What if everyone turned vegetarian

Additionally, it may be worth it to think about your region and the stress that certain types of foods have on the local environment, both in the cases of animal-produced food and plant-based food. Using that irrigation water in those regions is much more impactful both for environmental systems as well as other users of the water.

Eating right for the environment is certainly enough to make your head spin, but the moral of the story is reducing the amount of meat especially red meat and thinking twice about where your favorite foods come from and how they got there is a pretty good start. Sara Kiley Watson is an assistant editor at PopSci focusing on sustainability, climate and energy.

Contact the author here. Republicans and Democrats have both made appearances in Glasgow for the giant climate conference. A rush to map mineral deposits has residents in one Colorado town concerned about environmental destruction. Climate events are going to make troubling N2O emissions even worse. What sounds better? The effect veganism has is more so a long term one. More so a bigger picture. Of course, going vegan may not save the 70 billion land animals and trillions of fish being slaughtered today, but by opting into plant-based foods, you would be a part of the large collection of people that are reducing the demand for meat, dairy and eggs.

The bigger picture is that the fewer animal products that are sold, the fewer will be ordered by stores, which in turn would decrease the demand for animals. That means there will be less pigs, chicks and cows that would have to face the fate they are in these slaughterhouses and factories. Meanwhile, sales of fresh meat, fresh milk and fresh cheese are all down — in the US sales of meat have been declining for a decade , and that trend is spreading across the world.

People often undermine the impact their lifestyle change can have on other people. Fortified milk alternatives, fortified breakfast cereals, and nutritional yeast also have this important vitamin. It's hard for vegans to get enough vitamin B12 so you may need a B12 supplement. Besides vitamins and minerals, vegetarians need to keep an eye on calories and fat.

Vegetarian diets tend to be high in fiber and low in fat and calories. That may be good for people who need to lose weight or lower their cholesterol, but it can be a problem for kids and teens who are still growing. High-fiber diets tend to be more filling, so some vegetarians may feel full before they've eaten enough calories to keep a healthy weight.

Some vegetarians may not get enough healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats are good for heart health and are found in fish and eggs.

Plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids include some vegetable oils such as soybean, canola, and flaxseed , chia seeds, ground flax seeds, and walnuts. Let your doctor know if you eat a vegetarian diet or are planning to. Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD.

Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. These can include: parental preferences religious or other beliefs health issues concern over animal rights or the environment No matter the reason, if you eat a vegetarian diet, be sure to get the nutrition you need by including plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes like beans, soy, and lentils , nuts, and seeds.

People can eat different kinds of vegetarian diets: A vegetarian eats no meat at all, including poultry or fish. Already subscribed? Log in. Forgotten your password? Want an ad-free experience? View offers.