Con Position Paper
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Counterpoint: Vegetarianism is an Unhealthy Dietary Choice. Authors:
Issitt, Micah Carson-Dewitt, Rosalyn
Source: Points of View: Vegetarianism. 3/1/2016, p3-3. 1p.
Document Type: Article
Subjects: VEGETARIANISM VEGETARIANS MALNUTRITION DIET -- United States LIFESTYLES
Geographic Terms: UNITED States
Report Available
Abstract: The article argues against the promotion of vegetarianism in the U.S. It claims that a vegetarian lifestyle does not provide sufficient nutrition and has false benefits in terms of ecological management and environmental conservation. It adds that vegetarians who
do not take milk, honey and eggs are at great risk of malnutrition. The article also notes that eating meat supports the animal farming industry.
Lexile: 1360
Full Text Word Count: 2133
ISBN: 9781429823319
Accession Number: 28675342
Database: Points of View Reference Center
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Thesis: Vegetarianism does not provide sufficient nutrition for a healthy lifestyle, and has dubious benefits in terms of conservation and ecological management.
Summary: Vegetarians are often lacking in certain important vitamins and minerals that most people obtain from animal products. Vegans, who reject all animal products, including milk, eggs and honey, place themselves at even greater risk for malnutrition. Diets with an excess of plant and vegetable matter can also lead to digestive problems. Most physicians and nutritionists agree that a healthy diet should include meat as well as vegetables, fruits and grains.
Eating meat supports the animal farming industry, which provides a major source of employment for millions of people across the world. Trade in animal products is an important part of international commerce and supports the economies of hundreds of nations. The commercial agriculture industry is at least as harmful to the environment as commercial meat production. If the world shifted toward a vegetarian system, the need for more agricultural land would lead to increased environmental destruction. The best way to preserve natural environments is to support a variety of food production methods
including ranching, animal breeding and agriculture.
Introduction
Traditional hunter-gatherer societies have existed in all parts of the world. They are believed to represent the original form of human culture, and their reliance on meat as an essential source of nutrition shows that meat-eating is natural for humans and always has been. While vegetarianism is an old tradition in some cultures, such as certain sects of Hinduism and Buddhism, it has usually been resorted to by poverty-stricken members of the lower classes, who could not afford meat. Even within the Buddhist and Hindu traditions, there are many people who eat meat of one kind or another.
The Health Myth
While some believe that vegetarianism is a healthier dietary choice than eating meat, many vegetarians suffer from nutritional deficiencies. Though a vegetarian diet can, in theory, be a healthy alternative to a standard diet, most that choose vegetarianism fail to obtain the necessary vitamins and minerals and may suffer from a variety of physical ailments.
Nutritionists and physicians have long held that a balanced diet is the healthiest choice, which includes eating meat, vegetables, fruits and grains. People have relied on the vitamins and protein present in meat since Paleolithic times,
and eating meat is still the best and easiest way to obtain them. While some people over-indulge in meat products, vegetarians fly to the opposite extreme, and extreme diets often lead to eating disorders and health problems.
Individuals with lower levels of protein, sodium, iron, manganese and phosphorus in their blood should be especially wary of switching to a vegetarian diet, as they are most at risk of suffering from dietary imbalances. In developing countries like India, where vegetarianism is common, health care professionals are familiar with the health problems associated with vegetarianism and are prepared to advise their patients on the best way to supplement their diets. In the United States and Western Europe, where such problems are uncommon, individuals who insist on conforming to vegetarianism should seek out nutritionists who specialize in vegetarian issues.
Vegetarians need to supplement their diets with special vitamins, such as vitamin B12, which is only present in animal tissues and is almost impossible to obtain from vegetarian sources. Young children are especially prone to B12 deficiency, which can cause anemia, spinal chord and brain injuries and damage to the nerves of the eyes. There have been cases of child abuse in which parents forced their children to eat strictly vegetarian diets, causing irreparable damage. Adults who become vegetarians need to take pills or injections containing vitamin B12.
Strict veganism, which involves abstaining from all animal products including milk, eggs and honey, is not
found in nature. Even herbivorous animals eat insects to obtain vitamins that do not exist in plant matter. Humans attempting to live on a strict vegetable and fruit diet still rely on a variety of microorganisms and bacteria to provide certain essential vitamins.
Vegans may suffer from vitamin D deficiencies, because most vitamin D comes from dairy foods like milk and cheese. Though some vegetarians, known as ovo-lacto-vegetarians, consume milk and other dairy products, vegans may need vitamin D supplements. Sunlight is an excellent source of vitamin D, but people often avoid direct exposure to the sun for fear of skin cancer, so many individuals may have difficulty absorbing sufficient levels of D vitamins.
