Being Vegetarian is not a cookbook; it's about why and how to be vegetarian or vegan in a mainly meat-eating world. Written in a lively and engaging style, it looks at two main issues. One is the 'why' of being vegetarian; on the positive side the ethical, social, environmental, health and spiritual reasons for being vegetarian, and on the negative side the proven damage caused by animal-based food production to human health and our planet, as well as the suffering and death inflicted on vast numbers of living creatures every day. The other is the 'how' of being vegetarian; myths and helpful facts about a vegetarian diet, eating healthily, understanding 'hidden' non-vegetarian ingredients in foods, travelling as a vegetarian, and dealing with lack of understanding or even opposition from family, friends, school, or the workplace. The book is packed with useful and up-to-date facts and figures, with links to the scientific research on which the book is based for those who want to delve more deeply. It offers many clear and convincing answers to the often-heard question: 'why are you vegetarian?'