Vegetarian Controversy

In today’s fast paced society, many people are choosing to be more health conscious about what they eat and there are many types of diets that promote a healthy lifestyle. For example, pescatarians are more likely to reduce eating meat; besides fish, and people who eat a raw food diet only consume plant-based foods. There are many motives that would draw people into consuming a vegetarian diet. The exclusion of meat from diets due to moral, health or religious issues may be the leading cause to living a longer and healthier life according to ¬¬¬-researchers, who claim vegetarians can add 3.7 years to their life expectancy. (The Independent 2014). Vegetarianism dates back to a time before recorded history, with anthropologists hypothesizing
that most early humans consumed primarily plants with routes in ancient India. Although, the diet was not first popular in North American until 1971, when Frances Moore Lappe’s published a bestselling book on the proper diet for a small planet, it created a new perspective on the American diet.
(Lappe 1971). Plus an individual who is a vegetarian is more likely to be female than male at an estimated rate of 59% female, 41% male. (Vegetarian Times 2016). The topic of whether eliminating meat from ones diet is the best route to take in life or not sparks a lot of controversy amongst vegetarians and those who do consume meat. The objective of this paper is to determine the main benefits of consuming a vegetarian diet, in relation to nutrition and wellness, diseases and cancers, and the environment.

Nutrition and Wellness
Vegetarians consume many products that would allow them to live a more satisfied and longer life. A study conducted by the Mayo clinic in Arizona looked at data from 6 different studies involving approximately 1.5 million people who recorded their meat consumption from 5 to 28 years. Studies showed that those who consumed had a higher mortality rate than those who did not. Those who were vegetarians for 17 years or more had increased their life expectancy by 3.7 years. (Spectator Health 2016). The benefits of not consuming meat products may result in a different lifestyle due to the fact that there are many alternatives to replace meat from ones diet and the
possibility to attain more nutrients by doing so. Eating more salads for example, would be one option to replacing meat. Lettuce is full of fiber, potassium, copper, iron, vitamin B1 and C, which are nutrients that meat would not always have. (Nutrition Data 2014). Sources of protein can be found in tofu, black beans and quinoa. (Nutrition Data 2014). Iron can be gained through legumes, grains and nuts and seeds, plus zinc can be obtained through, nuts, fortified cereals and whole grains. (Nutrition Data 2014). It is very easy for vegetarians to obtain all the nutrients that come from meat, in their daily diet from other sources, which would allow for an increase in mortality. Speaking of mortality, a research team led by Drs. Michael Orlich and Gary Fraser at Loma Linda University explored the connections between dietary patterns and death in men and women. The 73,000 people studied aged 25 and over, all had different dietary patterns. (Torgan 2013). Over 6 years, 2,570 of these participants died, with majority of the people who died being meat eaters, and a small portion being vegetarians. ( Torgan 2013). This result could be from vegetarians eating less saturated fat that come from in beef, lamb, pork and poultry that still have the skin on it, and more unsaturated fats coming from olives, nuts, avocadoes and vegetable oils. Vegetarians tend to live longer and fuller lives than those who eat meat. With the added nutrients and the decrease in saturated fats seems to be boosting vegetarians wellness, and helping them to achieve a longer and healthier life.

Diseases and Cancer
With the rise of diseases and cancers in today’s modern era, many people want to start watching they are feeding their bodies. A study conducted in 2014, comparing meat consumption and cardiovascular disease showed how processed meat was leading people to living a shorter life. Plus a review carried out in 2003 with more than 500,000 participants found a decreased risk of 25 per cent of all-cause mortality for those with very low meat intake compared with higher meat intake. (Spectator Health 2016). This data helps to reinforce what scientists have known for a long time now, that one’s diet has great potential to harm one’s life. Plus, vegetarians tend to avoid more unwanted fats. Red meat typically contains saturated fats, which raises your levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) that are harmful to our arteries by increasing plaque. The American Heart Association has come out to say that Vegetarians have a lower risk of heart disease than those who eat who eat meat. Many studies conducted by the association have proven that vegetarians also have a decreased risk of coronary heart disease and high blood pressure. (American Heart Association 2015). With the increase of low-density lipids, one would be increasing their risk of heart disease and stroke because this type of cholesterol increases the amount of the plaque in the arteries blocking blood flow. Not to mention, but vegetarians are also reducing their risk of getting cancer. The World Health Organization, conducted and did research on over 800 studies, classifying meat as carcinogenic. A 50 grams serving of bacon, sausage, hot dogs and deli meat every day will increase your chances of getting colon cancer by 18%. (The National 2015). There are many risks associated with getting colon cancer, but by reducing your meat intake, you could also be reducing you likelihood to developing diseases and cancers.

The Environment Fuels emitted from factories and large processing companies are creating a detrimental effect on the environment.
In 2006, the UN calculated that the combined climate change emissions of animals bred for their meat were about 18% of the global total – more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together. (Vidal 2010). This would include the methane from cattle, the gasses released from manure, electricity needed to keep the meat cool, gas used to cook the meat, the energy needed to plough and harvest the fields growing the crops that the animals eat, and even pumping the water that the cattle need. These fuels are emitting more gas emissions into the environment that are unnecessary and harming the environment. The manure excreted from cows is approximately 40kg for every 1kg of edible meat. (Vidal 2010). When the manure is stored, the waste lagoons, leak, spill or overflow releasing nitrogen, phosphorus and nitrates into the air, threatening the earth’s biodiversity. More Carbon Dioxide is being released into the air than the air needs, polluting it and what we breathe. Not to mention but our oceans are also being spoiled. Most summers 13,000-20,000 sq km of sea in Mississippi River become a "dead zone" because it is piled with excess nutrients from animal waste, factory farms, and nitrogen from fertilizers. (Vidal 2010). Very little is able to live here due to the amount of algae building up in the ocean. From the Scandinavian fjords to the South China
Sea there have been over 400 reported dead zones. Animal farming is one of the worst culprits to why the oceans are spoiling.