Why Is Vegetarian Movement On the Rise?

It's likely that everyone of us knows somebody who follows a vegetarian diet. And while vegetarians remain a huge minority, their numbers are steadily growing. According to a study by the Vegetarian Times, 7.3 million Americans are vegetarians, while another 23 million follow a vegetarian-inclined diet.

So the question we ask is why would so many people  be saying ''no" to a big, fat, juicy T-bone steak, or a tender rack of barbecued baby back ribs? Apparently the reasons are many and varied.

Over half of vegetarians -53% - say they eat a vegetarian diet to improve their overall health. Forty seven percent says it's because of environmental concerns. Food safety concerns are the motivating factor for 31%, while 54% cite animal welfare. Another 25% say it's for weight loss purposes, and 24% for weight maintenance.

My own weight loss efforts have led me to reduce the amount of meat I take into my body - particularly red meat. But, I assure you, I am miles away from going the vegetarian way. I was born a carnivore, and I shall die a carnivore. Half the problem for me is that I love meat. The other half of the problem is that I generally hate vegetables --especially cooked ones. So becoming a full-fledged vegetarian seems highly unlikely.

Why can't vegetables taste like Twinkies, cashews, coconut cream pie?