Pablo Espinosa

Kjirsten Goeller
English Composition 1
April 21, 2015
Vegetarian Health
Vegetarianism is growing in the United States. According to a recent poll, vegetarianism
has risen from just 1% of the population in 2009, to 5% in 2014. Vegetarians fall into different
categories. Vegans are those whom abstain from all animal products, including animal byproducts, and goods made from animals (such as leather). Lacto-vegetarians exclude meat
products, seafood and egg products, but include dairy products in their diets. Ovo-vegetarians
exclude all meat, seafood, dairy products, but include eggs in their diets. Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians
exclude all meat and seafood, but include egg and dairy products. There has long been a heated
debate among vegetarians and meat eaters. One side lays claim to the healthier way of life, while
the other holds fast to the claim too. To truly answer this question, one must look at the issue
from several different angles. Were humans originally designed to be herbivores? Did they only
begin to be omnivorous after a natural disaster or out of necessity? What was the original design?
Do vegetarians lack protein? Do meat eaters get too much protein? Is it ok for pregnant women
and children to be on vegetarian diets? What is the long term effects of the vegetarian diet on
overall health? Once all of the evidence is put forth in this paper the answer will be clear.
Vegetarians are healthier than meat eaters. The facts will speak for themselves. Based on the
evidence, it is clear that more people should adopt a vegetarian diet and way of life. It has been

shown to relieve certain diseases and alleviate various ailments. A well planned, balanced
vegetarian diet is better for the individual, the community and the world.
Humans are natural herbivores. When comparing humans to other animals, who are
natural carnivores, it is easy to see which category humans should fall into. First of all, the
enzymes in the saliva act as the first step in the process of digestion. And they work in close
partnership with mastication. Present in human saliva is the enzyme responsible for starch
digestion, amylase. When compared to other animals, only herbivores contain this enzyme,
whereas omnivores and carnivores do not. Also, naturally carnivorous animals do not use
mastication, but instead bite large chunks of their food and swallow it whole.
The teeth are another big difference between humans and omnivorous animals. In
humans, the canines are short and blunted. There is no real use for the canines in the catching of
potential prey, as in meat eating animals. From an evolutionary standpoint, the purpose of the
canines in humans is solely for ornamental purposes, as in to scare off potential enemies in the
wild. In meat eating animals, the canine teeth are long, sharp and curved, as to tear apart raw
flesh. Just as with the canines, the other major teeth that are in the human mouth, such as the
molars and incisors, are similar to other herbivore animals, not to meat eating animals. Also,
Human nails are similar to other mammals which are natural herbivores. They have smooth,
blunt nails. These type of nails are not similar to the sharp claws that are seen in meat eating
animals.
Another issue to look at is instinct. Humans do not have the natural instinct to hunt, catch
and devour raw prey as carnivorous animals would. Carnivorous animals catch their prey, rip
them apart and eat them raw, piece by piece. These practices are not in human nature. Also,
humans do not contain the enzyme in the liver to detoxify vitamin A, a prominent vitamin in raw

meat, while omnivorous and carnivorous animals do contain it. Humans match with other
herbivore species on many things. From the enzymes of digestions, to small details such as facial
composition and chewing style.
Vegetarian diets have many advantages over traditional meat eating diets. Vegetarians
enjoy many health benefits from their lifestyle choice. Vegetarians are less likely to develop
diabetes compared to meat eaters. Over a 17 year period, non-vegetarians are 74% more likely to
develop diabetes. The rate of diabetes in vegans is only 2.9 %, whereas in meat eaters it is 7.6%
(Snowdon). Also, it appears that adopting a vegetarian diet may even help in the battle against
diabetes. In a study, a group of people inflicted with diabetes were put on several diets. Some of
them on a strict vegetarian diet. Others were placed on the American Diabetes Association Diet.
Among the participants, 43% of those on the vegetarian diet were able to greatly reduce the
amount of medication they were taking after a period of time, due to their diet change. Whereas
only 26% of those on the American Diabetes Association Diet were able to do the same
(Snowdon).
Vegetarian lifestyles not only helps with diabetes, but also can aid in the battle against
other ailments. Vegetarians, on average, have lower blood pressure than their meat eating
counterparts. Heart disease patients have also shown improvements when placed on a vegetarian
diet. In one study, 82% of heart disease patients that took part in the trial by adopting a
vegetarian diet, experienced regression in their atherosclerosis (hardening, narrowing of the
arteries). In general, the mortality rate associated with heart disease and strokes, is much lower in
vegetarians than in meat eaters. Vegetarian diets even have a benefit in fighting cancer. In one
study, women battling breast cancer that started eating a vegetarian diet, had a 32% lower risk of
developing a recurring cancer verses those who consume meat (Shu). Lastly, vegetarians are

