Concord Students on Going Vegetarian

Going vegetarian is becoming increasingly popular due to the availability of information on the topic and accessibility of animal protein substitute products. Even at Concord University, it is more common now to overhear people talking about their experiences refusing meat or sharing tips on making a burger that tastes exactly like one with meat.

    While many people find the idea of giving up meat and dairy absurd, there is an overwhelming amount of new research indicating that it actually might decrease one’s risk of heart disease, cancer, or Type 2 diabetes.

    According to Harvard Health Publications, vegetarians, compared to meat eaters, “tend to consume less saturated fat and cholesterol and more vitamins C and E, dietary fiber, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and phytochemicals (plant chemicals), such as carotenoids and flavonoids.” As a result, Harvard Health Publications writes, vegetarians are likely to have “lower total cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and lower body mass index, all of which are associated with longevity and a reduced risk for many chronic diseases.”

    There are also ethical reasons for going vegetarian, among these attempts to reduce global warming or refusal to participate in the cruelty involved in the meat and diary production. For most people, it is combination of several factors that begins with general concerns about healthy food choices and ending with the discovery that vegetarian food is rich both in both taste and in options.

    Haley McCord, student at Concord, gave up meat over six months ago, eventually making her way to a vegan diet (refusing also seafood, dairy and eggs). “Key reason number one was the undeniable fact that I was contributing to something much uglier than I thought I ever was. Animal agriculture contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases more than the entire transportation sector combined. I decided that I didn’t want to be a part of something so devastating to the planet,” says McCord.

      Kadeja Davis, Concord student, went vegetarian more than a month ago after watching “What the Health” on Netflix. The compelling reason for her in giving up meat was the understanding that it was not doing her any good, she said.

    The hardest part in the transition for Davis so far is figuring out ways to incorporate new foods into her diet, as she works out what she likes and dislikes. Davis recommends those thinking about going vegetarian to properly research the topic and “Let the decision be completely yours and up to you. Ensure that to sustain this lifestyle know yourself and have a good reason behind it. I would also suggest that you know what’s coming forth and that I feel it’ll change yourself and the way you feel on a daily basis.”

    Amy Ahern, student at Concord, has been a vegetarian for five months now. She considered refusing meat for a long time before the decision; she is animal rights advocate. Now she is thinking about going vegan (a stricter diet).

    “The most challenging part is when all of your friends around you are eating meat and you sometimes feel a little bit left out,” says Ahern. “especially because you always have to order the ‘different’ meal.” Yet, Ahern confesses she did not expect to enjoy a lot of the vegetarian options as much as she now does.