My response to people that say humans HAVE to eat meat...

paulamarsden

vegans weird me out.

vegetarians i can live with, but most of them look ill.

we are omnivores, thats why we have canine teeth and molars.

i enjoy meat, people are always ill due to poor diet, not inclusion of meat.

Soy will be the killer of hundreds of thousands of people, it is too heavily processed now and is carcenogenic fo sho.

jellerose

Of course humans don't "have" to eat meat. But adding grassfed meat and getting rid of the grains (mostly) has led to a nice weighloss with added health benefits in my life. I still don't eat much meat, partly out of habit, partly because I can't afford too much of the grassfed, non factory farmed stuff. But I do know that increasing meat in my diet hasn't harmed my health. Since starting the "primal" approach to eating my illnesses have been when I cheated too much and had too many grains and canola/veggie oils. I've known as many long term vegetarians to have chronic illness as those who eat meat. And saturated fat is good for you. Give me coconut oil and pastured butter over canola oil or vegetable spreads anyday!

dennydifferent

Having been a depressed, obese vegetarian for 15 years, 3 of them as a vitamin B12 depleted vegan, I simply cannot agree with the OP. I believed all the "vegetarianism is healthier" stuff too. From reading around the web it seems that a lot of people feel better in the short term- long term's a different story.

Nowadays I feel sad when I see young people embrace vegetarianism, who may be ruining their own health without knowing it, but I realise that there is little point saying much about it. I risk coming over just as preachy and condescending as vegetarians do. However, I do feel like I need to point out that it emphatically did NOT work for me, and I didn't even realise how bad I felt until I ate meat and felt better, if you see what I mean. I would have denied feeling sick at all, I didn't link my depression to my diet in any way. Since giving it up I've read of a number of other veggies finding their mood improves when they go back to eating meat.

Whatever, this is anecdotal and doesn't change anything. Suffice to say I have little faith in the vegetarian arguments I used to believe in!

IronmanPanda

All I can say is...

Kirkajuice

And about B12 deficiency? An easy supplement keeps me on the sunny side.

Peace and health to you all!

If you say being vegetarian gives you everything you need, why not get that from food? If you're that focused on everything you need for nutrition coming from plants, why put something that unnatural into yourself?

SueD66

I agree. I think we can survive with out it and have many friends that do not eat meat. As for me i choose to eat it. I think it is just one of the choices that we all can make on our own for ourselves. I just love that everyone has a choice and an opnion.

AspireXX

I have had so many discussions about this topic since I have decided to stop eating meat that I only have to say three things:

1) You can be perfectly healthy if you eat meat (in moderation and fromt the right sources) but you don't have to because:
2) You can also be perfectly healthy if you don't eat meat. Again you have to use moderation and the right sources.
3) There are many other reasons why someone becomes a vegetarian. Whether it is healthier not to eat meat or not is often mentioned and discussed. Ethical and environmental reaons, however, should also be taken into account.

sandislim

Our history as omnivores has developed simply because we could not sustain ourselves on one group of foods - in certain areas vegetation was lush and meat was scarce but in others it was vice versa. Man was an opportunist and probably ate anything edible he came across just to survive.

There are still people that live in incredibly cold climates (inuits) and their source of food is fish and seals. They eat the eyes, brains and fats for nutrients as they have no other way to get those. I think its valuable to keep an open mind about these things, if someone wants to live soley from vegetation or meat then thats fine - I think more studies should be done, because I think most of the health complaints if attributed to food are probably due to the methods we use to manufacture, harvest,farm , grow and process our foods and this should be looked into in relation to our health.

MrsT99

I always say that the vegetarians who tell me they don't eat meat because of the guilt about ending the life of an animal are full of *kitten* with all the respect. Living beings are living beings, and under the microscope they all have living cells, INCLUDING vegetables. Just because a tree doesn't have a heart doesn't mean it is not a living organism that will die when you cut it. What happens when you cut a flower and leave it on a table? It will die and dry. Same thing happens when you cut veggies and eat them. So that whole "guilt" is nothing but pure hypocrisy.

LOL so true! I always ask my vegetarian friends this. Where does this mystical line get drawn?

We shoud all be Fruitatarians, as the fruit of a plant is meant to be eaten! :P Wait.. but we are killing the cells in the fruit... that's mean. We should now sustain ourselves on sunlight alone. Let's be plants!!

