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So what's vegetarianism all about?
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Many people have misguided ideas about what it means to be a vegetarian. The truth is, there are as many different motivations for becoming vegetarian as there are people who decide to choose vegetarianism. Some people simply don't like meat, some cut out meat for health reasons, while for others it's more of an ethical choice.
The Vegetarian Society defines vegetarianism as:
" A vegetarian is someone living on a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits with or without the use of dairy products and eggs.
A vegetarian does not eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacea, or slaughter by-products."
Some vegetarians will choose to eat dairy products and eggs - these are known as lacto-ovo-vegetarians. Some choose to eat eggs but not dairy products, or vice versa; these are known as ovo-vegetarians or lacto-vegetarians respecitively. A vegetarian who doesn't eat dairy products or eggs or any other animal product (including honey) is known as a vegan.
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How hard is it to be vegetarian?
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In principle, it is very easy to be vegetarian. Some people find it hard to cut out their favourite kinds of meat, while others don't miss meat at all. If you are thinking of trying out vegetarianism, but are worried about missing meat, there are plenty of convincing vegetarian meat-substitutes on the market.
While some vegetarians don't mind eating products that aren't strictly "vegetarian" (such as cheese and onion crisps that contain animal rennet), the majority will choose to opt for the thousands of products that adhere to the Vegetarian Society's definition of vegetarian. These products are marked with the vegetarian society's logo. Some supermarkets have their own logo - do make sure you check the ingredients anyway, just to make sure!
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Why become a vegetarian?
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There are many benefits to a vegetarian lifestyle. Here are some of the main reasons for becoming vegetarian:
1. Health Benefits A vegetarian diet has been shown to reduce your likelihood of developing breast cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung caner, colon cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension and many more diseases besides. Many people lose weight and feel more healthy and happy as a result of switching to a vegetarian diet. For more information please visit the vegetarian society's report page.
2. Financial Benefits Excluding meat from your diet can reduce your food bill by a third, on average. However, if you opt for organic produce this difference can even itself out, unless you are a canny shopper (see "survival" page for tips on frugal grocery shopping).
3. Combat Climate Change Vegetarian diets have been shown to have a lower carbon footprint. Defra officials say that "a diet low in animal proteins could make a difference in the fight against climate change". The bottom line is, much of the land used to produce feed for livestock could be used to produce vegetables and grains for humans instead, thus reducing all the greenhouse gases cattle excrete. International Herald Tribune Article
4. Ethical Eating While many meat-eaters are happy to buy organic, free-range, ethically sound meat, the vast majority of meat produce on our supermarket shelves has been procuded in a manner that many would consider cruel. Being vegetarian is just one way in which you can reduce demand for meat, thereby reducing the suffering experienced by animals the world over.
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