Humans: Carnivore, Herbivore, or Omnivore?

[WingedWolfPsion]

I think the most conscientious choice is informed omnivory. Permaculture and organic gardening and farming techniques, combined with a in-depth knowledge of the ecosystem and a focus on local food strikes me as far more admirable than vegetarianism that relies on supermarket produce.

Properly raised, naturally grown livestock need not be harmful to the environment--it can be considerably less harmful than growing food crops. Remember--hoofed animals can be grazed on native grasslands, and if proper attention and rotational grazing are employed, they will improve rather than degrade the habitat. Raising food crops in a conventional manner always destroys the native habitat.

It's not enough to know what labels were put on the food (such as 'organic' or 'vegetarian'). You have to know where the food came from and how it was actually produced. Venison steak and rotationally grazed, grass-fed beef is infinitely greener (AND more humane) than factory farm wheat crops soaked in pesticides which ran off into the rivers, and contributed to the oceanic dead zone at the mouth of the Mississippi. The sheer amount of death and suffering caused by fertilizer runoff is staggering to contemplate. Obviously any diet that includes tropical fruits if you do not live in a tropical area is not one that is ecologically sound.

Is it necessary to be ecologically optimal in all areas? I would say, no--it's not always practical, either. But it is important to consider your reasons for various actions that impact your health, and make sure that your logic is sound, and truly fits in with all of the facts.

But then, this was more about what humans are adapted to eat, more than what humans should eat to minimize their negative impact on ecosystems and the environment.

[Beardedragon]

Which members thought we were Herbivores? And why? Thats silly...

We are Omnivore... I mean just look how our teeth are set up, they are not like horse teeth....

[dc4teg]

Of corse we are omnivores..... but my diet is mostly meat and call me naive but I don't like vegans.... because some of them try to tell us we shouldn't eat meat. Plus nothing sounds good abt a veggie burger.... now that is unnatural!

[Tikall]

Of corse we are omnivores..... but my diet is mostly meat and call me naive but I don't like vegans.... because some of them try to tell us we shouldn't eat meat. Plus nothing sounds good abt a veggie burger.... now that is unnatural!

So because you don't like the few vegans that try to force their eating habits on you, you're trying to judge all of them because they don't eat what YOU eat. Brilliant. I'm also loving that you think what goes into most regular hamburgers is natural. Please keep posting, I love it all so far.


To the actual question, I agree with you once again, WingedWolfPsion. For all reasons stated.

[dc4teg]

So because you don't like the few vegans that try to force their eating habits on you, you're trying to judge all of them because they don't eat what YOU eat. Brilliant. I'm also loving that you think what goes into most regular hamburgers is natural. Please keep posting, I love it all so far.


To the actual question, I agree with you once again, WingedWolfPsion. For all reasons stated.

Im a red blooded conservative, what can I say

[Tikall]

im a red blooded conservative, what can i say

[Alexandra V]

I don't think the whole vegetarian thing had the right outcome. I didn't mean it as a "well-we-should-be-vegetarian" kind of thing. I just meant to say that even though we may be built to be omnivores, we are also capable of choice, so we can't really categorize all human beings as omnivores or herbivores or carnivores.

[abuja]

Im a red blooded conservative, what can I say

What you said doesn't really make you a conservative, more prejudiced than anything.

[abuja]

This is my research paper that I wrote for my English class on vegetarianism. I cut out about half of it that isn't relevant here. The parts I took out were on animal overpopulation, the environment, and (or lack thereof) cruelty in slaughterhouses. This is also a rough draft because the final one is saved on a different computer that I don't have with me right now. Here goes!

Meat contains valuable nutrients, some of which can be difficult to find in vegetables and grains. Deficiency of the vitamin B12 is quite common in vegetarians, and it can result in seizures, neurological, degeneration, and possibly death (Willet). According to nutritionists, trimmed beef contains iron, zinc, B12, and plenty of protein (National Cattlemen’s Beef Association “Livestock Agriculture Does Not Harm the Environment”). Although protein is obtainable in non-meat such as peanuts, it is more abundant in beef. Vegetarian diets not only can cause deficiencies, they also put adults (especially pregnant and lactating women) at a higher risk for anemia and children at risk for rickets and slowed growth (National Cattlemen’s Beef Association “Livestock Agriculture Does Not Harm the Environment”). Recently, a New York couple was arrested for child abuse of their 16 month old child because the vegan diet they imposed on their baby stunted its growth to half of its healthy size (Avery).

