Arn't meat and dairy bad for you?

Question

Arn't meat and dairy bad for you?

Answer 1

No, if they are part of a balanced diet.  It appears that you are buying into much of the propaganda that is spewed here.

Answer 2

In excess, anything is bad for you, even water.

In moderation, meat and dairy can be part of a very healthy diet. The way they are prepared makes a difference. Deep fried mozzerella sticks and hot dogs aren't a good diet, but  a couple tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese and lean grilled steak can give you high grade calcium, iron and many good things. Milk sometimes gets a bad rap, but really, it is the first and most complete food we eat as babies, and is a good source of calcium and protien. The quality of the meat and dairy makes a difference. If you can afford the ones that are free of antibiotics, organic, or all natural, you will be healthier.

Answer 3

of course not. 100,000 years of human history tells us the opposite.

Answer 4

I know don't say anything if it isn't nice but what?  There are the food pyramid for a balanced diet but actually they hurt you?  The reason its hard for vegans to be vegans is because your body needs ingredients from those products but sadly our society doesn't allow us to get those products while being positive animals are being treated kindly.

Answer 5

Meat gives you nessacary protien, and dairy stores calcium for healthy bones.

Answer 6

No....

Answer 7

yes very bad for you.  

Answer 8

no

Answer 9

In excess, yes, just like anything else!

Answer 10

There are some benefits to meat and dairy, but there also risks. The negatives outweigh the positives. For example, dairy is high in calcium, but contains lots of fat, and calcium can be found in healthier alternatives, such as spinach or kale. Meat has protein, but leads to heart disease and is often raised in unsanitary, disease-ridden conditions. Protein can be found in soy products (tofu, for example),  and beans and veggies such as spinach. Also, it's completely unnatural to drink/eat dairy. Cow milk is meant for baby cows, as human milk is meant for baby humans. Also, the cow milk that is not organic is taken from the cows with unsanitary machines which infect cows udders and leads to pus forming. Dairy has lots of bacteria, and meat is not easily digested in the human body. It wears out the liver/stomach, which makes it harder to digest food later on in life. Carnivores have acidic saliva, which easily breaks down the meat, but humans do not. Humans teeth bear more resemblance to herbivores teeth, rather than carnivores teeth, which makes it harder to consume meat. Meat and dairy do have some benefits, but these benefits can be found in healthier alternatives, such as vegetables. Also, the negatives of meat and dairy far outweigh the positives. If you can't live without milk, try soy milk, rice milk, or almond milk. However, soy products contain a chemical very similar to estrogen, and should not be consumed in excess. Meat alternatives include tofu, tempeh, seitan, veggie burgers, etc. The belief that meat and dairy are essential to a healthy diet is propaganda by the FDA.

Answer 11

Armadillo meat is good for you. Wallaby milk is supposedly pretty healthy too.  

Answer 12

It's overly simplistic to consider any food 'good' or 'bad'.  Each has to be considered in the context of an overall diet.

In both cases the quality of the food matters too.  Unhomogenised low-fat organic milk will be healthier for you than full-fat, homogenised milk from cows that are pumped full of hormones and antibiotics.

The upsides to meat are:

* it's a complete source of protein

* it contains many vitamins and minerals (one of which, B12, is nigh-impossible to obtain from plant-based foods).

The downsides to meat are:

* it's often contains a lot of saturated fat (which causes cardiovascular disease)

* since it's such a rich source of protein it's very easy to eat too much protein (which has been linked to numerous long-term problems including cancer).

* it's a dense source of calories compared to a plant-based diet, which makes it easy to gain weight.

For most people the question is probably not "should I or shouldn't I eat meat?" but "Am I eating too much meat?".  For many people the answer is 'yes'.

MyPyramid.gov recommends a daily intake of 5-6oz (~150-180g) from the "meat and legumes" (navy beans, lentils etc.).  That's 1 large steak or half a cup of baked beans.  

Too much protein is a risk factor for many nasty diseases including heart disease and cancer.

The upsides to dairy are:

* It contains a lot of calcium (though protein causes the body to expel calcium and there's protein in milk too).

* Milk contains a lot of water - something many people don't get enough of.

* Yoghurt contains healthy cultures that help digestion.

The downsides to dairy are:

* It contains a lot of saturated fat (again, leading to cardiovascular disease).

* It's very calorie-dense, which makes it easy to gain weight.

Given the saturated fat levels and calories dairy intake (except for skim milk) needs to be moderated.

Answer 13

No, not in and of themselves. Moderation in all things.  

Answer 14

yes