The Economics of Vegetarianism

The Omega-3 Problem

Consider omega-3 fatty acids, essential nutrients our bodies can’t produce on their own. There are three types: ALA, EPA, and DHA. ALA supports cardiovascular health, EPA benefits joints and inflammation, and DHA is critical for brain function.

Plant sources provide ALA—found in flaxseeds, walnuts, and chia seeds. The problem is conversion efficiency. When you consume 100 grams of ALA, your body synthesizes about 5-10 grams of EPA, which then converts to a mere 1-2 grams of DHA. This assumes you’re young and healthy; the conversion rate worsens with age.

Fish, on the other hand, provide EPA and DHA directly. But here’s the twist: fish don’t produce these fatty acids either. They get them from algae. Algae is the original source, making the omega-3 story technically plant-based from the start.

So why not just eat algae? You can—algae-based DHA supplements exist. They’re also prohibitively expensive for most people. Fish are essentially nature’s supplement manufacturers, concentrating omega-3s from algae into an affordable, accessible form.

The Diversity Requirement

The omega-3 issue is just one example of a broader pattern. Complete nutrition from plants requires remarkable diversity. You need different vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and fruits to cover all your nutritional bases. Indian cuisine, with its dozens of varieties of saag (leafy greens), evolved precisely because of this requirement.

Animals serve as biological shortcuts. They eat diverse plant matter and concentrate nutrients into compact packages. A chicken consumes varied feed and converts it into a relatively complete protein source with bioavailable vitamins and minerals. To match this nutritionally from plants alone, you’d need to source and prepare an extensive variety of ingredients.

This isn’t impossible, but it demands:

• Access to diverse produce year-round
• Knowledge of nutritional complementarity
• Time for meal planning and preparation
• Money for specialty items and supplements

Vegetarianism as Wealth

This brings us to an often-overlooked historical pattern: vegetarianism flourishes in wealthy societies. Ancient India, with its strong vegetarian traditions, was extraordinarily prosperous. The wealth allowed for investment in agricultural diversity, sophisticated cuisine, and the luxury of choice in dietary matters.

Western societies are only now embracing vegetarianism at scale—precisely as they’ve achieved unprecedented affluence. The modern vegetarian movement coincides with access to global supply chains, affordable supplements, and disposable income for premium plant-based products.

The poor, historically and globally, eat what’s available and efficient. In most contexts, that includes animal products because they provide concentrated nutrition with less dietary diversity required.

Philosophy Meets Pragmatism

This isn’t to dismiss the ethical and environmental arguments for vegetarianism—they’re valid and important. But we should be honest about the economic foundation underlying the choice. Philosophy alone doesn’t make vegetarianism sustainable for an individual; resources do.

The game is rigged from the start. The biochemistry favors omnivorous diets for efficient nutrition. You can overcome this through wealth—either by purchasing expensive supplements derived from the original sources (like algae-based DHA), or by accessing the variety and quality of plant foods needed for complete nutrition.

The ultimate nutrients come from soil and photosynthesis. Plants absorb them, animals concentrate them, and wealthy humans have the option to source them directly from plants if they’re willing to pay the premium in money, time, and effort.

Recognizing vegetarianism as a luxury doesn’t diminish it—luxuries can be worthwhile. But it does suggest we should be more honest about the barriers facing those who might want to adopt such diets. The path to sustainable, widespread vegetarianism isn’t just about changing minds; it’s about changing economics, making diverse plant-based nutrition accessible and affordable for everyone, not just the wealthy.