If meat is essential to humans, then why....?

Question

Sure, we can digest meat. But that dosen't mean it is good for us. Look at all the diseases that meat causes us like cardiovascular diseases and different types of cancer. If we are "predators", and therefore carnivores, then why:

1) Why do carnivores have an intestinal tracts that are 3 to 6 times their body length, when ours is 10 to 12 times out body length. If you ask me, that more closely resembles the ratio of an herbivores intestinal tract.

2) Why don't carnivores require fiber to move food through their digestive tract, but we do? Herbivores require fiber too, and it's found in plants and grains. They need it to move food through their long intestinal tracts, as do we.

3) Why do carnivores have saliva that is acidic to help pre-digest meat, when we have alkaline saliva, like herbivores?

4) Why don't we have claws or sharp teeth? Our teeth resemble herbivores teeth since they are more flat and better suited for grinding grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Answer 1

The people you are trying to reach, don't want to be reached - they're overlooking logic for a reason: They don't want to change.

You should focus on open-minded people.

Mark - So you're saying meat has "evolved" us to where we are now: Working overtime, poluting our own air and water, killing each other, resorting to medicating to relieve our multitude of problems?

J.R. - "apes are omnivores"  WHAT???  Apes are mostly herbavores, specifically Fruitarians.  SOME ape species have eaten insects now and then.

Answer 2

Since when is meat essential?????????

Answer 3

With all this comparing ourselves to other animals, you think you would have brought up evolution.  Doesn't it make more sense to compare ourselves to our closest relatives.

Monkeys and apes are omnivores, even to the point of eating other monkeys and apes.  And people are quick to dismiss the thought of insects as "meat", but what do you think chimps are picking out of each others' hair... seeds?

Just because we are built to mainly eat vegetation doesn't mean we are built to eat only vegetation.  Vegetarianism is a choice, and so is eating meat.  Comparing ourselves to other animals doesn't change this.  You can argue environment, ethics, etc., but humans have an undeniably omnivorous past an you can't change that.

You are under the impression that meat kills people.  And while fatty meats may not be the best choice for meals, vegetarians aren't exactly outliving normal folks by decades.  I've seen a few studies that suggest vegetarians may outlive normal folks by up to five years, but since vegetarians are generally more health conscience I can't say these results are definitive.  Health conscious people will always outlive people that are apathetic towards their diet.

And here's the kicker... I'm a vegetarian.

Answer 4

Because.........

5) Mass animal killing for food and fashion erodes compassion, reducing respect for all kinds of life-including human life.

6)80% of all the corn raised in the U.S.A. is fed to livestock, as well as 95% of the oats.  Altogether, 56% of all agricultural land in U.S.A. is used for beef production.

7) For each pound of beef hamburger made from Central American or South American beef costs about 55 square feet of rainforest and it's vegetation.

Answer 5

we do not have to have meat......only ptotein.ex..rice and beans

Answer 6

You are preaching to the choir, brother.

I don't think humans are physiologically designed to consume the flesh of another animal. Like you said- just b/c we can doesn't mean we *should*.

Humans are able to smoke meth...does it mean we should? Absolutely not. (lol)

The only other thing I'd add to your points is the fact that humans have to cook meat in order to eat it. Otherwise, it's sickness for certain. If humans are SO adept at eating it, there would be no need. It could be consumed in a way identical to animals, no?

:-)

Answer 7

"Omnivore" refers to the diet of a species. Humans can eat animals, plants, fungi, algae or whatever won't kill us. We are omnivores.

Just because I am vegan, it doesn't mean that I'm an herbivore. I could eat meat and be perfectly healthy if I wanted to.

This type of "question" gives other people erroneous thoughts of vegetarians trying to eat a more "natural" diet. The only motivation worth mentioning is the suffering of billions of animals every year. The subject of "carnivore" versus "herbivore" only trivializes our efforts.

Answer 8

In respone to Timmy's comment.

"......u could also say we dont have extra stomachs like a cow...so were are not herbavores."

Lots of herbivores don't have extra stomachs "like a cow". Just because we don't have how ever many stomachs that a cow has dosen't mean that we can't be herbivores.

Answer 9

Yes ... this IS a rant!  You are proselytizing your own point of view, and just asking "hypothetical" questions.  You aren't interested in any answers that vary from your own point of view

Answer 10

its simple we arent carnviores, we are omnivores...if you look closely we fall inbetween these guidlines......u could also say we dont have extra stomachs like a cow...so were are not herbavores..but thats just plain conjecture...the simple fact is that we are omnivores and meat can be very healthy il show you

Iron

Lean red meat is one of the richest sources of haem iron in the Australian diet contributing 52% of our total intake.  Iron in red meat is well absorbed compared to non haem iron in plant foods.  Iron is important for the transport of oxygen, production of energy and is essential for brain development.

