Introduction
There are a number of reasons that suggest people to choose vegetarianism. These reasons are mainly related to health, morality and environment, but there are several other reasons that argue in favor of vegetarianism. A huge number of people, on the other hand, do not accept that vegetarianism is the best food. This paper intends to discuss the vegetarianism and its health, moral and environmental benefits, along with discussing other aspects and benefits of the area under discussion.
Background
Traditionally, people believed that a vegetarian diets are low in nutrition and cannot supply the required amount of nutrition to the human body. Vegetarianism has now been proved as a nutritious and balanced food after a number of researches, done by experts from the various parts of the world. Eminent scholars from health, environment and other sectors believe suggest that vegetarianism is the best diet for human beings. It supplies every required nutritious component that is required to the human body. Health experts further argue that vegetarianism is free of all health related risks that other food may cause to human health (Kalof et al.).
According to United States Department of Agriculture, Americans ate large quantity of beef (approx 53 pounds), chicken (approx 57 pounds) and pork (approx 43 pounds) per person. Only five percent of Americans are vegetarians as they do not consume any type of meat including sea food. USDA mentioned that non-vegetarian diet is rich in protein, but vegetarian diet also rich in nutrients. The requirement of protein can be fulfill by the dairy products. Eating meat and killing animals is neither ethical nor good for environment.
Eating meat can damage health of consumers, causes deforestation, increase pollution and waste resources. Advocates of vegetarianism said that why to kill innocent animals when stomach can fill by the non-animal sources. On the other hand opponents claim that eating meat is good for health, and production of vegetables causes same environmental challenges as production of meat. The vegetarian diet has several benefits related with health, ethics and environment.
Vegetarianism and Health
Vegetarianism decreases risks of lung cancer as well as all other lung related diseases. An enriched diet that includes fresh fruits, juices, vegetables and rich fiber diet lowers the risks of lung cancer. It has been observed in several researches that vegetarian diet is very beneficial in colorectal cancer. Vegetarian diet also reduces the risks of type 2 diabetes which is spreading regularly among people due to the obesity (Stockton).
Vegetarian diet makes the skin healthy and glowing. This is the main reason why a huge number of people including eminent personalities of film and fashion world are inclining towards the vegetarianism. Water based as well as plant foods are very rich in antioxidants and carry enormous amount of vitamins that are very essential for healthier and glowing skin. Water and plant foods are the best way of getting natural vitamins, minerals and nutrition.
Vegetarian foods are free from hormones and chemicals. Vegetarian foods are not injected with hormones and chemicals which hampers the human health in very adversative manner. Vegetarian foods, unlike meat and other similar foods, do not contain chemical substances which are commonly found in meat and other non-vegetarian products. Other harmful substances like preservatives are very frequently found in meat products but vegetarian foods are free from these substances (Stockton).
Human digestion system takes very less time in digesting vegetarian foods, it gives us increased energy levels. Fruits and juices provide us the required energy boost when human body needs it. The most important benefit of vegetarian foods is that it is free from any negative side effect on the human body. Vegetarian foods are low in sodium and fat which increase circulation of the blood in human body and reduces the risks of lower blood pressure.
Plant foods are very rich in fiber and improve the digestion system of human body. Vegetarian foods are easy to digest and do not make the body burdened by keeping the food undigested for long time like meat and other non-vegetarian products (Hill). Steady blood sugar decreases the risks of diabetes and vegetarian foods help substantially in maintain a steady sugar level.
Health experts suggest that when animals fear slaughtering, their body releases a huge amount of poisonous substances including various steroids, epinephrine and other stress hormones that are pumped in the body of the animal. These substances are consumed and digested by the people who eat non vegetarian food. These toxic substances affect the whole digestion system of the meat eaters in a negative manner as they are accumulated in the blood and body of human beings. Vegetarian foods are free of such hazardous substances and do not affect human health negatively (Meister).
Plant based proteins are the best source of healthy amino acids that help in protein metabolism as well as protein assimilation. Vegetarian foods contain low amount of fat and are also free of saturated fat that threat the human health with a number of heart diseases as well as cardiovascular diseases. Vegetarian food helps people in increasing the life span of human life. Healthy vegetarian food comforts the human body by keeping it free of various toxics and increases the life span of human beings (Lea & Worsley).
