Vegans: I appreciate you trying to open our minds, but I think it's much healthier to have meat in our diets..

Question

and a few eggs and milk, all part of a complete diet. I am health-conscious and eat only lean organic meats and organic eggs & milk. Oh, and honey!

Isn't it much healthier to have lean meats (fish, too) in our diets?

Answer 1

The planet is headed for disaster if we continue to use the land for Beef, Pork & lamb.

Answer 2

Vegetables are rich in nutrients and vitamins, proteins too. It's not necessary to eat meat to be healthy....and also b/c vegans respect the lifes of animals...but yeah it's the "rule of life" I guess it's anyones choice  :)

Answer 3

It isn't healthier, but it is equally healthy. Any diet choice can be healthy if done properly but to say your diet is healthier than a vegan's is inaccurate.

The info. presented regarding cancers and blocked arteries is based on meat in general whereas the asker identifies with lean, organic meats and that's a really big difference.

Also, the planet is headed for disaster because of the sheer multitude of humans.

Answer 4

I guess if you think pumping yourself up with hormones is good,  then eat all the dead animals you want.

Answer 5

i'm a vegetarian and believe humans are built for a fleshless diet. BUT, i understand that we're also an adaptable species and i never try to push my beliefs on anyone. i'm sorry if you met a b******e sanctimonious vegan that misrepresented the vegetarian community. there's a lot of them.

Answer 6

Oh well that’s your opinion and you are entitled to it.

However, it has been proven that consuming animal products (flesh, dairy and eggs) directly or indirectly causes most of the potentially killer diseases known to mankind today, here are just a few:

Heart Disease

High Cholesterol

High Blood Pressure

Diabetics

Breast Cancer

Bowel Cancer

Ovarian Cancer

Gallstones

Kidney Stones

Osteoporosis

People normally have open heart bypasses because of heart attacks. Heart attacks are directly caused by fat blocking arteries. Fat that leads to blocking arteries is directly caused by eating fat related products – in other words, meat and dairy.

There has NEVER been a recorded case of broccoli and other plant related foods causing blocked arteries.

For more information, watch the following DVD’s:

“A Diet for All Reasons” by Dr Michael Klaper

http://www.vegsource.com/klaper/mail_ord...

“Eating Plus – Second Edition” by The Rave Diet

http://www.ravediet.com/whatsinfilm.htm

By avoiding animal products you will also:

Help save dwindling water supplies, as masses amount of water is used to grow grain to fatten animals just for meat consumption.

According to a recent Newsweek article; it takes 13,250 litres of water to produce one steak.

To produce just 4.5 kilos of steak requires the same amount of water as is used by an average household for an entire year.

Help end famine in Third World countries. There is a world shortage of grain for humans, as this grain is being grown to fatten animals just for meat consumption.

According to a Cornell University study in the USA, the amount of grain consumed by animals being raised for slaughter in the meat industry, could feed approximately 800 million hungry people.

According to the World Watch Institute, it takes 7kg of grain to produce 1kg of beef, 2kg of grain to produce 1kg of poultry and 2kg of grain to produce 1kg of farmed fish.

Producing animal protein takes up to 15 times more water compared with producing plant protein.

With a vegan diet you have less packaging to throw away into landfill.

With a vegan diet you have less greasy pots and pans to wash every night.

The less meat we eat, the less likely we are to experience negative emotions, such as, depression, anxiety, anger and violence.

EDIT:

In reply to lo_mcg.

Sorry but is has been medically proven, these claims are not unsubstantiated. The medical community is aware of these issues and has been for years.

It has also been proven that you can reverse these types of diseases by changing to a vegan (particularly high raw vegan) diet.

Over twenty years ago my doctor told me to give up meat and diary because they were directly contributing to a particular illness I had. I didn’t listen to him at the time. Years later, as soon as I changed to a vegan diet, this illness completely healed.

I am speaking directly from personal experience and years of study and research, so I do know what I am talking about.

I have actually healed five health issues and reversed the threat of diabetics since changing to a vegan diet.

However, if you wanted to stick with meats, eggs, dairy, honey etc.....organic would be the way to go, simply because it tastes better and contains more nutrients than commercial food sources.

