Why become vegetarian?

Question

People always cite "preventing cruelty to animals" as one of the reasons. Humans are omnivores and are designed to eat meat, chimpanzees are even known to eat meat in the wild occasionally, so to me it seems natural to eat meat, part of the food chain. I would of course like that the animals aren't subjected to any unnecessary suffering so I buy free range etc.
Think about this too: if everyone became vegetarian, what would happen to all the farm animals? I doubt that they'd be kept if there wasn't a profit to be made, so all our livestock would die anyway.
Your comments please.

John G, I'm an omnivore and enjoy eating both meat, vegetables and fruit, including brussel sprouts.

I'm amazed that some people can't answer the question without resorting to childish insults.

Megan g - Evolution is a slow, natural design process so I'm perfectly correct in saying that we are designed to eat meat.

blastedmo - I would have put that a bit more tactfully, but yes, we do have eyes in the front of our heads which indicates that we're predators, not prey. I agree, you wouldn't need good depth perception to "hunt" fruit and vegetables.

Michael H -AndyB has already responded to Shell and Princess's comments adaquately and I agree with him

Black Cat - Where I live (in the middle of a town) I can't exactly go and hunt rabbits. Farm animals have been bred for thousands of years for humans to use for food and clothing. Whilst I do regret the "factory" farming methods, I do enjoy eating meat and feel I have a right to do so.

Answer 1

I agree with you completely, no sensible vegans can ever contest that we were deigned to eat meat. Even the most ardent vegan scientists agree that human's are designed to eat meat, that is not in question.
That we do not have claws, talons, or incisors to hunt proves nothing. When early hominids ate meat they scavenged it, as vultures do, using their fingers to get the sinews and meat other animals couldn't. It was only after that that they began to hunt the meat themselves, and only much later they began to cook it. It is interesting that even now if someone was brought up eating raw meat he would have no problem with it.
The last few million years of human evolution have revolved completely around tools. We used advanced stone tools long before we began to hunt our own meat, and as such there was no need for evolution to bestow us with large claws or teeth to kill prey.

Simple research into human biology reveals how we are meant to eat meat. For one thing, our body produces hydrochloric acid and meat splitting enzymes that herbivores don't produce and are solely used for the digestion of meat. There are adaptations to our teeth (not incisors, rather the size of the jaw), stomach and intestines which have made a human being very adept at meat digestion. There is nothing wrong with the way our body digests meat, and we are so adept at eating it no scientists are of any doubt we've evolved to eat it.

In contrast, there are many reasons we aren't naturally herbivores. We cannot naturally get all the nutrients we need without animal products naturally. Vitamin B12 cannot be got, even now, without animal products or supplements, and a lack of it can cause anaemia and impending death. 60% of vegans even now have some level of B12 deficiency, as opposed to no meat eaters, which says something about how well adapted we are to a vegan diet.
All other nutrients can be got naturally. That owes to that vegetables can now be sold all year round, even out of season, and can be flown into the country from all over the world. In bygone times people could only eat the relatively small range of plants that grew in their ecosystem, and only when they were in season. Thus many more nutrients would have been unavailable and still more unavailable for most of he year. Until very recently it would have been impossible for a vegan human to live naturally without dying very quickly.

Now, meat makes up for all these lost nutrients very nicely, and it really shows how we aren't naturally vegans, as until very recently it was impossible to live like that.

As for coronary diseases, I quote.

"Despite claims that primitive societies are/were largely vegetarian, diets of native peoples the world over are rich in saturated fats and animal foods (28) and, as noted above, heart disease and cancer are primarily modern diseases. Saturated fat consumption, therefore, cannot logically cause these diseases. As with the poorly done studies of the Inuit, modern-day researchers fail to take into account other dietary factors of people who have heart disease and cancer. As a result, the harmful effects of eating refined sugar, nutrient-poor "foods," trans-fats (found in margarine and hydrogenated oils) and vegetable oils get mixed up with animal fat consumption.

It is commonly believed that saturated fats and cholesterol "clog arteries", but such ideas have been shown to be false by such scientists as Linus Pauling, George Mann, John Yudkin, Abram Hoffer, Mary Enig and others (29). On the contrary, studies have shown that arterial plaque is primarily composed of UNsaturated fats, particularly polyunsaturated ones, and not the saturated fat of animals, palm or coconut (30).

Trans-fatty acids, as opposed to saturated fats, have been shown by researchers such as Enig, Mann and Fred Kummerow to be causative factors in atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, cancer and other assorted diseases (31).
A recent study of thousands of Swedish women showed no correlation between saturated fat consumption and increased risk for breast cancer. However, the study did show a strong link between vegetable oil intake and higher breast cancer rates (32).

The Framingham Heart Study is often cited as proof that dietary cholesterol and saturated fat intake cause heart disease and ill health. Involving about 6,000 people, the study compared two groups over several years at five-year intervals. One group consumed little cholesterol and saturated fat, while the other consumed high amounts. Surprisingly, Dr William Castelli, the study's director, is quoted in the Archives of Internal Medicine (July 1992) as saying:

In Framingham, Mass., the more saturated fat one ate, the more cholesterol one ate, the more calories one ate, the lower the person's serum cholesterol ... we found that the people who ate the most cholesterol ate the most saturated fat, ate the most calories, weighed the least and were the most physically active.