Zinc

Lean red meat is a good source of zinc, an essential nutrient for the immune system, growth and wound healing.  The zinc in red meat and other animal foods is better absorbed than from most plant foods.  Because of this the requirements for zinc is 50%higher for individuals who are strict vegetarians.

Omega-3 fatty acids

After fish, red meat makes the second highest contribution of omega-3 to the Australian diet.  It is an important natural resource of long chain omega-3s having levels greater than 30mg in a 150g serving.  Omega-3s are essential to the healthy functioning of the nervous system and important to heart health.  Read the Feedback article about the research MLA has done on omega-3s in red meat (PDF 93KB)                                        

Protein

Red meat is a significant source of high-quality protein, providing all the essential amino acids.  Just 100g of raw red meat contains around 20-25g of protein.  The protein in beef and lamb is highly digestible - around 94% compared with digestibility of 78% in beans and 86% in whole wheat.



Not a major source of fat

The most recent nutritional analyses show that when trimmed of external fat, lean red meats are relatively low in saturated and trans fats.

B-group vitamins

Lean red meat is an important source of B-group vitamins including riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6 and in particular vitamin B12.  Vitamin B12 cannot be found in plant foods, therefore inadequate intakes of B12 are a problem for strict vegetarians.  Lacking vitamin B12 can adversely affect neurological function including memory and concentration.

Selenium

Red meat is an important source of the antioxidant selenium which helps maintain the immune system.

Vitamin D

Recent UK analysis has indicated that red meat may be a useful source of vitamin D which is essential for bone health.

EDIT hellinor we dont actually have to cook all meat to eat it...u can dry meat out and eat it raw...its perfectly fine...you can eat raw fish....so thats that

well tradition the same could be said that just because we dont have fangs doesnt mean we shouldnt eat meat

actually we digest meat better than plants....ever part of the meat we eat gets digested.....but we cant digest cellulose in plants..what does that tell you?

Answer 11

Are you quoting directly from the vege propaganda sites or just para-phrasing? The answer to ALL 5 of your questions is we are neither herbivores nor carnivores, we are omnivores.

Our bodies digest meat, that's all that's needed.

Meat is NOT essential. Some nutrients in meat ARE essential though. Those can be found from non-meat sources. Eating meat is a choice.

Hellinore-not all meat needs to be cooked. I eat raw beef and fish on occasion. The reason the meats need to be cooked is a direct result of the out of control human population. The meat animals are in most cases far from the consumer. Before they reach the consumer, bacteria begins to grow. Cooking is simply to kill that bacteria. A human can eat raw meat from a fresh kill with no ill effects assuming it was raised naturally.

We can go back and forth all day but none of it is relevant. Why are our eyes in front of our faces like carnivores and not on the side like herbivores. Why can't we digest corn and bean skins? Why do many beans need to be cooked to be eaten (kidney beans are poisonous raw)? It must be unnatural to eat things like coconuts that require tools to open.

None of it is relevant. Our bodies require nutrients. Where we get those nutrients is simply a choice and as omnivores we have MANY more choice than either herbivores or carnivores.

Omnivores are very dissimilar to other omnivores even. The similarities between a grizzly bear and a woodpecker are few. The similarities between a pig and a wasp are few.

"I guess that means that herbivores that can digest meat are technically omnivores too?"-Don't be throwing trick questions at me now!!...LOL

Answer 12

Aren't you glad us so-called meat eaters are showing you respect, in spite of your RANT, by not clicking on that "Report Abuse" button like the rest of the angry veggies and vegans do whenever a meat eater asks a question that opposes your views in order to get their questions UNFAIRLY and UNJUSTLY deleted....???

Answer 13

Humans can eat red meat it just digests and taste better when cooked. If it werent for meat wed still be swinging in trees and thats just the nasty human truth that we all have to live with

Answer 14

Why are you asking a question?? Surely you have all the answers.

Answer 15

I've seen those facts and I believe what your saying. It makes alot of sense to me what your saying and I agree 100%!!

Answer 16

To add to your list, Why do we consume other animal's milk, when no other animal does? Are digestive system's are not made for that, only for human milk consumption, but yet we still do it.

And all those "essential vitamens and c**p" can be found in other veggies. And if they are that essential, then the other herbavores in the world somehow get them too, right?

And see, i've been a vegetarian since i was born......ate chicken until i was two, but i didn't know it and i made the choice my own. I'm now 16 and i'm healthy. I don't take vitamins, just Vit. C when i am sick and i'll make protien milkshakes cuz i like them, and i've just started that this year. So tell me, if its so unhealthy and unessintial, why ain't i dead or have mental issues?

Answer 17

Who says it is "essential?"

I don't eat because I think I need it.  I eat it because I like it.