People who do not eat meat are quickly starting to become a subculture. The “to eat meat or not to eat meat” debate is starting to look a lot like the smoker vs. nonsmoker debate. People’s passion for their cause is the reason for the controversy, just as it is with every other big cause that separates huge numbers of people.

 

Not all vegetarians are created equally. Some people refuse to eat meat because they like to communicate with animals, and be as one with them, rather than grill them. For other people it’s a matter of health; their belief being that humans were never intended to consume meat in the first place. To these people, eating meat is the equivalent of poisoning their own bodies. There are also the environmentalists who believe that eating animals, indirectly, as well as directly, destroys the earth; but they reserve the right to incorporate all of the above reasons into their decision without further notice.

 

Non-vegetarians have their own set of undeniable compelling reasons for enjoying meat, and do so with gusto. Whatever side of the debate you happen to fall on, one thing remains true, your body needs the same nutrition whether you eat meat or not. Just because your mind or heart dictates to you that you not partake in steak, your body still has the same nutritional needs and will not thrive without those needs being met.

 

Statistically speaking, most vegetarians are less likely to be obese than their meet eating peers. But it is a well known fact that a person’s weight is not a conclusive way to determine their overall health.

 

 

Vegetarians and non-vegetarians need to eat responsibly. It’s not just about what you don’t eat, but rather more about what you do put into your body. The number one goal should be giving your body the fuel it needs to keep all of its systems running at their peak performance. One of the biggest mistakes the non-meat eaters make is not getting enough protein and essential vitamins; the second is substituting the food they are not eating with processed foods that are full of empty and unhealthy calories.

 

A person who is determined to cut meat and dairy out their diets really needs to become very educated about how they can get the protein and vitamins they are missing out on. Unless they are vigilant about eating a wide variety of healthy foods, they will most likely need to take vitamin supplements to achieve optimal health. But it is important to note that the body does not benefit quite as well from vitamins as it does from a healthy diet. They also need to be very careful not to get caught up in thinking that since they are not eating meat, they can pig out on everything and anything else, or they could end up looking like one of the animals they stopped eating.