“Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.”
Albert Einstein
Is Meat Good for You OR is Eating Meat Bad?
The facts supporting vegetarianism are overwhelming. Some health authorities feel that one-day humankind will wake up and will look back in horror at their own carnivorous and murderous habits. Animal eating is considered just one step below cannibalism.
Facts on eating animal flesh
In 1961, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that a vegetarian diet could prevent 90-97% of heart diseases. In 2010 President Bill Clinton stopped eating meat and dairy products to protect his heart and lost 25 pounds in the process. “I want to be able to see my grandchildren,” the Ex-President told the world. - Studies reveal 59% less cancer among people who eat small amounts of meat, compared to average meat-eaters. (Imagine how much better those figures would be when compared to vegetarians.)
- Scotland has the highest rate of bowel cancer in the world and they eat 20% more meat than the English.
- The kidneys of the meat-eater must work three times harder than the kidneys of the vegetarian.
- Although meat needs to pass through the digestive tract quickly, it takes four times longer than grains or vegetables.
- During World War I, Norway and Denmark could not get meat. The death rate dropped 17% and then returned to normal when they returned to their meat diets.
- The American National Institute of Health, in a study of 50,000 vegetarians, found that they live longer, have far less heart disease, and a much lower cancer rate compared to meat-eaters.
- In England, vegetarians pay less for life insurance.
- Studies show that vegetarians are stronger, more agile, have greater endurance, and recover from fatigue faster than meat-eaters.
- A Yale University study revealed that vegetarians have nearly twice the stamina of meat-eaters.
- Cornell University announced through major newspapers in May of 1990, “Humans are natural vegetarians.” The report said: “Animal foods, in general, are not really helpful and we need to get away from eating them.” “In addition to reducing the risk of heart disease, low cholesterol also protects against colon cancer, the most common life-threatening cancer among Americans.”
- World starvation is well connected to meat-eating habits. If Americans stopped feeding grain to cattle, the excess grain could feed 500 million people (not to mention the land that could be used to grow food instead of being used for grazing cattle). When people see those programs on TV about all the starving children, they should consider that their diets are a contributing factor.
Even milk is under the scanner:
Contrary to popular beliefs, pasteurized milk, like meat, drains the body of alkaline and electrolyte minerals. Milk that has been cooked (pasteurized) takes more calcium to digest than it gives back!
Recognize meat for what it really is: The antibiotic — and pesticide — laden corpse of a tortured animal. – Ingrid Newkirk, National Director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
references:
- Chemistry of Food and Nutrition, by Sherman, H., Macmillan Co., NY 1952, pg. 208.
- The Science of Nutrition, Sherman, H., Columbia University Press, NY, 1943, pg. 177-198
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I’ve noticed that in general when people have negative comments about these types of articles, they stem only from their own feelings of guilt. If a meat-eater had no moral conflicts about his diet, he would not feel the need to so strongly defend it.
And may I also point out that the most commonly-used reason for eating meat “but it tastes good” is simply not true. A piece of meat, cut from an animal and eaten, would be deplorable I’m sure. The meat becomes good with spices, seasonings, flavors added to it. All the same flavors that can be added to plant products.
Anyone who doubts the fact that a vegetarian diet is far superior personally & globally than eating meat is delusional. There are too many solid indisputable proven FACTS! Quit deluding yourself. It’s foolish to live in denial of the truth.
eating meat affects our earth DRAMATICALLY!!!
it doesnt matter if utr gonna die: it doesnt matter what u take with u, it matters what u leave behind!!
im 13 years old and a vegan.
if i can do it anyone can.
also…milk givs u anemia.
it has so many growth hormones as well as meat and isnt natural
i think some of these people are geting a bit carried awey with their views but i think people should still eat meat but remember that we all live once and whilst you are anjoying the meat people should think about the animals life and how it was treated as meat whilst it was alive we all have souls and deserve some respect no matter what form we take
I have never been a big meat eater,but I notice abig difference when I eat red meat compared to say fish. Why does red meat make me feel sluggish? My son says he has noticed the same thing.I wont touch it anymore.
Hello,
It is a fact that meat stays in our systems about 4x longer than veggies. it takes that much more energy to break down and assimilate nutrients and expel waste from meat. On top of that, many by-products and chemicals that come along with meat account for more confusion with digestion. And on top of that… if the meat is improperly combined with starches or sugars, it will again confuse the digestive acids. Our bodies simply don’t recognize it as food. Most of the time we feel sluggish it is due to problems with digestion. All of our health begins in the gut.
if your son must have meat occasionally — Try digestive enzymes (I like enzymedica brand), cultured veggies (like cultured salsa, kimchee or raw saurkraut) with your meat. Also try eating meat with vegetables instead of bread and see if you See a difference. if meat is only 20% of your plate, you should have a much easier time digesting it. I would even recommend eating meat in the afternoon rather than at night, that way you have more waking hours to digest.
