economic advantages of vegetarianism

Is it expensive to become a vegetarian?

Wheat field

From the point of view of the Earth’s resources, vegetarianism is more efficient than carnivorism. since the Earth can feed more people with vegetables than with meat.

Vegetarianism and economizing of resources

Vegetarian food requires less consumption of plants by not having to feed any animal to be subsequently consumed by people.

This is translated into:

No need to build farm animals.

No need to feed animals

No need to kill animals

No need to use animal products.

Altogether, vegetarianism involves a series of effects which reduce overspending of resources and involvement of the soil if this must be cultivated intensively to feed livestock.

Advantages of an exclusive vegetable diet

If we feed exclusively on plant foods, we do not require the existence of farm animals, therefore, as we should not feed them to be grown and to be consumed, all those foods that are used for feeding the animals can be devoted directly to the diet of people.

Thus, we will also avoid a massive consumption of plants and a massive land plowing for seeding and planting. As a whole, we will not need to exploit the soil so much. In addition, a lower crop production will be able to nurture many more people, while hurting the environment and nature with unnecessary mass cultivation will not be so necessary.

Foods of animal origin are not so profitable as vegetable food

It is considered that to obtain a kilo of meat we have to feed an animal with an average of fodder 15 times its weight. Feeding stuffs are usually prepared with cereals, grains and legumes such as soybeans. If we use this amount of food for people nutrition, we will save 14 kilograms, an amount which is “wasted” when we feed animals for human consumption.

We also have to keep in mind that a kilo of soya has an approximate amount of protein of about 350 grams, while a kilo of beef has the approximate amount of 200 grams.. The amount of protein that soybean provideS us is higher. In fact, it is almost twice.

In addition, if we take into account the 14 kilograms of difference, which are used to form a kilo of meat, it is untenable to defense animal fattening for food. With a diet based on plant foods, we would get the following benefits:

More food.

There would not be any need to raise animals to slaughter them later. A lot more people could be nourished, without wasting so many resources and there would be less need for massive crop production.

More water for the animals is required than for the harvest to be fruitful. Water is needed for both. to drink the animals, and to clean the offal from slaughterhouses and maintain farm hygiene.

* More about vegetarianism:

The evolution of vegetarianism to the present.

The feelings of animals. Livestock and farm animals.

Feelings of plants, climate change and environmental pollution.

punto rojo More information about vegetarianism.

This article was endorsed by Elisenda Carballido - Dietitian nutritionist. Postgraduate in Phytotherapy and master in Nutrition and Metabolism.
Editorial
Written by Editorial Botanical-online team in charge of content writing

1 June, 2021

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