Published Letters and Op-Eds from
COK’s Writers Group

Vegetarian diet offers healthier option

Published in the Shreveport Times on February 23, 2005.

Thanks so much for the wonderful article about vegetarian eating ("Vegetarians fall in several categories," Feb. 18). It's no secret that plant-based foods are packed with essential nutrients, such as calcium, protein, fiber and iron, without all the artery-clogging cholesterol and saturated fat found in the typical American meat-based diet.

In addition to being good for our health, a vegetarian diet is also good for animals -- billions of whom are routinely subjected to cruel practices that would be illegal if the same things were done to dogs or cats. For example, standard practices on today's factory farms include slicing off parts of chicks' beaks, chopping off pigs' tails, and castrating male cows -- all without pain relief!

With so many delicious meatless options available in restaurants and supermarkets everywhere, adopting a healthier and more humane diet has never been easier.

Erica Meier
Director
Compassion Over Killing
Washington, D.C.