If you have a vegan or vegetarian in your life, you’ve most likely have had a discussion (or rather a heated debate) as to why you should cut meat out of your diet.

In a perfectly green world, all of us would be meat free, but only 3.2% of the U.S adult population follow a plant-based diet. Rather than try to convince you to live a meatless life, I’ll share some important health, economic and environmental reasons as to why you should consider cutting down on your consumption of meat.

4 reasons why to eat less meat

1. Minimize Water Usage:  Did you know that it takes 1,850 gallons of water to produce one single pound of beef, and only 30 gallons to produce a pound of vegetables? With only 220 gallons of water needed,  try substituting soy tofu for your usual meat dish one night for dinner.

2. You’ll Be Challenged To Try New Things: Meat for dinner, again? By removing meat from one of your meals, you’ll be challenged to find a new dish to prepare or choose something new on the menu next time you dine out.

3. You’ll Ward Off Diseases: Consumption of less meat has been linked to lower risk of chronic diseases (most prevalently heart disease), diabetes, cancer, and will help you live longer! Additionally, by eating more foods with high fiber and protein, vegetarians/vegans tend to consume lower saturated and total fat, helping your waste line in the long run.

4. Your Wallet Will Thank You: Sure, buying meat substitutes for every meal can get pricey, but swapping fruits, vegetables and whole grains for animal meats can end up being a cheaper meal. Learnvest took a look at the cost benefits of not eating meat and found on average, vegans and vegetarians saved 2.20-3.50 dollars a day. While that may not sound like a ton, by going meatless for a month, you could save anywhere from 66-105 dollars.

Are you up to the meat-free challenge?

While I may not have convinced you to completely cut meat out of your diet, reducing your intake, even one day a week, can have a tremendous impact on your health and the planet. Why not start with Meatless Monday?

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Julia Knable was an Editorial Intern in 2014. She studied Marketing and Management Information Systems at the Fox School at Temple University. After a summer internship at Terracycle inspired her to learn about what she could do to help and protect our ever-changing planet, she ended up with a stint at Green Philly. Along with her passion for sustainability, Julia enjoys exploring Philadelphia and trying all the vegetarian hotspots she can get her hands on. View all posts by Julia Knable