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What has eating more meat got to do with the environment
Health benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle
Health benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle
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Meat is murder. It’s the murder of our Earth, the murder of ourselves, and the murder of innocent beings. Veganism is the superior diet to help not only our hunger but our health, our Earth, and our fellow sentient beings. Just like there are many ways to enjoy a diet with meat, there a multiple ways to be a healthy vegan. One of the more common plant-based diets is vegetarianism. Vegetarianism consists of a diet excluding animal flesh, fish, and poultry. Vegetarians who avoid flesh, but do eat animal products such as cheese, milk, and eggs, are ovo-lacto-vegetarians. Scientific research shows that health benefits increase as the amount of food from animal sources in the diet decreases, so vegan diets are the healthiest overall. (Vegetarians …show more content…
While vegetarianism is a diet, veganism is a lifestyle. Many vegans do not wear leather, do not wear silk, do not eat honey, or even conventional sugar because it is run through the charred bones of animals. At first glance, veganism sounds repressive but the restrictions do not reduce how amazing the benefits are. Risk of cardiovascular disease, risk of high cholesterol, risk of high blood pressure, risk of diabetes, risk of prostate, colon, and breast cancer, risk of cataracts, risk of arthritis, and risk of osteoporosis are all reduced due to the elimination of meats and dairy products. (57 Benefits of Going Vegan) Another stereotype is that vegan food is bland or boring. Fruits and vegetables are some of the richest foods Mother Earth. Along with spices, peppers, and even broth, vegan food can be just, or even more tasty than a regular diet. …show more content…
With the recent California drought scare, we are left to wonder, where did our water go? Animal agriculture used 55% of the water in the U.S. while domestic use only uses 5%. Speaking of hamburgers, it takes 660 gallons of water to produce ¼ pound of hamburger meat. Animal agriculture also counts for 51% of the greenhouse gases in our environment. Just cows produce 150 billion gallons of methane per day yet environmentalists want us to drive hybrid cars and use solar panels? With a growing desire for meat around the world, it’s obvious that the 45% of Earth’s land dedicated to animal agriculture is going to increase rapidly. For example, 91% of the Amazon Rainforest has been destroyed directly because of animal agriculture. (12 Reasons Why) Much of this information isn’t widely known and because of that, the effect of factory farming is given less importance. Does our dinner taste as good as the thought of an Earth left decaying and
Imagine living a life without eating anything with an animal product in it. No meat, fish, milk, eggs, honey, not even gelatin. Vegans are people who adapt a lifestyle where they live without any animal based goods; some do this for the health benefits that come with eliminating meats and dairy. Many become vegan as a way to protest and eliminate animal cruelty which is extremely apparent in the meat industry. A vegan diet is based largely on fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and soy. Many people would say this is unhealthy, that a person cannot live like this. Much of this skepticism comes from being misinformed, and under informed about veganism. It is safe to live a vegan lifestyle. On a vegan diet a person can get all the vitamins
People are unaware of the harsh effects of meats. They contain toxic fats and hormones not intended for human consumption. Each year seven million people die from cancer internationally. However, a change into a healthier diet, such as veganism, can lengthen people's lifespans. Due to the low-fat, high-fiber diet, the vegan diet has a tendency to prevent cancer. Veganism has been proven to prevent certain cancers, studies show that veganism hinders the development of cancers such as breast, cervical, ovarian, and prostate cancer. Not only does veganism prevent diseases such as cancer, it also improves one's physical and mental health. The elimination of the animal products will cause one's Body Mass Index (BMI) level to change. Fattening food consumptions of meats can cause weight gain. Therefore, the elimination of these unhealthy proteins helps with weight loss. Along with a positive body image, not supporting the inhumane slaughtering of innocent animals could ease one's conscious. However, without meat, vegans aren't able to consume the right amount of nutrients that non- vegans get. For an example, vegans do not get cobalamin (B-12) naturally because it is only in animal by products. Vegans can always take vitamins to fix this problem. Also, they do not receive a lot of calcium, vitamin D, and iron, but just like they take supplements, or eat fortified foods, as a substitute for cobalamin, is the same way they are able to fix these other problems. Not only do they find a way to fix small problems with their diet, but also with the harmful effects for humans, and the environment people live
Being vegetarian opens up so many doors for people. For those who do not know what a vegetarian is or are confused on what they do or eat let me inform you that being a vegetarian simply means that you go off of plant-based diets. Although there are several kinds of vegetarian diets, it is all based on what type of food you are consuming. For example, a strict vegetarians or vegans avoid all foods of animal origin, including meat, poultry, fish, diary products, and eggs. Many people become a vegetarian for different reason according to the Calorie King he states, “being vegetarian means different things to different people, and people follow a vegetarian diet for different reason including health, religion, and ethical beliefs.”(Deusen p.1)
Vegetarians don’t cut out animal products all together therefore their diet, although not containing meat or flesh of any kind is still more diverse and a better, healthier choice than that of a vegan while still holding on so some of their ethical concerns. Vegans do miss out on many nutrients that are ob...