.

Answer 7

Vegan diets, vegetarian diets and diets containing meat can all be  healthy or unhealthy, depending on what is eaten.

But no, a healthy diet is not necessarily healthier for having meat, fish and dairy included in it.

If you think it's healthier to include meat in your diet, then that is what you will do I'm sure, whatever anyone says here. But maybe, as you put it yourself, open your mind a little and realise that many people are very healthy on a plant-based diet too.

Trenardy, there it has not been 'proven' that meat and/or dairy are implicated in the cancers you name or any other cancers. Specialists go as far as to say that a diet HIGH in meat MAY be a factor in colo-rectal cancers, which is not the same as 'proof'. And there is no scientific evidence to implicate meat and/or dairy in breast or ovarian cancer either.

I can't argue about the other diseases you mention because I don't know enough about them, and I keep my mouth shut when I don't know what I'm talking about.

I'm vegan, and it does our credibility no favours when people repeat  unsubstantiated claims like this.

Answer 8

sure, if the idea of drinking blood and pus doesnt disgust you. milk by law is allowed to contain pus and blood particles. meat and eggs (even organic) are loaded with chemical additives and natural health hazards like cholesterol. you dont NEED any cholesterol as your body makes it's own, so when you're dying of heart disease and obesity at age 60 we veggies don't want to hear you whine, but nobody is forcing you to live our livestyles we just ask that you respect our choices.... which you obviously dont. by the way, take a trip to your local slaughterhouse and what those "organic" animals get processed. organic farming is pointless after the meat has been dropped on the floor and handled by joe blow that just went to the bathroom and didn't wash his hands

Answer 9

Hm, but *why* do you *think* this?

That is the real question.

Why is it that I do not think this?

Why is it that I believe that humans are not 'designed' to consume meat, or other animal products?

Answer 10

many people who spontaneously decide to become vegan have health problems because they're not used to it and eat the wrong things but as someone who has been vegetarian since age 8 and now doesn't eat milk (exept for goat) or eat eggs I can attest to the fact that being vegetarian/vegan does not kill you, rather the opposite, many vegetarians are far healthier than  many omnivores and many athletes become vegan for health purposes. further more the idea of eating three-day old flesh is horrible and animals, including fish, feel pain.

both my mother and step-sister are vegetarian and I have never once had to spend a night in the hospital.

Answer 11

i agree with you.that's why I'm not a Vegetarian.

at one point you have to meat so you can keep your self healthy

Answer 12

Honey, doesn't it make sense that plant foods are better for you than animal-based foods?  Your idea of a complete diet is a misnomer of society.  Do some research...you may surprise yourself!!

Answer 13

No it is not healthier to have meats in our diets, and by the way fish IS meat.

Why don't you mind your own business, these people are doing nothing that affects your life.

Answer 14

first of all, to truly be "vegan" one would have to completely stop using anything related to animals or derived from animals.  which would mean NO FOSSIL FUELS.  and i have reviewed the other answers all cover the human health issue quite well.  but PLEASE consider this as well:

"The livestock sector emerges as one of the top most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems.......of land degradation, climate change, air pollution, water shortage, water pollution, and loss of bio-diversity.......The impact is so significant that it needs to be addressed with great urgency."

*   Animal-based agriculture contributes 18% more greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere then ALL the forms of transportation combined.

*   The land required to produce one 1/4lb. hamburger (organic or otherwise), can produce 36lbs of potatoes and for every acre used to grow food for humans (veggie & fruits, & grain & nuts) -there are 14 acres growing Hay to feed the livestock humans consume.

If you are truely concerned, and "health - conscious"  then your concern should extend to that of the planet you live on.  cause if the Earth goes down, so will we.  GOOD FOR THE EARTH - GOOD FOR YOUR BODY - GOOD FOR EVERYONE!  THANK YOU VERY MUCH - LOVE ANIMALS DON"T EAT THEM.  :)

Answer 15

I just did an essay on this for college.

Sure, some meat is good for you.

I am not a vegan, just vegetarian.

Meat has in fact been linked to many different types of cancer and heart disease.  Meat is also not the only way to get protein, seeing as things such as veggie burgers are a good way to get them.