Iron deficiencies are another major problem for many vegetarians because the iron available from plant sources is not as easily absorbable as that from animal tissues. Iron supplements are especially important for women and children who are prone to anemia and exhaustion and a number of common skin ailments. Digestion and absorption of iron is hindered by fiber, oxalates and phytates, which are common in vegetable and cereals, thereby making it more difficult for some vegetarians to absorb iron even from supplements.
A commonly cited reason for switching to vegetarianism is to avoid the unhealthy consumption of cholesterol from meat. Though vegetarian diets are generally credited with lowering cholesterol levels, some who switch to vegetarian diets experience a rise in overall cholesterol due to high levels of fructose
consumption from increased fruit and vegetable intake. In these cases, the switch to a vegetarian diet may actually be more damaging to a person's health than the decision to pursue a more rounded diet.
Contrary to the message portrayed by many vegetarian proponents, vegetarianism is not a healthy alternative to a rounded diet unless special precautions are taken to avoid dietary deficiencies. In addition to vitamin deficiencies, vegetarians sometimes have a difficult time obtaining basic nutritional requirements because the proteins and amino acids present in plant matter are not as efficiently used by the body as those in meat products. Children raised on a vegetarian diet are more likely to be undernourished and to experience small size and low weight. Though it is possible for adults to survive for years on a vegetarian diet, the choice to refuse meat must be considered with caution and coupled with a conscious, vigilant effort to make up for the inadequacies of vegetarian food.
The Economics of Meat Production
The meat industry is one of the world's largest employers, providing jobs for millions of workers and a better standard of living for their families. A key source of nutrition for people of all races and ethnicities, meat production also pumps billions of dollars a year into the global economy, helping to lift developing nations out of poverty.
Some communities are almost entirely dependent on the meat industry for their
survival. In Brazil, for instance, hundreds of farmers and ranch assistants are employed in raising zebu cattle for meat and export products. The Brazilian ranching communities in the Pantanal are among the most ecologically sensitive in the world, and the ranchers themselves are involved in projects to protect much of the native wildlife. If significant numbers of people ever switched to vegetarianism, not only the large scale meat producers would suffer but so would small, organic farms that produce high quality meat in an ecologically conscious way.
The Ecological Damage of Farming
Vegetarianism does not automatically constitute a more ecologically friendly alternative to eating meat. Agriculture damages the environment when vast tracts of habitat are cleared and replaced by a monoculture of a single or very few species.
The pesticides and insecticides used in commercial farming are also hazardous. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified contamination from commercial farming as one of the greatest threats to clean water. A switch to vegetarianism merely shifts the source of ecological damage from the meat industry to the agriculture industry.
Creating a Better Food Industry
In order to create a more environmentally friendly and ecologically sound society, individuals should encourage more
environmentally conscious forms of meat production. Organic and sustainable animal farming can be an environmentally friendly form of food production. Because livestock can be raised in a natural environment, ranching can be coupled with habitat preservation and ranchers can be given subsidies in return for allowing their property to be preserved as an ecological zone.
Some feel that advocates of vegetarianism raise legitimate questions about issues involving the food industry, the health and function of the human body, the state of the global economy and the ethics and morals of raising animals for food and materials. It is unfortunate however, that many accept the propaganda surrounding vegetarianism without examination. Only by improvements in the production and consumption of all food, including both meat and vegetables, will we eventually find the best options for promoting health and preserving the environment.
Ponder This
1. What types of nutritional deficiencies does the author identify as being related to vegetarianism? How would you counter this aspect of his argument?
● 2. What suggestions does the author give for creating a healthy diet? Are they realistic?
● 3. What are some of the non-nutritional arguments put forth by the author in support of eating meat? Can you think of others?
● 4. Which of the author's arguments do you find most convincing? Which is least convincing?
Bibliography
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Fearnley-Whittingstall, Hugh. "The River Cottage Meat Book." Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 2007.
Iacabbo, Karen & Michael. "Vegetarians and Vegans in America Today." New York: Praeger Publishers, 2006.
Pollan, Michael. "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals." New York: Penguin Press, 2007.
Pollan, Michael. "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto." New York: Penguin Press, 2008.
Sapontzis, Steve F. "Food for Thought: The Debate Over Eating Meat." New York: Prometheus Books, 2004.
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These essays and any opinions, information or representations contained therein are the creation of the particular author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of EBSCO Information Services.
~~~~~~~~
By Micah Issitt
Co-Author: Rosalyn Carson-Dewitt
Rosalyn Carson-Dewitt received an MD from Michigan State University in 1991. She is a medical and scientific writer and was editor-in-chief for "Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco: Learning About Addictive Behavior" and "Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol and Addictive Behavior" published by Macmillan Reference USA. Carson-Dewitt also worked on the Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, 18th edition.
Copyright of Points of View: Vegetarianism is the property of Great Neck Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
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