Read a sample IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay on the topic: people are choosing a vegetarian diet.
More people are choosing to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this dietary change.
Veganism has spread widely among the population. The two main plus points of maintaining an animal-free diet are a cruelty-free lifestyle and protection from harmful parasites usually found in most meat options. The negative side of this vegetable and fruit-dominated diet is the lack of necessary nutrition present in animal meat, and being at risk of diseases that occur from a nutrient-deficient diet.
The first advantage of a vegetarian diet is a guilt-free mind. Most people are empathetic towards both animals and humans alike, and they do not like to kill animals to consume them as a food source. Additionally, there are various other sources of food that can be utilized to fulfil most of their dietary needs, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Therefore, this kind of lifestyle does not weigh on their conscience and keeps them mentally satisfied. Furthermore, studies have found that most parasites, like the tapeworm, that enter the human body and cause painful symptoms, are found in chicken and fish meat. If people keep a meat-free diet and sustain themselves through other means of nutrition, they will be able to protect themselves from these disease-causing parasitic worms.
In contrast, a major disadvantage of not consuming animal products like meat and eggs is the deficiency of vital minerals and macronutrients like iron and protein, respectively. Red meat, which is derived from cows and lambs contain large amounts of these substances, which are essential for maintaining a healthy body. Moreover, the absence of required nutrition in the body invites a number of illnesses, such as malnutrition and iron-deficiency anemia.
In conclusion, following a vegetarian diet has both merits and demerits. While eating vegetable-based food primarily gives the public emotional satisfaction and prevention against parasitic organisms, it also causes a deficiency of main nutrients and sickness related to diet.
Written By an IELTS Student
Band Score: 6.5
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