Koontz 1

Vegetarianism: Humane or Harmful?

Pros and Cons of Being Meatless in the 21st Century

Taylor Koontz

English 111
Erskine 2A
December 21st, 2015

Koontz 2

In todays society, food has become a dominant and ever-growing part of

our culture. Americans go on fat-free, carb-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free
diets. A growing majority of people are also going organic and supporting
locally grown produce. Whether its for their personal health, ethical or
religious beliefs, or to help the environment, there are a plethora of reasons
why people choose these diets. One of the most popular and widely known
diet is vegetarianism. Although vegetarianism has been around since the
1800s, in the 21st century it has become more widespread and controversial
than ever before. About 2% of Americans, roughly five million people, are
vegetarian (Trenkwalder 1). The debate over whether a vegetarian lifestyle is
the best option for the average American has been divided into the three
main topics of health, animal rights, and the environment. All three of these
topics have advantages and disadvantages given by people that are for or
against the vegetarian movement.
The health benefits of a plant-based diet is the more popular reasons that
one may consider starting a vegetarian lifestyle. Diets that are high in
animal-based proteins have been found to be associated with a 4-fold
increase in cancer death risks compared to diets that are high in plant-based
proteins (Levine, Morgan, and Suarez 1). This is especially true in colon
cancer, where vegetarians were found to be 40% less likely to develop the
cancer than someone who eats meat (Vegetarian Foods: Powerful for Health
1-2). Not only have vegetarian diets been known to lower the risk of cancer,
they are also known to lower the risks of heart disease, with a 24% lower

Koontz 3

mortality rate in people who are vegetarian compared to people that eat
meat (Key 1). Cutting out foods that have a high amount of calories, such as
fatty meats, can help reduce cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes
(Stein 1). Vegetarian diets also lower blood pressure, prevent hypertension,
and reduce the risk of strokes (Appleby 645-651).
Not only does being a vegetarian benefit our health, but it also can
benefit the lives of others around us. The amount of money that is spent on
treating diseases caused by the consumption of meat was 75% of the
nations two trillion health care bill in 2012 (Atcheson 1). By cutting out the
source of these diseases, we could be using this money for other important
health issues.
Although there are many health benefits to vegetarianism, there are still
some negative effects that have been argued. Giving up favorite foods that
have meat in them means that you have to override taste preferences that
have been imprinted on the brain throughout your whole life. Since your
body has associated meat intake with pleasurable nutritional effects since
you were a child, this can be difficult to do, explains France Bellisle. The
desire and favor of meat has been reinforced over a persons lifespan, so
substitutes that are used in the beginning of this transition would have to
mimic the sensory experience elicited by savory meats, also known as
umami (Parker-Pope 1). This may become problematic for some people that
are attempting to become vegetarian, and they may find difficulty in making
vegetarian meals. This may lead people to become lazy and consume snacks

Koontz 4

that are still vegetarian but are unhealthy, leading them to the same issue of
eating meals that are high in fats, calories, and sodium (Stein 1). According
to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American should
consume two to three servings a day of lean meat, poultry, fish, and eggs in
order to maintain a healthy diet. Plant based diets are considered risky
because they can lead to B12 deficiency which can be known to affect the
brain (Preyss 1). In fact, two in three vegetarians are vitamin B12 deficient,
compared to one in twenty meat eaters, which can lead vegetarians to be
more likely to have depression and anxiety (Vegetarians Healthy but
Unhappy: Study 1).
The most common association with vegetarianism is compassion toward
animal rights. Most vegetarians strongly believe that animals that are
slaughtered for their meat are done so in inhumane, unjust manners. The
Humane Methods of Slaughter Act requires livestock to be stunned
unconscious before they are slaughtered, however birds, including turkeys
and chickens, are excluded from this rule, and many U.S. slaughterhouses
ignore the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act because the United States
Department of Agriculture does not enforce it (Welty 1). Over 50 billion
animals are factory farmed every year (Weise). Animals raised on factory
farms are given very little space, with no room to turn around or lie down
comfortably. Chickens and pigs are kept in sheds and cows are kept in
crowded feedlots. These horrible conditions can lead to the rapid spread of
disease and malnourishment of the animals. During slaughter, animals have

Koontz 5

their throats slit whilst still being conscious, and many animals are still alive
when they are put into boiling water in order to remove their hair or feathers
(Factory Farming: Misery for Animals 1).
Carnivores argue that eating meat is not cruel or unethical because it is
how nature works and it is our way of life. Evolutionary scientists state that
eating meat has been essential for the evolution of human kind, and we have
done so for 2.3 million years (Joyce 1). They argue that when our species first
appeared, they were able to survive solely because they got their protein
and vitamins off a meat rich diet, which allowed the development of large
brains and intelligence (Joyce 1).

Vegetarianism not only effects humans and animals, it also effects the
environment. Studies have shown that vegetarian diets can help eliminate
world hunger, one of the biggest issues in modern society. It takes over 10
pounds of plant protein to be fed to a cow in order to produce a single pound
of beef protein (Fiala 72-75). If these grains were fed to humans instead of
cows to fatten them up in order to be slaughtered, there would be enough
food for 925 million people worldwide (Global Hunger Declining, But Still
Unacceptably High 1-2). Not only can vegetarianism help feed the hungry; it
can also help lower greenhouse gas emissions, especially manure
decomposition. Raising animals for food creates 18% of greenhouse gasses
in America, which is higher than transportation emissions (Fiala 72-75).

Koontz 6

Reducing these emissions can help decrease the environmental impact that
is created every day. Factory farmed food may seem cheap when purchased,
however it is the most expensive food in American history. The true cost of
the factory-farmed products bought at the supermarket is within the health
care costs and the cost of the destruction of the environment that takes
place due to the farming methods that are used (Weise).
The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations states that
the world currently produces enough food for everybody, however many
people do not have access to it (Global Hunger Declining, But Still
Unacceptably High 1-2) Therefore the issue is not how much food is
produced, but how the food is distributed.
Many people also believe that becoming vegetarian is not the sole factor
that would help lower their environmental footprint. All of a persons actions,
not just whether or not they eat meat, make a difference in their
environmental impact (Fiala 72-75).
The sides for and against vegetarianism are both very compelling and
convincing. Both sides of this diet are concerned about human health, the
well-being of animals, and the future of our planet, however they have very
different opinions on what causes harm and what does not. In the end, the
choice to go vegetarian or to remain a carnivore is personal and answers a
single question: humane or harmful?