What if eating meat is beneficial to absolutely no one?
By Sophie Stein
People have known for a while about the way factory farms treat their animals.
And with the recent cow abuse videos leaked onto the web, people are more aware now of the animal suffering than ever.
According to the website mercyforanimals.org, “Not a single federal law protects animals during their lives at factory farms, and the law that protects cows and pigs at the slaughterhouse—the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act—does not extend to birds or rabbits.”
Thousands of animals are abused and hurt beyond belief, and to continue eating them with this knowledge is simply cruel.
The human species are not even meant to eat meat. Our teeth are not the same shape and structure of real carnivores that live out in the wild. Humans are meant to be herbivores, and our bodies work best when they’re running off a plant based diet.
Meat is not only unnecessary, but it’s actually bad.
Studies have shown that meat contains huge amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat, which can lead to various issues including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Additionally, animals from factory farms, especially cows, contain a lot of hormones. This is meant to make them grow as fat as possible and produce more meat. But once you eat that meat, your body will be filled with artificial hormones, which can be very hazardous to your health.
And according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 70 percent of food poisoning results from infected animal flesh. “Foodborne diseases, such as E. Coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter, cause an estimated 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year,” says Rachel Krantz, a journalist on Bustle.
Luckily, there is a way to avoid all of this. Going vegetarian is a great way to start. That might sound a bit daunting, especially when it seems like there won’t be many food options.
But don’t fret!
There are many awesome vegetarian options that are both delicious and healthy. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison and Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen are two great vegetarian cookbooks with easy recipes.
Another concern people have about switching to a vegetarian diet is that they’ll miss the taste of meat. Now, there are foods like the "Impossible Burger" and the "Beyond Burger" which are great substitutes. These burgers are plant based and mostly contain soy, but people say that they taste just like the real thing.
Another plus to this diet is that, according to mercyforanimals.org, “You can help spare about 30 farmed animals each year by switching to a compassionate vegan diet.”
Switching to a vegetarian diet can end animal suffering and also help you maintain a healthier lifestyle.
Sophie Stein is a junior in Ms. LoScalzo's journalism class.