Please let me know if any of this helps.
PS Some blood types, mainly A, have an easier time digesting fish. My parents and myself are Type A’s. we cannot handle beef at all. it has always been a problem for us.
Thank you for the reply.I would rather find an alternative to red meat but I have to say I dont care for beans or alot of what I see in the vegan diet.Any better alternatives?
quinoa is a grain with awesome protein. soak the grain before cooking or soak and sprout and eat sprouts. blue green algea as a supplement has great protein. a good balance of nuts, seeds, greens, grains and vegetables (mostly vegetables) will keep u really healthy. you do not need animal protein. However, you may also want to try cage free organic egg yolk lightly cooked with veggies.
After watching that YouTube video posted by Dave several months ago, of the animal torture — or, better said, downright disregard for Life by those “people” — I have to admit, I might not be able to look at a steak again, or my favorite: McDonald’s $1 double cheeseburgers. That video is heartbreaking and disgusting, to say the least. I wanted to adopt that one pig and that cow hanging up. Poor guys.
I have some wonderings now:
1. It makes some sense to me, as the human race has long treated fellow humans in much the same way, and we all know, or should, that that’s not right. It seems as if this behavior toward animals is simply accepted, like slave-trading was accepted 200 years ago. Hmmm…
2. Do animals have dreams and desires, like the song suggests? Do they just want to “live their lives?” Is this documented somewhere, or is it a result of us projecting our own desires onto other beings? (Which happens a lot, you know. Just check out the human divorce rate…)
3. Is there any win-win solution? Does “humanely killing” animals solve the problem? Is this mainly an emotional issue, versus a pure vegan/meat-eating issue? Either way, if people eat meat, then animals have to die. So what’s the vegetarian group’s suggestion for a solution? Nobody eats meat?
4. Personally, I have to kill mosquitos. They bug the tar out of me. Is that cruelty? And I don’t kill them humanely, either, when they’re sucking my blood. FUCK them. But, more seriously, where’s the line there, from a vegetarian’s perspective? At what point can a creature be killed, and when can it not?
5. If other animals eat other animals, then is it truly a moral problem for us to do so? Does a grizzly bear think about morality when he catches a fish in his mouth, when that fish just swam upstream back to his home, for like 6 months, and lost all his skin??? Then again, I also think nature follows the energy of the human race, which as I stated earlier, hasn’t exactly been vibrating on Love’s wavelength much, over the centuries. Perhaps mankind’s further evolution will affect the way other animals interact with each other, although that may be a little deep for some folks here.
Just questions — as this is a very interesting topic. I’d like to know the real truth here, one that “makes sense” down deep, ya’ know.
I, for one, have never gotten sick from meat or milk, and I’m also in good athletic shape. I don’t know of anyone who’s ever gotten sick from those things. I eat and drink what I want, so I can’t really relate to the idea that milk is poisonous or meat is a slow, silent killer.
But the thought-pattern intrigues me. There is definitely a destination for this wavelength, I’m wondering where it’s going.
Finally, I wonder how well Vegetarians treat fellow human beings??? Do they “slaughter” co-workers, or acquaintances, with judgments and derogatory gossip? Do they “poison” people with words of discouragement? Or are vegetarians all like Dave and Gina, who embody genuine love?
Hi Eric,
Once again great to read your words. I don’t think there’s one “vegetarian” perspective. I think people choose to eat the way they eat, support what they support etc. for many reasons. I respect life on a very deep level, but for me, the choice to not eat meat really stems from health reasons. I admit that as time has passed, it becomes harder to look at the butcher’s counter or all of those lobster in the tank at Whole Foods. Many people. my husband included, eat meat and say that it has no effect on them. I beg to differ. As my body healed (and continues to heal) my mind and heart are more open. My husband and I did our first detox together about 6 years ago. That had a major affect on the carnivore in him. afterwards, he craved green things :) So, it seems to me that build-up from an unhealthy diet can lead to silent symptoms like stress,etc. things that many of us think are just normal. Until we get rid of the crap and our eyes are opened even more. have you ever done a detox? I wonder what it would do to your perspective.
I’m just one of those people who feels that everything is connected. So I am mindful of the decisions I make. I would fight for humane slaughter because I know that there are people out there who want to eat meat, and many do not realize what goes on in these slaughter houses. I know people like my parents and grandparents have no idea about slaughter.