A vegetarian diet usually has high fiber and is low in fat and calories. This is why a vegetarian diet is a great option for someone who wants to lose weight. However, a diet too low in fat and calories can be a problem for children and teenagers who are still growing (Becoming a Vegetarian 2014). It is important that someone does not start a new diet without asking a healthcare professional first. Another benefit of a vegetarian diet is that it might be helpful in reducing the risk of heart disease. In a study on 76,000 people, vegetarians were 25% less likely to die of heart disease then someone who eats meat (Harvard Health).Becoming a vegetarian has a lot of health
Appropriately planned vegetarian diets can be essential to any one, in any stage of their life. Vegetarian diets are associated with lower risks of cancer, death from ischemic heart disease or any cardiovascular disease. Also lower body mass index (BMI), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, low blood pressure and lower rates of hypertension than those of which are non-vegetarians.
There's little doubt that the Earth is in a crisis. The human population is hungrily burning through its resources while simultaneously destroying its ecological balance. While catastrophe seems imminent, there is one small change each person could make in life that would lessen the devestating impact and minimalize our ecological footprint: Veganism.
The number of people becoming vegetarians these days is growing. There are a few different types of vegetarians, for example; the lacto-ovo vegetarian doesn’t eat any animal products except milk and eggs. Another type of vegetarian is the vegan, they exclude all animal products.
Vegan life is healthier for the nutritional benefits are better when compared to non-vegan eating. The majority of people in the world consume a diet, which contains food derived from animals. Those who have animal derived diets follow such a diet due to commonly known nutrition benefits and taste that come with the diet. Although, most people were told that such a diet was healthy, they wouldn’t follow such a diet if they knew the harm that came with it. Furthermore, several people know they require fruits, vegetables, and grains, according to the commonly known food nutrition chart. However, some people do not know that animal derived food is not necessary and that there are other healthier foods to replace them. Vegan diets follow the food chart needs without consuming food that come from animals by replacing the nutritional benefits that come from animals with plant-based foods that also have the same nutritional benefits.
A United Nations report states that land used for animal agriculture, both for grazing and production of crops fed to livestock, takes up an astounding 30% of land on Earth. ("Meat Production Wastes Natural Resources") To meet the industry’s demands, over 260 million acres of forest in the U.S. have been cleared to grow grain fed to farm animals. ("Meat Production Wastes Natural Resources") With that in mind, the meat industry also dumps disease-causing pathogens through animal waste that pollutes water and forces the need for waste lagoons to be constructed, which are susceptible to leaking and flooding. ("Facts about Pollution from Livestock Farms”) Scientists say that about 14% of the world’s greenhouse gases are released by said agriculture industries, which is a growing concern for climate change and global warming. (Silverman) The meat industry uses one-third of all the fossil fuels consumed in the United States. (Moore) There is no question that farming animals has a negative effect on the environment and steps should be taken to mitigate air and water pollution risks and future deforestation. If animal agriculture was phased out, land used for animal grazing could be returned to forest land and some of it converted into fields for cultivating crops for humans. A global shift toward veganism, resulting in the elimination of the meat and animal agriculture industries, would protect the environment from various detrimental effects.
