by Peggy Tee

Created on: May 15, 2009   Last Updated: September 21, 2009

Remember the old adage, you are what you eat? If that is true, most of us would be walking, talking lumps of fat, shot through with preservatives and toxins. That might sound a little harsh, but the reality of the situation is that many consumers have no idea what goes into producing the chicken breasts, farmed fish and beef that they eat. Meat used to be the staple of the rich, while the poor survived on a diet of vegetables and the occasional treat of a sacrificial chicken. These days, however, modern farming techniques mean that meat is accessible to all. But just because we can, doesn't mean we should.

Vegetarians espouse many reasons for their dietary choices. Cutting meat out of your diet is beneficial not just for you, but for your family and surrounds. Going meatless even for a day or two a week has a positive impact. Here are five inspiring reasons to go meatless

Health

Eat your vegetables is a refrain heard in many households, for good reason. Health specialists advocate eating at least five serves of fruits and vegetables a day. Choosing to reduce or cut out meat completely from your diet can improve your health. Many people experience weight loss and feel less lethargic after going meatless. There is less risk of contracting heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, high cholesterol and cancer.

Another benefit to decreasing your meat intake is lowering the risk of toxicity issues like parasites from chicken or lead and mercury poisoning from eating fish. Toxins accumulate in animals and as we reign at the top of the food chain, it all eventually ends up inside us.

Ethical

Some people decide to stop eating meat because they disagree morally and ethnically with the treatment of animals reared for slaughter. Others refrain from meat due to spiritual or religious purposes. In both cases, going meatless is a personal choice. The treatment of some farms in rearing pigs and cows solely as livestock animals have been highlighted as inhumane. Battery hens often live short, brutish lives in horrendous conditions. The decision to go meatless can be influenced by the needless suffering of the animals that are sacrificed to the carnivorous appetite of the world's population.

Environmental

The environmental effects of reducing your intake of meat are varied. Going meatless will reduce your carbon footprint. Greenhouse gas emissions arising from the livestock industry is a significant contributor to global warming. A study by The Food and Agriculture

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