Most animals are tortured to get meat, which I guess is just something of personal views to each person.

When you cut meat out of your diet, you are expanding your horizons as well. You get to experience different dishes, and things you have never had before, because you instead filled up your plate with meat. You also get to enjoy more of the food pyramid, substituting fruits and veggies as snacks instead of a small turkey sandwich or something of the sort.

I am sure research shows that meat can be beneficial, but if you do the research, you can find out that it contains a lot of harmful things, can cause diseases, and there are ways to be happy having  a meat free diet.

Answer 16

Lower cholesterol and blood pressure is a very important benefit. High cholesterol and high blood pressure cause heart attacks and strokes. Both of these diseases clog your arteries and slow down your blood circulation. By eliminating animal products from your diet, which contain high amounts of cholesterol, you will automatically lower your cholesterol. Your blood pressure will drop within a few weeks of eating the right nutritious foods.

Less use of medication is a health and money saving benefit. Most doctors prescribe prescriptions for high cholesterol and blood pressure, stress, and weight loss. Vegans have low cholesterol and blood pressure. Most vegans also do not need weight loss pills. It is also proven that eating a lot of tofu and soy products help you to handle stress better. Therefore you do not need to spend your money and take pills that are unnecessary.

Some of the surgeries that you can help to prevent and possibly avoid with veganism include open heart, angioplasty, vein stripping, and surgeries for cancer.

Cancer is another disease that veganism will help you to avoid. Most vegans try to stay away from a lot of pesticides, chemicals, and preservatives in their foods, some of which have been proven to cause cancer. Studies have been done and have proven that vegetarians and vegans are a class of people with the least amount of cancer.

Having more energy is another benefit. By not eating high portions of fat and sugar you will naturally have more energy. Most people who consume a lot of high fat and sugar foods have less energy and tend to drag all day long. Instead, by eating a lot of vegetables and grains you will have more energy.

http://library.thinkquest.org/c004833/he... a nonvegetarian lifestyle has a significant health and medical cost. The total direct medical costs in the United States attributable to meat consumption were estimated to be $30-60 billion a year, based upon the higher prevalence of hypertension, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, gallstones, obesity and food-borne illness among omnivores compared with vegetarians (2).

A large body of scientific literature suggests that the consumption of a diet of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, and fruits, with the avoidance of meat and high-fat animal products, along with a regular exercise program is consistently associated with lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, less obesity and consequently less heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and mortality (1,3, 4). In African-Americans, the frequent consumption of nuts, fruits and green salads was associated with 35-44 percent lower risk of overall mortality (5).

A vegetarian diet is distinguished from an omnivorous diet by its content of dry beans and lentils. These take the place of meat and fish as the major source of protein. And there are so many different kinds of beans you can choose from - kidney, lima, pinto, cranberry, navy, Great Northern, garbanzo, soy beans, and black-eyed peas. These can be served with rice, added to soups, stews, and salads or a variety of casseroles, and made into different ethnic dishes.

Tofu, or soy bean curd, can be used in dips and spreads, or served with pasta or stir-fried vegetables. Soy protein contains isoflavones, such as genistein and daidzein, that act as phytoestrogens and inhibit tumor growth, lower blood cholesterol levels, decrease the risk of blood clots, and diminish bone loss. These benefits clearly translate into a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and osteoporosis (6).

Cancer Protection

A major report published by the World Cancer Research Fund in 1997 recommended we lower our risk of cancer by choosing predominantly plant-based diets rich in a variety of vegetables and fruits, legumes and minimally processed starchy staple foods, and to limit the intake of grilled, cured and smoked meats and fish. These methods of preparing meat produce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines which are carcinogenic (11).

Over 200 studies have revealed that a regular consumption of fruits and vegetables provides significant protection against cancer at many sites. People who consume higher amounts of fruits and vegetables have about one-half the risk of cancer, especially the epithelial cancers (7). The risk of most cancers was 20-50% lower in those with a high versus a low consumption of whole grains (8).

