Vegetarians Aren’t Kooky!

Well, you may be thinking (especially if you know me) that’s a matter of opinion! But seriously, a lot of people resist becoming vegetarian, fearing that they will be viewed as weird or extreme. And some people, especially parents of vegetarian wannabes, fear that their children won’t get enough nutrients. Never fear: vegetarians aren’t kooky!

But for some parents, vegetarianism smacks of kookiness. They conjure images of half-starved 1960s-era hippies in bell bottoms munching bean sprouts.

For the American Dietetic Association (ADA), there’s nothing kooky about being vegetarian. A vegetarian diet provides the nutrients people need to be healthy, the association contends. In fact, a vegetarian diet can be healthier than a meat-based one. Since vegetarians forgo meat, their levels of saturated fat and cholesterol tend to be lower, helping to stave off conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

There you go. You may want to read more of this article if you’re worried about switching over to a veggie lifestyle, or you may want to show it to someone who’s worried about you. And if you still can’t convince them, don’t worry. Kookiness is underrated.

(Cookie Monster is a vegetarian…and everybody loves Cookie Monster!)