I once happened to mention on a train that I am vegetarian as I had got chatting to some guys and got bombarded with this one. I had said nothing to spur a debate than merely mention vegetarianism and did not want a debate. I have always felt that plants do not feel the pain and bleed etc. I was more into the ethics when I first started about 13 years ago (now half of my life) but now its more like a lifestyle choice. I've never ever ever told anyone else not to eat meat or preached the benefits or told anyone meat is murder etc etc I've always been each to their own. (I'm the same with religion but that's a whole other debate)

I genuinely don't care what you choose/want to eat, and I guess the fact that some people preach means I find on most occasions when a meat eater finds out that I am veggie I often feel under attack on the defensive and like I forever have to justify my choices. It's my body, I choose what goes into it. my husband eats meat and I don't care, that's his choice. I have just started saying to people the fact that I don't want to eat it does not mean I'm telling you you can't. I will eat and not eat what I want thanks.

And I got overweight while being veggie - too much pasta etc.

Spedden

I love being a vegan, and my doctor can vouch for how dramatically my health has improved in the last the last few years since becoming vegan! It's a fantastic way of life!

kalepowered

QUOTE:
"I always say that the vegetarians who tell me they don't eat meat because of the guilt about ending the life of an animal are full of *kitten* with all the respect. Living beings are living beings, and under the microscope they all have living cells, INCLUDING vegetables. Just because a tree doesn't have a heart doesn't mean it is not a living organism that will die when you cut it. What happens when you cut a flower and leave it on a table? It will die and dry. Same thing happens when you cut veggies and eat them. So that whole "guilt" is nothing but pure hypocrisy."


Vegetarians are full of *kitten* because they feel bad for killing animals (with a central nervous system) versus a plant? Comments like these are, in my opinion, why threads or conversations like this get started. For some reason people feel personally compelled to jump all over vegetarians...I don't get it. Obviously you're not vegetarian, so really you have no place saying why one is or isn't. If someone feels guilt over eating something that can feel, can cry, can bleed, and can run away from a predator..."hypocrisy" is not the word for that.

Thank you. It's beyond stupid when anyone claims "plants have feelings too!!1" & says veg*ns are hypocrites. Um, no, plants don't have central nervous systems. Animals do. No one here is burning you at the stake because you're an omnivore, so please stop using totally incorrect line of thought (since there are real reasons for someone to be an omnivore too, I don't understand why rather than using a logical reason, people bring out the crazy talk), it makes you look ridiculous.

2fit4fat

I agree with labrat529...

You can choose what you want, I will choose mine. The one thing that bugs me on mfp is the preachy vegans (and some vegitarians) I will continue to eat my daily meat I love it and was healthy for years and years with it. You can choose not to... I choose to use my CANINE teeth and have that YUMMY GOODNESS :-)

songbyrdsweet

No where does it say that humans have to eat meat. There are plenty of plant based foods that provide adequate protein. Many of the top killer cancers and diseases of Americans are caused by food and poor nutrition, overconsumption of animal based foods, and refined sugars that cause high cholesterol and high blood sugar. 40% of Americans are overweight, and cost the U.S. billions of dollars in health care due to treatments and surgeries for otherwise mostly preventable causes (Diabetes, heart disease, prostate/breast cancer, etc.) Eastern cultures in which diets are mostly plant based, have little to almost bar none death rates of cancer and disease compared to Western civilizations in which meat/dairy consumption is part of an everyday diet. Not saying nobody should ever eat meat or dairy again, but we should be more aware of what we are putting into are bodies and cutting back on what is killing us. It has been tested and proven that we can prevent and even reverse most illnesses with diet oppose to prescription medications. (FYI to everyone) Many vegans and vegetarians have far few health problems than people who "have" to eat meat. Many who make the switch are smart enough to provide their bodies with the necessary vitamins and nutrition to live a healthy life. Many Americans have no idea how to sacrifice, even if it means for their health in the long run. It is sad we live in a world where our temporary satisfaction we get with the foods that "comfort" us, trump that of our lifelong health. We don't know any better anymore. We are raised with greed and overconsumption and most of us will never now what it is like to starve and struggle. Chew on that!




I am not looking for a heated debate, just opinions, and I love to hear what people from other countries have to say about this American argument. Thank you.

As someone with 3/4 of a PhD (so far lol) in studying diet-related obesity and metabolic disease and dysregulation....false.

VegesaurusRex

QUOTE:
"I always say that the vegetarians who tell me they don't eat meat because of the guilt about ending the life of an animal are full of *kitten* with all the respect. Living beings are living beings, and under the microscope they all have living cells, INCLUDING vegetables. Just because a tree doesn't have a heart doesn't mean it is not a living organism that will die when you cut it. What happens when you cut a flower and leave it on a table? It will die and dry. Same thing happens when you cut veggies and eat them. So that whole "guilt" is nothing but pure hypocrisy."


