Many different diets and new health recommendations have arisen in recent years due to a desire to improve one’s health, or to benefit the environment. One diet in particular has gained significant momentum in the past few years, as new studies have been conducted on where our food is coming from. Vegetarianism is a growing movement due to health and environmental benefits, and it has begun to develop in the Colorado State University community as well.
Before I begin, I am not one of those vegetarians that insists “this is the only way”, or that if you eat meat you must hate animals and the environment. I simply am interested in this topic and have grown to learn many of the advantages, and disadvantages alike, from being a vegetarian. I want to debunk the myths that “vegetarians just eat lettuce” and “there is no sustainable way to eat meat”, because oftentimes these ideas and connotations associated with this diet interfere with learning about it.
What is so great about a vegetarian diet?
There are numerous health benefits when transitioning to a plant-based diet, many of which are often forgotten today. Eating less red meat can reduce the chance of heart disease, high blood pressure and blood clots, all of which are important to begin preventing as a teenager. It reduces the risk of becoming infected with illnesses from raw or undercooked meat as well, such as salmonella and trichinosis.
The environmental impact of a plant-based diet is much more sustainable as well, since it uses less energy and land compared to grazing animals. The meat industry often results in erosion and runoff, along with carbon emissions and animal waste polluting the environment. “Every second, one football field of rainforest is destroyed in order to produce 257 hamburgers”. By not consuming meat, land use traditionally utilized for grazing and raising large animals is reduced. Our rapid consumption of meat is taking a toll on the environment, and vegetarianism is a solution to this issue.
Figure 1: The benefits to a plant based diet. (Healthnutritionclaire.com)
Another advantage to vegetarianism is the reduction of animal abuse by not raising animals in confined and polluted spaces. There is clearly not enough land on the planet to switch to sustainable farms where cattle have copious amounts of space, so factory farming is a common practice today to produce more meat. The average American meat-eater is responsible for the death of 90 animals every year. This rise in ingestion has led to a need to amplify production, resulting in having to contain animals in tight spaces and increase the GMOs and other toxic growth hormones that cause the animals to gain weight far too quickly, all of which are avoided with plant-based foods.
What it means to stop eating meat
So say you want to cut meat out of your diet, but are scared due to being a college student with minimal availability to vegetarian options, or you are currently an athlete at CSU, worried about providing your body with enough nutrients and protein. What really happens when you stop eating meat? For one, inflammation will reduce quickly. This is the most noticeable and quick difference, that is especially prevalent in young adults and athletes. Most individuals will also be reducing the unhealthy amount of protein they are consuming through fast food, since the average American eats about 1.5 times the amount of protein in a day that their body needs to function. This fact may come as a surprise to many, however the typical hamburger at a fast food chain has more protein than most people need for the entire day’s worth of nutrients.
Downfalls to a plant based diet
Not eating meat does not automatically mean losing weight, or just eating lettuce. This connotation is often associated with plant based diets, in that greens are the only foods a vegetarian would eat. Just like how lettuce or spinach is vegetarian, so are donuts, cakes, and milkshakes. Being vegetarian does not mean being healthy with no added effort, it takes thought to remain healthy, especially when nutritious meats are not an option anymore. At CSU, vegetarian options are becoming more common, however the vegan burgers or pasta that are offered are not necessarily a healthier option. The Housing and Dining Services website demonstrates this issue, for example, with the Foundry. The meat option is a grilled chicken breast with 130 calories, while the vegetarian alternative comes in at 210 calories for an Ultimate Burger. Just because a student decides to go vegetarian, it does not ensure the health and mental fuel for them that they need.
Another issue with a plant based diet is the lack of certain nutrients that can affect individuals’ health. Most times, knowledgeable vegetarians are able to supply the amount of protein they need, however some newcomers are inexperienced in the ways in which they can replace meat in their diet. Tofu, nuts, tempeh, and cottage cheese are just a few examples of alternatives that are often overlooked but are offered frequently here on campus. According to nutritionist Tess Jones, “Most vegetarians start out by simply removing meat from their current diet, but to have a truly balanced nutritional profile, you will need to go further than that and explore new foods.” Finding alternatives to meat rather than just taking it completely out of one’s diet can be challenging, however CSU offers many alternatives that make the transition easier.
Vegetarianism at CSU
Vegetarianism has a bright future, especially for young adults who have access to alternatives that can fulfill their protein and nutrient intake. Studies have shown that micro level changes, such as CSU implementing vegetarian options, can have drastic impacts. Food-related emissions would significantly lower, which would result in higher air quality and less pollution on a micro level here in Fort Collins. The student body contributes to around 20% of the city’s population, so by cutting out meat, this could have tremendous benefits for the environment. Due to religious beliefs and backgrounds of many students, it is unrealistic to conclude that all students would make the transition, however this statistic provides insight into what changes we could experience if more people tried this diet. On a local level, one of the benefits CSU would experience includes more land being restored. If the campus did not utilize as much meat, local lands could be restored to their natural state. Ideally, this vegetarian future could convert 80% of pastureland to grasslands and forests that would capture CO2, while the other 20% would be used for crop conversion that would fill the holes of the meat industry. This would mean more land for research and student learning or recreation in Fort Collins as well. Just bringing awareness to these positive impacts from a change in our diet can spark a conversation among our generation, and I believe that CSU is an excellent place to bring about this change.
Figure 2: A depiction of the impact of a vegetarian diet on a person’s carbon footprint. (peta.org)
On campus meal options have begun to make the switch, offering soy and tofu options for chicken and beef meals. Specifically for freshmen utilizing the dining halls, every meal has a readily available vegetarian option that is specified with ingredients. The Housing and Dining Services explicitly define these vegetarian meals as, “Do not contain animal flesh including pork, poultry, seafood, beef, gelatin and insects, but can contain some portions of dairy, eggs and honey. These explicitly stated guidelines make it easy for students to choose a vegetarian meal, and to understand what nutritional supplements they are provided with, even if it is just for one meal at a time.
Although being vegetarian is not for everybody, nor is it a long term concept for most, it can lead to many beneficial impacts on one’s health, and the health of the environment. At CSU, we can begin to incorporate more plant based meals into the dining halls and other on-campus food sources in order to encourage people to abandon their burgers. Starting a young generation out with this mindset could help to inform others on the benefits of a vegetarian diet.
About the Author: I am a first year student at Colorado State University, studying Wildlife Biology in the Warner College. I am passionate about nature and wildlife and have been a vegetarian since I was around 10. I am still working on learning how to eat more sustainably and understanding what it means to be a vegetarian today, however I am excited to continue to learn and grow more. I am thrilled about changes that I am seeing on campus in hopes to bring about a future with more healthy and informed vegetarians!
Bibliography
CSU Housing and Dining. (2020). Vegan/Vegetarian Options. Eat Well @ CSU.
HappyCow. (2020). Animal Rights and Veganism/Vegetarianism. Compassion for the Animals.
https://www.happycow.net/vegtopics/why-vegetarian
Jones, Tess. (2019). Disadvantages of Being a Vegetarian. Lovetoknow.
https://vegetarian.lovetoknow.com/Disadvantages_of_Being_a_Vegetarian
McMacken, Michelle. (2016). 7 Things That Happen When You Stop Eating Meat. Forks Over Knives.
Nuwer, Rachel. (2016). What Would Happen If the World Suddenly Went Vegetarian. BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160926-what-would-happen-if-the-world-suddenly-went-vegetarian
Phifer, Tony. (2019). Enrollment Reaches New Records Throughout CSU System. Colorado State University.
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Benefits of A Vegetarian Diet
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