Vegetarian argument

Some people choose to be vegetarians to avoid sicknesses. Eating the wrong kind of food, such as greasy, fast food meals, can be detrimental for a person’s health. One health risk is obesity. “Unhealthy eating contributes largely to obesity” (Manzella, 2010). Manzella states that obesity occurs because people eat unhealthy. Another health risk of eating unhealthy is diabetes. “The epidemics of obesity and Type II, or late-onset diabetes, are rising in parallel, driven by modern lifestyles” (Laurance, 2005). Laurance makes clear that diabetes is rising because people are choosing to live unhealthy. His word choice clearly emphasizes the seriousness of this issue. A health risk that is tragic but unavoidable is death. “Over 300,000 deaths per year are caused by poor nutrition and a lack of physical activity” (Van, 2008). These deaths can be easily avoided but healthy living is ignored. People need to realize living unhealthy isn’t something that should be ignored. They should strive for a healthier life style and one option should be to become a vegetarian.
The opposing side has many arguments against vegan living. One argument is that vegetarians are not receiving enough nutrients in their body to be healthy. “While there may be arguments that vegetarian living may not be all that healthy since it may not provide all the needed nutrients that the body needs, planning your vegetarian diet may well give you optimum health” (Esquibel, 2007). What Esquibel is referring to is that if a diet is carefully planned out, then vegetarians might be able to receive all the nutrients they need without necessarily eating meat. They can substitute other foods to get the same kind of nutrients but healthier. “You can do so by incorporating a diet that is loaded with a variety of vegetables, fruits and whole grains” (Esquibel, 2007). This is a solution proposed by Esquibel so that a vegetarian is able to receive all the nutrients the human body needs. Vegetarians can receive all the nutrients they need for their bodies to be healthy.
The opposing side also argues that vegetarians are still consuming chemicals in fruits and vegetables that are unhealthy for humans. “However, many fruits and vegetables test positive for pesticide residues, with about one-third of them showing up with multiple residues” (Craig, 2011). Dr. Craig shows that much of the fruits and vegetables people eat contain pesticides. “Research reveals that prolonged exposure to pesticide residues may increase the risk of various cancers and neurological problems (such as Parkinson's disease), and impair the immune system” (Craig, 2011). Here Dr. Craig explains why it is important to avoid pesticides in fruits and vegetables. People can get terribly sick and can go through many problems with their body. However, this doesn’t mean that people should avoid fruits and vegetables completely. “The answer from health experts -- and even the people who did the study on pesticide residue in produce -- is still the same: Eat those fruits and vegetables, but get them as clean as you can” (Newcomb, 2011). Newcomb states that health experts and many others agree that people should still eat fruit and vegetables. They just need to clean them. Another option is to buy organic fruits and vegetables. “There's lots of reasons to buy organic. First, it's better for the environment. No pesticides means healthier soil, water, and wildlife” (Moore, 2011).Not only are organic foods free of pesticides, but they are also good for the environment. It is possible for a vegetarian to attain many fruits and vegetables without any chemicals.

There are also ethical reasons as to why one should become a vegetarian. Very few people know how grain-fed meat is produced. Factory farms usually produce grain-fed meat. In these farms, animals aren’t treated as animals. These poor creatures are treated like products that do not hurt or feel pain. “Animal factories, also known as large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), go against traditional farming practices by treating the animal simply as a machine or production unit” (Adams, 2007). These factories do not take into consideration that these animals are living, breathing creatures that should be treated with care. They should be taken care of even if they are going to end up being killed. If they are treated better, then the chance of humans getting sick is less. “Approximately 95% of factory-raised animals are subject to deplorable conditions such as overcrowding, hunger, thirst and sometimes-fatal weather extremes” (Adams, 2007). Why are these animals treated with such cruelty? Do they enjoy seeing these innocent animals suffer? Maybe they just do not care. One of the big reasons is money. To save money, people will do anything. “The factory farmer has redefined what constitutes animal feeding a “bottom line’ effort to save money” (Adams, 2007). They say it is fine to give animals grain as long as it is cheap. They may be saving money, but many people are getting sick because of it. When people buy factory meat, they are supporting the way they treat their animals. That is why it is better to become a vegetarian and not be a part of it.
Not only are animals treated inhuman, but they are given antibiotics in order to fight disease. “In fact, an estimated 13.5 million pounds of antibiotics are used on factory farm animals every year in the U.S” (Adams, 2007). The problem with this is that the chemicals can emerge in the meat. People end up eating the antibiotics in the meat. This is dangerous for the human body. Processed meats contain chemical additives that increase the risks of cancers as well (Adams, 2007). Consuming these meats with chemicals can be extremely fatal for humans. “Sodium nitrite is one of the most dangerous chemicals added to processed meats” (Adams, 2007). Sodium nitrite is a chemical added to the meat to make the meat look fresh. This is the same chemical that can lead to cancer. It is best for people to avoid these products and try vegan living.
Vegan living should be practiced for health reason and for ethical reasons.
People choose to vegetarians to avoid sickness. Obesity and diabetes are a few of the many sicknesses that can occur from unhealthy eating. People also choose to be vegetarians for ethical reasons. The factories where the meat comes from torture the animals that are going to be slaughtered. These meat factories also give their animals antibiotics and chemicals. Living a poor, unhealthy lifestyle isn’t good for one’s body. People should become aware of this situation and live a healthier life by becoming vegetarians.