Being Vegan Vs Vegetarian Essay

As humanity becomes more civilized, many of us perceive that eating livestock is morally incorrect, but aren’t we are designed to be an omnivore? Our teeth and digestive system serve the purpose of breaking down animal and plant foods and to bring these important nutrients to every part of the body. Despite the fact that, in 2011, U.S. meat and poultry production reached more than 92.3 billion pounds, the ethic of killing and eating animals as well as the concern of the environmental burden caused by the production of meats is debatable. However, animal based diet is necessary for the human body to function properly and we can choose the meat produced from environmentally sustainable farms to avoid the moral ambiguity.

Over fifty-six billion animals are slaughtered yearly for consumption, but because we are conditioned from a young age to view animals as resources, we neglect that they are passionate and intelligent living beings. Cows want to enjoy their lives, pigs want to enjoy their lives, and many other farm animals want to enjoy their lives but instead are abused and confined in small cages. Ironically, though, when someone does likewise to a cat or dog, they’re prosecuted. The sole solution to these inhumane acts is Veganism. Veganism is the ideal diet because plant-based foods are plentiful, and it recognizes the unethical treatment of animals.

Thesis statement: There should be meat free alternatives and more awareness of the benefits of choosing a vegetarian lifestyle as eating less meat is better for an individual’s health and the environmental.

“You are what you eat”, a famous saying says. If this were truly the case, then the majority of Americans would be unhealthy, chemically processed, commercially grown slabs of animal meat. And although this is not a particularly pleasing thought, it is the epitome of a standard American diet that consists of Big Macs and Taco Bell. There are a select few who stray from this typical diet, and have altered it to where they can substitute meat with other nutrients. This type of diet is called vegetarianism, and is considered the way to live without poisoning oneself with the harmful and hazardous treatment that animals go through before becoming the next meal on your plates. While vegetarianism was once thought to be a movement without much action,

Many people question the ethics of the meat industry as they face the challenges of production and quality to serve our growing population. As consumers become more informed on the industry, new data is being released to show the health benefits of animal protein in the human diet. Based upon this new data, many people are questioning whether they should cut meat out of their diet completely and are looking to find a way to eat meat as ethically as possible. For some concerned with the ethics of eating meat it strictly comes down to killing animals, but it can also start with how the animals are treated. While there is no way to make any industry completely ethical, there are ways to make informed choices which can lead to a more ethical approach to the industry and its consumers. As demand increases and society becomes more informed on the meat industry, people are finding that there are ways to consume meat ethically.

Living on a vegan diet seems to be a growing trend with younger generations. It seems people everywhere want to jump on board of not consuming animal products for the greater good of humanity. There are many reasons why some might pick this diet; some might do it because their morals, others might find it inhumane, but the main two reasons many go on this plant-based diet is for sustaining one's health and humanity. Both of those reasons are true but only to an

I think “vegan” is a lovely word. It is far more than a simple descriptor for my diet. I envision it as visible template for an ethical, healthy, compassionate, and responsible life. Because it describes my character. It pronounces that I do not take the life of another living being merely to satisfy my own desires. It proclaims that I chose love and kindness as opposed to destruction and death. Despite the constant mockery and ridicule I endure due to my choices, I’ve found peace within this compassionate lifestyle which brings no harm to Earth or her precious creatures.

THESIS: To inform my audience that veganism cannot be simply distinguished through one single characterization, it is a dietary choice, a belief, a compassion that is a catalyst for one’s self, animals and even the environment.