About three dozen plant foods have been identified as possessing cancer-protective properties. These include cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower), umbelliferous vegetables and herbs (carrots, celery, cilantro, caraway, dill, parsley), other fruits and vegetables (citrus, tomatoes, cucumber, grapes, cantaloupe, berries), beans (soybeans), whole grains (brown rice, oats, whole wheat), flaxseed, many nuts, and various seasoning herbs (garlic, scallions, onions, chives, ginger, turmeric, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, and basil)(9).

These foods and herbs contain of host of cancer-protective phytochemicals such as carotenoids, flavonoids, isothiocyanates, isoflavones, ellagic acid, glucarates, curcurmins, liminoids, lignans, phenolic acids, phthalides, saponins, phytosterols, sulfide compounds, terpenoids, and tocotrienols. These beneficial compounds alter metabolic pathways and hormonal actions that are associated with the development of cancer, stimulate the immune system, and have antioxidant activity (10).

A British study found that daily consumption of fresh fruit was associated with a 24 percent reduction in mortality from heart disease and a 32 percent reduction in death from cerebrovascular disease, compared with less frequent fruit consumption. Daily consumption of raw salad was associated with a 26 percent reduction in mortality from heart disease (13).

Summary

The consumption of a generous supply of whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits and vegetables provides protection against chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. A plant-based diet is rich in its content of health-promoting factors such as the many phytochemicals.

http://www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/upd...

Answer 17

Super-go, this reasonable question did not need that level of hatred coming from your answer.  This combative nature is exactly why the majority of people are turned off to vegan, you are not more "enlightened" than everyone else so you should not speak to everyone else from a high horse. Give what you think are facts, back them up, and check the snob attitude at the door

Answer 18

nonsense!!!!! try reserching and u will only find tat the most healthiest recipe is to have no meat..vegetarians can have proteins by eating tofu , nuts and so on.....

and congratulations to everyone who r vegans or vegetarians.. u ppl r saving the poor innocent animals!

Answer 19

hun im not vegan but im vege but many vegans don't do it to be healthy they do it not to kill or torture an animal

Answer 20

completely agree Mister S. unlike some questions, there is nothing inflammatory about it, she's just expressing & asking a simple question that a lot of people think about. i dont agree with it but its nothing to get mean about.

Answer 21

Well, the American Dietetic Association is one of the nation's leading nutrition experts. It says:

"...vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases....Well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle..."

"Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits....Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than nonvegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer."

So clearly, we can enjoy good health on vegetarian and vegan diets. Plant-based diets (which include fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and grains) are generally healthier than meat-based diets.

Info on organic animal products:

http://www.goveg.com/organic.asp

Answer 22

Being Vegan is not just about EATING it's also about humane treatment of God's fellow creatures here on earth.

Too many studies say Vegan or High Veggie are the healthiest. The most famous is T.Colin Campbell's The China Study. He actually started it to PROVE Vegan was not better but the opposite happened. There is no Organic that can change the fact that the human body is made to THRIVE of a Plant Based Diet. Just because the flesh based foods don't kill you right on the spot does not mean they are healthy for you in the long term.

You sound like you are doing your best(organic) with the diet you have chose,

Good luck.

Answer 23

You sound like a Republican because you are guessing instead of doing the research to find the truth.

If you do the research, you'll find the healthiest diet doesn't contain meat of any kind.  

http://www.whfoods.org/foodstoc.php

Answer 24

Personally, I don't think so. Yes organic is much healthier but, most people do not eat organic. So, the milk and meat they consume is filled with hormones that the cows were given. And milk also has pus in it, that isn't healthy its gross! Eggs are good for protein but, so are millions of other things such as veggies. For many vegans, were live this way because of our morals, it is wrong to abuse and be cruel to animals and make them suffer. Better health is an added benefit of veganism and vegetarianism because most end up consuming healthier foods. Morals aside, I still would not touch milk, meat, or eggs with a 1,000 foot pole, not only because I know where it comes from and the cruel way how but, because I know what is in it. Yuck!

Did you know that it is shown in research that on average vegetarians and vegans live 7 years longer than carnivores?

*For people who eat meat, the least they could do is go kosher, that way the animals' suffering is minimal.

G'day to you, or 'night, since it is 2 AM where I am.