National Vegetarian Week 2016

This week is national Vegetarian Week, set up by the Vegetarian Society to raise awareness of the benefits of vegetarianism, not only for the planet but also for your health.

Meat may provide us with protein and isn’t necessarily fattening when prepared, but eating too much isn’t particularly great for you, and the ways in which it can be cooked may be harmful to your health. Most people find it hard to cut meat out of their diet as it has become such a staple, but even trying meat free days can help (look at #MeatfreeMonday), and gets you on the right path towards going fully vegetarian – if you want to challenge yourself try going vegetarian this week!

Here are a few interesting facts:

• Every day in the UK alone, more than 2.5 million farm animals are slaughtered for meat.
• The first vegetarian cookbook in the UK was written in 1812.
• The oldest Vegetarian Society in the world was formed in 1847 here in the UK!
• A well balanced vegetarian diet is known to bestow a wide range of health benefits. Research has shown vegetarians to suffer less heart disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, various cancers, diverticular disease, bowel disorders, gall stones, kidney stones, and osteoporosis.
• A 2006 study examining the impact of a typical week’s eating showed that plant-based diets are better for the environment than those based on meat. An organic vegan diet had the smallest environmental impact, but the single most damaging foodstuff was beef. All non-vegetarian diets required significantly greater amounts of environmental resources, such as land and water.

It’s never been easier to try a vegetarian diet, there are so many meat alternatives available and The Vegetarian Society have released a new recipe book to celebrate National Vegetarian Week full of delicious vegetarian recipes.

Visit the National Vegetarian Week Kitchen Table website for more ideas and browse our vegetarian products to help you make the change – you never know, one day you might even want to try veganism too!