It is true that the study did show that those who weighed more and had higher serum cholesterol levels were more at risk for heart disease, but weight gain and cholesterol levels had an inverse correlation with dietary fat and cholesterol intake. In other words, there was no correlation at all (33).

In a similar vein, the US Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial, sponsored by the National Heart and Lung Institute, compared mortality rates and eating habits of 12,000+ men. Those who ate less saturated fat and cholesterol showed a slightly reduced rate of coronary heart disease (CHD), but had an overall mortality rate much higher than the other men in the study (34).

The few studies that indicate a correlation between saturated fat reduction and a lower CHD rate also clearly document a sizeable increase in deaths from cancer, suicide, violence and brain haemorrhage (34). Like the bone density experiments, such things are not told to the public.

Low-fat/cholesterol diets, therefore, are decidedly not healthier for people. Studies have proven over and over that such diets are associated with depression, cancer, psychological problems, fatigue, violence and suicide (35).

Children on low-fat diets suffer from growth problems, failure to thrive, and learning disabilities (36). Despite this, sources from Dr. Benjamin Spock to the American Heart Association recommend low-fat diets for children! One can only lament the fate of those unfortunate youngsters who will be raised by unknowing parents taken in by such misinformation.
There are many health benefits to saturated fats, depending on the fat in question. Coconut oil, for example, is rich in lauric acid, a potent antifungal and antimicrobial substance. Coconut also contains appreciable amounts of caprylic acid, also an effective antifungal (37). Butter from free-range cows is rich in trace minerals, especially selenium, as well as all of the fat-soluble vitamins and beneficial fatty acids that protect against cancer and fungal infections (38).

In general, however, saturated fats provide a good energy source for the vital organs, protect arteries against damage by the atherogenic lipoprotein (a), are rich in fat-soluble vitamins, help raise HDL levels in the blood, and make possible the utilisation of essential fatty acids. They are excellent for cooking, as they are chemically stable and do not break down under heat, unlike polyunsaturated vegetable oils. Omitting them from one's diet, then, is ill-advised (39)."

Now, one can eat no saturated fat and still have very high blood levels of it. Humans make saturated (alias animal) fat naturally, out of any excess calories. For this reason there is no specific link between meat eating and blood levels of saturated fat, any more than a veggie diet. As pointed out in the above quote, some vegetable fats, like those in margarines, are much worse for healthy than naturally occurring saturated fats.
Similarly your body on average creates four to five times more cholesterol than the average person consumes, and compensates by creating more when less is consumed. Cholesterol isn't evil, it is essential; it makes up the waterproof linings of all our cells and without it we would die. Too much can be bad, but as with saturated fats there are more healthy ways of disposing of it, like regular exercise. Anyway, it isn't so much how much cholesterol you eat, but how well your body handles it. A person who eats loads of dietary cholesterol and leads an unhealthy lifestyle can still have low cholesterol, and vice versa. Most people's bodies are able to take a large amount of cholesterol without getting atherosclerosis. For this reason that eating meat gives you heart disease is very misleading, and for the most part untrue. Of course, if you do have a problem eating loads isn't a good idea, but for most people there is nothing at all to worry about.

Mimi, in actual fact our digestive systems are much more like a dogs than a sheep's, we split away from them evolutionarily later. But nonetheless, even if that weren't true it'd make no difference to how our guts are designed, and that is to eat meat.
Neither would vegetarianism lessen world hunger, as there is already more than enough food in the world and every day huge amounts go to waste. The problem is economic, they're too poor to afford to import food should their meagre harvests fail. We can't give them free food because that'd bankrupt their own food industries. (who'd buy their food if there's free stuff floating around) and lead to the countries being even poorer.

The videos on the web only show the very worst, not to mention illegal, cases of slaughter. To suggest that that is even close to the norm is complete fallacy.

Shell, the ground animals use for grain could rarely be used for growing crops. For a start animals can be grazed on land unsuitable for crops due to climate, relief or soil quality. Secondly animal farming is much less intensive, a field of cows can still support wildlife, mostly due to that inefficiency you mentioned, a field of wheat cannot as it is stuffed full of crop. The poisons crops are sprayed with is also very bad for wildlife all the way up the food chain, and hawks routinely die from eating contaminated prey, so don't preach to me about the failings of animal farming.

Annie M, 157 people have contracted CJD (human form of BSE (mad cow disease)) ever. I don't think it's something you need to worry about.
Similarly Bird flu cannot be contracted from eating infected meat, you have to live in close proximity with infected birds for there to be even a chance (ie, they live in your house), and it's not in the UK or USA anyway.

