Four common reasons why people choose vegetarian diet
1. Religious Beliefs
Many religions advocate for a vegetarian diet, with a notable focus on Mahayana Buddhism and Hinduism (Jainism).
Buddhism
Buddhism emphasizes the equality of all life forms, without distinction between noble and ignoble. It also emphasizes compassion to include all sentient beings, including animals. Eating meat is seen as a fundamental violation of this principle of compassion.
Buddhism also emphasizes the cycle of life. The concept of karma dictates that good deeds lead to positive outcomes, while negative deeds lead to suffering. Consuming meat perpetuates an endless cycle of karmic retribution. For example, Buddhist practitioners believe that eating beef indirectly causes the suffering and death of the cow, committing the sin of killing. Each meat eater bears a portion of this sin.
Without sincere repentance and adopting a vegetarian diet, not only will spiritual progress be hindered, but will also face corresponding karmic repercussions in the afterlife.
Hinduism - Jainism
They adhere strictly to vegan. Their philosophy primarily stems from a reluctance to kill and a desire not to inflict suffering upon living beings. They abstain from consuming any animal-related foods, including eggs and dairy products. They also avoid using any household items containing animal-derived materials.
What is their definition of “living beings”? Aren’t plant alive too? Jainism identifies this based on the five senses: touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing.
Humans and most mammals possess all five senses, while plants have only one sense - touch.Based on this, Jainism essentially permits only plant-based foods. When plants are killed, the suffering they endure is much less compared to animals. This dietary choice can be explained as "non-violent."
As a healthy community, practitioners of Jainism are a successful example of a vegetarian diet without any apparent nutritional deficiencies in general. So, if you're a vegetarian, it's worth paying attention to how Jains maintain their health through their plant-based diet.
2. Environmental Conservation Perspective
Animal farming is resource-intensive, requiring significant amounts of water and grains. According to statistics from the US government, on average:
each 240-pound pig raised in the US consumes 500 pounds of grains/soybeans/corn. This means that every year, pigs in the US consume millions of tons of grains.
Animals also rely on water for growth. A pig consumes approximately 21 gallons of water per day, while a cow consumes 50 gallons of water per day. Calculated, producing one pound of beef requires 2400 gallons of water. In contrast, one pound of whole wheat flour made from wheat only requires 180 gallons of water resources.
In short, if the grains used to feed animals were used as human food instead, the same amount of grains could feed many people who are struggling with famine.
Animal farming and production emit carbon dioxide. Producing 2 pounds of beef emits as much carbon dioxide as driving a car for 3 hours. Animal manure, used as fertilizer, can likely pollute water bodies when discharged into rivers and lakes. Furthermore, farming in remote areas leads to increased greenhouse gas emissions during transportation.
Therefore, many environmentalists choose vegetarian diet. However, before the widespread adoption of vegetarianism, whether this approach can truly protect the environment remains uncertain.
3. Humanitarian Reasons
Many animals, although not as intelligent as humans, possess the intelligence and emotions of young children, such as pigs and cows. Countless farms raise livestock solely for human consumption. These cattle, sheep, pigs, and chickens are bred to be slaughtered. In this context, do these lives still have meaning of their own? Is defining life solely by human terms a form of exploitation of life?
4. Health Perspective
Consuming a large amount of fruits & vegetables & beans and lentils reduces the intake of animal fats while increasing the intake of unsaturated fat and various vitamins & minerals. These changes are likely related to a healthier lipid profile.
Vegetarian foods are also rich in prebiotics and dietary fiber, which contribute to gut health and bowel movements. Even for healthy individuals who consume meat, their gut health can also be improved by consuming an adequate amount of fruits & vegetables & legumes with plenty of water.
People may also choose to be a vegetarian because they simply do not like meat, including its taste & smell & the way of cooking. Each individual has unique dietary preferences and choices influenced by various factors. We just need to discover the dietary approach that suits ourselves the best.
Author: Jin Fu