I just think its important as humans to do the best we can. If meat makes you happy – eat it. but know that every choice affects someone or something else, so make conscious choices. be respectful and loving to yourself and your neighbor.
I want to further gina Laverde reaction and can only applause to her consciousness of actions. We should all be concerned that any thing we say think or do is fraught with a reaction somewhere around us; this is one of the main reason why I turned vegetarian some 17 years ago : to stop animal suffering at my end, and to respect life wherever it is.
I think that people should just live and let live. I’m vegetarian but none of my family are but they have been really supportive and let me get on with it-my practically carnivore father has even complimented me on some of my vegetarian food! I think its pretty awful to label all meat eaters as slaughtering, animal abusing fiends-how would you react if someone refered to all vegetarians as pious, hippy prats? Yeah sure they eat meat, but the people I know that eat meat are concerned about how the meat and diary products they eat are produced and buy local free range products. You can’t convince everyone to give up meat but you can make them buy more ethically.
Phillippa,
Yes… for sure, I completely suppport purchasing meat (raising livestock) in a more ethical humane way. A vegetarian diet may not work for everyone. But evereyone deserves the healthiest foods possible. Lets feed the animals what they thrive on, let them graze and live and, should they be slaugtered — let it be in the most humane ways possible. One prob that I have is that thee unknowing consumer is purchasing discount beef at some chain discount store…. beef that was raised with hormones and antibiotics and fed horribly etc. these facts will affect the consumer’s health in the long run. But also, I feel many people would oppose such treatment of animals if they knew the whole story. So we must continue to educate each other, educate consumers, and place higher standards on what we eat and what we buy.
for me this includes most items you find in the average grocery store, not just meat products.
Thanks for sharing! Keep talking!
Gina
Hi everyone,
I am vegetarian for ecological reasons mainly and feel its good for us to cause the least amount of harm we as people possibly can on our planet. I think of the children of today and tomorrow aswell as the starving. I don’t place my values on others but invite others to eat less meat/have veggie days to lessen their impact on the planet.
love and peace
Back in college I gained an enormous amount of weight. I didn’t lose it when I left college. I gained so much weight that at age 32 I was 360 pounds. I was eating a diet that was not correct for myself. I switched to a diet of only meat. I started with beef, and ended up only eating pork. I am now 180 lbs and in great health at age 35. I will never stop eating meat, because it is what helped me finally to get in shape.
If you wish to be a veggie, you go right ahead, I have nothing against it, but to talk crap about meat the way these diet terrorist websites do is pathetic. :)
Oh, and another thing, ever since I started eating only meat, I have never had the urge to eat sugar of any kind.
–Riz
In response to foxies comment about how its ok to force vegetarianism down someones throat who doesnt belive in it because it’s a healthier or better way to live, do you feel the same way when someone tries to force a religion that’s not your own? It’s vegetarians that preach that give the rest of us a hard time. As soon as someone realises my lifestyle choice they get all defensive on me-no one wants to be given a lecture!
Linda- about the scabs and puss- you do know milk is purified so fat and foreign materials are removed, right? -_-
oh! btw… VEGGIES!!!!!!!! i’ve been a vegitarian since i was 2. i never had a taste for meat. plus, i think it’s kinda gross to eat meat. it’s like biting the arm or leg of your best friend! eww!
hey, did you know that there’s a gene in our bodies that suggests we were once cannibals? creepy!
bunch of eco faggots, meat is brilliant, if i could id kill vegetarians and eat them to…fuckwits :)
So what is the big deal about eating meat that may have feces on/in it? I eat feces all of the time. I have paid several beautiful Women to keep me in meal after meal of their excrement and i love it.
High quality meats, raised properly and fed proper nutrition are best consumed in their raw forms. Heating any food above its oxidation point denatures and alters its compounds, which can and do become carcinogenic to the body.
This is especially true for animal proteins. Given that our body’s digestive systems and abilities to assimilate nutrients from food come exclusively from digestive enzyme reactions, it is no wonder why raw meat is better. The pancreas must produce tremendous amounts of energy and enzymes to digest cooked meat. Whereas meat in its raw form contains all enzymes necessary for digestion. Raw meat digests itself.
The enzyme debate in nutrition cannot be emphasized enough. Food in its unaltered state is much easier and safer for the body to digest. Consider that more energy is expended to digest cooked meat than can be taken from the cooked meat itself.
