The meaning of eating a vegetarian diet

Buddhism encourages people to eat a vegetarian diet not only for health and hygiene reasons, but mainly out of compassion and the belief that all sentient beings are equal.

For me, I started to reduce meat intake as not eating meat reduce the demand for meat and thus lesser animal suffering. Maybe the impact from one person is not sufficient to reduce demand for meat. But if more people do not eat meat, then demand for meat will definitely reduce thus reducing more animal suffering. 

I used to eat fried shrimp every week. But after reciting Heart sutra and Om mani padme hum, strangely my desire for meat has drastically reduced. 

When animals were slaughtered, they were in a state of fear and anguish and thus their bodies secreted toxin. Eating too much meat is thus not so good for health. Some people said not eating meat makes you weak but Shaolin monks who are strong and great in martial arts only eat vegetables.

For protein, there are plants rich with protein like peas, mushroom, kale. Also vegetables are rich in fibre and vitamins! Also plants used energy from the Sun by producing glucose from photosynthesis. Thus herbivores are known as primary consumers and they gain energy from eating plants directly. 

Carnivores and omnivores who get energy source from eating herbivores or omnivores is actually lesser than compared to eating the plants directly. In fact you gain more energy from eating plants directly!