Meat eating vs. Vegan debate

Another thing I thought about was, what would happen if in the future everyone DID stop eating meat and animal products? Baring in mind something like 95-99% of the population eat animal produce, with an ever-expanding human population, where on earth would we find the room to cultivate and grow so much food?!

Actually, it takes less resources and space to farm veggies than animals.

But wouldn't we need a lot more foods if we only ate vegan stuff? Plus we wouldn't be breeding and slaughtering animals anymore so they might need more room to live.

What? No.

Plants > Cows > People

Plants > People

That is less food because the cows (or pigs or chicken) aren't eating any plants - you are cutting out the middle man essentially.

And, if people aren't breeding animals then there would be LESS animals as the population is artificially inflated in order to provide food for people.

While I agree that the way we harvest meat is unethical, I personally wouldn't stop eating it simply because I like eating meat and fish.

You say it all here. Some people can simply not overlook the production and terrible waste that allows for the way North Americans in particular consume meat. That's a choice you've made (not the one I made), and if you think "liking the way they taste" is enough to validate your opinion- than go for it and live your life, and don't care about what vegetarians have to say.

Other studies show that it might not be a good idea to rear infants on a vegan diet...

This is something a lot of people have a problem with. My mom said right in front of me and my sister that she thinks raising a child vegan is child abuse. I do plan to raise my children vegan in my home (as long as they are getting the proper nutrition) and they can choose to eat how they wish outside of my home. It's all about education, not imposing your morals and beliefs on someone else.

Also, my sister asked me how she feels about me having to give my kids pureed meat when they're infants. I asked her what she thinks hunter gatherers gave their infants when processed pureed meat didn't exist.

Are you saying mothers milk is vegan? Some Countries ban the use of soy formulas for infants.

I don't think anyone, vegan or otherwise, would say that mothers' milk is not the best thing for infants. Plus, too much soy is bad for infants in any case-- as is too much lactose. Many babies are born with lactose intolerances.

the main argument is this: ONLY animal based foods contain vitamin B12. B12 deficiency is one of the leading causes of dementia in elderly adults and is one of the key "brain foods" we consume. you can supplement it, sure, but i'm just sayin'.

Lots of meat eaters have dementia.

People should be able to eat what they want (except for babies as noted previously :noway: ). Animals raised for consumption should be raised naturally and humanely.

Another thing I thought about was, what would happen if in the future everyone DID stop eating meat and animal products? Baring in mind something like 95-99% of the population eat animal produce, with an ever-expanding human population, where on earth would we find the room to cultivate and grow so much food?!

Actually, it takes less resources and space to farm veggies than animals.

But wouldn't we need a lot more foods if we only ate vegan stuff? Plus we wouldn't be breeding and slaughtering animals anymore so they might need more room to live.

key words, "we wouldn't be breeding and slaughtering animals." If we aren't breeding them we don't need to worry about a surplus. Of course, I don't know how that all would work with the animals that we already have bread....would they slowly lower in numbers? I'm really not sure. What I do know, is humans eat way less than cows so if we aren't breeding them we don't need to continue to grow crops for them and that frees up land for our own use.

The biggest thing about being a vegan is balancing your protein content. Most non-meat sources of protein are an incomplete protein, however this can be balanced by selecting a variety of vegetable sources that compliment each other. With this in mind, also take a dietary supplement as vitamins like B12 I believe can only be obtained from meat sources or a supplement. Oh - I am not a vegan

One complete source of vegan protein that I read about is hemp protein, but this contains a far amount of carbohydrate. Sorry, buying this in the health food store will give you the same effects as what some people smoke.

For what is worth, this subject can be objectively answered by science so there is really no reason for a debate. I hope this is helpful to you.

Yeah, any scientific evidence is greatly appreciated here! I'd just like to hear what others have found! I heard about having to select a range of plant foods to get the full benefit of some macronutrients that we get from meat.
The only problem with science, I find, is that you can come across research that says one thing and then get something else that disproves it! It's all very circular.

My father was diagnosed with cancer 5 years ago and given 6 months to live and a 5% chance of coming off the operating table. My mother has studied herbs and natural healing for years and I have learned a lot but there is still so much to learn even for her. My father opted out of chemotherapy and surgery and went the natural healing route because he said he felt pretty good and would rather just live the rest of his months feeling okay or sick rather than being poisoned surviving or not surviving and being sick all the time battling cancer for the next however many years. When you are as old as my dad, if cancer doesn’t kill you chemotherapy can.

