Do you need to eat meat?

Question

How much healthier is vegetarianism compared to meat eating?

Answer 1

yes I do all diets are healthy if done in moderation

Answer 2

Healthy vegetarians are healthy.

Healthy meat-eaters are healthy as well.

Being vegetarian doesn't cause Jesus to magically shine health down upon you

These guys are doing quite well without meat.

http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/phpBB2/...

http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/phpBB2/...

Answer 3

Yes I do.

I have never met or know of a vegetarian who is healthier than I am. As healthy, yes. healtheir , no

Answer 4

Theres no proof that a healthy vegetarian diet is better than a healthy omnivorous diet. People say meat gives heart attacks and leads to obesity and diabetes, but its all bs propaganda.

Answer 5

nope...there are many other ways to get protiens and calcium and all that other junk.

Answer 6

Protein is extremely important to our bodies. it is more difficult (but not impossible) to get the required protein from grains and beans. Depending on the strictness of the diet, if you are cutting out milk and dairy products you will have a problem getting vitamin D and calcium and that is also another source of protein that you are cutting out.  Growing children especially should not be on a diet that is too restrictive because many parents aren't educated about all the vitamins and minerals and the children may suffer malnutrition. Adults will find a vegetarian diet easier than children.

One more point- just because it's "vegetarian" doesn't mean it's healthy. You can live on french fries and pasta and that's not healthy. However you choose to eat you should have a balanced diet and make sure you are getting enough protein, carbs, fiber, and vitamins.

Answer 7

Not at all!  I'm much healthier being a vegetarian!  I know the meat eaters will disagree but they are dead in the mind.

I was dead in the mind when I use to be a meat eater!

Answer 8

well i always ask people who dont eat meat what benefits they have ,the most respond that they feel healthier after they stopped eating meats  

Answer 9

If you define health in the narrow sense of weight loss, low-carbohydrate diets are more efficacious than low-fat diets, at least in the short run. Because meat is more calorie-dense than grains and vegetables, people tend to eat less of it, thereby losing weight.

In terms of health as defined by disease and mortality rates, a growing body of scientific research supports veganism as the healthiest diet. A 20-year study of health and nutrition conducted by T. Colin Campbell found a strong positive relationship between animal consumption and rates of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and cancers of the liver, breast, and colon.

In other words, the more meat, dairy, and eggs we eat, the more at risk we are for developing chronic disease. Conversely, those who ate the least animal products had the lowest rates of chronic disease and were less likely to die of those diseases. In fact, Campbell's own research led him to adopt a vegan diet, after many years of staunchly supporting the dairy and egg industries.

If you are interested in the science behind these findings, I urge you to check out his book, "The China Study." It has plenty of graphs and straight-forward explanations that present his data in meaningful, accessible terms. Other works about the merits of the vegan diet are also available, but I find that Campbell's book is the most approachable and eye-opening of them.

Answer 10

It's true you don't have eat meat, but your body need that extra protien you would get from meat or you would rather eat a lot of beans...

Answer 11

No, you don't.

Answer 12

Strictly speaking, no, you don't need to eat meat to live. Provided that you have a balanced diet and pay attention to any nutrients you may need to supplement, it can be a very healthy lifestyle.

However, and I wish some veg*ns would realize this, it is not a viable choice for everyone. Sometimes food allergies or other medical conditions make it impossible to get certain nutrients (that you would otherwise get from meat) from other sources. Also, it is a choice. I personally feel that what you put in your body is up to you, and no one else has the right to tell you it is wrong. So if you want to be veggie, go for it, if not, well, you might want to vacate this section 'cause you'll get a lot of hate. :p (Kidding, mostly.)

Answer 13

If you are what you eat..I would rater be a meat than a vegatable

Answer 14

one generally does not NEED to eat meat - you can get all your nutrients on a veg diet that may include milk & eggs (to be on the safe side ;-) ). there may be certain exceptions such as deficiencies or allergies, etc when meat-eating may be recommended ...

it is, however, a misconception that vegs not get enough protein or nutrients -- a well-balanced diet will give you all essential minerals, vitamins, etc. in a more easily digestible form.

a lot of it is cultural & societal conditioning & upbringing. most people i know are not meat-eaters yet are living to be over 80 without ony folic acid / protein / iron deficiencies.

both types have their pros & cons - so don't get into the extremes - the important thing is to enjoy what you eat - that even helps digestion & absorption.

personally, being brought up in a family of vegs (except for Dad) but with no restrictions/compulsions, i've chosen to remain a vegetarian & enjoy the vast variety of fruits, nuts, veggies, spices, etc. etc that veg cuisine has to offer. I enjoy cooking and regularly convert many multi-cuisine non-veg recipes into veg.

all you need to do is make your food more interesting & tasty by adding varied spices & fresh herbs - think multicuisine - don't be content just with salt, pepper, mustard & parsley -- spice up your veg dishes with a whole plethora of oriental spices & ways of cooking....

  

Answer 15

You do not need meat and americans get way too much protein anyway. As for being healthier: It depends.

1) If you use olive oil instead of other oils and stay away from junk, you will be doing great.

Answer 16

I would like to be a vegetarian but am worried about not enough protein.

Answer 17

I do not know if vegetarianism is any healthier than my diet but I do not intend to change any time soon.

Answer 18

You don't need meat.  I don't know the heart attack rate of vegetarians vs meat eaters but I am sure it is much lower!

Answer 19

There are some nutrients that are only found exclusively in animals and not in plants so if u are a vegetarian and u dont take proper supplements, theres a possibility that u'll develop nutrient deficit. But everything is healthy if taken in moderation..no one is superior to the other..

Answer 20

i need and i like :)

Answer 21

Of course you don't need to eat meat. There would probably not be any vegetarians if we needed to eat meat. How much healthier vegetarianism is than eating meat depends on how balanced each diet is. A vegetarian diet, like a non-vegetarian diet, can be very healthy, or it can be extremely unhealthy. But eating meat is generally considered unhealthy, especially when you eat a lot of it. It has been shown that you can significantly reduce your risk of many diseases by avoiding meat. Vegetarians also live about 6-10 years longer than meat eaters on average, but this may be at least partially due to other lifestyle choices that vegetarians are likely to make (e.g., exercise). Bottom line, if you reduce or eliminate meat from your diet, you are likely to experience at least some health benefits, as long as you don't replace all the meat you used to eat with junk food.