Vegetarians think they decided to forgo eating meat, fish, and poultry because they oppose killing animals, religious, environmental or health reasons, or simply because grains, fruits, vegetables and are most tasty.
A substantial body of evidence points to the heritability of dietary preferences. While vegetarianism has been practiced for millennia in various societies, its practitioners remain a small minority of people worldwide.
Eastern religious traditions that discourage meat consumption include Hinduism and Buddhism. In ancient Greece, vegetarianism was practiced as early as the 6th century BCE by the followers of Pythagoras and Orphism, and during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, several prominent personalities in Europe practiced vegetarianism. Vegetarian societies began to be established in Europe and America in the 19th century.
To a large extent still are, major motivations behind adopting a vegetarian diet include its ability to lower the risk of metabolic syndrome, obesity, dyslipidemias, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers.
On the other hand, there is evidence that avoiding animal protein can lead to nutritional deficiencies and may be associated with negative effects such as anemia, dental erosion, osteopenia, and psychological disorders.
Reasons for vegetarianism
But scientists at Northwestern University in Chicago, the UK and Washington University in St. Louis have now discovered another reason that is beyond the control of those who choose to be vegetarian.