People are drawn to vegetarianism by all sorts of motives. Some believe that going vegetarian will give you a longer life span, healthier life, or will reduce pollution. Others have made the switch because they want to preserve Earth’s natural resources or because they’ve always loved animals and are opposed to eating them or their products.

In my opinion, vegetarian diets are healthier than the average American diet. Particularly because it prevents, treats, or reverses heart disease and also reduces the risk of cancer. According to Vegetariantimes.com, a vegetarian consumes less animal fat and instead consumes more fiber and more antioxidant-rich foods.

The author of The Real Age Diet, Michael F. Roizen states, that if you switch from the standard American diet to a vegetarian diet, you can add about 13 healthy years to your life span because the consumption of animal products clog your arteries and weaken your immune system over time.

Many people are opposed to vegetarianism because they think it’ll be impossible to eat sufficient protein without animal products. But actually there are many vegetarian products that serve as a replacement. Quinoa is an edible seed that contains more than 8 grams of protein per cup and can be eaten as a side dish. Nuts, beans, tofu (made from soybeans), edamames, leafy greens and chia seeds are high in protein, which can substitute for animal protein.

Lastly, Michael F. Roizen also stated that going vegetarian reduces pollution because raising animals for food, including land for grazing and growing feed crops, now uses a staggering 30 percent of Earth’s land mass, which reduces oxygen because forests must be cleared for land. Also, switching to a vegetarian diet saves more carbon emissions than driving a car.

Personally, I’m not vegetarian but I would like to become one soon. I know it is going be hard and tough but I’m willing to give it a try and work for it. I’m slowly going to take baby steps, trying to avoid animal products everyday.