There are tons of reasons why you might consider becoming a vegetarian, and this dieting regime is an amazing way to take your health to the next level and become a leaner and slimmer person. This is a trick that’s been used by millions of people around the world for ages, and the reason for that is quite simple: vegetarianism comes with more benefits than you can imagine.
In addition to that, this sort of diet has a rich history behind it, and if you truly want to make the most of it, you need to know at least some of the most crucial moments from its background. If that’s something you’d like to do as well, here are a few things you need to take into consideration whether you’re already a vegetarian or thinking about becoming one.
Ancient Greece
The era of ancient Greeks brought numerous developments in every aspect of life, from philosophy and literature to mathematics and physics. And one of the reasons why that was the case was the fact that ancient Greeks ate amazing and very healthy food that helped them take their mental and physical activities to a whole new level. One of those activities was the vegetarian diet, and Pythagoreans were among the first practitioners of this diet.
Even though this diet turned them into outcasts, Pythagoras and his friends, disciples, and followers knew what they were doing and why they’re eating vegetarian food. From breakfast to supper, they ate food that was vegetarian and only sometimes had some fish as well.
Ancient Rome
As another magnificent civilization that’s often compared to the ancient Greeks, the ancient Romans understood the benefits of vegetarianism and weren’t afraid to practice this dieting regime as well. Since they lived in a similar environment as the Greeks and were close to the sea, they were in a position to have a plethora of herbs, vegetables, and nuts to choose from.
These were quite enough to keep them going and improve their health, but the real problem ancient Roman vegetarians had was how to motivate their peers to stop eating meat. Since the relationship between humans and animals was highly developed in this period, lots of people depended on animals and their meat for trade and other important things, and that’s why vegetarianism was so hard to promote. Luckily, these people were determined and focused on their goals, and that’s why vegetarians were still very numerous in ancient Rome.
The USA
With the development of the American society – quite a few centuries after the ancient Greeks and Romans, though – the development of food was significant as well. The people on the new continent wanted to do what’s best for them and that’s why they embraced the idea of vegetarianism very openly and warmly. And the best thing about it was that they were able to grow some new vegetables that were different from those in Europe, and therefore more exciting and tasty.
From different beans to corn, people in the USA were able to pick new meals they could base their diet on, and that’s what made them happier to consider vegetarianism. Lots of them used to eat haricot beans, for instance, and soon understood why this variety of kidney beans is so nutritious and delicious. As it comes with a high nutritive value of protein, carbs, and sodium, these beans could keep them going all day long, and that’s something the people in a rapidly developing country needed the most.
Great Britain
At the turn of the 20th century, the people in Europe were facing a whole lot of problems – financial, economic, and nutritive, among other things – and all those countries were tired and devastated after a long period of exhausting wars, and they had a world war ahead of them! This led to a poor economy even in the richest and proudest of countries, like Great Britain, and that was a great moment for lots of people to switch to vegetarianism.
Of course, they didn’t do that because they wanted to improve their health or save their animals – they simply didn’t have anything else to eat but the veggies they grew in their gardens or bought cheaply in the street. This is when vegetarianism became more popular than ever, not just in the country, but in huge places like London as well. People weren’t able to purchase meat and that’s why they slowly understood that eating veggies is actually good for them!
The history of vegetarianism is rich and comprehensive, and if you want to embrace this lifestyle yourself or, on the other hand, take your vegetarianism diet to a level, these are the things you need to know. Learning from the past is the best way to learn things, and reading about the history of vegetarianism will help you realize why this is the right choice to make.
Author Bio
I’m a fitness and health blogger at Ripped.me, and a great fan of the gym and a healthy diet. I follow all the trends in fitness, gym and healthy life, and l love to share my knowledge in this field through useful and informative articles.