Have you seen the commercial where the daughter is extolling the virtues of hummus? She explains how she got her dad to try it and he confesses, “I’d eat tree bark if you put --- hummus on it!” But, this is America. The commercial ends with him advising, “You know what it would be good on…MEAT!” In the U.S. we go through phases with, not necessarily diets, but food fads. Hummus is but one of the many meat substitutes increasing in popularity across the country. One of the other trends that is growing in popularity, for many reasons, is “Meatless Monday”. For those that don’t know what that is, it’s exactly what it says, no meat on Mondays.
Some do it to ease into vegetarianism, others to reduce the amount of meat in their diets, and others as a diet method to explore healthy alternatives. You may ask, “What good does one day do in the grand scheme of things? Good question. The easiest answer is, it’s a start. Many experts offer three benefits to incorporating “Meatless Monday” into your weekly dietary routines. They are: for your health, for your wallet, and for this giant 3rd rock from the sun (AKA Earth) on which we live.
- Health. Reducing meat for a more plant-based diet—rich in vegetables, fruit and whole grains—helps reduce risks of heart disease and stroke, limit cancer risk, fight diabetes, and increase longevity.
- Wealth. Your health will not only be better but your wallet will be fatter. The chronic diseases linked to poor diets account for 75% of the $2 trillion spent on medical care each year. Plus, meat is more expensive than a plant-based diet. While fruits and veggies may cost more than junk food, it’s often less than a diet centered around meat, as there are no costs for animal feed, processing and special transportation required.
- Environment. While some may view vegetarianism or veganism as too extreme, there’s a less severe option of going pescatarian. Pescatarians only consume animal products that come from bodies of water. One reason is diet, but others are for environmental concerns. There are fewer of the harmful processing concerns involved with this particular diet. Meat consumption includes: vast amount of water for livestock (estimated 1,850 gallons of water to produce a single pound of meat vs. 39 gallons needed to produce a pound of vegetables), greenhouse gases, animal waste disposal, and energy consumption to produce grain for animal feed.
Vegetarianism, veganism, or even pescatarianism is not for everyone. However, given the benefits to your health, finances, and the environment “Meatless Mondays” is worth a try. This just might be the one fad that can actually save your life!
