Vegetarianism

[i_love_burritos]

Actually you can't vegetarian alternative foods are packed with supplements.

If you don't eat them you get iron deficiency very quickly.

This is incorrect.

[Sy_Accursed]

Nope its not.

If vege didn't eat all their quorn and fungus stuff they'd pretty much all be iron deficient

[Serpent Eye]

IMo if someone wants to be vegetarian and/or vegan because they dislike the look or taste of meat or they are agaisnt animal slaughter (more so for American cause on the whole American slaughter houses are less humane) I think fair enough.

 

Anyone who tries to say we shouldn't eat meat because we can do with out, its healthier or we aren't meant to i find annoying as hell.

Yes we can do without meat, but then we get like no protein and thus become lanky AND most vegetarians have to take some form of iron supplement or die.

It's not healthier to get nutrients from fake sources, when the real ones are right there

And we are meant too we are born omnivores that's why we have incisors AND canine teeth

 

Actually you can't vegetarian alternative foods are packed with supplements.

If you don't eat them you get iron deficiency very quickly.

These aren't necessarily true...

 

The only thing I was really concerned about is protein. Obviously if you stop eating meat, there's going to be a huge gap in your diet that you need to fill with something else, but that isn't to say that vegetarian foods aren't "as good as the real thing."

 

Getting protein, B12, iron, etc., from sources like dark leafy-greens, legumes/beans, diary products, nuts, etc., is just as viable source as is getting it from eating meat.

 

Vegetarian foods aren't in any way "fake," unless you bring into account things like faux-meat products, but even then, they are still very healthy for you.

 

My biggest mistake when I first became a vegetarian was thinking that I could literally juts remove meat from my diet, and I would be good to go. It's a little bit of work to make sure I get all the necessary nutrients, but I'm far from being stuck at home, hovering over a bottle of iron tablets in my deathbed.

 

 

Edit: I had to Google "quorn," as I've never even heard of it before... it seems to be popular only in the UK. But what I'm reading about it, it's far from healthy for you.

[Assume Nothing]

I've pondered about this before. Why would you refuse to eat the meat of a cow, but drink it's milk? Doesn't make sense, apart from the fact that you're not killing animals.

 

And isn't a vegetarian diet more bland than a balanced diet with meat? 'Fake Meat' is ironic to me. You want to taste meat, but not actually eat it.

 

@SerpentEye Yeah, the main problem is B12 protein and Iron. Personally, my motto is 'taste worth dying for', not really 'be totally paranoid about food and calories'.

[Serpent Eye]

I've pondered about this before. Why would you refuse to eat the meat of a cow, but drink it's milk? Doesn't make sense, apart from the fact that you're not killing animals.

 

And isn't a vegetarian diet more bland than a balanced diet with meat? 'Fake Meat' is ironic to me. You want to taste meat, but not actually eat it.

 

@SerpentEye Yeah, the main problem is B12 protein and Iron. Personally, my motto is 'taste worth dying for', not really 'be totally paranoid about food and calories'.

That's exactly what make sense about it: in order to eat beef, a cow has to die; in order to drink its milk, it doesn't. (I personally don't drink a lot of milk, but that's a whole other issue. :P)

 

Vegetarian food is far from bland. I think that's one of the biggest misconceptions, hence where the term "rabbit food" comes from. I think people have this idea in their heads that vegetarians sit around eating nothing but carrots or cabbage all day. Vegetarian food can be very rich, aromatic, flavorful, colorful, etc.

 

For me personally, I didn't stop eating meat because of the taste. In my real life, I'm a huge lover of food and going into the kitchen and whipping up some tasty dish. That being said, I certainly can appreciate a meat-dish for it's culinary value. I'll be honest, when I'm outside and I catch the smell of a neighbor BBQing something like chicken or hamburgers, it smells really good to me. But I just have to rely on my willpower to not run over and take a bite of it. :P

 

Sometimes at work (I'm a manager of a movie theater) I'll help a customer who's buying one of the hotdogs we sell, and the smell will kind of stay with me, I guess, and when I get home from work I'll sometimes have to run to the store and buy a pack of fake (tofu) hotdogs to eat, just to satisfy a craving I otherwise couldn't.

[Zierro]

Getting protein, B12, iron, etc., from sources like dark leafy-greens, legumes/beans, diary products, nuts, etc., is just as viable source as is getting it from eating meat.

 

Question: To get the same amount of vitamins you get from meat, would you need to eat a (much) higher quantity of those foods?

 

PS: Plants can feel pain? WTF?? Seriously?

[obfuscator]

Vegetarianism is a mixed boat for a few reasons.

 

Personally, I eat a lot of vegetables, they are healthy for you and I like them. I like meat too though so I could never be a vegetarian.

 

It's correct to say the argument of "right to life" is flawed - if a cow has a right to life, why does a plant not? And don't even get me started on how many humans don't have a right to life..

 

It's more efficient for the planet if we eat vegetables; a one acre field growing plants can feed 10x the people for a year compared to if that field were used to raise livestock.

 

I have come across many self-righteous vegetarians/vegans, but it's really a personal choice, and not everybody is like that.

[Serpent Eye]

Getting protein, B12, iron, etc., from sources like dark leafy-greens, legumes/beans, diary products, nuts, etc., is just as viable source as is getting it from eating meat.

 

Question: To get the same amount of vitamins you get from meat, would you need to eat a (much) higher quantity of those foods?

Not at all.

 

As an example, if you consider that the average adult male needs somewhere between 8-10mg of Iron per day, that equates to something like eating 1.5 cups of lentils per day, which is a reasonable amount to have with one meal (and even more reasonable if you have a small serving of beans at lunch, and another small serving of beans with your dinner, etc.)

