Recently I decided to become a Vegetarian. Here are five reasons you should too!

1. Lose excess weight and keep it off.

On average, vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index than meat eaters. More than two-thirds (68.8%) of the general public are obese.

2. Cancer prevention.

Regularly consuming a diet that contains fruits and vegetables is strongly associated with a reduced risk of some cancers. There is evidence that vegetarians tend to have a lower overall rate of cancer compared to the general population. “Red meat and processed meat consumption is consistently associated with an increase in the risk of colorectal cancer.” Reducing your risk of cancer is a great reason to eat your fruits and veggies!

3. Avoid toxic food contaminants.

Flesh foods can harbor contaminants such as hormones, herbicides and pesticides, and antibiotics. As these toxins are all fat-soluble, they concentrate in the fatty flesh of the animals. Not to mention the viruses, bacteria and parasites such as salmonella, trichinella and other worms, and toxoplasmosis parasites.

4. Reduce risk of the #1 killer – Heart Disease.

Vegetarian diets tend to be naturally lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and have a higher intake of plant nutrients than most meat-based diets. Vegetarians have been shown to have a 24% lower risk of dying of heart disease than non-vegetarians.

5. Have compassion for animals.

Animals on today's factory farms have no legal protection from cruelty that would be illegal if it were inflicted on dogs or cats. Yet farmed animals are no less intelligent or capable of feeling pain than are the dogs and cats we cherish as companions. A vegetarian lifestyle awakens our spirit of compassion and guides us towards a kinder, gentler society in which we exercise a moral choice to protect animals.