“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
Checke these Related Health Articles:
- What’s Your Beef? Your burger’s journey from the pasture to the plate plays a major role in your health Even, amidst the hype about links between red meat, cancer...
I love meat and we all die sometime
Exactly, Mr. Bobsmelly. To each our own; whatever makes you happy, my friend :)
How many of you know that every sip of milk you drink, with it, you are also drinking the scabs and puss from the infected duct’s of the cow??? HUH HUH???
I knew! I knew! Oh wait … no I didn’t. Oh wait, EEEWWW!
Drinking milk also increase the histamines in your body. Milk is species-specific; meaning, only baby cows can benefit from the proteins and antibodies in the cow’s milk. Ha, humans are the only animals that continue to drink milk after maturing. And it’s not even our milk!!
After reading all your comments I feel very sad . . . It makes me want to eat meat and drink milk in order to die that much sooner. Especially the tasty scabs and bloody embryos (or whatever).
Seriously though, I am a vegetarian and I could really care less if anyone else did or did not eat meat. Why is it that all vegetarians get on this higher then thou trip?
How about the fact that meateaters are usually irritable people, and are generally impossible to live with?
while i respect everyones eating choices do think that people should know the facts.
humans were not meant to drink the milk of other animals.
we have only recently as a species developed the enzyme to break it down.
i’m not saying that everyone should stop drinking milk, i mean, i’m a vegetarian and i drink milk. but i think that more people should be informed on the subject of what their putting into their bodies.
“developed the enzyme to break it down” — what enzyme would that be?
Hi David,
I think that the enzyme referred to by Bob is lactase additives. They are available from drug stores without a prescription. One form is a liquid for use with milk. A few drops are added to a quart of milk, and after 24 hours in the refrigerator, the lactose content is reduced by 70 percent. The process works faster if the milk is heated first, and adding a double amount of lactase liquid produces milk that is 90 percent lactose free. A more recent development is a lactase tablet that helps people digest solid foods that contain lactose. One to three tablets are taken just before a meal or snack.
Rajesh
I just want to point out that many of your facts are seem to show a correlation between eating meat and something else but how much of it is actually caused by eating meat and how much is other cultural factors. remember correlation does not mean causation a good example is that the loss pirates sailing the seas caused global warming. stating facts like these don’t necessarily mean anything. maybe vegetarians are more conscious about thier health and so exercise more creating some of these “facts”. Without scientific experimentation correlational studies cannot be taken as fact that vegetarianism has all these advantages.
It’s a “fact” that 1 million people die a year in America due to cardiovascular disease. It’s a “fact” that cholesterol is directly linked to the destruct of the artery wall — atherosclerosis. It’s a “fact” that atherosclerosis leads to strokes, heart attacks, and… death. It’s a “fact” that the only source of “additional” cholesterol comes from eating meat. I think the math is pretty simple.
Linda, the word you’re going for is “pus.” Not the other one. Unless you meant “puss” which is even sicker.
Eating meat, especially at night makes it incredibly difficult to wake up the next morning. No, that’s not scientific (that I know of), it’s personal experience. Try it, you’ll like it.
Brodie, your comment about this being a higher than thou “trip” is pretty hasty. The article wasn’t at all about changing behavior, it only highlighted the benefits to vegetarianism and the drawbacks of eating meat.
i never said that these facts could not be true or that they were not true the main point I wanted to say was the nature of the article and how it only gives corrilational data and no data showing causation. articles on subjects like the ones that you mention would show causation my problem is not necessarily with this article but the way people can rush to conclusions by reading correlational data alone you should go out and read SCIENTIFIC articles on the causation of heart conditions instead of just reading correlational studies. I have been to some bad websites lattly as i added alternative medicine to my list of stumble searches and just wanted to point out the problems in only reading correlational studies in an effort to improve better science. the original comment was mainly pointed at facts like “Scotland has the highest rate of bowel cancer in the world and they eat 20% more meat than the English. or A Yale University study revealed that vegetarians have nearly twice the stamina of meat-eaters” which came off as most prominant in my mind after reading it for the obvious faults in logic that can occure by only looking at these studies. I admit there are more causational studies mentioned above then i remembered but there are still some that i take issue with because of the nature of the information.
