Some people think that there’s no way they can skip the meat in their daily meals. However, eating vegetarian food at least once a week provides a slew of health benefits, while each dish has an assortment of delicious flavor profiles. Many restaurants provide vegetarian alternatives to meat dishes, so consider some of the following reasons why you should consider opting for vegetable-based dishes.

Why Eating Vegetarian Dishes is a Smart Choice

1. Health Benefits

While plenty of meats are high in iron and protein, diets that are high in red meat have been linked as potential contributors to longer-term health issues. However, vegetable and vegetarian dishes have been shown to help immune systems combat diseases such as cancer.

Similarly, there are some meats, such as fish and shellfish, that have been shown to have positive effects on joint and liver health. However, unlike most meat dishes, which have been shown to have correlations to some cardiovascular complications due to their saturated fat content, vegetarian dishes contain an exceptional amount of healthy fats.

2. Delicious Food

While there may be some negative notions surrounding the flavor profiles of vegetarian dishes, these are typically misunderstandings. Vegan and vegetarian offerings have endless, incredibly delicious food combinations with no trace of meat. Thai curry opts for a creamy, mildly sweet coconut milk base, paired with a tangy and spicy curry paste, served over a light and fluffy bed of rice, typically supplemented with slices of succulent eggplant and fresh basil. 

Tom yum is a soup that provides a hearty, aromatic broth that contains the citrus and herb notes of lemongrass, sautéed mushrooms, and the crisp bite of onions, sometimes paired with cumin and paprika. If you want some protein with this dish, you can have fluffy and plump slices of tofu added to the soup.

3. Help the Environment

Extensive research shows that eating vegetarian daily can have a positive environmental impact by reducing both water waste and the greenhouse gases emitted from animals that are condensed in one area. Cows and sheep are responsible for almost half of the methane gas emissions in the world, plus it takes 13 times the amount of water to raise beef as it does wheat. Eating vegetarian-based dishes once per week can help reduce water consumption, gas emissions, and carbon dioxide pollution.

If you’re interested in improving your health while trying new and delicious food, visit Thailand Cuisine 2 in Kahului and Kihei, Hawaii. This family restaurant serves delicious, original, and authentic Thai cuisine that bursts with flavor. Using only the freshest ingredients, their impressive menu includes spring rolls, curries, noodle dishes, and other dishes that vegetarians love. Check out their menu online or call them at (808) 873-0225 for their Kahului branch or (808) 875-0839 for their Kihei branch.