Meat Eaters vs. Vegans

There is a lot of confusion between vegan and non-vegan diets in how they are go to about getting their protein, vitamins, nutrients, etc. Meat is well known to be packed with protein and if you were to ask any athlete what they key to getting the protein, vitamins, nutrients, etc they need to build up their muscle mass and to keep themselves nice healthy; the most common answer is sure to be the many servings of meat they eat. What exactly does meat do for your body? Is it truly as healthy as it seems? Meat has an extremely high amount of protein, especially when it is unprocessed. Meat is a good natural occurring food designed for our bodies. The fact is, meat is the most naturally occurring, well balanced and easily obtained and digested package of proteins, essential acids and source of iron and Vitamin B 12 that you can find. Meat is said to provide all the things your body needs to be healthy. Many agree that a meat based, high protein diet is good for you. Meats make you grow to be healthy and strong. On the food pyramid in the second row from the top. According to the food pyramid, you should be eating 2-3 servings of meat. The food pyramid is defined as: A graphic representation of the structure of a food chain, depicted as a pyramid having a broad base formed by producers and tapering to a point formed by end consumers. Between successive levels, total biomass decreases as energy is lost from the system. Any food put onto the pyramid is labeled at high importance. In fact, the food pyramid is known to be the basic importance of outlining a healthy diet for yourself. It has been that way since we have first learned about it in elementary schools. Carnivores when eating meat are consuming many a protein and iron. Protein and iron are extremely important, your body would not be able to function without it. Knowing all the ways meat is a big help to people, how is it possible for anyone to survive without it? There are people out there that everyday survive without consuming and ounce of meat; they go to the strictest levels to avoid it, even cutting mean-containing condiments such as ketch-up out of their diet. These people are known as Vegans. By definition; A Vegan a vegetarian who eats plant products only, especially one who uses no products derived from animals, as fur or leather. Vegans go other places to get their food sources. The diet of a vegan is very different from that of a "normal" person because most of their food comes from plans. Vegans are able to get their protein from things like whole grains, nuts, seeds, pulses, and soya products. They get iron from foods such as; Nuts, seeds, pulses, grains, dried fruit, sea vegetables, parsley, green leafy vegetable. As well as other nutrients under similar categories. A typical day of meals for someone practicing veganism is: Breakfast- Caramel latte and cliff bar. Veggie burger with fries and a huge salad. Homemade wild rice soup and onion rolls. Homemade pecan pie.
This is just one option a person could have. To my surprise, you can find that Vegans actually do have choices from a wide variety of foods. There are often special cook books that have hundreds of different recipes made solely for the Veganism diet. That's crazy! A lot of Vegan eaters will cook their own meals because everything has to be prepared so specifically to fit their lifestyle. Knowing everything that I have learned about people who choose to consume meat and people who choose a Vegan lifestyle a lot of questions arise. Well if meat is so necessary, then is it truly possible for Vegans to truly be healthy? How do Vegans get their nutrients when raw means and poultry is such an important factor in our diets? Who is really leading a healthier lifestyle when the facts are put into commission? That is what I want to know. Digging deeper we can search on and on and find arguments for why meat is better or why Veganism will avoid unnecessary risks to your health that people take by eating things that can be substituted for something healthier. I'm going to try to find an answer weighing the pros and cons of both ways of living. Pros for a Meat eater: - There is high in zinc, which is important for a healthy immune system. - It contains more iron than most foods, and it is more easily used by the body than iron from other sources. - It is also a good source of other vitamins and minerals, including phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, selenium and b vitamins. - Excellent source of complete proteins - A high-protein diet based on lean red meat has been shown to help weight loss

Cons for a Meat eater: - An increased risk of bowel cancer was found for people who ate more than two servings of red meat per week. - The Mediterranean diet, which is low in red meat, has been shown to decrease the risk of Alzheimer's disease. - Excessive amounts of red meat can lead to a higher risk of osteoporosis due to an acid byproduct from digesting very large amounts of protein. - Eating red meat every day can double the risk of Arthritis. - A recent study found that rating more than one serving of red meat per day can double the risk of breast cancer, especially in young women.

Pros for Vegans: - The blood pressure levels of a vegan are generally lower than that of a person who consumes meat. - They have lower blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels than other vegetarians and much lower levels than those who eat meat (omnivores). - Their diets are richer in dietary fiber, higher in potassium and magnesium, folic acid, the antioxidant vitamins C and E, and the health-promoting phytochemicals. - Fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts have all shown protective characteristics against the major chronic diseases. – Those who consume high levels of these plant foods show lower levels of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and some cancers, compared with those who consume low levels of the plant foods. – Don't have to worry as much about catching diseases that are passed though animal meats.

Cons for Vegans: – Eliminating dairy from the diet does remove a good source of calcium from the diet. - There are some who think that Vegans will not get the nutrients they need and it will result in weaker bones, more prone to damage. – Being a vegan can cause some people (those who do not eat a good balance of healthy food) to have low levels of iron in their blood causing them to become tired or sick. – Vegans lack B12 Vitamin.

A large study in the United Kingdom showed that common bone fractures were no more common in vegans provided they consumed over 525 mg calcium a day. In addition to calcium, other components of a plant-based diet that are believed to protect the integrity of bone structure are potassium, magnesium, vitamin K, soy, and certain culinary herbs, such as thyme, sage, and rosemary. This checks the bone issue off the list. Also I have noticed that on almost every single article I read about healthy meats, it is almost always referred to as 'red' meats or 'unprocessed' meats. Well that is a nice though, how often is the average person eating meats that have been untouched? More and more, especially in America, people are getting their foods from restaurants or fast food places where the meat is always tampered with. In the fast food industry, there are even chickens nuggets that are actually only two percent REAL chicken! So how accurate are all these studies? But what if you are trying to gain muscle? If you go on a healthy diet of only 'unprocessed' meats and get lots of protein isn't it the only way that you will be able to get muscle mass? Surely you can't get what you need to build up your muscles sufficiently would be by getting the protein only meat provides right? Actually I found out that the common argument is false. Very much to my surprise I found out that the plant based foods vegans eat can actually have the same amount, if not more protein than meats have. From all the research I have done and analyzing the pros and cons I was able to find that most people will agree that Vegans are the ones who lead a healthier lifestyle. Because of all the diseases someone who eats meat is more prone to come across, vegans will generally live a longer life than that of an omnivore. There is arguments on both sides and it is possible to lead a healthy lifestyle whether you make the choice to eat meat or not. The cons of being a Vegan show to be significantly lower and more bendable than the cons of a omnivore. For example, if Vegans are getting low levels of nutrients, they can simply consume more but once a meat eater has cancer there is nothing you are able to do about it. The media makes making conclusions a lot more difficult now than if someone were simply given the solid facts. One of the biggest arguments is that it is said to be impossible to get your protein without eating meat. That is a false statement. Through my research I was able to find out that all protein found in meats can also be found in plants. Yes, it is possible to live a completely healthy life without consuming any meat and yes it is possible to still eat meats and have the same results. Yet in the general overview a Vegan surprisingly will show higher rates of survival and all around health.