The Food Debate: Veggie vs Meat

More people from around the world are starting to be more conscious of what they put into their bodies. We are going to weigh up the pros and cons from a non- biased point of view.

Definitions

Veggie/ Vegetarians: no meat or meat products (includes gelatin found in jelly) but they do eat dairy products.

(Should not be confused with Pescetarians.

Pescetarian: No meat, but still eat fish and dairy products)

Meat Eaters/ Omnivores: eat meat, meat products, dairy products and plants. (So pretty much anything!)

 
Health Benefits:

Vegetarian

1. No animals were killed in the making of the meal you eat
2. Your meal is cruelty-free as animals were not farmed at all
3. More sustainable than meat (less land, water and resources used)
4. Can grow most of the food you eat
5. Reduced meat in the diet is it linked to a longer life expectancy

Meat Eaters/ Omnivores

1. Food can be more easily sourced as your diet is so adaptable
2. You don't have to eat a lot of meat: you can do this sustainably by limiting the amount you eat and ensuring it was kept in a cruelty- free way (i.e. Free Range)
3. It can be easier to ensure that you're getting enough Iron and Protein as red meats are rich in these
4. Can benefit some wildlife through population control - for example deer in the UK have lost their natural predators (wolves) and are beginning to damage wild habitats through over-grazing
5. Nothing is wasted - All parts of an animal can be used (hide for leather, bones for gelatin etc)    

Drawbacks

Vegetarian

When deciding to become a vegetarian, you should make sure you have done your research and knowing what you can eat to replace the meat.

Meat

Over-fishing has become an issue and some species have been hunted to near extinction. A key example of taking advantage of nature is the loss of the Dodo - a flightless bird killed for its meat and has been completely wiped out. The Dodo was not a suspicious bird, and made its nest on the ground - making it an easy target for hunters