found to have much lower rates of obesity than meat eaters. Meat eaters who switch to a
vegetarian diet can enjoy the benefits of weight loss too.
Another argument from meat eaters is that vegetarians are unable to get adequate
nutrition on a vegetarian diet. The critique is mainly about protein intake. Protein is an important
part of the diet. It is recommended that Women get around 46 grams for women daily, and 56
grams for men. Vegetarians can include protein in their diets in many ways. Soy products that are
non-genetically modified, such as tofu and other pure soy products, are a natural and whole
protein. Also, an advantage to vegetarian proteins are that they contain no cholesterol.
Cholesterol is only found in animal products, and in their meat.
Meat eaters in the US get more protein in their diets than what they need daily.
Overconsumption of animal based proteins can lead to many adverse health effects. One major
concern over including too much protein in the diet is Kidney disease. Consuming too much
protein leads to decreased kidney function. Another result of the overconsumption of protein is
osteoporosis. This happens because when protein is overconsumed, water weight is lost, but this
is not a good thing, it causes vitamins and nutrients to go out of the body in the urine. For every
extra 1g of animal protein you eat, you can lose an average of 1.75 mg of calcium in urine
(Bernard). This can also lead to kidney stones.
One of the major problems associated with excess animal protein consumption is high
cholesterol levels.

High cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease and stroke. Another

argument is that vegetarians could become anemic. There are different kinds of diet based
anemias. Two of the main anemias that are put forth in the argument against vegetarianism are
iron based anemia, and pernicious (vitamin b12) anemia. It is easy for vegetarians to include
these nutrients in their diets. There are many foods fortified with vitamin b12. Also, many

vegetables are high in iron, such as spinach and other dark leafy green vegetables. Eating a
balanced vegetarian diet can easily include all of the essential nutrients needed to sustain life.
Young children and pregnant women can safely eat a vegetarian diet as well. It is all about
balance and meeting the individual nutritional needs of the person.
In conclusion, vegetarianism is a healthier way of life. It has been shown to improve
diseases, and helps to prevent further deterioration of those inflicted with disease. It is the more
natural choice based on the human anatomy. It is also easy to include all of the nutrients needed
for a healthy diet in the form of plant based foods. Plant based proteins are healthier than animal
proteins because they do not contain cholesterol, which is the main culprit in heart disease.
Vegetarianism can also help with the obesity epidemic in the United States. Adopting a
vegetarian lifestyle would lower the occurrence of many of the diseases that can be caused by
high animal protein consumption, such as kidney disease. In the long run, vegetarians are
healthier. They have a lower risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure, which results
in a decreased mortality rate.

Works Cited
Barnard ND, Cohen J, Jenkins DJ, et al. A low-fat vegan diet improves glycemic control and
cardiovascular risk factors in a randomized clinical trial in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes Care, 29 Aug. 2006.
Barth Christian, Metges Cornelia. "Metabolic Consequences of a High Dietary-Protein Intake in
Adulthood: Assessment of the Available Evidence". Journal of Medicine. 9 Apr. 2000.
Key TJ, Fraser GE, Thorogood M, et al. Mortality in vegetarians and non-vegetarians: a
collaborative analysis of 8300 deaths among 76,000 men and women in five prospective
studies. Public Health Nutrition. 5 March. 1998.
Mills, Dr. Milton. "The Comparative Anatomy of Eating. Vegsource.com. 21 Nov. 2009. Web.
23 Apr. 2015.
Ornish D, Brown SE, Scherwitz LW, et al. Can lifestyle changes reverse coronary heart
disease. The Lifestyle Heart Trial. Lancet. 21 June.1990.
Shu XO, Zheng Y, Cai H, et al. Soy food intake and breast cancer survival. JAMA. 9 Dec.
2009.

Snowdon DA, Phillips RL.

Does a vegetarian diet reduce the occurrence of diabetes? Public Health. 1985 May.
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