Vegetarian foods including fruits, juices and vegetables taste better than other food items. The natural taste of vegetarian food is incomparable and eaters can feel pleasure of eating natural foods. It has been observed that people, who are vegetarian, appear pleasant than those who are meat eaters. Vegetarian foods maintain a balanced cholesterol level in the human body. Vegetarian food injects the appropriate nutrition into the body and brain of human body.
Several research reports suggest that vegetarianism lowers the health risks of various types of cancer. Vegetarian foods are very rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and photochemical. These substances strengthen the human body in a manner that fights with various diseases. Meat eaters are more vulnerable of suffering from diseases like cancer. Vegetarian foods are easy to digest, and they are very rich in the substances that are very much required in maintaining a good human health (White, and Frank).
Vegetarianism and Morality
Vegetarianism has got massive support from every part of the world. People argue that it is not morally right to eat animals when vegetarian foods are available in enormous amounts. People say that vegetarian foods are not only available but also there are more than a few varieties of vegetarian foods. Vegetarian foods taste better than meat and non-vegetarian foods. People say that if a variety of vegetarian foods are available then it is completely immoral to eat animals for individual pleasure.
Advocates of vegetarian foods argue that humans are not designed to eat non vegetarian foods. Humans, unlike, carnivorous species do not have the large mouths and sharp teeth. Other parts of the human body including intestines are also not the similar in humans and meat eater animals. Carnivores have comparatively short intestines that help them in digesting the food in a rapid manner. On the other hand, humans have a long intestine that is designed for digesting the food in a slower manner (Fox & Ward).
Animals are confined in very narrow cages and places before killing. They are kept in very unhygienic places and conditions. They are feed waste foods because of the materialistic approach of the human beings. The whole process of raising animals and keeping them in very sporadic conditions is highly immoral. The human beings are the wisest creature of this earth and their behavior towards other living creatures should not be so brutal in any condition (Puskar-Pasewicz).
Killing animals is a painful process and even biggest supporters of non-vegetarian foods cannot deny this fact. Depriving animals of their lives cannot be justified morally and it is wrong to suggest that animals are relieved from their lives in a painless manner. People, those believe in vegetarian food, argue that killing animals for own taste only is something that cannot be justified by vague and baseless arguments.
Anatomy of human body is designed to eat vegetables and dairy products. Human do not have body parts that support consumption of high protein that is difficult to digest. Human intestine is short and designed to digest vegetarian food. Several animals got killed every year because they are part of main diet of millions of people. Like humans animals also have right to survive. Some serious subjects such as capital punishment are in debate for last several years. When taking life of any human is illegal and unethical, why killing of animals is consider legal.
Vegetarianism and Environment
People, who favor the vegetarian food, say that one of our duty to humans to maintain an ecological balance. Planting more trees and vegetarian food plants may end the problem of hunger and starvation across the world. Planting vegetarian foods is very helpful and friendly for the environment. Planting more fruit trees and farming help the environment in the most advanced manner.
Vegetarian foods are very much environment friendly. It is an established fact that meat products are not environment friendly. Producing one pound of beef requires more than 2500 of water and more than 660 gallons of water is required for producing one kilogram of chicken. On the other hand, only 180 gallons of water is required to produce one pound of wheat flour and 220 gallons of waters are required to produce one pound of tofu. Such figures show the importance of vegetarian food and also show how vegetarian foods are environment friendly unlike non vegetarian food (Fox & Ward).
Raising animals for eating them is a big hazard for the environment. Animals produce a huge amount of greenhouse gases that affect the environment directly. The environment is affected more negatively by the gases that are produced by these animals than the transportation sector.Farting and burping of animals are as dangerous as other harmful gases. Animals are also producers of dungs and other excretions that are very harmful for the environment if they are disposed in the proper manner.
Animals produce huge amount of water and air pollution that affects the environment and the human health in a negative manner. Manure produces are a kind of hydrogen sulphide and ammonia that reacts with the environment and also produces nitrates. All these substances are very harmful for the air, soil and the water. These substances also affect the human health in both direct as well as indirect ways (Eisenbath).
Preparing one piece of hamburger is equal to destroying more than 50 square feet of rainforest. Preparing one pound of meat for the purpose of making a hamburger emits more harmful gases than driving a fossil fuel car for twenty miles. Non vegetarian food products are not only harmful for the human health but they also affect the environment. Producing non vegetarian products affects the environment in an adverse manner.
