4 Good Reasons to Eat More Veg
In that title you may hear echoes of your parents urging you to
eat your greens, as you sit glumly in front of a plate of soggy
tinned or frozen veg, having already picked all the good bits off
your plate. So perhaps the title should really be 5 Reasons to Eat
More Fresh Veg. Or, indeed, 6 or 7 Reasons to Eat More Fresh,
Organic and Locally Produced Veg. The further you get into the
subject, the more reasons there are. Reasons are social, economic,
and personal.
#1 Eating more veg is healthier
Eating veg is healthier in terms of nutrition and disease
prevention. Obesity and many diseases in the western world are
associated with lower levels of vegetable intake. The risk of
diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer are all
reduced by eating more veg. Scientists haven't yet fully explained
the links, but it has something to do with a sort of design flaw in
the human body: When oxygen mixes with certain molecules in the body
it creates chains of atoms, some of which are incomplete and drift
around trying to attach themselves to random cells. These so called
'free radicals', are linked to cancer, aging and dementia. By eating
more veg humans increase their intake of anti-oxidants which help to
clean up these free radicals and therefore slow the pace of aging
and disease.
#2 Eating more veg is better for animal welfare
Eating more veg does not necessarily mean giving up meat,
although
the Vegetarian Society poses the controversial and
thought-provoking question: 'Why do we keep some animals as pets and
make mincemeat out of others?' Whether or not we choose to give up
meat altogether, eating more veg is better for animal welfare
because it is likely to mean we will eat less meat therefore the
demand for factory farming will decline. Looking at it another way,
the healthier we ourselves become, the more likely we are to take an
interest in the health of any meat we do eat. The result is the
same.
# 3 Eating more veg is more affordable
Eating more veg is affordable on a small, personal scale and on a
larger, global scale. Apart from the fact that by eating more
vegetables we can confidently reduce our bill for anti-aging creams,
vegetables are generally cheaper and more versatile than meat. They
also take up less farmland, so are cheaper to produce.
# 4 Eating more veg is sustainable
Related to the above point, eating more veg is sustainable, and
better for the environment. Meat production creates
greenhouse gases – greenhouses don't!
If none of that convinces you, choosing more healthy foods and
eating more veg as a routine part of your eating habits means that
it is possible to feel less guilty about the odd indulgence. Picnic
food hampers are a great way to combine meat and veg in tasty
treats that fit with a healthy, outdoor lifestyle. And occasional
gift hampers packed with sweet treats go down well as a reward
for healthier eating.
