1. Ethics

One of the reasons to eat less meat is the ethical argument. If you cut down on your consumption of meat, instead of buying factory-farmed meat you can afford to buy organic meat that is raised under better conditions. By eating less meat you're also helping to reduce the suffering of animals because of cruel conditions in the meat industry.

2. Cost

If you still want to eat some meat, eating less meat will allow you to buy better quality meat. Because you are buying it less often, you can focus your spending on better meat instead of buying more, cheaper meat. Overall you won't actually be spending any more, and there are plenty of plant-based protein sources that you can buy cheaply, such as legumes and beans.

3. Environment

Raising animals for meat also has a high cost to the environment. Using suitable land to raise crops instead of animals means that much more food can be produced. Land in developing countries is often cleared to raise cattle, which has a negative impact on the environment - trees are lost, and with it the habitat of many animals and birds.

4. Health

Even if you don't want to cut out meat altogether, it's better for your heart to eat less meat as red meat is high in saturated fat. Red meat is also implicated in other serious health problems. For the sake of your long-term health, it's wise to reduce the amount of meat that you consume.

5. Cutting Calories

Are you counting calories? Try cutting down your consumption of meat. Plant-based alternatives are usually much lower in calories. Meat is also often eaten with calorific sauces. Try eating lean meat or fish twice a week, and replacing it with vegetarian meals on the other five days.

6. Too Much Meat

Most western diets include far more protein than is actually needed. Eating meat is a personal choice, but there's no need to eat it every day. In the past, people only ate meat on special occasions as they couldn't afford it every day. Even if you're not that poor, save yourself some money by cutting down on meat.

7. Tasty Alternatives

Finally, there are so many tasty alternative sources of protein. You can eat nuts, beans, lentils, tofu and dairy products. There are also lots of products aimed at vegetarians and vegans, such as vegan sausages and mince. Experiment with these products on your meat-free days, and you'll learn just how tasty meat-free meals can be.

An increasing number of people are choosing to cut down on the amount of meat they consume, but still like to enjoy it infrequently. If you don't want to go the whole way and give up meat, it's still beneficial for your health to eat less meat, so consider reducing your consumption. Could you ever give up meat completely?