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Vegetarianism. Dr. Warren. Vegetarianism . What is a vegetarian? There are two major types. Lacto/Ovo vegetarians who will eat milk or egg products and vegans who do not eat any meat products.
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Vegetarianism Dr. Warren
Vegetarianism • What is a vegetarian? • There are two major types. Lacto/Ovo vegetarians who will eat milk or egg products and vegans who do not eat any meat products. • The argument that vegetarians do not get enough protein is invalid because legumes (or beans) have more protein than meat (Preyss).
Vegetarianism and the Environment • Livestock, not transportation or power consumption, is the number one contributor to global warming (Wolfson) • 56% of non-CO2 gases come from beef, 29% from dairy, and 15% from pork (Wolfson) • Farm animals produce 500,000,000 tons of manure annually (that’s a LOT of poop!)
Vegetarianism and the Environment • Eating only 8% fewer animal products would be the equivalent of trading in your car for a hybrid (Wolfson)
Vegetarianism and the Environment • Only 2.6% of the world is fresh water, the water needed to keep cattle healthy is increasing so much that it can cause water shortages around the world (LEAD). • Beef and chicken raised specifically for slaughter are often filled with hormones and drugs (LEAD).
Vegetarianism and the Environment • Overall, each pound of beef uses 2,500 gallons of water, erodes 35 pounds of topsoil, consumes 16 pounds of grain/soy feed, and uses a gallon of gasoline to produce (Bogo). • There are better ways to use our environmental resources.
What to eat instead of meat! • Vegetarian products are showing up on almost every supermarket shelf. • Companies that sell vegetarian/vegan products include: • Amy’s Kitchen • Annie’s Homegrown • Boca Burger, Inc. • Gardenburger • Quorn • LightLife
What products are available… • Veggie crumbles (fake hamburger) • Garden burgers • Chik’n patties • Fake bacon • Soy hotdogs • Phoney bologna • Almost anything that is available as a meat product has some vegetarian or vegan alternative.
Meatless Monday • In 2009, Meatless Monday became a movement to encourage families to eat no meat on Mondays (Pound). • Meatless Mondays can help families reduce their “risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity” (Pound).
Vegetarians and Health • Studies link veal, beef, lamb, and pork to cancer, diabetes, and heart disease and ultimately death (Harvard). • Red meat is high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and heme iron (linked to increased heart disease) (Harvard). • Additionally, processed meats like hot dogs and sandwich meat are even worse because they increase sodium levels which is linked to strain on the heart and kidneys (Harvard).
Vegetarians and Health • A healthy diet can be found in just eating fruits and vegetables (Preyss). • Even fast food places are beginning to offer vegetarian options. For example, Burger King now offers a veggie burger option. Chili’s also offers a veggie burger option, and McDonald’s no longer fries their food in animal fat.
Vegetarian Growth • The sale of vegan/vegetarian items is up 48% since 1999 (Bogo). The rise should increase.
Join in on Meatless Mondays • To test drive vegetarianism, try Meatless Mondays. • Replace soy crumbles in tacos, spaghetti, or lasagna. • Try beef-less tips in stir fry. • Give up meat for two meals a week.
Works Cited • Bogo, Jennifer. "Where's the Beef?." E Magazine. Nov./Dec. 1999: 48-51. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 Nov 2012. • Cullen, Andrew. "Vegetarianism Takes (Tender) Root in Meat-Loving Mongolia." Christian Science Monitor. 03 Feb 2010: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 Nov 2012. • Pound, Kara. "The Rise of Meatless Monday." E Magazine. Sep/Oct 2010: 18-21. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 Nov 2012. • Preyss, Jennifer. "Con: Meat Is Necessary in Diet." Victoria Advocate. 12 Mar 2012: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 Nov 2012. • "What's the Beef with Meat?.“ Harvard Women's Health Watch. 10 Aug 2012: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 Nov 2012. • Wolfson, Marisa Miller. "An Inconvenient Food: The Connection Between Meat and Global Warming." USA Today (Farmingdale) Vol. 136, No. 2748. Sep 2007: 20-22. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 Nov 2012.