Children who do attempt a vegetarian diet usually will eat more simple carbohydrates such as doughnuts, sugar, and fatty foods as opposed to vegetables (“To meat or not to meat: is vegetarianism healthy for teens? (DEBATE)). Many vegetarians are children or teenagers, and they are more likely to omit the proper supplements and to overindulge in chips and breads. According to the California Department of Public Health, deficiencies are more likely to surface in teenagers who practice a vegan or vegetarian diet (qtd. In “To meat or not to meat: is vegetarianism healthy for teens? (DEBATE)). Although vegetarianism is thought to be a relatively healthy practice, Dr. Christopher Boiling, director of weight management research at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, would disagree: “Vegetarianism doesn’t mean low calorie” (qtd. in “To meat or not to meat: is vegetarianism healthy for teens? (DEBATE)). Some go vegetarian because it is thought that meat causes weight gain. According to the American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association, and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institution, 5-7 oz. of lean trimmed meat daily should be eaten for a healthy diet (National Cattlemen’s Beef Association “Livestock Agriculture Does Not Harm the Environment”).

Dieticians generally recommend that vegetarians take supplements in order to maintain a healthy diet, but taking supplements can be a dangerous game. If vitamin A is taken for a long period of time in large amounts, it can cause liver damage and birth defects in pregnant women. If too much B6 is taken, it can impair the nervous system function. Diabetes and diarrhea can occur if a large amount of vitamin C is ingested. In fact, vegetarians don’t know for sure that the vitamin and mineral supplements being taken contribute to health; they are not required to be tested or certified (Kava). You have to be very exact in the type and amount to even be taking. According to the US Department of Agriculture, 40% of the poultry sold in the US has the bacteria salmonella on it (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals “The Case for Vegetarianism”). Although this is true, salmonella, E. coli, and other bacteria are found on all foods, not just meat (Kopperud). Vegetarianism is not the healthiest diet, and meat is necessary for a thriving lifestyle.

Some vegetarians argue that humans are not meant to eat meat and that it is not how our bodies were designed. However, herbivores have complex or multiple stomachs and intestinal tracts, while humans have relatively short intestinal tracts and one stomach (“Human Consumption of Animals is Not Immoral”). Humans have canine teeth designed for biting and tearing into meat, but herbivorous animals have only their molars for grinding up plants (“Human Consumption of Animals is Not Immoral”). Both facts illustrate that humans are made to eat both meat and plants because we have the digestive ability of both carnivorous and herbivorous animals. Many people have heard of the appendix, but few are aware of what it was originally meant to do. The appendix, in humans, is useless, but in herbivores, it is a bacteria-filled pouch next to the intestines that breaks down plant cells into digestible food stuffs (“Human Consumption of Animals is Not Immoral”). Because humans no longer need the appendix, we no longer “need” to eat plants.

Another case often made by vegetarians is that humans’ relatives, the various primates, are herbivorous. However, this is untrue. Gorillas kept in captivity have been observed eating meat when offered it. Not only have gorillas have been seen eating meat; other primates are omnivorous. The bonobo and chimpanzee include mammals and monkeys in their diet. Humans were designed to eat animals because people and living things have a symbiotic relationship; we rely on one another for sustainment. Dr. Temple Grandin, a renowned animal scientist and inventor of a restraint system used in slaughterhouses, compares humans and livestock to ants and aphids: The aphids are raised by ants as sort of dairy cows and are fed by the ants, and, in return, the aphids produce a sugary substance for the ants. This sort of relationship is found often in nature, and it exists between us and animals (Grandin).

[mrmertz]

I'll eat just about anything placed in front of me. Particularly when somebody else is paying for it!

And yes, that includes my favorite pizza with jalepeno peppers and anchovies! Heaven...