I personally do prefer vegetarian food. I feel it IS o.k. to educate people on the benefits of a vegetarian diet. I DO NOT feel its okay to shove it down people’s throats like this site is doing. I like vegetarian food for the health benefits and I like the taste better than meat. your little link about meat being feces is ridiculous and from what I read didn’t even back up their claims with what I thought to be facts. On that note, everything you eat turns into feces eventually. I agree that most of what is stated is correlations, not causes of. There’s also genetics and stress that go into those things too. I’m the only one IN my family that isn’t much of a meat eater, and still seems the people in my family have a life span longer than average. I view a diet as as much of a lifestyle factor as religion, neither should be dictated by anyone but you.
Every pro-veg site that I stumble upon which allows viewers to comment has at least one person who says that is it “forcing its views on people” or “shoving its beliefs down peoples’ throats.”
However, so far I have not come upon a site which does this.
Obviously, a vegetarian-based site will want to share the negatives of eating meat and the positives of not eating it.
It will only come off as forceful if the viewer wants it to.
I am veg’ since my childhood, and i continue. When i was a child i couldn’t support to eat my friends “rabbit” or “chicken” etc … Today, i don’t eat meat because i like animals, i find our attitude towards animals, grotesque and insane.
I would like everyone to take a journey in a slaughter house, so they’ll see.
We struggle for the rights of men/women, we have to take care of the animals rights, too.
Soon, there won’t have animals on the planet except those we eat, except our pets, dogs and cats, no more …
Françoise, an animal …. and of course sorry for my poor English :-)
This article makes me want to eat far less meat and maybe become vegetarian.I hope I follow through and do it….
hey, you people need to read your bibles ( oops I brought that up) certain animals are for human consumption…however BREAD is not white , RICE is NOT white, NOODLES are NOT white ….just a lil heads up , anything in moderation is not bad for you ….
I grew up on an 80′s smallholding with the aim of self suffiency (riding the wave of the Good Life), so a variety of meat and milk were the norm, and essential for the mindset of the time.
Now 28, I decided to go vegetarian a year ago. Expecting a massive shift in physical and psychological sensation, I was disappointed, or at the very least non-plussed. I also stopped smoking which increased my actual food intake due to no longer suppressing my appetite with the shitty poisons. This became a Catch 22. I no longer crave crap food (having almost given up chips and chocolate aswell as meat), but I am always capable of eating, in fact, always hungry.
Basically I guess what I’m saying is, regulate everything. Don’t start smoking. Work and play hard. Harbour good energy, then use it; you can’t lose.
Peace and fucking. X.
umm i love meat and i dident know all these things but umm its was i guess interesting
‘Love Emily xoxo
I ate only fruit and vegetables for the majority of a summer. I lost weight and looked great. I wish I had stuck with it. Unfortunately, a vegetarian diet contains a lot of fiber. I am a teacher and cannot run off to the bathroom whenever I need to. It’s also not as convenient as popping a Lean Quisine into the microwave. Too much salt, I know, but I usually only have 20 minutes for lunch.
it is my right to talk about the benifits of vegetarianism. there is no way to deny that the raising of animals for consumption destroys our environment. its my environment too and i have a right to do everything i can to protect it, even if that means making you feel uncomfortable about your own selfish, destructive decisions.
It is so funny to the the meat eaters clinging to there erroneous thoughts to be able to continue to adhere to a disgusting, physically devistating and hopelessly cruel diet. It’s in the bible? In Genisis God stated that the fruits of the trees and the greens of the land are for consumption of man. It was only after God got pissed off at man that he stated the man can eat meat but only after the life’s blood had left the animal. He did not say You could kill it. So run around and follow it until it is dead and have at it. Nut. Furthermore, there is no more cruel and unusual punishment than forced on that of the factory farmed, cows, dairy cows, chickens, etc. Veal calves are chained by their necks to the floor of a cell no bigger than their bodies and feed an Iron poor diet, never getting to stand so the the meat is really tender. And lets not forget while Al Gore is on the podium vomiting his rhetoric about saying the world from global warming while eating his cheese burger. I contend that Global Warming, or Global dipping to be more accure can be completely cured in the next 20 years if we stop meat eating and factory farming immediately. Hare Krishna
I like the statement made by Dr James. “So run around and follow it until it is dead and have at it”. One could chase their prey ..win over it and eat it. Sounds logical. Food is a choice!!