Vegetarians are full of *kitten* because they feel bad for killing animals (with a central nervous system) versus a plant? Comments like these are, in my opinion, why threads or conversations like this get started. For some reason people feel personally compelled to jump all over vegetarians...I don't get it. Obviously you're not vegetarian, so really you have no place saying why one is or isn't. If someone feels guilt over eating something that can feel, can cry, can bleed, and can run away from a predator..."hypocrisy" is not the word for that.

Thank you. It's beyond stupid when anyone claims "plants have feelings too!!1" & says veg*ns are hypocrites. Um, no, plants don't have central nervous systems. Animals do. No one here is burning you at the stake because you're an omnivore, so please stop using totally incorrect line of thought (since there are real reasons for someone to be an omnivore too, I don't understand why rather than using a logical reason, people bring out the crazy talk), it makes you look ridiculous.

Beyond stupid is correct. I have scanned through this tread and the one conclusion I can draw is that most people who post that eating meat does no damage, have either been living in a bubble for the past 64 years (since the Framingham Study) or are illiterate with respect to science. There is good solid evidence that meat is implicated in colon cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease, and many, many other chonic diseases. There are powerful epidemiological studies such as the China Study that demonstrate this correlation. There are American studies, German studies and Japanese studies that all show the same thing. The only contraray studies are those paid for by the meat and dairy industry, which usually focus on genetically unique populations such as Lapplanders or Inuit Indians.

If you really want to know the reason why people eat meat? They like it, and they are not willing to give up what they like for some extra years at the end of their lives.

songbyrdsweet

Hmmm. So how is it that I induce obesity, diabetes, fatty liver, etc....in my vegetarian mice? :huh:

cantobean

Wait....back up!

Who ever said humans HAVE to eat meat? I've known many vegetarians, vegans, meat lovers, flexitarians, but I've never heard anyone say that humans have to eat meat to live. Ever.

Before you go on the attack, maybe you should have an argument to respond to...


I eat dairy at nearly every meal, fish/poultry about once a day, and red meat about once a week. It works for me, but to each his/her own!

porffor

As a vegetarian, who groans everytime someone says something like this... I will do what I always do.
Politely smile and walk away, everyone is entitled to their opinions and food choices.

VegesaurusRex

Hmmm. So how is it that I induce obesity, diabetes, fatty liver, etc....in my vegetarian mice? :huh:

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1743-7075/6/43

VegesaurusRex

As a vegetarian, who groans everytime someone says something like this... I will do what I always do.
Politely smile and walk away, everyone is entitled to their opinions and food choices.

And choice of morbidity

VegesaurusRex

No where does it say that humans have to eat meat. There are plenty of plant based foods that provide adequate protein. Many of the top killer cancers and diseases of Americans are caused by food and poor nutrition, overconsumption of animal based foods, and refined sugars that cause high cholesterol and high blood sugar. 40% of Americans are overweight, and cost the U.S. billions of dollars in health care due to treatments and surgeries for otherwise mostly preventable causes (Diabetes, heart disease, prostate/breast cancer, etc.) Eastern cultures in which diets are mostly plant based, have little to almost bar none death rates of cancer and disease compared to Western civilizations in which meat/dairy consumption is part of an everyday diet. Not saying nobody should ever eat meat or dairy again, but we should be more aware of what we are putting into are bodies and cutting back on what is killing us. It has been tested and proven that we can prevent and even reverse most illnesses with diet oppose to prescription medications. (FYI to everyone) Many vegans and vegetarians have far few health problems than people who "have" to eat meat. Many who make the switch are smart enough to provide their bodies with the necessary vitamins and nutrition to live a healthy life. Many Americans have no idea how to sacrifice, even if it means for their health in the long run. It is sad we live in a world where our temporary satisfaction we get with the foods that "comfort" us, trump that of our lifelong health. We don't know any better anymore. We are raised with greed and overconsumption and most of us will never now what it is like to starve and struggle. Chew on that!




I am not looking for a heated debate, just opinions, and I love to hear what people from other countries have to say about this American argument. Thank you.

As someone with 3/4 of a PhD (so far lol) in studying diet-related obesity and metabolic disease and dysregulation....false.

As someone who deals with scientific literature every day, I really appreciate cites to studies.