Other benefits of eating raw meat over cooked is that of high quality saturated fats. Saturated fat does not cause heart disease despite popular medical opinion. Saturated fat that is heated above its oxidation point becomes an undigested waste product and carcinogenic. In its raw form though, saturated fat serves as a primary energy source for the body’s systems. It contains all of the necessary enzymes for safe digestion and delivery to cells.
Cooked meat contains cancer causing hydrocarbons as well as other carcinogens that inhibit optimal health and can significantly damage and inflame tissues.
If you think that eating raw meat is a fad, guess again. One of the most important books on nutrition ever written is “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration” by Weston A. Price, published in 1939. In it he documents his 10 year studies of indigenous, non industrialized cultures from around the world and found that the healthiest of these cultures consumed primarily raw animal foods including organ meats and very high amounts of saturated fat. Disease in these cultures were virtually non-existent. How many of these healthy cultures examined by Price were vegetarian? Not one. All of them included raw animal fats, proteins and raw dairy. Vegetarianism probably evolved from India, an extremely unhealthy and undernourished culture as a whole.
Cooking meat is primarily attributed to unhealthy westernized cultures. The American Indians were considered “savages” by the white man for eating their meat raw. Yet their culture was also indigenous and quite healthy prior to their takeover.
Since the earliest of times, raw meat served as the primary way in which man evolved. Today mostly everyone would benefit from the inclusion of at least some raw animal proteins. Many people cannot synthesize all of their nutrition from vegetables alone. One thing that is certain is that vegetarian protein sources are inadequate sources of 3 essential sulfur amino acids: methionine, taurine and cysteine. They exist in high concentrations in all animal proteins. These amino acids must be obtained from diet and cannot be synthesized by your body.
Michael, since we are animals, we produce cholesterol, too.
I’m not worried about it.
As for eating raw meat, well, maybe there are some digestive advantages. But I think the risk of E-Coli, and other diseases related to uncooked meat, would be a disincentive.
In answer to the question someone asked about why do vegetarians crave bacon-flavored tofu, I’ll say that I don’t like tofu. And if I miss bacon, it is only the smoked flavor that I miss. I can get that other ways.
I just read your post more thoroughly. Sorry to be redundant. I tend to agree that statin’s are overprescribed(*), and that the medical industry benefits. I was incredulous when I heard the other day that some doctors think children as young as 8 should go on cholesterol-lowering drugs.
* I also disagree, because people seem content to let the medical industry maintain their lifestyle-of-choice.
Michael, why would you think a vegan would suddenly be convinced to eat raw meat because of your arguments?
I doubt that many people (in this country) would consider it safe to eat raw meat. But be my guest, if that’s your thing.
I don’t know what your agenda is..
I won’t eat meat (or eggs or dairy) because of how the animals are kept confined, mistreated, transported in miserable conditions, and slaughtered by the billions in this country each year. I refuse to financially support those industries. It’s as simple as that.
“I fear that most doctors today know very little about nutrition and are really just legal drug dealers.”
I agree with this, not necessarily for the reasons you mentioned. But drugs seem to be what Americans are inclined to rely upon, to maintain their diseases. (That’s why I’m not sold on universal health care being the solution to America’s diet-related “epidemics”.)
So, what do you think of alternative medicine?
Alternative medicine can mean a lot of things. Oddly enough I think of “alternative medicine” as western medicine since it has only been around for 100 years. Western medicine is the alternative to health systems that are ancient such as Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine.
I believe that nutritional supplements and vitamin supplements and herbs can be used as a safe alternative to drugs in many cases. And it is interesting to note that many drugs have their origins in herbs and plants. I think the most effective medicine though is proper nutrition. Eating wholesome organic foods is the best way to build health within the body.
Of course environmental toxicity is an enormous concern that cannot be overlooked. Therapies that detoxify the body from accumulated environmental waste are very important. The governments of this world have allowed corporations to dump toxic waste into our air and water causing not only destruction to the eco system but also to our internal habitat. It is my opinion that individuals have the right to protect themselves from the powers that be. The fact that the American Dental Association has not banned the use of mercury containing silver amalgam dental fillings is horrific. Silver fillings contain nearly 50% mercury that is certainly a cause of mercury vapor out gassing and wreaking havoc within the body.
The FDA is manipulated and swayed by the massive pharmaceutical drug industry, as is congress. The drug companies are working on bills that would make it illegal to sell vitamins without a prescription. It is these crimes against humanity that threatens our individual freedoms. The fact that these things happen under our noses and go relatively unnoticed is evidence that the tightly knit media cartels have no interest anymore in reporting anything of substance to the public. Its time for people to wake up.