“You put a baby in a crib with an apple and a rabbit. If it eats the rabbit and plays with the apple, I will buy you a new car”, said Harvey Diamond in his book “Fit for Life.” By nature, humans are not omnivores but society has the population blinded into believing animal products are a necessity to a healthy diet. Animals—other living things are dosed with hormones and seen as byproducts, their rights being ignored and denied. Cutting meat and other animal products out of the “normal” lifestyle would benefit humans just as well as animals (“Vegan Diets: Healthy and Humane”). Animal products are not necessary for good health, and removing them would have a positive effect on human health all around. No longer supporting the dairy and

As different crazes and fads are appearing each day, we have come to expect them to simply fade away as the hype passes. However, veganism has stood the test of time in our fad society and is still increasing in popularity. Originally only thought to be a religious lifestyle, many people from different walks of life are becoming vegans. However, this poses many questions and sparks heated debates, mainly from omnivorous people who believe that veganism is against life’s natural order. Vegans, then, argue against an omnivorous lifestyle by bringing up facts about humans’ biological makeup and how humans are, contrary to popular belief, herbivorous by nature, not omnivorous. While both sides present good arguments to some, the veganism lifestyle contains more benefits and less harmful cons than an omnivorous lifestyle.

If you picture the stereotypical American meal, you may think of outrageous portion sizes, fatty foods, and mountains and mountains of meat. Last year, the average American consumed around 194 lbs. of beef, chicken, or pork, increasing from 184lbs in 2012 (Hill). While there is a notable increase in the amount of meat consumed, it should also be noted that there has been a gradual shift in the diets of people throughout the world. More are more people are removing meat from their diets and going vegetarian for various reasons. There are several viewpoints that this essay will cover, these range from why people are choosing to go vegetarian to why people are continuing the omnivore diet.

So we don’t need huge sharp teeth like other mammals do to chew their food. Eating meat is just part of us and our nature. With us humans being carnivores it is our nature to eat meat. With the exact definition of carnivore being an animal that eats meat or a meat eater it is literally part of us to eat. We shouldn’t have what is part of us taken away because a few people want all of us to vegetarian. We shouldn’t mess with nature and change what our bodies are made for. Why would we eliminate what has benefited us for over 2.3 million years? There is no point in messing with nature and taken away what is important to your body.

To most people vegetarianism means the refraining of meat, primarily red meat, from personal consumption. Although the traditional vegetarian abstinence of red meat has grown into a group of varied lifestyles, little is known about them. To some people vegetarians are considered to be a drop out of the hippy era, or are labelled as "weird" or "feral". Because of the misinterpretations surrounding vegetarianism in society I am going to outline the various diets which are recognized as vegetarianism. I hope by writing this I can change some attitudes and misunderstandings, of the motivations behind the vegetarian lifestyles.

By a simple definition, a vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat. However, being a vegetarian takes on many different meanings today. There are several classifications and variations to being a vegetarian, and the strictness of the diet varies upon the individual. Purists are known as vegans, who reject any food that is derived from an animal, including dairy products like eggs, cheese, and milk. Some are pesco-vegetarians, meaning they consume fish, but still abstain from red meat and poultry. Others choose to be vegetarian, excluding any animal products, but including the consumption of eggs and/or dairy. Being a vegetarian has increased in popularly in recent years. “According to recent surveys, 7% of adult Americans (12.4 million) consider themselves vegetarian today compared to only 4% in the 1960s” (Rubin). The motives behind deciding to take on a vegetarian diet is based off several accounts. Factors revolving religious practices, animal rights, culture, and modern dieting are common considerations. Plant-based diet are recognized for reducing the risk of developing chronic illnesses including type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, blood pressure and obesity. Vegetarians tend to eat less saturated fat and cholesterol and more vitamins and fiber which is associated with reducing the risk for many chronic diseases. “Most importantly, humans do not need animal products to survive. In fact, we can easily do better without them” (Hever 18). While the majority of people take on a vegetarian life style for various reasons, more people find that the health benefits become the essential reason.

The people of the twenty first century have become consumed with changing their diets to be the skinniest and healthiest versions of themselves. As of 2013, 6% of US adults described themselves as vegetarian, while 7% claimed to be vegan. Veganism has proved to be one of the most restrictive and extreme ways of life, as well as a diet. By cutting out major food and nutrition groups, veganism is leaving people malnourished and weak. From the beginning of time humans have been eating using animal products, it is unhealthy to alter the natural human diet.