What are you supposed to be eating?
In my endeavor to learn more about nutrition and creating a healthy vegetarian diet, I have come across a lot of articles opining on what we humans are supposed to eat. Specifically, there are a lot of people out there arguing that humans aren’t supposed to eat meat for one biological reason or another. They present some interesting points.
I have come across very few sites in defense of meat-eating, presumably because meat-eating is the mainstream (at least in western cultures) and therefore doesn’t need to be defended.
Several sites (such as this one and this one) argue that humans aren’t meant to be carnivores because our teeth, jaws, claws, or intestines aren’t the same as those of other carnivores.
I have a hard time accepting the “humans are supposed to be vegans” argument because of our biological need for B-12, a vitamin that does not naturally occur in plant-based foods. I found several interesting pages about this on VeganHealth.org .
I suppose the argument that makes the most sense to me is that humans are and are supposed to be “opportunistic omnivores.” But that doesn’t mean I’m going to go out and eat a big juicy steak anytime soon. For myself, I’ve decided that what I’m supposed to eat is a diet that is healthy for both my body and the earth, while also being pleasing to my taste buds. Meat doesn’t fulfill any of those requirements.
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POSTED IN: Research, Thoughts, Veg Health and Science
6 opinions for What are you supposed to be eating?
Saron
Dec 21, 2006 at 12:40 am
I have been having a heck of a time lately trying to figure out what is best for my body as far as dietary needs are concerned. I really like your motto of sticking with foods that are good for the earth and your taste buds. You have inspired me to come up with a dietary mantra of my own!
Jul
Dec 26, 2006 at 5:38 pm
Cool! I’d love to hear what you come up with.
richard grant
Jan 11, 2007 at 7:50 pm
While I wholeheartedly approve of lessening cruelty to animals, vegetarianism is wishful thinking at best and a fraud at worst. Face facts: every time a field of wheat, corn or soybeans is harvested, dozens of baby chicks, rabbits, mice, ground squirrels are killed by the combine harvester, to say nothing of worms and smaller life forms. There is no escaping the fact that sustaining life depends on the death of other life forms, whether you are omnivorous, vegetarian or vegan. You might also consider the ecosystem, including its mammals, that was destroyed in order to plant a field of vegetables in the first place.
Jul
Jan 11, 2007 at 9:51 pm
Richard - I welcome different viewpoints and active discussion on this blog. That said, I have to wonder what provoked you to post this here. I don’t mention “lessening cruelty to animals” at all in this post. I don’t even count that as one of my main motivations for being a vegetarian in the first place. How is it a “fraud” or “wishful thinking” to want to eat a vegetarian diet because it’s good for my health?
cat
Dec 24, 2007 at 12:01 pm
uhh Mr. Grant - what do you think the animals that get raised for meat live on? air? no, it’s those same wheatfields full of ickle baby dormice and the like. and it’s a v. inefficient use of those crops too - i don’t have the statistics to hand but you could make many many loaves of bread and bottles of corn oil and tasty tofu treats out of the feedstock needed to raise, say, one pig. that’s why meat was so expensive before the advent of 20th-century factory farming (ugh). sure, most sane people accept that it’s impossible to live in a 100% completely and utterly cruelty-free way. even the most devout Jains (look ‘em up) prob. accidentally tread on an ant now and then. but i don’t get why you seem to think that us *trying* to kill *fewer* animals is such a bad thing. care to come back and explain?
ps: yeah, i know this is abt a year late. i was looking for xmas recipes. :)
Jul
Jan 25, 2008 at 10:56 am
No problem, Cat. Thanks for chiming in! :)
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