Research Essay Writing

Professor Deva Arumugam

English 1302

November 1, 2018

What Makes Vegetarian Diets Healthier ?

Thesis : Although meat is enticing, a vegetarian diet is more beneficial because of health reasons, environmental issues, and life longevity

Body Paragraphs / Content :

I. There Are Major Health Benefits From Being A Vegetarian

A. A Healthier heart

1. Vegetarians have much lower cholesterol levels than meat-eaters, and heart disease

is less common in vegetarians. The reasons are not hard to find. Vegetarian meals

are typically low in saturated fat and usually contain little or no cholesterol. Since

cholesterol is found only in animal products such as meat, dairy, and eggs, vegans consume a cholesterol-free diet.

2. The type of protein in a vegetarian diet may be another important advantage. Many studies show that replacing animal protein with plant protein lowers blood cholesterol

levels—even if the amount and type of fat in the diet stays the same. Those studies show that a low-fat, vegetarian diet has a clear advantage over other diets

B. Helps Control Diabetes

1. The latest studies on diabetes show that a vegetarian diet high in

complex carbo-hydrates and fiber (which are found only in plant foods) and low in fat is the best dietary prescription for controlling diabetes. A diet based on vegetables, legumes, fruits, and whole grains, which is also low in fat and sugar, can lower blood sugar levels and often reduce or even eliminate the need for medication. Since individuals with diabetes are at high risk for heart disease, avoiding fat and cholesterol is important, and a vegetarian diet is the best way to do that.

C. Helps To Reduce The Risk of Cancer

1. A vegetarian diet helps prevent cancer. Studies of vegetarians show that death rates from cancer are only about one-half to three-quarters of those of the general population. Breast cancer rates are dramatically lower in countries where diets are typically plant-based. When people from those countries adopt a Western, meat-based diet, their rates of breast cancer soar.

2. Vegetarians also have significantly lower rates of colon cancer than meat-eaters. Colon cancer is more closely associated with meat consumption than any other dietary factor.

II. Vegetarian Diets Help The Environment

A. Helps Save Water

1. “It takes more than 2,400 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef, while producing one pound of tofu only requires 244 gallons of water. By going vegetarian, one person can save approximately 219,000 gallons of water a year” (“ Meat And The Environment”). In other words, you’d take an average swimming pool worth of water and you’d only be able to make about 10 pounds of beef.

2. The amount of water it takes just to feed McDonald’s customers daily requirement of beef, requires the water from 38 SeaWorld tanks—or roughly a third of a billion gallons of water. Corn and potatoes only require 110 and 100 gallons of water respectively to produce one pound of produce. For the same amount of water, we can produce 20x more potatoes than we can produce beef and 18x more corn.

B. Helps reduce greenhouse gases

1. Methane is generated in the guts of animals, according to Rob Jackson. The livestock sector of agriculture emits 37 percent of anthropogenic methane, which has 23 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation’s “Livestock’s Long Shadow” report.

2. The livestock sector is also responsible for 64 percent of anthropogenic ammonia emissions, which contribute to acid rain and acidification of ecosystems.

III. Vegetarianism Helps Increase Longevity

Have lower risk of death

1. A 2013 study of more than 70,000 people found that vegetarians had a 12% lower risk of death compared with non-vegetarians. With none of the saturated fat and cholesterol that clogs arteries, vegetarians may be at a lower risk for chronic diseases overall.

2. The foods of a vegetarian diet such as fruits and vegetables provide nutrients that the body needs to be strong and healthy. If you take care of your body by feeding it the right foods, your body will take care of you. The foods of a vegetarian diets provide one to have more energy. Meat is the main cause of diseases, so when it eliminated you have a better chance of a longer lifespan.

3. Vegetarian diets have the ability to reduce chronic diseases which gives individuals a better chance at a longer lifespan.

Conclusion: I will restate my thesis and conclude why vegetarianism is healthiest overall.