Answer 2

Hey dear... come on i am a veggie... I have so many non veg friends... I really dont feel anything about anyone eating non veg food.... I just get upset sometimes for them when i get a feeling that they are eating some animal or bird that lived walked and flew one day... I really dont get any hard feelings at any of my non veg friends. To be frank, my best friend is a non veg... In fact on the lighter side, they make fun of me saying i live on grass and leaves!! lol.... Being veggie or non veg is just a way of living darling... I dont feel people are to be discriminated anything based on that.... I think someone hurt you bad for being a non veg or discriminated something to you for eating non veg food... Why do you let someone else's words or thinking affect you this much... dont hate us Veggie so much :-(( It hurts....... Live the life your way... Eat what ever you want..... As i tell everyone - ' Rest of the world....out of the window!!!'

Answer 3

Firstly you live the wild life alone, and secondly your stomach is not designed for a non vegetarian diet, people who eat non vegetarian food often complaint of acidity, constipation and gas, this is due to the indigestion caused by the toxicity of the food, whereas in vegetarian food you always have a light stomach and clear motions thereby not causing indigestion. This also increases your brain power that is why vegetarians are more intelligent then there counter parts

Answer 4

If it's natural to eat meat then why aren't you out there tearing up some flesh in the wild instead of buying nice plastic wrapped packages at the supermarket?

Answer 5

Nothing will happen to farm animals, my friend,let them live happily. Eating vegetarian food improves our health.Eating green vegetables, salads and sprouts should be in our diet. Boiled vegetables keeps us in good pace. Eating canned beef or other nonveg stuff stored and packed, some or other day spoils our health. High-fiber diet and other juicy fruit drinks must be taken.
Live longer without any illnessess or other things.

Answer 6

I became a vegetarian because:
- I was not going to risk the meat I ate as possibly been treated cruely. I feel very strongly about that.
-To stop my body eating meat that has had antibiotics pumped into it.
-To stop eating meat that was fed anything.
-To stop eating meat that has been grasing on bad fields. Chernobyl affected a lot of countries in Europe. And people are clueless on all the cancer over the years! http://www.gtk.fi/projects/espon/Nuclear.htm
-Didn't like the taste of meat.
-To stop eating so much bad fatty products.
-To stop bloating after meat dinners.

I do not think that just because we could eat meat doesn't make it right to do so. Some cultures in the middle of nowhere eat people. Is that ok? Of course not.
Just because I am vegetarian doesn't mean I want the world to be also. I just want people to know the facts of what they eat has gone through, what is in it, where it has been and how man is too greedy to care or take necessary action to solve.

Answer 7

i guess people think killing animals is wrong, esp the way many animals are treated in slaughter house and farms. some people become vegetarian because of the health benefits.

Answer 8

I always think it's funny when people say we're designed to eat meat, we can eat it, but physically we are more similar to herbivores than omnivores such as our digestive track(sp) and as for our teeth everyone is like"well why do we have canines?" If you think about it your canines are useless because when you eat meat you take a bite out of the flesh and it goes to your molors you're not using your canines at all, if everyone became vegetarian it would lessen world hunger because the grain going to livestock would go to hungary people, it's nice to see that there are still meat-eaters out there who aren't ignorant! Great question!

Answer 9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja9_-NtdSOQ

Watch the video...
I became a vegetarian 3 weeks ago when i came across a video of slaughter houses...
Animals have feelings to! They say a pig has a mind of a 3 year old... Let me see someone kill a 3 year old baby human for food then you let me know if its okay.

No suffering for the animals? They dont put them gently to sleep before slicing there throats open and watching them gasp for air kicking around upside down for mins before they die... How could anyone even work in a place like that?
Its truly sick and disturbing!

Ugggggg

Answer 10

more than "for the animals" its for ur health. and i believe that humans were not made to eat meat. in the begining we ate fruits and vegetables provided for us in the garden of eden. animals were always our friends. but ofcourse everything became corrupt after adam and eve messed up but these days meat is so bad for you cuz of the way cattle is brought up and most of the meat you are eating is from the sick animals that cant produce anymore mile "cow", eggs "chicken" a lot of ppl with stomach problems are because of meat. thats why doctors prohibit patients with stomach cancer or really any cancer to eat meat cuz it just makes it worse.....SO! its mostly for health reasons. hope i helped~ ^^)

Answer 11

Eating meat is a choice though, our first ancestors ate fruit and vegetables. There are other ways to obtain fat soluble vitamins and iron and a person can not only survive but really thrive on a vegetarian or vegan diet!!! If you feel healthy by eating meat then feel free, it is your prerogative!!
When I ate meat I had no energy, hated life and work (I LOVE) my job now!! I was really miserable and didn't want to do anything, I had red skin, ate salt had water retention and was fat. I was 22 when I turned lacto-ovo vegetarian and I feel younger now than I ever did then and have great skin (12 years on!!!!)You will find that there are lots of others who have turned veggie/vegan because they have been in a scenario like this. I often also get mistaken for a 20 something and have been cast in teenage roles!!!!

We would still have cows for milk and dairy, sheep and goats for wool and believe it or not pigs are very affectionate but all 4 animals would make great pets!!! I went to visit a farm with my daughter and was amazed at how sweet goats were and how lovely it is to stroke a lamb!!!
I personally think it is a sad waste killing animals for meat when they can be our friends instead!!!