My mom found a guy who studies Iridology, is a herbalist and Vegetarian. In short (or as short as I can make it) it is how our eyes can tell us what’s wrong with our system/body. Some of you probably notice that your eyes were bluer when you were born and now may look green or yellow or maybe brown. The idea is that there are two eye colors blue and brown. What we eat and our health and wellness factor the color. Have you ever looked close at your eye and saw small black dots or yellow bands and coloring? Well if you mix blue and yellow you get green. Yellow shows the sulfur in your body along with chemicals/pollution and if you have black dots, well those show which organs are having issues. Google Iridology chart and check your eyes out. Look it up if you want to know more about Iridology.

So, this guys idea is that we are meant to eat plants and I believe he eats fish but not positive. He gave my father a well laid out plan along with his really expensive and highly effective tinctures. This guy would have been strung up for being a witch back in medieval times. My father is cancer free and he did it by eating organic. There is a science to this which includes alkalinity and water purity and so many other things but he healed himself using what came from the soil. After his initial first year of fruits, veggies and fish he started adding in small servings of organic chicken and lamb which he does eat to this day. My mother went to California for two months just to study with a Raw chef and learn how to feed my father correctly. Yes, my father is doing great and I have met a lot of people who are living very healthy lives and curing what ails them by eating organic, vegan, vegetarian or carnivore.

I am not a vegetarian but I have learned that my body responds better to white meats. Chicken and fish are pretty much what I stick to with an occasional steak and the beloved burger, but I never eat the whole thing and it has to be cooked to Five Star perfection.

There is a lot of detail to living this way and I don’t think that we are educated enough as people to decide exactly what is or isn’t the best way to eat but I will tell you we as people we need to practice the saying, in moderation, when it comes to our food habits. Also that maybe it isn’t just a difference between eating meat or not but maybe we need to eat more organic, so start your garden and tell the FDA to go stick it!!!!!!

I went vegan for a few months this year. Once I found out how animals were treated, I was horrified. That is why I gave up eating meat for awhile. Eventually I went back to eating meat (I love chicken) but seeing how they stuck them in those cages killed me. Now I try to buy meat where the label says the chickens were not raised in a factory. I have also been investigating co-ops and farms and would eventually like to buy meat straight from a farmer where I get to see the animals and know they led cruel free lives and not pumped up with antibiotics.

Are you saying mothers milk is vegan? Some Countries ban the use of soy formulas for infants.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Mother's milk to made for babies, cows milk is intended for baby cows, goats milk is made for baby goats. That's histarical to say that ones child was not raised vegan because the child had breast milk. whew...thanks for the laugh!

Other studies show that it might not be a good idea to rear infants on a vegan diet...

This is something a lot of people have a problem with. My mom said right in front of me and my sister that she thinks raising a child vegan is child abuse. I do plan to raise my children vegan in my home (as long as they are getting the proper nutrition) and they can choose to eat how they wish outside of my home. It's all about education, not imposing your morals and beliefs on someone else.

Also, my sister asked me how she feels about me having to give my kids pureed meat when they're infants. I asked her what she thinks hunter gatherers gave their infants when processed pureed meat didn't exist.

They probably fed their kids they Alicia Silverstone feeds hers.

Seriously though, hunter gatherers were a lot more advanced than people realize. They could cook meat. They had tools. I'm sure there was a way to grind food. And if not, their babies probably breastfed longer than babies today do. They also get their first set of molars around 12 months old, so they can start eating a larger variety of foods.

I've seen studies that looked at the brain size of adults who were raised on an omnivorous diet versus a vegetarian diet. The vegetarians had a smaller brain mass. Humans evolved so successfully because of the omnivorous diet.

:laugh:

All the proof you need that we are designed to eat meat AS WELL AS plant matter, can be found in the mirror and in your gut. Look in the mirror. Notice your eyes are facing forward - an omnivorous/predatory trait. Open your mouth. Notice you have canines. Canines are designed for ripping flesh. You also have molars and premolars for grinding. In your digestive tract, you'll find specialised enzymes for both meat and plant matter.

I don't see why either side gets so inflamed, but I do get frustrated by people trying to preach veganism to me. Same as I get frustrated by people preaching religion to me, or their political beliefs.

I'd like to see you use your canines to rip open an animal with hide and all. Human's do not "rip flesh" we cook it, but it with a knife and chew it. ....sorry the canine thing just always makes me laugh.

The people I spoke to were saying how our 'canines' resemble those of horses more than of actual carnivores.

Well, I can't speak for anyone else but I have my steak still bleeding and my salmon smoked, not cooked. Our teeth becoming less effective is a direct result of developing the ability to cook, as is the deterioration of function of our appendix.