Apart from the abovementioned facts and arguments, killing animals and eating them by human beings disturbs the ecological balance. The food cycle is also disturbed by such killings. The whole ecological balance is disturbed and number of various species increase abruptly. Some species are facing extinction because they are regularly killed and eaten by human beings. The ecological balance is facing an imminent threat across the world and needs immediate attention of the people.
Other factors
In several countries, animals contribute a lot in the agricultural works. Killing animals for eating disturbs this process. Animals are extensively used in the agricultural works in Asian as well as African regions and they are considered as friends of farmers. Countries like India Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, china and other African countries are still relying on animals for agriculture in rural parts. Animals are very useful for the humanity and they are precious when they are alive rather than when they are dead.
There are various other factors that play very significant role in the issue of vegetarianism. Vegetarianism benefits the human health and environment in a positive manner. Being vegetarian gives an edge of being moral by not killing animals for the taste only. Animals are living creatures in the same way as are the human beings. Humans should not kill them, it is immoral and cannot be justified.
Vegetarianism protects humans against a variety of health related diseases. There are several instances that suggest that vegetarian foods including fruits, juices, and dry fruits are more nutritious and beneficial for the human beings in compare to the meat and other non-vegetarian food products. Vegetarian food has treated a number of seriously ill Patients who suffered only because they used to consume non vegetarian foods.
Analysis
There are various aspects of the issue and in order to understand this issue in a comprehensive manner, all of them should be looked in Toto. A number of eminent politicians, world leaders, actors, film makers and industrialists have vowed to be vegetarian considering its positive effects. The issue needs more attention of people from every section of the society as well as from every parts of the world (Iacobbo & Iacobbo).
A number of non-government organizations, social welfare organizations and individuals have waged expeditions in favor of vegetarianism across the world. A number of awareness programs are being run by individuals and organizations to create awareness about the benefits of vegetarianism. Some concrete efforts are required to educate people about the vegetarianism. People are inclining more and more towards the vegetarianism due to its positive outcomes.
A huge number of eminent people from cinema and fashion world openly and proudly say that they are vegetarians. Vegetarianism attracts people due to several reasons. There are religious convictions, health factors, cost factors, and moral reasons why people are becoming vegetarian. A huge number of people are shifting from eating non vegetarian food and adopting vegetarianism in their life. Vegetarianism is more prevalent in countries of eastern world (Eisenbath).
There are many religions that suggest eating vegetarian foods. Hinduism suggests vegetarianism for its believers and suggests them to restrain from killings the animals that are not harmful to humans. The idea of ahimsa is one of strongest ideas of this religion. Ahimsa prevents Hindu believers from killing animals merely for eating them. Though a couple of instances of killing animals are observed in the Hindu religion but that is merely a religious process.
Sacrificing animals is provisioned in some rare religious processes of the Hindu religion but eating them is not usually suggested. Instead of killing Hindus even worship a number of animals and give them the respect. Hindus also worship the nature as their mother and hesitate to go against their religious and ethical suggestions. Hindu practices the vegetarianism as a way of their life.
Christianity also talks about benevolence upon every living creature. Christianity suggests nothing to its believers about this issue but the idea of benevolence talks much itself about the vegetarianism. Killing animals is not considered a sin like Hindu religion but a huge number of Christians believe in saving animals and killing them. The trends suggest that Christians are ahead of others in killing and eating animals but trends also suggest that they are shifting to vegetarianism from eating non vegetarianism food (Puskar-Pasewicz).
Islam does not talk much about animal killings but Islamic rituals suggest that sacrificing animals is a very significant process of the Islam. Believers of Islam sacrifice goats on various occasions across the world. They kill and eat the goats in the name of the religious rituals. Vegetarianism is not much appreciated in the slam and its believers are probably the biggest eaters of meat and non-vegetarian foods.
Conclusion
Having observed the succinct analysis of the abovementioned subject, it can be concluded that vegetarianism is an answer to various problems of the environment and this world. Human beings are the custodian of this world and they have a legal as well a moral duty to save the environment and this earth. Vegetarianism benefits the human health and the environment in a substantial manner. Being vegetarian means contributing in the making as well as in the procuring of the environment.
Humans are not designed to eat non vegetarian foods. The nature has not designed humans to eat other living creatures. Killing animals is an abnormal process that involves enormous amount of pain and sufferings. The humanity need to pay attention on these issues in the most urgent manner because it affects the present and is expected to affect the future in graver manner. There are various aspects of the issue and it is not confined to human health, environment and the morality only.
Works Cited
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