Vegetarianism Versus Meat-Eating Essay

Introduction

The Hippocrates said that "let food is thy medicine and medicine be thy food (Tsiamoulis, 2014)." In this case, it is clear that food can be taken as an essential part of human survival. To argumentatively argue the topic, it is imperative to understand the main point of the Hippocrates words. The argument seeks to understand whether vegetarian is healthier than meat consumption. In my perspective, it is crucial to have a moderation consumption of the two foods. However, meat should be restricted to fish and chicken products which should be taken at specific times but not regularly. To draw a conclusive argument, the current paper breaks the topic into various sections. Above all, it starts with a definition of vegetarianism and the process of meat eating as well as the historical background information associated with it. After that, there is an elaborate analysis of the nutritional values of both foods and the counterclaim towards the subject of concern.

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Vegetarianism and Meat Eating Definition

Vegetarianism is defined as an act of non-composition of meat in one's diet. It is a terminology that refers to one as who does not eat meat (Shprintzen, 2015). Usually, vegetarians embrace this practice as a health caution, religious beliefs, or moral grounds. On the other hand, meat-eating is a carnivorous generated word that defines humans who love eating flesh. Directly, meat-eating is used to describe humans who are fond of flesh diet that must be in their foods at all times. Various sub-categories classify vegetarians. One of them is Pasco-Lacto-ovo which covers those vegetarians who consume fish and its products, dairy, and chicken eggs. Lacto-ovo only consumes two products that are dairy and eggs while the Ovo sub-category is vegetarians who add just eggs to their diets. The other category is the vegans who only consume vegetable products (Craddock, Probst, & Peoples, 2016).

The historical context of Vegetarianism and Meat Consumption

Vegetarianism can be dated back to the ancient times and can be explained with a global history (Albala, 2015). The influence can be traced to ancient Egypt and spread to Greece. Besides, the trend was carried by the Orphic religious movement. In addition, the 6th-century Philosopher of the BCE was instrumental in spreading the influence. It was until the 19th century when the habit of vegetable consumption came to be known as the Pythagorean diet (Albala, 2015). In addition, the other influence grew in India in the 500 BCE and is related to Hinduism, Buddhism, as well as Jainism. After this influence, other notable figures embraced the vegetarian life such as Leonardo da Vinci, Wesley among others (Leitzmann, 2014). On the other hand, meat eating does not have a solid history to trace this behavior but can be attributed to the anatomical as well as the physiological features associated with humans. In their formation, humans are both meat and vegetable eaters, that is they have both herbivore and carnivore characteristics. The aspect gives them the primary name of omnivores in nature which means that it is an innate nature of humans to take meat in their diets.

Nutritional Benefits of Vegetables and Meat

Vegetables are mostly preferred for the many health benefits associated with them. Not only do they contain essential vitamins but also have crucial nutrients of phytochemicals that benefit their bodies. A significant advantage is that these phytochemicals help in improving the immune system. In addition, they are crucial in minimizing diseases that affect the heart and protecting one against specific cancer problems (Leitzmann, 2014). On the contrary, consumption of meat gives one the B-12, fatty acids, Folate, Calcium, and many other nutrients. Surprisingly, all these nutrients can be found in some vegetables and fruits as well (Leitzmann, 2014). Therefore, a moderation of the two foods would be a suitable practice to ensure that essential nutrients get into the body.

Counterclaim

A significant counterclaim is the view that animals should be incorporated into the human community. It is provided by Hsia (2015), who asserts only rational minds and the ability to do good are the features that define members of a human community. Therefore, the arguments by vegetarians that it harms to kill animals and should be taken as members of a rational community are isolated. In addition, reasonable minds are guided by moral duties of which animals' lack. Therefore, the author disapproves the argument from the vegetarians and supports meat eating.

All in all, from the above discussion, it is imperative to understand that the health benefits accrue from both vegetables and meat. All these directly link with my argument on moderate consumption since they both impact human bodies. The available nutrients derived from both foods have a significant point to bring the discussion to an end despite the human notions of ethical practices about both products. Therefore, moderate consumption of vegetables and meat eating is healthier to human bodies provided both are handled responsibly.

References

Albala, K. (2015). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Food Issues. Thousand Oaks, United States: SAGE Publications, Inc.Bottom of Form

Craddock, J. C., Probst, Y. C., & Peoples, G. E. (2016). Vegetarian and Omnivorous Nutrition--Comparing Physical Performance. International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism, 26(3), 212-220.

Erdos, L. (2015). Veganism versus Meat-Eating, and the Myth of 'Root Capacity': A Response to Hsiao. Journal of Agricultural & Environmental Ethics, 28(6), 1139-1144. doi:10.1007/s10806-015-9575-6

Hsiao, T. (2015). A Carnivorous Rejoinder to Bruers and Erdos. Journal of Agricultural & Environmental Ethics, 28(6), 1127-1138. doi:10.1007/s10806-015-9582-7

Leitzmann, C. (2014). Vegetarian nutrition: past, present, future. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 100496S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.113.071365

Shprintzen, A. D. (2015). The vegetarian crusade: The rise of an American reform movement, 1817-1921.

Tsiamoulis, S. (2014). Your numbers your journey: How the secrets of the ESP code reveal your destiny. Cork: BookBaby.