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{{Short description|Dietary perspective}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2013}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2013}}
An '''economic vegetarian''' is a person who practices [[vegetarianism]] from either the philosophical viewpoint that the consumption of meat is expensive, part of a conscious [[simple living]] strategy or just because of necessity. In the developing world, where large numbers of poor people might not be averse to eating meat, they are regularly forced to not eat it, since meat can often be a luxury.<ref name="The Elephant Is Jogging: New Pressures for Agricultural Reform in India">{{cite web|title=The Elephant Is Jogging: New Pressures for Agricultural Reform in India|url=http://ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/February04/Features/ElephantJogs.htm|publisher=USDA Economic Research Service|access-date=10 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606065515/http://www.ers.usda.gov/amberwaves/February04/Features/ElephantJogs.htm|archive-date=2012-06-06|url-status=dead}}</ref>
An '''economic vegetarian''' is a person who practices [[vegetarianism]] from either the philosophical viewpoint that the consumption of meat is expensive, part of a conscious [[simple living]] strategy or just because of necessity. In the developing world, where large numbers of poor people might not be averse to eating meat, they are regularly forced to not eat it, since meat can often be a luxury.<ref name="The Elephant Is Jogging: New Pressures for Agricultural Reform in India">{{cite web|title=The Elephant Is Jogging: New Pressures for Agricultural Reform in India|url=http://ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/February04/Features/ElephantJogs.htm|publisher=USDA Economic Research Service|access-date=10 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606065515/http://www.ers.usda.gov/amberwaves/February04/Features/ElephantJogs.htm|archive-date=2012-06-06|url-status=dead}}</ref>
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Economic vegetarians believe that nutrition can be acquired more efficiently and at a lower price through vegetables, grains, etc., rather than from meat. They argue as health vegetarians that a vegetarian diet is rich in [[vitamins]], [[dietary fiber]], and complex [[carbohydrates]], and carries with it fewer risks (such as [[heart disease]], [[obesity]], and [[bacterial infection]]) than animal flesh. Consequently, they consider the production of meat economically unsound.<ref name="The Startling Effects of Going Vegetarian for Just One Day">{{cite web|title=The Startling Effects of Going Vegetarian for Just One Day|url=http://www.alternet.org/story/134650/the_startling_effects_of_going_vegetarian_for_just_one_day|access-date=10 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007180810/http://www.alternet.org/story/134650/the_startling_effects_of_going_vegetarian_for_just_one_day|archive-date=7 October 2012}}</ref><ref name="Eat Better and Improve Your Health For Less Money">{{cite web|title=Eat Better and Improve Your Health For Less Money|url=http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/blog/health/economic-advantages-vegetarian-diet|access-date=10 February 2013|author=Katherine Manning|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114192717/http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/blog/health/economic-advantages-vegetarian-diet|archive-date=14 November 2012}}</ref>
Economic vegetarians believe that nutrition can be acquired more efficiently and at a lower price through vegetables, grains, etc., rather than from meat. They argue as health vegetarians that a vegetarian diet is rich in [[vitamins]], [[dietary fiber]], and complex [[carbohydrates]], and carries with it fewer risks (such as [[heart disease]], [[obesity]], and [[bacterial infection]]) than animal flesh. Consequently, they consider the production of meat economically unsound.<ref name="The Startling Effects of Going Vegetarian for Just One Day">{{cite web|title=The Startling Effects of Going Vegetarian for Just One Day|url=http://www.alternet.org/story/134650/the_startling_effects_of_going_vegetarian_for_just_one_day|access-date=10 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007180810/http://www.alternet.org/story/134650/the_startling_effects_of_going_vegetarian_for_just_one_day|archive-date=7 October 2012}}</ref><ref name="Eat Better and Improve Your Health For Less Money">{{cite web|title=Eat Better and Improve Your Health For Less Money|url=http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/blog/health/economic-advantages-vegetarian-diet|access-date=10 February 2013|author=Katherine Manning|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114192717/http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/blog/health/economic-advantages-vegetarian-diet|archive-date=14 November 2012}}</ref>


Some vegetarians are motivated by a lifestyle of simple living or adopt vegetarianism through necessity. For example, in the [[United Kingdom]], necessity changed dietary habits during the period around [[World War II]] and the early 1950s, as animal products were strictly [[Rationing in the United Kingdom|rationed]] and [[allotment (gardening)|allotment]] or [[Victory garden|home-grown]] fruit and vegetables were readily available.{{sfn|Home Front Handbook|pp=46&ndash;47}} Before that during World War I, Americans were encouraged to go one day of the week meatless in order to save meat rations for the troops, which began the "Meatless Monday" revolution.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Avey|first1=Tori|title=Discover the History of Meatless Mondays|url=http://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/history-meatless-mondays/}}</ref> In [[Developing country|developing countries]] people sometimes follow a mainly vegetarian diet simply because meat resources are scarce or expensive compared to alternative food sources. The same principle can also be a deciding factor in influencing the diet of low-income households in the Western world. The price of ground beef in the year 1985 was $1.28 per pound, and as of 2016 the price increased to $3.98 per pound, corresponding to a 39% increase in real terms over the last 31 years. The majority of the price increase has happened between 2004 and 2016, increasing by $1.72 over the 12-year period.<ref>{{cite web|title=Retail Ground Beef Prices By Year (January)|url=http://beef2live.com/story-retail-ground-beef-prices-year-january-0-111644}}</ref> These price increases make it hard for low-income households to continue to include meat as a part of their diet.
Some vegetarians are motivated by a lifestyle of simple living or adopt vegetarianism through necessity. For example, in the [[United Kingdom]], necessity changed dietary habits during the period around [[World War II]] and the early 1950s, as animal products were strictly [[Rationing in the United Kingdom|rationed]] and [[allotment (gardening)|allotment]] or [[Victory garden|home-grown]] fruit and vegetables were readily available.{{sfn|Home Front Handbook|pp=46&ndash;47}} Before that during World War I, Americans were encouraged to go one day of the week meatless in order to save meat rations for the troops, which began the "Meatless Monday" revolution.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Avey|first1=Tori|title=Discover the History of Meatless Mondays|website=[[PBS]] |url=http://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/history-meatless-mondays/}}</ref> In [[Developing country|developing countries]] people sometimes follow a mainly vegetarian diet simply because meat resources are scarce or expensive compared to alternative food sources. The same principle can also be a deciding factor in influencing the diet of low-income households in the Western world. The price of ground beef in the year 1985 was $1.28 per pound, and as of 2016 the price increased to $3.98 per pound, corresponding to a 39% increase in real terms over the last 31 years. The majority of the price increase has happened between 2004 and 2016, increasing by $1.72 over the 12-year period.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://beef2live.com/story-retail-ground-beef-prices-year-january-0-111644|title=Retail Ground Beef Prices By Year (January) - Beef2Live &#124; Eat Beef * Live Better|website=beef2live.com|accessdate=18 April 2023}}</ref> These price increases make it hard for low-income households to continue to include meat as a part of their diet.


