If you’re the kind of person who slips their peas to the dog, consider that a diet heavy on the greens can result in lowered cholesterol, better blood pressure control and may even help guard against cancer.It’s an argument put forward by Courtney Minors as to why everybody should participate in annual Meatout Day.The Vegetarian Society of Bermuda is one of many organisations around the world now encouraging omnivores to try at least one vegetarian meal as part of the March 20 observance.“This is a great opportunity to try something new, whether it be a vegetarian recipe or a vegetarian food item like tofu,” said Ms Minors, a clinical dietitian at the Bermuda Diabetes Centre.She doesn’t necessarily advise her diabetic clients to give up eating meat, but tries to work with their preferences.“If people eat chicken, we find the healthiest cut of chicken to eat,” she said. “However, I do encourage at least two plant-based meals a week, because we know the benefits of that.”There is a lot of research that shows that a vegetarian diet can prevent and treat chronic diseases like diabetes, Ms Minors added.A study by Cornell University found that eating animal protein increased chances of developing cancer. The theory was that meat, dairy and eggs altered the mix of hormones and modified important enzyme activities, caused inflammation and cell proliferation and created an acidic atmosphere in the body. Together, they created an ideal environment for cancer to thrive, the study suggested.“A plant-based diet is not only good for you, it is also good for the world around you,” said Ms Minors. “It takes 16lbs of grain to produce 1lb of meat. If people opt out from eating meat and eat the grain, we are able to feed that many more people in the world.”Ms Minors isn’t a vegetarian but limits her meat intake to fish.“I was in my second to last semester at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia when I took a nutrition course,” she said. “During that course we had to adopt a scientific diet and test it out. I ended up doing the vegan, low-fat diet.”Ms Minors said she has always been slim so her weight didn’t change, but she did notice that her blood pressure dropped by several points during the project.The course had another life-changing impact. She was a pre-med student, but she liked nutrition so much that she changed her career path and went on to study diet and nutrition at the graduate level.“Meanwhile, I kept up with the vegan lifestyle for about a year after graduation,” she said. “Then, I slowly introduced fish back into my lifestyle.”Now, her main sources of protein are eggs, beans or tofu. She eats fish once or twice a week.“I, personally, love salmon which is high in omega threes,” she said. “I also like tuna. Fresh Bermuda fish is also always good. It wasn’t hard to make the switch, because when I was little I never ate a lot of meat. I was the type of kid who always questioned where my food came from. When I found out what a chicken wing was or where an ox tail came from, it was hard for me as a child to separate myself from that. So I didn’t grow up eating a lot of meat.”For her, the challenge of switching away from eating a lot of meat all the time was maintaining a healthy nutritional balance.“You can eat a vegetarian diet, and not be healthy,” she said. “I sometimes see vegetarians come into the Bermuda Diabetes Centre. It is important to have a balanced diet. If you aren’t sure whether you are getting the right nutrition, talk to a nutritionist or dietitian. They will help you.”One of her favourite vegetarian meals is chilli she makes up in the crock pot.“It is great for a cold winter day,” she said. “You just put it in the crock pot and leave it. There are lots of beans in it so you get your fibre requirement for the day.”The Vegetarian Society of Bermuda recommends a number of places to eat out on Meatout Day including Juice ‘N Beans Cafe at 61 Front Street, or Cafe Eden at 41 King Street in Hamilton for breakfast or It’s Only Natural at 8 Princess Street in Hamilton for a vegan lunch. For recipes e-mail vsbda1@Yahoo.com or visit www.meatout.org.