The Vegetarian vs. no vegetarian debate
The simplest logic put forth by non-meat eaters is that the human stomach is not
equipped to digest meat as well as digest vegetables and other non-meat foods.
The debate goes on, sometimes violent in its beliefs, at other times with scientific
evidence in tow. There are various reasons for this diverse thinking, the most
common of them being the geographical, racial and hence cultural factor. Races born
to live in low vegetation areas, naturally survived on meats and animal products while the
inhabitants of the green planet could do with fruits, vegetables. Similarly those who lived
by the water bodies for thousands of years developed a taste for seafood, which may or
may not be shared by the inlanders. While it is a fact the food preferences are large
individual, this has not stopped the debate from becoming one of the longest topics of
discussion in the civilized world. Statistics claim that almost 7% of the population of
Europe, a traditionally meat eating culture, has turned vegetarian, including the Prince of
Wales.
The arguments in favor of eating meat are varied and many. The most important
among them is based on the belief that animal protein provides the best nutrition to the
human body. The answer given for arguments against meats on moral grounds, are also
interesting. Who, non-veggies argue, has the right to decide what’s morally true? Lions
hunt deer, is it moral or immoral? Nature has vested hunting rights in the strongest, by
brawn or by brain. So humans score somewhere near the top , in brains of course. Then
why is killing and eating animals wrong? Besides, connecting spirituality, a sense of
morality and ethics with food habits does not appeal to everyone.
In Indian philosophy, what we eat affects our thoughts, through our body chemistry.
Hence the three types of temperaments corresponds to three types of diets – satvik (pure),
rajasik (royal – spicy, hot, highly flavored and exciting – meats fall in this category), and
tamsik (dark elements, stale food, dark colored foods that excite negativity) Of course,
these are lose descriptions or the innocent burger will fall into the third category, owing
to preserved meats in it! But loosely, yes, our food does affect the way we think.
Which is why spiritual leanings discourage non-vegetarian and stale food.
Another strong argument that vegetarians give is that animals reared for their meatare kept in horrible conditions, often being slaughtered in inhuman (sic) conditions,effectively slaves.Their slaughter is often amidst horrific cruelty, where the animal diesthrashing in agony…and the argument is, how can we eat the meat of a creature that wehave killed this way? If we encourage meat eating, aren’t we encouraging thesepractices?
On more relevant levels, the idea is that meat based diets are often not good for
health.There is a higher risk of colon cancer and other chronic diseases where meat is
the main diet. But this may not be a very valid argument because here it is being assumed
that a meat eater eats only meat, no fiber or starch or any other nutrients, other than high
protein. In that case, toxins in the blood stream, slow digestion and putrefaction in the
digestive tracts are possible. Some types of cancers are known to be attributed to a meat
rich diet, rather, an unbalanced diet.But if a meat diet is supplemented by some foods
rich in fiber and carbohydrates, these risks can be done away with. Of course, there
are reports that a vegetarian diet lowers the risk of heart disease, obesity and increases
life expectancy, but again, it does not seem to be supported by conclusive evidence. It
would seem that diet rich in folic acid ensure longevity.As we see that the world’s
longest living people come from Mongolian races, majorly fish and rice eaters. So
then, what is the truth?
The truth lies somewhere in between. While it is true that vegetables contain some
extremely healthy inputs like lower saturated fats, a higher concentration of folates,
antioxidants and vitamins such as C and E, as well as a higher percentage of complex
carbohydrates, it is evidently not the whole picture. A lot depends on the type of
vegetarian diet being followed. While vegetarians by and large will have a lower BMI,
and lower cholesterol levels, there are a number of other factors involved in keeping them
healthy and disease free. Exercise, adequate protein consumption and lower consumption
of grease are some of the additional factors.
Scientists agree that the bacterial environment of the colon differs in vegetarians and nonvegetariansand this could be one reason for a lesser incidence of colon related diseases,
particularly cancer, in vegetarians.
Another study has revealed that across cultures,breast cancer rates are also lower in vegetarian populations. Prevention andtreatment of renal cancer may also be more effective in vegetarians.
On the other hand, protein intake in vegetarians may be lower than meat eaters andmay need to be supplemented; dairy products can do the trick. Vegetable products havea higher fat content but almost no cholesterol, and that includes the tiny members like
peanuts too. Animal products, on the other hand, are loaded with cholesterol.
Meat diets,
however, do not only give in nutrition, but also all the toxins contained in the
animal’s body, the un-eliminated waste products and infections, including the
disease carrying ones.
Besides, an animal about to be slaughtered secretes hormones
like epinephrine, norepinephrine and steroids, all severely toxic in nature.
Plants donot even come close to this.
One mention is made of hamburgers being made from cowswith four Ds – Dead, Dying, Disabled or diseased … and this sounds just like a horrorstory, considering how much we all relish our hamburger.
Another fact is that boric acid is widely sprayed on fish, prawns and other crustaceans to
preserve them, adding to their toxicity.
Meat eaters argue that plants and vegetables go through similar insecticide
spraying, but then, plants don’t secrete hormones and secrete toxins to counter
them!!!
Apart from all these, human bodies are not biologically equipped to eat meat.
Carnivorous animals have intestines, liver and kidney to support the digestion of their
food, but man has the intestines of a herbivore – very long. Besides, humans do not have
claws and pointed teeth to help eat meat.
All these arguments for against eating meat fall flat in the face of one single premise,personal choice.
There are people who just cannot do without eating meat, and then thereare those who cannot tolerate meat, whatever may be its virtues. The `BigEnders’ and the"SmallEnders" come alive once more thus, continue to argue, each extolling in the virtueof their belief. There are religions and spiritual groups, indeed, religions like Buddhismwhich extol the virtues of not eating meat and animal products, and then are religions like Hinduism where eating or not eating meat is a matter of caste, region, time of the month,season, day of the month, marital status, penance and a multitude of other reasons. Mostof these are, in many cases, are forgotten in the company of meat eating friends…and apure vegetarian at home is a perfect carnivore when eating out. As I said before, each tohis own…as long as one has the virtue of standing by one’s beliefs.
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