The diet of Lent

This Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period before Easter, when many Christians abstain from animal foods in remembrance of Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the desert before launching his ministry.

But meat-free Lent is much more than a symbol of religious devotion to Christ. It helps reduce the risk of chronic disease, environmental degradation and animal abuse.

Lent offers a superb opportunity to adopt a meat-free diet.

Our supermarket offers a rich array of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. Entering “vegan recipes” in our favorite search engine offers more products, recipes, and transition tips than we can use.

This story was originally published February 16, 2015 at 7:12 PM with the headline "The diet of Lent."