I’m sure many of you are familiar with “meatless Mondays”. How do you join this ever growing movement? You just don’t eat meat on Mondays – it’s that simple. By adopting this oh so easy change, you are not only making healthy changes for yourself, you are also helping the environment on multiple levels. It’s a win-win, no matter how you look at it.
Here are just a few of the many reasons to jump on the meatless Monday bandwagon for your health:
- When eliminating meat, your diet tends to be more nutritious. Make it a point to substitute with high quality plant protein, which is high in fiber and lower in saturated fat and cholesterol.
- Meatless Monday saves you money! Ever notice that the most expensive items in your shopping cart are meat? Shopping your local farmer’s market for seasonal produce is a great way to save money and support your local economy.
- When you add more fruits, veggies, beans and legumes, you lower your risk of many health issues like heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
Now for a few of the many environmental benefits of meatless Monday:
- Factory farming animal agriculture is a huge contributor to greenhouse gasses, which should be part of our conversation regarding climate change. The less we consume, the less we contribute to the problem.
- Water shortages are a real danger in many parts of the world. According to a UC Davis study, it takes 441 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, which is about 110 gallons for a quarter-pound hamburger.
- When we use valuable natural resources in the form of deforestation to grow grain for cattle, it becomes increasingly hard to feed the world’s ever-growing population. It takes 12 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of beef. Just think how many hungry children that grain would feed.
Although these are just a few of the many reasons to embrace Meatless Monday, I hope you will do some research of your own. A good place to start is at Isaac’s Café, where you will find not only a Meatless Monday special every week, but will find meatless options every day. At Isaac’s Café, we strive to provide healthy options with the health of people and the planet in mind.
Today’s Meatless Monday special is a black bean burger on a bun with our own chipotle mayo, Pop’s pickles, red onion and our fresh garden greens along with a side salad. Try out your Meatless Monday tradition today.
