It is a well known fact that man is basically carnivorous. That means we eat meat and poultry products such as eggs, cheese, milk and a lot more. However, the world has adapted to the changing times and so did man as far as his eating habits are concerned.

Now that everybody is health conscious, everybody is now eating more vegetables than meat. A person who eats nothing but vegetables is called a vegetarian. The vegetarian believes that eating vegetables is good for the body and keeps the body in good shape. It is well believed that eating vegetables is a good way to keep calories in check, because most vegetables are low in calories but high in fiber which is good.

Some other reasons may be moral issues like they don’t believe in killing of animals so they sympathize by not eating meat and other poultry products. Eating vegetables is a lot cheaper than buying meat. They can be eaten raw or cooked. They can be tossed in a salad with some herbs and spices. They can be eaten as they are unlike meat which has to be cooked all the time.

However, there are disadvantages of being a vegetarian. Some of these are:

Lack of a well balanced diet – since no meat is eaten there is lack of protein

Dealing with skeptics – people don’t really believe you are serious about it

Problematic during holidays – you don’t get to enjoy all the holiday dishes

Eating out – you have to choose restaurants with a vegetarian section

If you really think about it, the disadvantages of being a vegetarian involve everybody including your families and friends. You may need to communicate with them the reasons why you are one, and hopefully they would understand your reasons. It means having different sets of meals prepared at home or you prepare your own food.

If some reality sinks into your brain even for a short while, the disadvantages of being a vegetarian would be missing out on all those yummy and delicious meals and desserts. It is also missing out on the real taste, texture and flavor of real meat. It is time and effort you waste to choose food outlets with vegetarian sections or menus. You will miss drinking milk. You would miss eating eggs, pork and cottage cheese and every poultry product available. You will miss eating ice cream and cake during your birthday because you would have to eat vegetables.

Suffice to say, if you choose to be a vegetarian in the real sense of the word, then you just have to accept the disadvantages that go along with it. You choose to be a vegetarian because you want to be fit and healthy as your main reason. On a more positive note, look at these disadvantages as mere challenges you have to face. You just have to keep the faith that you have chosen the right lifestyle that suits your need. Who knows, you may be right after all.

Jason Ladock

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