Vegetarianism debate - omnivore or vegetarian?!
I'm preparing for a debate on vegetarianism, and I have some key arguments AGAINST vegetarianism, such as how it's not as healthy as people claim to be, etc.
But I'm lacking arguments DEFENDING being a carnivore/omnivore.
Answers: Can anyone come up with some good points on why being ann omnivore over a vegetarian is a MUST in some cases?
I'm preparing for a debate on vegetarianism, and I have some key arguments AGAINST vegetarianism, such as how it's not as healthy as people claim to be, etc.
But I'm lacking arguments DEFENDING being a carnivore/omnivore.
As someone else mentioned, environment - the Inuit cannot grow vegetables in the Arctic Circle; the Neanderthals survived the ice age by eating a diet estimated at 95% meat products (Richards et al. 2000).
Also, there are huge industries based on meat production. A shift to vegetarianism would cause huge suffering for those whose livelihoods are based on the meat industry.
Hogs, cattle and chicken are wholly domesticated animals. A vegan diet would doom those animals to extinction, as in most climates, cannot survive in the wild, and would have no purpose in a vegetarian society. India has cattle roaming about, but they avoid killing cows, so that's a special case.
In some areas of the world, animals are an efficient way of obtaining extra calories. For instance, a goat or chicken can eat grasses and plants that humans cannot; the animal can basically become a way to convert these unusable calories into food calories.
There are plenty of arguments to refute these, but that's all I could think of to support, off the top of my head.
Environment can be a huge factor! you wouldn't do well to be a vegetarian if you lived in places where you can't grow vegetables, such as icy or desert areas.
Allergies might limit the amount of vegetable or pulses you can eat, thus limiting what you can eat of a vegetarian nature to a less than balanced diet.
Same goes for certain diseases.
The Vegetarian and Vegan section seems an odd place to come looking for those arguments. One of the other food and drink sections might bring more answers - general food and drink perhaps?
There are some articulate and intelligent meat eaters who use V&V who might answer; but meat eaters on here will generally give answers like 'Cuz meat is gud' or 'Because god says so' or 'Google flexitarian' - none of them much help to you.
May i suggest you get your terminology right.
All vegetarians are omnivores. They CHOOSE to remove meat, fish, poultry and slaughter by-products from thier diet. They are still omnivores.
Also, you are not, and could never be, a carnivore.
I think you will find problems coming up with an argument where meat-eating is essential. there are probably some medical conditions that require meat, but i'm not aware of any. There are however, many health issues that require reduction or abstanance from meat.
I can see eating meat as a requirement if there were no plants or veggies or lentiles. but really that is not likely to happen. So really no reason to eat animals!
There are no MUSTS for either diet, unless some sort of allergy is involved. It's pure choice.
Here's an argument for omnivore, but the general concept works just as well for any diet. An omnivorous diet can be healthy when choosing the proper foods. Eating healthy cuts of meat (fish, chicken breast, pork loin, etc...), in moderation, and produce, along with avoiding junk and processed foods will supply the nutrients needed for good health without poisoning the body with unhealthy ingredients.
You're probably having a hard time defending eating meat because there isn't much good there to begin with. The American Dietetic Association said vegetarian is the healthiest way to eat. They're always telling people to cut down or cut out meat. But I guess if you really HAD to have some reason, I had someone tell me once they couldn't be vegetarian because they had muscular distrophy. (can't spell) I don't know aynthing about it so you might want to look into it yourself. I was sort of under the impression that eating high protein with MS was bad, as that's what my aunt's doctor told her. But what do I know?
Whoever is coordinating this debate is a moron.
There should never be a debate between vegetarianism and traditional diets. Debating on these issues just divides both sides even further. Only an individual can lead him or herself to vegetarianism and no one has any right debating it.
Please, do tell what proof you have that being vegetarian is unhealthy. Are you a registered dietitian? If not, I would leave any nutritional claims out of this mess that you are participating in, unless you want to make yourself look like a fool.
Do you think that you know more about nutrition than the American Dietetic Association?