Is eating meat necessary?

Question

Look, I know that humans are naturally equipped to eat meat--you can tell what an animal eats by its teeth. As humans have both canines for tearing flesh & molars for crushing vegetation, we're by nature omnivores.

BUT... we're not guided purely by instinct. Unlike a wolf or tiger, which MUST eat meat--people have the option of not eating meat and yet still being healthy.

I do eat meat, yet more & more I have a problem eating cows, sheep, & pigs. These are all pretty intelligent animals. Pigs are more intelligent than the dogs and cats we have as pets.
These 3 animals are advanced enough to have distinct personalities, to feel and give affection, and to feel pain & fear.

People who eat meat should at least once in their life have to slaughter a cow or pig... and butcher it, etc. To see how it's done, and to get a real perspective of it. I have far more respect for hunters who eat what they kill than people who only buy meat at the market and are totally detached from it all.

Answer 1

I agree with your last paragraph completely. My family hunts, and we eat what we kill. We do eat meat, and always will. We also eat most vegetables. I believe ppl should eat a variety though. Way back in the day, ppl had to hunt for their food, and animals were put here for that purpose. Other animals have to eat and so do humans.*

Answer 2

No, it's clearly not necessary. There are healthy long-time (even lifelong) vegetarians to illustrate this. Not to mention the fact that the American Dietitic Association has said vegetarian and vegan diets are healthy and appropriate for all life stages. I don't see a downside to being vegetarian. Everyone, no matter whether they eat meat or not, needs to put some planning into an optimal diet. This is no more or less true for vegetarians (although people will insist that it takes a herculean effort to make sure you get protein or iron or whatever the nutrient du jour is, it's not true.)

Answer 3

It tastes good.

It doesn't matter whether you buy the meat or if you butcher it yourself. You yourself told us that we're not guided by instinct alone. Buying from a farm/Safeway is much more efficient than going off to hunt for your own. It keeps the ecosystem balanced too, by keeping animals from running out. (Herding!)

It doesn't matter if they're intelligent or not. If they feel emotion or not. That is how the ecosystem goes, morals are unimportant in it.

Meat is not necessary, but it sure is tasty. What's wrong with eating a poor, helpless pig?

Answer 4

If you are a carnivore it is.
If an omnivore, not so important.
If a herbivore it might cause some upset.
Is it good for the eaten, probably not.
I'd like to kill the raccoons and chipmunks that occasionally invade my house even as cute as they are.

Answer 5

No eating meat is not at all necessary. The only caveat is that a strict vegetarian might need a b-12 supplement. Everyone needs a "B" vitamin supplement, and I recommend nutritional yeast. (I'm not sure it has enough B-12)

Answer 6

I have trouble eating meat. Unfortunately, meat is really yummy and has lots of energy in it. Hey, I didn't make the rules, I am just following them, right?

Answer 7

Or fish or chicken, yeah alot of us do prepare our own food and we have teeth that are specifically designed to eat meat, kinda makes me think they're there for a reason.

Answer 8

No not necessary But you will need to take a supplements

Answer 9

You forgot fowl. KFC rules

Answer 10

Sorry, but I plain and simple LOVE a good steak.