I am a vegetarian myself but I do not agree with *some* of the things listed here…
- Albert Einstein is not an expert on nutrition. You don’t ask your History professor how to cure cancer, do you?
- The study about 59% less cancer among people who ate small amounts of meat… it could be a possibility that simply eating small amounts of meat is good for you. Other factors like genetics or personal habits aren’t mentioned.
- Humans have a set of teeth designed for an omnivorous diet–we have a perfect blend of teeth designed to tear meat and to chew plants.
- a PETA quote? PETA is a terrible organization that has killed animals and its VP depends on pig insulin to live.
I’m all for promoting vegetarianism, but I’m not okay when any support for an idea comes from an illogical conclusion.
to Linda :
gee, i suppose you didn’t know veges are grown with the feces of animals and possibly decomposition of various animals, insects? not to mention industry grade pesticides, fungicides and cancer causing steroids?
i’m fine with scabs and pus, since your ignorance did not realised that milk has natural antibiotics and most milk are UHT.
But to your surprise, most soil has a good healthy dose of feceal material.
Enjoy your food ok?
maybe you should have a big glass of STFU.
YEAH! Just make something up, put the name Albert Einstein under it and it is TRUE. GREAT!!!
I feel so sorry for all those animals which were born with the purpose of being eaten one day. They must be so sad that some human being (who would kill a couple of thousand of little animals every day just by stepping on them (funny that these people don’t care about these animals)) prevent them of reaching their goal in life.
Sorry, I have to go, the steak is almost ready…
Free Me Video
Also…
Watch the Meatrix >>
note: these dudes are actually having “fun” torturing and beating these animals — absolutely sickening!! If we “must” kill animals, let’s do it without inflicting this sort of pain and punishment
I have been a total vegetarian since 2000 and made the move for health reasons. I don’t think it would be possible for me to ever become a carnivore again knowing AND UNDERSTANDING what is done to meat in its production.
If being a vegetarian is so great, why do they all crave bacon flavoured tofu?
i totally agree. yes we all die sometime but until then we have to live nice and with great helth…
well i believe that being vegetarian is essentially necessary to be preventive and stop those things mentioned in the article in some parts of the world it is nearly impossible to be a complete vegetarian. And if everyone were vegetarian then the population would have to be educated as to how to eat in order for the body to function properly.
Alright so a couple of thoughts I had while reading these comments…
We do indeed all die, I myself have been a vegetarian since the 3rd grade, and have never even given thought to the health aspect. The larger issue, I feel is a respect for life and the prevention of suffering. To disregard the widespread negative implications of eating meat simply because you enjoy the taste is somewhat self centered. The author of this article clearly argued for health reasons, and a vegetarian diet may very well be more healthy, but one thing to take from this article is that is not inherently less healthy than an omnivourus diet, as some would argue as a reason for not giving up meat.
As above explained vegetarianism is not about taste, in most cases giving meat up is a sacrafice of taste for reasons of health or morality. If tofu can immitate the texture and taste of a meat product without the negative effects, then there really isn’t any harm. keep in mind however that not all vegetarians crave “bacon” tofu, or any other fake meat product for that matter because to some the resemplance to the actual thing is inausiating (almost like trying to eat soy vomit).
