Rise of Vegetarianism: Is it the Future?

To begin with, what is vegetarianism? Why is it on the rise?

A vegetarian diet is devoid of any meat, poultry, fish and other seafood, or allied food products from animal slaughter. There has been significant growth in the rise of vegetarianism across the globe. People turn to vegetarianism for a variety of reasons. Many religions around the world propagate vegetarianism. Some people switch to vegetarianism for health reasons and yet a few others do it for environmental reasons. A lot of people choose vegetarianism because they do not want to contribute to animal suffering.

What are the benefits of the rise of vegetarianism?

Climate change

When we talk about food choices and changing them, climate change isn’t something that comes to the mind instantly. And yet, if the world is committed to vegetarianism overnight, it would have a dramatic effect on the environment.

The world food industry contributes to about a third of the global greenhouse gas emission and most of it is because of the livestock industry. A computer model revealed that if by 2050, everybody embraced vegetarianism, the food-related anthropogenic emissions would fall by around a whopping 60%.

If not complete vegetarianism, even a reduction in consumption today has the potential to make things better for future generations.

Global benefits

Livestock farming and growing food to feed the livestock inevitably lead to land conversion and biodiversity loss. Many studies have concluded that the number of food grains required to feed the world cattle can feed about 8.7 billion people – even more than the entire Earth’s population. All these statistics lead us to believe that the numbers of world hunger will reduce if the world went ahead and committed to vegetarianism.

Personal gains

On a smaller scale and close to home, vegetarianism can add up to eight years to your life.

Studies suggest switching to a vegetarian diet can significantly reduce the risk of cancer. Choosing fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains over meat also reduces the risk of developing heart diseases and boosts the digestive system considerably.

Having said that, even vegetarians can become unhealthy if they make poor lifestyle choices. Potato chips and French fries are after all vegan! When chosen correctly, a vegetarian diet can be the healthiest choice since plants and plant-based foods contain several nutrients.

What are the drawbacks of the rise of vegetarianism?

Economic disruption

While a transition to vegetarianism might bring several environmental and health benefits in developed countries, it can have an opposite effect in developing countries. People previously engaged in carnivorous careers would find themselves struggling for livelihood. Huge industries would suddenly shut down and millions would lose their jobs. Failure to provide them with alternate livelihoods can cause massive social upheavals.

Lack of agriculture

Another factor is that many places around the world survive solely on meat and fish. There are arid drylands that cannot sustain agriculture, island countries that heavily depend upon the bounties of the sea, and severely cold places where meat is not a luxury but a necessity. For people living in such parts of the world, food is not just a choice but a way of life passed on by generations to generations. It is so deeply etched in their culture that stripping them off of meat would mean loss of cultural identity.

Festivities and gatherings

In a lot of cultures around the world religious gatherings, weddings and celebratory meals are heavy in meat-based dishes. Food heritages often have symbolic non-vegetarian dishes that are important for the people of certain regions and religions.

Even with the seemingly endless benefits that vegetarianism would bring to the world, such a paradigm shift would be extremely difficult for a lot of people around the world. We cannot even begin to fathom the cultural impact of a step as huge as this. It will have far-reaching effects on everyone, including people who already follow a vegetarian diet.

Is the rise of vegetarianism a good thing?

Much to the chagrin of all the meat-loving non-vegetarian people around the world, there is no denying that vegetarianism can benefit the world in multiple ways.

Cutting out meat from the diet leads to reduced emission of greenhouse gases. Meat production requires much more water than cultivating vegetables and grains. Water that is fast depleting and is one of the biggest concerns that the world faces right now.

Not to mention, it will also eliminate the merciless killing of millions of animals around the world every year. The meat production industries around the world are notoriously infamous for housing the animals in an unhygienic and inhumane manner. And vegetarianism promises to alleviate these issues.

Not an overnight shift, but a slow and steady reduction in the demand for meat will also go a long way in ensuring a better future for the planet and the up and coming generations of its inhabitants.

Sarah Mitchell, RD, LDN

Sarah Mitchell is a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (RD, LDN) based in Austin, Texas, with over 12 years of experience in women's health nutrition. She earned her B.S. in Dietetics from the University of Texas at Austin and completed her clinical dietetic internship at St. David's Medical Center. Sarah specializes in hormonal health, PCOS management, and weight-neutral approaches to nutrition for women in their 30s and 40s. She spent seven years as a clinical dietitian at a women's health clinic before transitioning to private practice and health writing, where she focuses on making evidence-based nutrition accessible to everyday women. Her work has been featured in Everyday Health, Women's Health Magazine, and Healthline. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Women's Health Dietetic Practice Group. All nutrition-related articles on Living Healthy Life are reviewed by Sarah to ensure accuracy and clinical integrity.