Everyone should become vegetarian because they do not need to eat meat to have a healthy diet. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
A lot of scientific evidence indicates that wholesome vegetarian diets offer distinct advantages A lot of scientific evidence indicates that wholesome vegetarian diets offer distinct advantages compared to diets containing meat. However, I disagree with the given statement that everyone should adopt a meat-free diet to be healthy. In this essay I intend to support my opinion with my arguments.
Undoubtedly, there are many benefits of a vegetarian diet. To begin with, vegetarian diets are easy to digest, whereas meats can be difficult to digest. The fats in meat are saturated, which means they are unhealthy and contribute to higher cholesterol levels. Plant sources of food, on the other hand, are rich in fiber, complex carbohydrates, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C and E, carotenoids and other phytochemicals. Dietary fiber helps prevent colon cancer, which is more prevalent in meat-eaters.
However, a totally vegetarian diet can be deficient in several nutrients including protein, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin B12 and A, n-3 fatty acids and iodine. Although vegetarians can consume protein through legumes and nuts, these protein sources are incomplete. A complete protein contains the essential amino acids that your body needs, and animal products provide a complete protein. Many animal products are also high in iron and vitamin B12. Iron found in animal products is easier for your body to absorb. A deficiency in iron or B12 can result in fatigue. For women, who lose iron through menstruation, getting enough iron through their diet is important.
Proponents of vegetarian diet claim that veggie diets have high-protein gems like cottage cheese, nuts, and tofu. I still believe that people who go vegetarian may have to take a lot of supplements, and would definitely need to put in a lot of effort to have a balanced meal full of essential macro and micronutrients. A purely vegetarian diet, which is not planned well, may prove very bad for health. People, who are non-vegetarian, can easily have a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet to remain healthy. They can cut down their meat intake to avoid the detrimental effects of a non-veg diet.
To sum up, I reiterate that although a vegetarian diet has several benefits, I differ with those who say that everyone should turn vegetarian to be healthy.