Firstly in regards to pesticides, fungicides, and steroids, the market for organic fruits and veges is ever increasing and vegetarians are often times more conciuss of the decission to buy organic than other people are. additionaly, you may want to stop and think about the level of steroids in the meat products you consume. Steroids are used in factory farms to the extent that a chiken reaches the size of a full grown adult in only two months, its legs collapsing under the unatural gurth of the body before it is sent to slaughter. I’m affraid you would be a fool to not make the realization that there meat growth steroids are Oncogenes. Secondly, let’s take a moment to concider the nature of chemistry, in which the whole truely is greater than the sum of its parts. some of the carbon atoms in your face might have at one point in time been brontosaures sploog (pardon my french), but that is certainly no reason to be grossed out, seeing as how those carbon atoms no longer retain the properties of the thing they were at one time part of. keeping that in mind, likening the content of actual feces in meat to the content of nutrients in vegetables that were at some point part of feces. Things change after being filtered through systems, same as you wouldn’t piss into a gatorade bottle and throw it back in the fridge for consumptions later (though I doubt it could be all that much worse than gatorade to begin with…).
Why bother telling you that A) not everyone subscribes to the bible or B) the bible gives contradicting statments regarding vegetariansim, but does say that mankind were vegetarians before the origional fall from grace (and that having been made in gods image we did not eat meat, implying that god would not be one to partake in the eating of animals), because when it comes to relligion people are stuborn and don’t seem to care to listen to the other side. However your statment about nothing in moderation being bad is easily contestable, while anything in excess is indeed bad for you, it doesn’t exactly work backwords. Examples being… Plutonium, H2SO4, bullet to brain, cyanide capsuls, devil worship, broken glass, boy bands, ect.
Okoth, when text is encased by these —> “your text here” and a name is given below, that is called a quote. what this means is that the text was not in fact made up, but rather an opinion expresed by the person it is atributed to (if the quote is real that is, this one being real… 99% of quotes atributed to Oscar Wilde being fake).
Albert Einstein wasn’t a nutrition expert, true. but if it was something important to him I would think it is safe to assume he gave it a deal of thought, and I personaly have a great deal of respect for his thoughts, something I think he earnd through his contributions to science and his continous devotion to being a stone cold badass with a heart of gold. No one is saying to be a vegetarian simply because of his words, and there is nothing wrong with including the opinion of a man that we can (I hope) all agree was a genius. And aside from just a nutritional standpoint, Einstein was a man with a great concern for humanity and was most likely refering to the increased ability to nourish the population if the land used for raising farm animals was instead put to use growing crops. At least that’s how I’ve always read that quote. I would also agree with you that PETA is a detestable organization, but not for the same reasons you listed, PETA doesn’t kill animals because they want to, they kill animals that they cannot find homes for, and they cannot afford to keep them all at their headquarters, or to buy land to keep them on, and they do what they can by campaigning for people to have there animals fixed so that problem whont exist. Regardless of all that, even if the organization has its faults, that doesn’t affect the truth of the quote.
i agree that eating meat is bad. yes meat tastes good and has so much you can do with it, but its killing us all. i already know eating meat is bad, have known it for a long time. i eat very little meat. i eat maybe a pound of meat a week, usually turkey. since ive been eating less meat, ive had much more energy than before.
Repected Rev Hyles,
Your comments were very comprehensive and enlightening.
Could you please tell us, if the Old Testament propagated vegetarianism?
Great post. And that’s JUST the beginning. The more I researched meat, health, and a vegetarian/vegan diet, the more I was overwhelmed by all the evidence.
Simply put, despite common accepted belief, the human body really isn’t designed to eat meat.
My health, energy, stamina, endurance, and even metal/emotional health have all improved–naturally–by eating better foods. I’m even finding that eating fresh raw fruits, vegetables, and nuts is the most healthy, vitalizing, energizing diet. No contest.
We need to educate people on this. I’m not a vegetarian because I feel sorry for the animals — I do it because the health benefits are incredible!
And I think the animals like it better too. ;) hehe.
Funny thing is, I used to love meat and eat it all the time. Now I have ZERO craving for it, and I can’t stand the taste or texture if I have a little mixed in some food one time at a restaurant. I just doesn’t feel good in my body. I had no idea how unhealthy and low-energy I felt, until I started eating better foods. This level is so much better.
