Meat-free diet good for a healthy planet

 　　Vegetarian¹ restaurant owner Li Yu believes in the health benefits of plant-based eating.

　　Former physicist² Li Yu runs the city's first vegetarian restaurant.

　　In 2008, Li Yu embarked³ on what some may perceive as a rather daunting⁴ mission: To convince as many people in China as he can not only to stop eating meat but drop animal products from their diets altogether.

　　"I am trying my best to succeed," said Li. "I am trying my best."

　　Li is the owner of a restaurant called Vegan Hut. Tucked away on the second floor of one of the buildings in the Jianwai SOHO Beijing complex, the eatery is the first vegan restaurant to open in China, according to Li.

　　The cutesy space with modest decor and mint green walls serves a plethora⁵ of vegetable dishes with a Chinese twist: Braised eggplant with a succulent soy-tinged sauce; ultra-healthy spring rolls; lotus and tofu wraps; brown sticky rice with a tangy tomato puree.

　　Almost all of the ingredients are organic. There is no MSG, no salt, no preservatives⁶ and certainly no animal products anywhere on the menu. (Unlike vegetarians⁷, vegans follow a strict plant-based diet that prohibits eating anything derived⁸ from animals.)

　　Li, who has a PhD in physics, was working for a telecommunications company in Shanghai when he decided⁹ to quit his job and refocus his career on educating people about the impact meat consumption has on the environment.

　　It was a drastic change but one he says he felt was imperative¹⁰ in order to raise awareness¹¹ of how human consumption of chicken, beef and pork is destroying the environment.

　　"We can help save the planet if more people eat less meat," Li said. "That will be very helpful. Eating beef and other animal products has a huge impact on natural resources. Most people don't know that."

　　The livestock¹² sector¹³ is one of the top two or three contributors to serious environmental problems, according to a 2006 report issued by the United Nations.

　　Not only does raising cattle and other animals contribute to deforestation and strain water resources, it also is responsible for nearly 20 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions¹⁴, which is higher than transportation, the report said.

　　"Another thing to mention is if we are talking about the total production of grain in 2008, only 46 percent of grains go to humans while 36 percent goes to livestock," said Li.

　　"So I calculated that if we eat a plant-based diet instead of feeding livestock, we actually can feed millions of people."

　　Li is full of facts and figures on the impact our meat-eating lifestyles have on the environment.

　　He talks about the issues during weekly lecture series at his restaurant or occasionally on university campuses and on local radio and television programs. He is working on several books about being a vegan and how eating vegetables helps the earth.

　　He is also trying to spread the word about the health benefits of plant-based eating. Vegan Hut offers a special 28-day healthy diet program for those seeking to lower their cholesterol¹⁵, lose weight or improve their overall general health.

　　It includes a medical consultation¹⁶, regular meetings with nutritionists and a full supply of ingredients and recipes for those who take part.

　　"There are so many benefits," said Li, who completed a special plant-based nutrition course at Cornell University in New York.

　　"The diet can reduce heart disease, type two diabetes¹⁷ and some types of cancers."

　　Li says he hopes to open more restaurants in Beijing and someday around China while he continues to promote a meat-less lifestyle to both Chinese and expat audiences. Though it will be an uphill battle, he acknowledges.

　　"I am just trying to do something meaningful," said Li. "Once we save the planet, I can go back to the telecommunications industry. But we won't have any industry if there is no planet. The logic¹⁸ is very simple."

1 vegetarian   

n.素食者；adj.素食的

参考例句：

• She got used gradually to the vegetarian diet.她逐渐习惯吃素食。
• I didn't realize you were a vegetarian.我不知道你是个素食者。

2 physicist   

n.物理学家，研究物理学的人

参考例句：

• He is a physicist of the first rank.他是一流的物理学家。
• The successful physicist never puts on airs.这位卓有成就的物理学家从不摆架子。

3 embarked   

乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• We stood on the pier and watched as they embarked. 我们站在突码头上目送他们登船。
• She embarked on a discourse about the town's origins. 她开始讲本市的起源。

4 daunting   

adj.使人畏缩的

参考例句：

• They were faced with the daunting task of restoring the house.他们面临着修复房子的艰巨任务。
• Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.开始一项新工作有时会让人望而却步。

5 plethora   

n.过量，过剩

参考例句：

• Java comes with a plethora of ready-made types.Java配套提供了数量众多的现成类型。
• A plethora of new operators will be allowed to enter the market.大批新的运营商将获准进入该市场。

6 preservatives   

n.防腐剂( preservative的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The juice contains no artificial preservatives. 这种果汁不含人工防腐剂。
• Meat spoils more quickly without preservatives. 不加防腐剂，肉会坏得快。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 vegetarians   

n.吃素的人( vegetarian的名词复数 )；素食者；素食主义者；食草动物

参考例句：

• Vegetarians are no longer dismissed as cranks. 素食者不再被视为有怪癖的人。
• Vegetarians believe that eating meat is bad karma. 素食者认为吃肉食是造恶业。

8 derived   

vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

11 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

12 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

13 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

14 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

15 cholesterol   

n.（U）胆固醇

参考例句：

• There is cholesterol in the cell of body.人体细胞里有胆固醇。
• They are determining the serum-protein and cholesterol levels.他们正在测定血清蛋白和胆固醇的浓度。

16 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

17 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

18 logic   

n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性

参考例句：

• What sort of logic is that?这是什么逻辑？
• I don't follow the logic of your argument.我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。