According to Bonnie Beezhold et.al found that vegans and vegetarians, “…report better mood than non-vegetarians, suggesting that even less animal food intake is associated with better mood” (293). Also, Beezhold et.al, “…have found that the risk of major chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and type-2 diabetes may be reduced by adopting a completely plant-based diet vs. an omnivore diet” (Beezhold et.al 289). Overall, the medical community has agreed that veganism is a healthy option to avoid disease, but their concerns are that vegans will be deficient in certain vitamins and minerals that the regular omnivores are not deficient in. If a vegan is deficit in a certain mineral or vitamin that person can take supplements to combat it. People can say that if I take supplements will that make me healthy even though I consume meat? No, because you are consuming meat and that can clog arteries and increase cholesterol. I think that veganism is probably one of the healthiest options available for everyone. I also think that it is the healthiest because you do not see people become fat off of eating vegetables and fruits. I also agree with Beezhold et.al findings which show that vegans have less stress and anxiety because of the food they ate. Beezhold et.al think this may be because omnivores consume meat and the food the animals were fed where “…higher in certain
Society has recently become increasingly obsessed with health and nutrition, as more and more individuals realize that they can dramatically change their quality of life by adjusting their diet and lifestyle. One such way that people have tried to pursue a healthier lifestyle, is by removing meat and other animal products from their diets, whether they become a strict vegetarian who eats no animal byproducts, or a lacto-ovo vegetarian who still eats eggs and dairy. As with any other lifestyle, research is always being done to see if the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, and so far, the results of vegetarian diets have been encouraging. Vegetarian diets have proven to decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and many other health problems. With a little planning and dedication, a vegetarian diet will be healthier and more beneficial than a traditional diet that includes meat and animal products.
Every person has the ability to make their own choice of whether to eat meat or not. However, eating meat is directly tied to negative health effects, pollution leading to a depletion of ozone, and the depletion of hundreds of thousands of acres of land “wasted” on animal production when they could be used to solve the hunger crisis or lower emission levels. What humans eat is no longer a matter of choice; it has become a matter of life and death. Literally, the future of the whole planet rests on the decision of whether or not to eat meat. If humans chose to eat less meat the world that wouldn’t have to suffer the consequences (outlined above.) Vegetarianism is one possibility, as is Veganism; however the world would be
The vegetarian diet is one that provides the body with many essential nutrients. These nutrients include fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. All of these nutrients aid in providing the body with the minerals that can help to prevent health diseases. As can be seen with the vegetarian diet there are many health benefits that can prevent, or be treatment for, health diseases. According to the American Dietetic Association the vegetarian diet is healthy and recommended for obtaining the nutrients needed for better health. A vegetarian diet is low in cholesterol and fatty acids and these are the factors that contribute to many health diseases. The nutrients that the vegetarian diet contains are beneficial and reduce the chances of becoming obese, getting heart disease, and being diagnosed with cancer.
In conclusion, vegetarianism benefits many part of our life. A healthier body, a better environment, and more fair treatment of animals are all requites of becoming vegetarians. It is hard to change eating habits, but it is not impossible. There are many kinds of food that vegetarians can choose today. The taste of the non-meat food is not all bad and some of them maybe much better than imagination. It is not wise to deny being a vegetarian before trying to be. With more and more people adopting the vegetarian diet, the world will be a better place in the future: animals will be treated better; global warming will be alleviated; fewer people will be starving, and ultimately, people will be healthier and be living longer. Therefore, people should start action before it is too late.