North Texas Daily

I would like to begin by expressing that you, as a grown individual, have the right to eat anything you want. Your food preferences are your own, and nobody should chastise you or criticize your meal choice.

With that being said, I argue that vegetarianism is a good path to a healthy body.

As of late, there has been a lot of hype about vegetarianism and veganism. A vegetable-heavy diet focusing on fresh vegetables, rather than fried or boiled, can help individuals feel great — but that doesn’t stop the negative assumptions or misconceptions.

The biggest misconception about vegetarians is that we are unable to obtain enough protein in our diet. However, with smart choices, any vegetarian can hit the mark and reach both their caloric and protein goals. For example, kale has about 2.9 grams of protein per cup, which is a little underwhelming. Can you imagine how many cups of raw kale you would have to eat to reach 50 grams of protein? Well, roughly 18 cups, but that sounds like literal hell. On the other hand, 1 cup of edamame is roughly equivalent to 17 grams of protein.

Another argument in favor of vegetarianism is how little it impacts the environment compared to the meat industry.

There are so many mouths to feed on this planet, and in reality, meat just isn’t sustainable. We would have to produce enough food suitable to feed all the cattle, which alone impacts the environment with the overuse of water and fertilizers.

It has been noted that in rerouting our efforts, we can start by limiting the cattle industry by replacing much of it with vegetables that go directly toward human consumption. Then, even more of the earth’s population could be fed.

I have been a vegetarian for four years. It works for me and I have really enjoyed the practice. I encourage anyone who is curious or interested in trying vegetarianism to give it a go. While it is not easy, it sure is rewarding.

Smart and informed choices can make vegetarianism a suitable and fun diet for anyone who wants to partake.

Featured Image: Illustration by Austin Banzon