Pros and Cons of Becoming a VEGETARIAN

Millions of people currently subsist on a diet free of meat, and millions more do so on a diet completely free of any animal produce whatsoever. For some reason, what a person chooses (or rather in this case, chooses not) to eat is a weirdly contentious issue online. So we compiled a list of 5 pros and 5 cons of a vegetarian or vegan diet you you may want to consider if not eating meat is something that’s ever appealed to you.

Entertaining and educational top 10 lists from TopTenzNet!

Other TopTenz Videos:

Top 10 “Vegetarian” Foods Which Aren’t Actually Vegetarian

Top 10 Toxic Foods We Love To Eat

Coming up:

Cons
5. Vegetarian diets cost more (if you’re poor)
4. Vegetarian diets are worse healthwise (if you don’t do it properly)
3. Demand for exotic produce can be harmful to the environment, in specific circumstances
2. A vegetarian diet still harms tons of animals
1. Vegetarians are more likely to suffer from health problems
Pros
5. Vegetarian and vegans are often thinner
4. A (good) vegetarian diet is rich in lesser consumed vitamins and minerals
3. It can give you a better “Antioxidant status”
2. A vegetarian diet can improve your overall mood (in the short term)
1. A vegetarian diet might protect you from dying of a heart attack

Source/Further reading:

[jefflawrence]

the issues is they are grouping vegetarian and vegan to the same category. The health of the individuals can not be compared.

[joshuaft]

You don't need exotic plants to be vegan or vegetarian.

[Chris-]

You say vegetarian diets cost more but beans rice and bananas are literally the cheapest foods you can buy per calorie. I️ spend $30/week on groceries

[liamthompson]

This all makes it sound so complex. I'm largely vegetarian and most of what I eat is just normal stuff - bread, dairy, cereal, veges, rice, pasta, etc. The only unusual supplement I have is protein powder. I eat food that is nice, I don't starve and there is no kale or quinoa.

[bionicflora]

i agree with all the facts that you presented. there truly isn't a "perfect, cookie-cutter diet." whether you eat meat or a vegetarian, we each contribute to at least ONE negative side effect.

[lucth]

You didn't this one up and it's the whole reason why I'm a vegetarian: You'll pooped MUCH better! I used to poop huge logs that would cause me loads of pain, but now, it's as silk.

[Ginxwq]

Hey Simon just wanted to say you have one of the most professional accounts on YouTube. All of your information for the most part is very unbiased, practical, verifiable, and helpful. Keep doing what you're doing and DON'T CHANGE A DAMN THING

[wholeNwon]

Fun topic. There is also the issue of bacterial food poisoning which is actually more likely to occur from uncooked vegetables. The assumption that eating "antioxidants" is beneficial is very questionable. The pervasive theme that one must always strive to avoid malnutrition is also flawed. Our bodies cope very well with periods of dietary deficiencies. Of course, these should not be so severe as to produce scurvy, pellagra, pernicious anemia, etc. Absolute caloric deprivation is the only dietary modification that has actually been shown to extend life overall. However, a diet high in vegetables, low in fat and other sources of calories, such as meat, likely reduces the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. Such a diet also likely reduces the incidence of colon cancer.

[Zenhumanist]

I'm convinced that in a 100 years or so the people of the future will look back at this time and be utterly horrified at the industrialised slaughter of billions of animals.

[nuramcfadden]

wouldn't it be best to eat veges and fruit that are seasonal to your region, i.e if you want to help the earth.

[Scootir]

I went veg a few years back and my grocery bill went down to less than half of what it was when I ate meat. The “fresh produce is so expensive” meme doesn’t hold up to reality in my experience. Add to the argument that veg food doesn’t spoil nearly so quickly as meat and waste food went way down too. As did my blood pressure, cholesterol and weight. Best change I’ve ever made for my health, and within a few weeks I came to love the food. Your mileage may vary.

[subzero]

I've found my happy medium of consuming a predominately vegetarian diet but not completely cutting out meat either.

[numnum]

I can't understand how vegetarian life style costs more?! :/
Meat is so costly, unlike vegetables

[mismismism]

Everything is about balance in my opinion. Everyone should just focus on whatever diet is best for them, there's no diet that works for everyone and also doesn't have some harmful effect on the environment. Unless everyone only eats what grows where they live, either too much meat or too much veggies are gonna come with reprocussions. Just try to be healthy and respect other's dietary choices.

[daisygraham]

I tried to be a vegetarian but all the meat replacements (quorn, tofu and a wheat one) gave me some awful stomach aches but I am not allergic soya, quorn or meat. So I was kinda forced to go back to meat but I feel so much better and feel fuller and actually sleep now so I'm happy with my choice.

[omegathemerciless]

Vegans and vegetarians are normally skinny because on the whole they live a healthier life style not because of the saturated fat. Also BMI is very unscientific you shouldn't be using it.

[georgianbay]

I've been a Vegetarian for 2 years and it's probably been the cheapest meals I have eaten (beans, rice, bananas) only time when it's expensive is with Vegetarian made foods such as (Vegetarian Sausages or chicken/ham slices)

[freethinker]

I shifted from eating meats everyday to become a vegetarian and I agree with this video you need to know what you are doing before you go full vegetarian. Some days I felt tired and powerless until I figured out what I was missing. Now I feel very happy and awesome. Most notable is that you gonna need supplements since you can't get everything from vegetables/fruits alone. I eat beans/bread everyday for basic minerals and then I eat whatever I feel like from fruits and vegatables and I supplement the rest. Making sure to take all the vitamins I need on daily basis. also I don't go in the sun that much so I supplement d3 as well.

[jimschwartz]

I've been a vegetarian since 1973. No regrets, and I am in great health. Back then it wasn't that easy being a vegetarian. But today, you can get, in most supermarkets, vegetarian hot dogs, hamburgers, bologna, sausage, and so on.

As for this video, some of the arguments are specious. For example, #2 ("A vegetarian diet still harms tons of animals"). He uses the statement about "field mice being held into a thrasher alongside a couple of thousand stalks of corn" is ironic, because 99% of corn being grown is to feed animals for slaughter, not for direct human consumption. So, yes, it is true that a vegetarian diet still harms tons of animals; but a meat-eaters diet harms far more... not just in the animals being directly killed, but also the the animals being killed to grow the plants to feed the animals. And it takes quite a bit of plants to feed those animals... beef production is especially inefficient, requiring 17 pounds of plant protein to produce one pound of beef.

[cronquist]

Thanks for making this video TopTenz. As a nurse I always appreciate videos like this that take a less subjective look at being a vegetarian (I'm not btw, but it's a big subject that people should be aware of).