Vegetarianism As The New Global Trend!

Vegetarianism as a concept has only recently become a point of conversation for many people. My recent association with Akshaya Patra Foundation for their fundraiser to contribute to the poor and affected in the lockdown led me to ask some hard questions. Why is it that it has become a point of discussion, now more than ever? We humans have a choice of having a non-vegetarian or a vegetarian diet. So why should we even think of choosing a vegetarian diet when the bounty is plenty? Historically, if you have noticed, men were gatherers who later turned into hunters. Basically from the get go we were programmed to rely only on the greens that grow around us but as we developed and evolved, we found a source of sustenance even in the animals around us. Today, you will notice that an estimate of 70% of diseases are associated with diets. So why should vegetarianism be essential to us? Here are some of the reasons:

Healthier Bodies

A vegetarian diet is known to reduce the chances of diseases like cancer- be it breast, oesophageal, lung, or stomach. Vegetarian diets have become the most effective way of stopping the progression of coronary artery related diseases. Of course, it depends on the kind of vegetarian diet you have as well, but for the most part, vegetarianism is healthier in all senses.

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Weight Maintenance

It is easier to maintain your weight if you are on a vegetarian diet. You can monitor each nutrition that is entering your body and not just guessing it. There are certain fruits that would be concentrated with one type of vitamin, the other vegetable would be full of another vitamin. And because vegetarian foods are generally less intense calorie-wise, it is easier to eat a lot without actually gaining too much.

Longevity Of Life

Because switching to vegetarianism would help you monitor what you eat and how you eat it, there is an increased chance of you living a healthy lifestyle. Do you know what that means? You might brighten up your chances of living for a long time! Animal products are known to clog arteries, lower your energy, and slow down the immune system and those have never been good signs for anyone. In fact, people in Okinawa, Japan are known to have the longest age. Why? People here are solely dependant on low-calorie diets which include unrefined carbs and fibre rich fruits and vegetables.

Stronger Bones

More often than not, for those who do not have enough calcium in their bloodstream their bodies leach that calcium from their existing bones. The result is that the bones in turn become so porous that they lose their strength. So how do we ensure that our body has enough calcium? We eat foods that provide us with this mineral along with phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin D which are also necessary for the body to effectively use calcium. You can get a healthy dose of call from dry beans, tofu, soy milk, and vegetables like broccoli, turnip greens, etc.

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Reducing The Risk Of Food-prone Illnesses

Talking on the same lines, turning vegetarian reduced the risk of getting too many problems because of diet. If you avoid foods that are more prone to infecting you, that is non vegetarian foods, you are more likely to be less vulnerable to these scary diseases.

Relief For Menopause

We’d talked about menopause and how difficult it is for women when they reach the age when the menstrual cycle stops in your body. It has been noticed that women who are vegetarian do not suffer from drastic weight gain, or heat flashes because vegetarian food makes them less vulnerable to menopause symptoms.

Energetic Bodies

A vegetarian diet leads you to feel lighter and better about yourself, making you have a positive body image. Why not? Free of cholesterol laden, artery clogging animal fat that slows us down so much, vegetarian diet makes us more agile and happy in general.

Winner of MasterChef India 2012, Shipra Khanna is a popular name in the world of cooking. She has been a part of different cooking shows and has written many cook books too. For more stories from Chef Shipra Khanna, stay tuned.