Top 10 Best Countries to be Vegetarian

Vegetarians will have a hard time traveling to certain countries, as meat is in the culture and can be included in everything. However, certain countries have large vegetarian populations and customs.

10. Canada:

There is a large vegetarian culture in Canada, especially in big cities. Because Toronto is the most diverse city in the world, you can enjoy delicious vegetarian cuisine from so many different cultures; visit the Toronto Vegetarian Association.

9. Israel:

Because Israeli restaurants and supermarkets will often abide by Kosher laws, pork and shellfish are not served, and prepared food usually will not combine milk and meat. Falafel and hummus are available everywhere, and cucumbers and hummus are served with every meal.

8. Hong Kong:

Inspired by British culture, Hong Kong has many vegetarian options, that are not only Chinese food, but often Indian or Western inspired. There are also several health food stores.

7. United States:

Especially around big cities like New York, San Francisco or Chicago, the US has many vegetarians. It is more difficult to eat out in the South, but supermarkets will have an abundance of options.

6. Thailand:

Vegetarianism is accepted in Thailand, and many traditional Thai dishes with rice and noodles are meat-free and loaded with a wide range of fresh veggies. Many vegetable dishes are made with fish sauce, but you can request to have it excluded. There is even a Phuket Vegetarian Festival!

5. Taiwan:

Taiwan does offer vegetarian options, but it is difficult to navigate your options without knowing the language. Click here for some helpful hints.

4. United Kingdom:

This is one of the most advanced vegetarian cultures in the world, with veggie-friendly food available in almost every town. Most restaurants have vegetarian options, and vegetarian food in supermarkets is often clearly labeled. The UK isn’t exactly known for its amazing native food, so there are often great vegetarian Indian dishes available in restaurants. Pubs often serve veggie burgers.

3. Vietnam:

Though many of the vegetable dishes are made with fish sauce, there are ways around it. Read this article for some tips. Their delicious Pho noodle dishes taste just as great without meat.

2. Malaysia:

There is a vegetarian culture in Malaysia, and their food is inspired by Chinese, Indian and European influence. There are many delicious vegetarian curry and noodle dishes, and it is not difficult to find suitable restaurants.

1. India:

India has the highest number of vegetarians in the world, making up 20-40% of the population. Food in supermarkets has special labels for the vegetarian selections, and almost all restaurants offer the option.

Nutrition Experts On Vegetarian Diets- For Children

Journal of the American Dietetic Association • June 2003, Volume 103, Number 6
“Appropriately planned vegan, lactovegetarian, and lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets satisfy nutrient needs of infants, children, and adolescents and promote normal growth. Vegetarian diets in childhood and adolescence can aid in the establishment of lifelong healthy eating patterns and can offer some important nutritional advantages. Vegetarian children and adolescents have lower intakes of cholesterol, saturated fat, and total fat and higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, and fiber than nonvegetarians. Vegetarian children have also been reported to be leaner and to have lower serum cholesterol levels.”

Nutrition Experts On Vegetarian Diets- For Adults

Journal of the American Dietetic Association • June 2003, Volume 103, Number 6

“It is the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as
vitamins C and E and phytochemicals. Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than nonvegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.”

What are you Vegan or Vegetarian?

A Vegan eliminates all animal products from his or her diet, including dairy. Those following a vegan lifestyle generally do not wear leather and avoid products made from animals such as wool, silk, and down. Vegans’ tremendous humanity for animals is an abiding, overriding conviction in their lives.

Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish or poultry, but might eat dairy products such as cheese, eggs, yogurt or milk. Vegetarians are not as predictable in their beliefs, as there are many reasons to become vegetarian that don’t necessarily include altruism as a primary motive. For example, many vegetarians have eliminated meat for the sake of their health. In fact, there are many people lumped into the category of vegetarian. Lacto-vegetarians will eat dairy, but not eggs. Ovo-vegetarians will eat eggs, but not dairy. Lacto-ovo vegetarians will eat eggs and dairy products. The reasons for these choices are varied and based on individual beliefs. In some cases they are based on moral choices, and in others on dietary needs or simple preference.

A vegan is self-committed to upholding a personal standard of living where animals are concerned. The vegan will often go beyond eliminating meat, dairy and animal products, to become an activist for animal rights. Generally, the vegan point of view is that animals are not here to be exploited by man, and that commercialization of animals necessarily involves a fundamental, inhumane component and lack of respect for basic life. Unfortunately, cruel methods are often cheaper methods, and animals raised for meat or dairy products by commercial interests are commonly and routinely kept in abusive conditions and slaughtered inhumanely in the interest of a competitive marketplace.

There are also humanitarian issues associated with being vegetarian and vegan. It has been proven that if land used for grazing cattle was instead used to raise crops, world hunger could be easily eliminated. Pound for pound, cattle consume far more protein in grains than they deliver in meat. Additionally, many third world countries raise cattle in order to export the meat to wealthy nations, while their own masses starve, unable to afford meat.

However, health might be the most common reason for becoming a vegetarian or vegan. While personal beliefs about animals differ and world hunger remains a remote reality to most people in industrialized nations, people do respond readily to the idea of personal benefit.

To this end, international, independent studies conducted by the world’s leading health organizations have provided far-reaching and conclusive research. Beginning in the early 80s and continuing through the late 90s, studies found that a vegetarian diet is far healthier than one which includes meat. This conclusion is backed by redundant, real-life measurable, statistical results. The organizations (and studies) include the British Medical Association (BMA), The China Study, The World Health Organization (WHO), the Oxford Study, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), and the American Dietetic Association. The basic finding is that eliminating meat reduces the chances of contracting many types of chronic diseases and some types of cancer. While a vegetarian diet has since been deemed the healthiest diet of all, the closer one moves towards a vegan diet, the greater the benefits. Many companies that provide health insurance now offer discounts to vegetarians and vegans.