unfortunately, there is a common misconception that children who grow up not eating meat are malnourished, however, this could not be further from the truth. Like many diets, to be healthy you must eat the right things and the right amount of those things. “With a little planning a vegetarian diet can meet the needs of people of all ages, including children, teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. The key is to be aware of your nutritional needs so that you plan a diet that meets them”(Walter). A good way to maintain this process is to plan meals out weekly, and make sure the right amount of food is served. A person practicing the vegetarian diet can get the required amount of calories and nutrients with a simple plan like the one that follows: “A vegetarian should have, daily, vegetables: 2 ½ cups a day, fruits: 2 cups a day, grains (mostly whole): 6 ½ ounces a day, dairy: 3 cups a day, protein foods: 3 ½ ounces a day, oils: 27 grams a day” (“Vegetarian Diet: How To Get The Best Nutrition”). This diet is also great for elderly people, as it is gentle to the stomach and keeps the blood sugar levels steady, for example, “If you’re an older adult considering a vegetarian diet, keep in mind this can be [a] healthy choice as long as you eat from a wide variety of foods. Seniors considering a vegetarian diet should be aware of how aging may affect their body’s nutritional needs. Seniors who have trouble chewing hard fruits and vegetables can still get their fiber and needed nutrients with smoothies, soups, or softer alternatives (such as pureed or braised vegetables)” (Walter). It is also important to make sure these elderly people realize how much better the vegetarian diet is for them, for instance, eating any type of meat is harder for the stomach to break down and digest, and milk and dairy products usually are not agreeable to the elderly body. By being a vegetarian at an older age, the body is reduced from digestional issues and uncomfortable consequences to eating particular foods.
It is crucial for the better health of human society to be educated and aware that there are different diets and lifestyles out there. One of which is being Vegetarian, where the physical benefits are numerous and the diet incredibly versatile. With many variations and changes that can be made, everyone can benefit. This diet is an opportunity to better oneself and do it without spending loads of money or joining any organizations, while making a personal journey to better health.
Annotated Bibliography
Butler, Stephanie. “Beans and Greens-The History Of Vegetarianism.”history.com, 22
Aug. 2018, Accessed 9 October. 2020.
This source talks about the founders of vegetarianism and the way the lifestyle got adapted and changed throughout time. It also talks about the original diet of a vegetarian and why they chose to add or leave some things out. I will use this resource for the beginning of my magazine to introduce the topic, which makes this a very valuable resource. I will also be able to talk about the change throughout time of the lifestyle.
Steber, Caroline. “11 Suprising Ways Your Body Can Change When You Become A
Vegetarian.” bustle.com, 31 January 2018, Accessed 15 Sep. 2020.
This article discusses the changes an individual goes through physically as they switch their diet. It also talks about what one should expect during this transition, and how to switch to meat free gradually rather than just cutting it out. Lastly the author talks about how ones outlook, emotions, and weight can benefit from the switch. This article provides me with a valuable way to teach my readers how to make the transition, if they choose to, comfortable for them, and how they will feel better very soon after this change.
“Vegetarian Diet: How To Get The Best Nutrition.” mayoclinic.org, 20 August, 2020,
Accessed 15 Sep. 2020.
This source provides multiple options for creating a well balanced diet while not consuming meat. There are a few suggested options like food groups, recipes, and substitutes. This is a valuable piece because I will be able to talk about how to properly substitute meat products with plant based products, for example, instead of using chicken someone could use tofu. Lastly, the author is a vegetarian as well which helped get an insight on someone who has successfully maintained the diet.
Walter, Susan. “Good Eating.” Vegetarian Cooking At The Academy, 11 Nov. 2020, .
pp. 6-12.
This source provides valuable information about how to successfully maintain the vegetarian diet, as well as those who can participate in the diet. This source is most useful in convincing the audience that all types of people can do this healthily, including those who are children and those who are pregnant. This source is very valuable also, as it provides pages and pages of recipes and example-shopping-lists that can be used in a magazine format. This source also provides information on all the nutritional values of the many types of foods.
“What To Know About The Vegetarian Diet.” MedicalNewsGuide.com, June 2014, Accessed 10
Sep. 2020.
This source provides information on the different types of vegetarian diets: including options where you can choose to incorporate dairy or eggs, for instance.This article also provided specific examples of the benefits to the body from switching to a meat-free diet. This source is useful because it gives useful background into the whole culture and information on the many options a person can take when considering switching to a different diet.
“Why Meat, Fish, and Dairy Harm.” vivahealth.org, Accessed 6 Oct. 2020.
This source goes over how the body is affected by meat medically speaking, this source provides many examples of what can go wrong in the body as someone continues to eat with meat predominantly in their diet. I see this source as a valuable source of medical information and I will be able to use it as I begin writing. This source also compares and contrasts the meat vs vegetarian in specific areas of the body, which is going to be useful when making graphs within my magazine. I see this source as one of my most important and it goes very in depth with science in the body.