Michael, although I know next to nothing about the vast array of non-conventional treatments (to avoid confusion with Western Medicine being the alternative), I’m happy to say that we’re totally on the same page with our opinions of the medical industry, the FDA, etc.
Just my thoughts…
I have many associates who are, by choice, vegetarians. Some are vegan. I am neither, but that is neither here nor there.
I found this to be a good article, falling into the “food for thought” category, but never would I consider it a scholarly piece, . I do not believe the author meant it as so.
Statistics may be used to prove both sides of an argument, which is why healthy debate forms such a strong part of true learning.
Many areas of the world have lower incidence of heart problems and cancers due perhaps in part to a minimal consumption of meat, but many other factors must be studied. It is true that so called “western” civilization eats far too much meat per capita than the so called “developing” world. Too much of anything is bad…try eating too much Equisitum and you will find out where I am going with this.
It would be interesting to see what the incidence of bowel cancer is among tribes such as the Masai, who regularly drink cow blood mixed with cow milk for their needed proteins…such an obviously carnivorous meal should be killing them off like flies…
An article I would like to see is one where both sides of the (sometimes heated) vegan/omnivore argument are presented with proper citations, sans hyperbole.
Again, not trying to cast oil on flames just airing my views, which I believe is what the author was doing with this article.
An interesting historical note would be to say that the most destructive and antagonistic armies in history usually fought on rice, grains, vinegar, and little meat.
I’m no health expert, but dug out two things I remembered about Dr. McDougall’s observations from years ago.
http://www.pcrm.org/magazine/gm05spring/mcdougall_profile.html
http://www.drmcdougall.com/newsletter/apr_may.99.2.html (Under “Poverty and Long Life”, about 3 “page downs”)
But again, I’m not a vegan for my health. I just want to be healthy enough to demonstrate that animal products are not necessary in one’s diet. Mainly, I simply do not want to financially support, or add to the consumer demand that perpetuates, a powerful and exploitive industry that causes so much suffering for so many billions of animals each year.
even after reading all these one can’t continue with non-veg.even if he continues he is for sure not human but demon.@ meat eaters,why taste only animals’ meat, try man’s meat too….. why don’t u try your kins’ meat??
A major religion of India, Hinduism always teach people to avoid to consume meat as it is considered a sin in it (Hinduism). I think the thinkers of Hinduism of yester years knew the side effects of meat and they had followed the simplest way to use religion to keep away people from eating meat. New researches also have disclosed that consuming meat is harmful for health in different ways. Now people are able to recognise the words said in Hinduism against meat.
what a great discussion, much better than the ones on youtube in response to animal cruelty videos. You people have intelligent informed opinions it’s very interesting to read. I love being vegetarian!
Vegetables dont get you muscles like me,
protein does….
Don’t cows naturally eat things like grass? How do they build their muscles?
I think that we all should not eat meat..why can’t we harvest off the animals instead? We would require very little if we all ate organic, farm eggs raw, raw milk, raw gee, we would not have to consume very much. My two girls and I eat raw..have been for about 2 years. We eat raw eggs everyday, raw coconut oil(saturated fat), we sprout our own grains and then eat them in a raw salad..We do not even own a stove, only a hot plate (by choice). We make raw deserts which are so very very tasty, our chocolate is in the raw, unferment beans and crushed beans..We are so healthy. For 30 years I have worn glasses, I no longer need them. I am reversing in age looking…I love eating raw and would not eat any more meat..we don’t need it..The saying goes in India, ” If you want to get to know what certain people are like, see how they treat their animals”.. They don’t eat meat! Also, we don’t look like concentration camp people..we get alot of protein from raw eggs, raw veggies, and not least, sprouted rye, sprouted rye puts protein in your muscles…amazing….
Coconutbev
http://www.cocolocobev.com
Amen to that Dr. James
Meat doesn’t cause cancer, if you eat it in moderation. When people pig out on meat they’re the ones that get cancer not us that eat it in normal portions.
Beat that VEGGIE HEADS!!
Why all these ridiculously vague bible references from some posters? There is nothing in the bible to support eating meat. We’re not even sure that Christ ate fish. But for those who insist on bringing the bible into it, how about:
Genesis l:29 Behold I have given you herb yielding seed. To you it shall be for meat.
or
Isaiah: He that slayeth an ox is as he that killeth a human.
There are 40 or 50 more examples. Google it, if you don’t believe me. Then learn your bible before you start thumping it at those you disagree with.
Eating meat is wrong, period. It’s murder. Factory farming has no resemblence to the “good stewardship of the earth” that God entrusted to us.