Many economic vegetarians also promote the idea that advanced agricultural techniques have made the production of meat outdated and inefficient. Some promote the idea of [[In vitro meat|synthetic]]<ref name="guardiancouk">[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/aug/16/artificial-meat-food-royal-society Artificial food? Food for thought by 2050] from guardian.co.uk</ref> and [[cloning|cloned]] meat.
Many economic vegetarians also promote the idea that advanced agricultural techniques have made the production of meat outdated and inefficient. Some promote the idea of [[In vitro meat|synthetic]]<ref name="guardiancouk">[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/aug/16/artificial-meat-food-royal-society Artificial food? Food for thought by 2050] from guardian.co.uk</ref> and [[cloning|cloned]] meat.
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==Criticism==
==Criticism==
{{expand section|date=March 2022}}
{{expand section|date=March 2022}}
Many critics of vegetarianism point towards the fact that many [[Plant-based diet|plant based foods]] lack nutrients such as [[Vitamin B12]], [[Vitamin D]], and iron.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://batonrougeclinic.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-vegetarian-diets/|title=The Pros and Cons of Vegetarian Diets|first=Bridget|last=Gaffney|date=1 October 2021|website=Baton Rouge Clinic|accessdate=18 April 2023}}</ref> {{See also|Cultured meat#Challenges}}
{{See also|Cultured meat#Challenges}}


==See also==
==See also==

Latest revision as of 06:04, 13 October 2023

An economic vegetarian is a person who practices vegetarianism from either the philosophical viewpoint that the consumption of meat is expensive, part of a conscious simple living strategy or just because of necessity. In the developing world, where large numbers of poor people might not be averse to eating meat, they are regularly forced to not eat it, since meat can often be a luxury.[1]

Motivations

[edit]

Economic vegetarians believe that nutrition can be acquired more efficiently and at a lower price through vegetables, grains, etc., rather than from meat. They argue as health vegetarians that a vegetarian diet is rich in vitamins, dietary fiber, and complex carbohydrates, and carries with it fewer risks (such as heart disease, obesity, and bacterial infection) than animal flesh. Consequently, they consider the production of meat economically unsound.[2][3]

Some vegetarians are motivated by a lifestyle of simple living or adopt vegetarianism through necessity. For example, in the United Kingdom, necessity changed dietary habits during the period around World War II and the early 1950s, as animal products were strictly rationed and allotment or home-grown fruit and vegetables were readily available.[4] Before that during World War I, Americans were encouraged to go one day of the week meatless in order to save meat rations for the troops, which began the "Meatless Monday" revolution.[5] In developing countries people sometimes follow a mainly vegetarian diet simply because meat resources are scarce or expensive compared to alternative food sources. The same principle can also be a deciding factor in influencing the diet of low-income households in the Western world. The price of ground beef in the year 1985 was $1.28 per pound, and as of 2016 the price increased to $3.98 per pound, corresponding to a 39% increase in real terms over the last 31 years. The majority of the price increase has happened between 2004 and 2016, increasing by $1.72 over the 12-year period.[6] These price increases make it hard for low-income households to continue to include meat as a part of their diet.

Many economic vegetarians also promote the idea that advanced agricultural techniques have made the production of meat outdated and inefficient. Some promote the idea of synthetic[7] and cloned meat.

Criticism

[edit]

Many critics of vegetarianism point towards the fact that many plant based foods lack nutrients such as Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, and iron.[8]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The Elephant Is Jogging: New Pressures for Agricultural Reform in India". USDA Economic Research Service. Archived from the original on 2012-06-06. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  2. ^ "The Startling Effects of Going Vegetarian for Just One Day". Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  3. ^ Katherine Manning. "Eat Better and Improve Your Health For Less Money". Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  4. ^ Home Front Handbook, pp. 46–47.
  5. ^ Avey, Tori. "Discover the History of Meatless Mondays". PBS.
  6. ^ "Retail Ground Beef Prices By Year (January) - Beef2Live | Eat Beef * Live Better". beef2live.com. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  7. ^ Artificial food? Food for thought by 2050 from guardian.co.uk
  8. ^ Gaffney, Bridget (1 October 2021). "The Pros and Cons of Vegetarian Diets". Baton Rouge Clinic. Retrieved 18 April 2023.

Works cited

[edit]