If vegetarianism is healthier and more forgiving to the environment why is'nt everyone a veggie?

Answer 1

Because each person is free to make their own choices.

I have not eaten meat in quite a few years because I was finally able to break the habit. I did it not because eating meating causes animals to die, but because it causes animals to suffer. It is horrible for the environment and uses tons of water, not to mention the majority of grain and antibiotics (around 80%) that are produced in this country. I made this choice for myself because I choose to live life by my principles in all that I do, not so I could look down my nose at somebody eating a Big Mac. It does not offend me, I don't think people who eat meat are evil, and I'm not out to convert anyone. Why do people get so worked up over this? It's an issue of being a smart consumer, no different than buying recycled products or a fuel efficient car.

With that said, let me clarify some things which I am well schooled on since I've heard this argument many times before --- humans were NOT designed to eat meat. We do not have prominent canines to rip meat, nor claws to help catch prey. Our molars are flat to grind nuts, seeds, berries, roots. Next time you're at the zoo take a look in the lions mouth when they yawn. THAT is what carnivores' teeth look like. Eating meat has caused one major evolutionary change - our jaws have become smaller to accomodate a meat eating diet since we don't need as much power to grind up all that fibrous food. That change tells us that we were not built for meat eating originally. More telling is that we have the long digestive tracts of an herbivore, not the short ones of a carnivore. And use common sense, would nature create a creature and give it no means to feed itself? There was human life THOUSANDS years before somebody made weapons and tools to kill animals. You can't catch a deer with your bare hands but you sure can forage for plants.

Answer 2

Whether vegetarianism is healthier and more envior-friendly is debatable. In fact, the entire idea that is healthier and friendly is just an OPINION, usually that of vegetarians. Besides, people eat what they are going to eat, regardless of those issues; that is why we have such a heavy consumption of all those fats and empty calories to begin with. SO, even if veggie was a proven way to go, it still wouldn't become LAW to eat that way.

Besides, vegetarian diets do not sufficiently fuel many body/blood types. People with O blood, for instance, do better with red meat and high protein. AB types process the agrarian diets better.

Personally, although I am not a heavy meat eater, I would not feel well if I gave it up completely. I have known a LOT of vegetarians, most of whom will eventually give it up for a more balanced diet.

Answer 3

I am a registered dietitian and recently became a vegan. If you want more information about vegan/vegetarianism, I suggest you read The Food Revolution by John Robbins and The Vegan Sourcebook by Joanne Stepaniak. They are awesome books that have helped me out a lot.

It really is true that being vegan is much healthier and can help prevent many of the chronic diseases that are rampant in our culture. Just think about all of the chemicals, hormones, antibiotics, carcinogens, etc that are pumped into cattle that become your dinner. Contrary to some of the other answers, we do not have to eat meat and can get plenty of protein from plant sources. I think that most people simply are not aware of the enormous impact meat eating does have on their bodies and the environment.

Start with egg producing chickens: 4-5 chickens are stuffed into a tiny cage for maximum egg production. They live their whole life in this cage, not even able to spread their wings. They get very sick, but are completely ignored, and excrement falls on them from the chickens in the cages above them. They also go a little crazy and would peck each other to death, so their beaks are cut off without any anesthia. When their egg production declines, they may be starved without food or water for 2 weeks in order to force another egg laying cycle. After this, they are sent to slaughter. Dairy cows also suffer terribly, being separated from their babies within 24 hours after birth so we can take their baby's milk. Whenever you eat eggs or drink milk, you are endorsing this. I don't feel people are neccessarily self-centered, but may feel that things will never change, so why try? But, again, most people are not even aware of these situations and have no idea what takes place so they can eat their eggs and bacon in the morning. I really don't blame people for eating meat, but I think it's important to educate people about the impact our choices have.

About the breastfeeding comment, vegans wholeheartedly support breastfeeding. (It is a lot healthier than formula -which by the way is made from cow's milk) Human milk is made for human babies. Cow's milk is made for calves.

Answer 4

Because it isn't actually any healthier than a normal diet, people like meat and a veggie diet is harder to live by for most people.
Most people don't have any need to feel morally superior, and are quite happy with their current lifestyles. Giving up meat isn't appealing to most people because they like the taste and, as they're all taught school, it's a good part of a balanced diet with many health benefits. In addition, few people care about any moral issues to do with eating meat; that animals die to make their food is acknowledged as a fact of life and they get over it.
Yes, there are supposedly benefits, but most of them come from the necessary high amount and wide range of fruit and veg a veggie diet entails, rather than not eating meat.

Answer 5

wait. most if my teeth are flat.

wtf?

honestly. most people don't realize that once farmland used for slaughter has been used up and can't be used anymore. it can't be used for anything, such as gardening. that is why it would be so much better for the environment. if there were more plants growing, the air would be cleaner and animals would be healthier. less disease because animals wouldnt have to be pumped with antibiotics, steroids or hormones.
humans were never meant to eat as much meat as they do now. if you choose to, that's fine, but think about the things that are in the meat, that shouldn't be.

Answer 6

cuz most people like a big hunk of bloody animal flesh every once in a while. is it such a crrime? i dont think vegetarianism is healthier or more forgiving on the environment anyways.

Answer 7

You just answered your own question...if it was we would be.

There are many proteins, nutrients derived from animal products that are necessary for proper development of the body. It has been proven over and over again that dairy fat is necessary for production of brain cells, etc...

Teeth facts are crap? Sounds like you might be the one in denial...scientific facts aren't turned to crap just because they don't fit your ideal.


Here's a question for Vegans/vegetarians...were you breast fed? And if so have you forgiven your mother for forcing animal products on you as an infant?

Yeah, Teamkimmie! Someone with a little common sense...

Answer 8

such a ridiculously stupid question there!!! everyone has their tastes, choices and way of living.

i mean, it's proven that smoking and alcohol are bad for health... so why do people drink and smoke???? it's proven that chocolate gives you diabetes - why do people love it? caffeine gives you heart attacks, why do people not get enough of it?

bottomline... facts are facts, but if humans want to be ignorant, it's their will - that doesn't mean that vegetarianism is not healthy.. coz it IS! and in any case, going by your theory of an animal explosion, if everyone was healthy the world would be quite over-packed, don't you think??

Answer 9

We were not made to be vegetarians. Look at our teeth. Made to rip and chew meat. Plus People have been eating animals for thousands of years and its kept the food chain in balance. Stop eatting it and the world animal population will be outta wack.

Answer 10

Because most people apparently could give a sh*@.Seriously, a lot of people tend to ignore facts that might make them uncomfortable about things they like to do(such as scarfing down a gigantic steak).Believe me, I run into this all the time with family and friends. p.s. Someone commented that people with type O blood needed red meat-that's hilarious.I'm type O, and I do better without red meat than I ever did with it.