But, do your own homework. Learn the facts. The research and findings are incredible.
David
Great blog posting, I did not know some of those facts, but I do know that meat is full of antibiotics and fed genetically engineered food, and that the animals are tortured. This is why I became a vegetarian last year. I feel so much better now that I dont eat meat, people need to just give it a try and change their habits in hopes for a healthier lifestyle.
To: David Michaels
Well said! Your comment make so much sense and it would be amazing if more people were as open-minded as you.
To: All those vegans / vegetarians who commented,
Thank you for choosing this lifestyle. You are helping yourself, helping the planet, helping the animals, and helping the universe. Namaste (I salute you!)
110% agree and adhesion to the above !! a vegetarian myself, you should also include George Bernard Shaw quote:
.Pb is mankind is parted into beasts on one side (vast majority) and conscious beings trying to be better on the other…
yea yea, lol, I knew if I brought up the Bible, Id get that sa remark about bullets n stuff . Well , its like this, you eat your way and I’ll meet mine. Life is way to short to step on this crap. we have starving people , an un wanted war , people killing within their own families..fight something that can be fought about . Live and let live. I dont shove my meat on you and yea I eat LOTS of veggies!
why are the “sources” books from the mid 20th century? In fact, most of the “facts” are rather dated… If I wanted to prove that eating is actually less healthy than starving, I could probably dig up obscure old sources and make really vague references to them to prove my point as well. Most of the points made go without cited sources. Far from a convincing arguement.
yeah! more people must know the physical and enviornmental impacts. the consumption of meat affects everyone. if you think you can’t live without meat, EAT LESS! YOU BODY AND MOTHER EARTH WILL THANK YOU-
Meat repulses me. I do not consider it to be food at all. I am surprized that it is considered edible at all.
Beezer,
Meat repulses me NOW. But, I was brought up to believe it was food. So, I think a lot of it has to do with how we were raised and our perception/open-mindedness on the subject. My nephew recently discovered that a burger was made fromn a real cow and he was grossed out. I still believe that what we consume is our own choice. Howver, there is way too much false info and poisonouus food products being shoved down our throats. I do not believ in eating non-organic meat, nor do I believe that fritos are food. I’m concerned for people who consume things like protein bars, energy drinks and GM cereals and think they are eating healty. And that same concern goes for people who eat tampered (hormone laiden, grain fed or abused) meat
Simple. Meat is murder. If you can eat meat after watching the footage shown, no amount of arguing will persuade you. You are heartless and contrary to your opinion, this is not seen as “tough” or “emotionally sturdy” as you may wish people to think of you. More-so it shows your reluctance to think or empathise.Im sure a majority of you who are arguing against a vegetarian diet do(or have at some stage) had a pet dog/cat etc.Some cultures eat these animals as western culture eats cattle. So next time you cut into a steak, look at your dog and imagine its rover on the plate.The only difference- your pet may have been spared years of torture prior to its demise. BON APPETITE.
Try being vegan for a month and see if you want to go back to it all. See if you want rush headlong back to shorter breath, less concentration, sluggishness, irritability, higher body weight, dullness, less energy.
I tried being vegan and it changed my life. You really don’t have the right to rubbish veganism unless you’ve tried it. So come on, McHuman, what are you waiting for? Scared to find real food that isn’t overcooked/overpackaged/overpriced? FCK KFC. Find the real you.
I will not eat any living thing that could have once looked into my eyes and implored me not to.
Its very foolish to continue to eat meat even though you know how bad it is for you and the enviroment…
Great blog. I’m a tad disturbed by all the vegetarians posting that they disagree with blogs like this that “try to shove vegetarianism” down meat-eaters throats. As someone who became vegetarian way too late in my life, I wish that someone would have shoved the facts of my cruel diet in my face much, much earlier. It’s so easy to stay in a state of denial about where your meat dinner comes from… especially in a society where it’s a norm that is rarely questioned.
We have a responsibility to try to spread our friendly and healthy diet to others if we hope to ever reach a day where torturing animals is NOT okay.