[Zygimantas]

I like eating animals, they provide a good meal. If someone tells me it is morally wrong or whatever, I couldn't care less. I do have some sympathy for the animals that I eat, I wouldn't want to torture them, ( like unfortunately some people do). But I don't care enough about them to not eat them, I don't care how others might perceive that, it is just who I am.

[Assume Nothing]

Getting protein, B12, iron, etc., from sources like dark leafy-greens, legumes/beans, diary products, nuts, etc., is just as viable source as is getting it from eating meat.

 

Question: To get the same amount of vitamins you get from meat, would you need to eat a (much) higher quantity of those foods?

 

PS: Plants can feel pain? WTF?? Seriously?

 

The power of google compels you! http://www.bbspot.com/News/2003/08/plant_pain.html

[OldJoe]

I don't eat meat 2 times a week. Reason? Well, to get a bit of a change in my diet. And because of some "new" slaughter methods which are appearing here, which makes it much more difficult to find a good slaughter company.

I usually eat fish 1-2 times per week as well, but only select species.

[Zierro]

The power of google compels you! http://www.bbspot.co...plant_pain.html

 

Eh, I generally try to avoid Googling something controversial like that because different sites say different things, I dislike reading lengthy off-site articles, and I'd rather hear a TIFer's personal input on it and have them be rewarded one free post count. :shades:

 

Besides, that link didn't really give much support, just claims and then a bunch of jokes following. It says the nervous system isn't fully developed but yet it still feels pain. Don't you need a brain to perceive/register the feelings you get from your nerve receptors as "pain"?

 

...

 

Here's an interesting question to (moral) vegetarians: Do you normally kill bugs?

[Myweponsg00d]

Theres actually a very good reason for being a vegetarian (vegan really) that has not been discussed yet. In my opinion, this is the reason that everyone should consider vegetarianism, respect it, and at least give it a shot...(well I guess its a couple reasons put together)

 

The meat industry is one of the world's largest sources of pollution. Also, stock animals are fed many tons of grains, corn, etc. We are running into trouble feeding the world, and many more calories worth of food must be given to the cow to eat than would ever be obtained by eating the cow itself or drinking its milk.

 

Whenever you eat a cow, you are choosing an option that is less sustainable. That 200 calories of beef required that cow to eat many times that ammount of calories in its own food. When you drink a cows milk, you are supporting the business that must keep these dairy cows alive. Dairy cows eat more food than what they produce in milk.

 

So even if you don't give a crap about animal rights or whatever...at least do the world a favor and make yourself aware of what factory farming does to the world. The days have long passed since we got our meat from a beautiful farm where cows roam free on green pastures (they do sell pasture beef now). Factory farming now involves shoving thousands of cattle onto the smallest land plot possible. The fecal matter creates disgusting run-off from the plant which pollutes our own water.

 

So if you dont care about animals, I'm sure you care about humans. I mean, youre one of them. Give veganism some respect, and take a moment to understand or even try the lifestyle. At least make yourself aware of how much you may depend on animal products.

 

I have tried veganism and it just doesn't work for me. I have a liver condition and carb sources of calories just make me feel like I need to go take a nap. So I have chosen that it is more important for me to feel good than for other people to have more food available. I'm by no means saying that it is correct for everyone. I'm just saying that every responsible citizen should at least take the time to make themselves aware of the choice that they aren't making.

 

The beauty of the above reasons is that every little bit helps. Even if you eat meat most of the time, one vegan meal per week helps get feces out of the rivers and get food on starving people's plates. I mean, if you are like the average person, you eat 21 meals per week. If everybody pitched in and ate one vegan, or even vegetarian, meal each week, that would reduce the demands on the meat industry by 5%. 5% less pollution. 5% more grain available to feed the world. I personally do "meatless mondays" where every monday is free of animal products (unless I'm feeling under the weather).

 

Just think about it.

[Assume Nothing]

Theres actually a very good reason for being a vegetarian (vegan really) that has not been discussed yet. In my opinion, this is the reason that everyone should consider vegetarianism, respect it, and at least give it a shot...(well I guess its a couple reasons put together)

 

The meat industry is one of the world's largest sources of pollution. Also, stock animals are fed many tons of grains, corn, etc. We are running into trouble feeding the world, and many more calories worth of food must be given to the cow to eat than would ever be obtained by eating the cow itself or drinking its milk.

 

Whenever you eat a cow, you are choosing an option that is less sustainable. That 200 calories of beef required that cow to eat many times that ammount of calories in its own food. When you drink a cows milk, you are supporting the business that must keep these dairy cows alive. Dairy cows eat more food than what they produce in milk.

 

So even if you don't give a crap about animal rights or whatever...at least do the world a favor and make yourself aware of what factory farming does to the world. The days have long passed since we got our meat from a beautiful farm where cows roam free on green pastures (they do sell pasture beef now). Factory farming now involves shoving thousands of cattle onto the smallest land plot possible. The fecal matter creates disgusting run-off from the plant which pollutes our own water.

 

So if you dont care about animals, I'm sure you care about humans. I mean, youre one of them. Give veganism some respect, and take a moment to understand or even try the lifestyle. At least make yourself aware of how much you may depend on animal products.

 

I have tried veganism and it just doesn't work for me. I have a liver condition and carb sources of calories just make me feel like I need to go take a nap. So I have chosen that it is more important for me to feel good than for other people to have more food available. I'm by no means saying that it is correct for everyone. I'm just saying that every responsible citizen should at least take the time to make themselves aware of the choice that they aren't making.

 

The beauty of the above reasons is that every little bit helps. Even if you eat meat most of the time, one vegan meal per week helps get feces out of the rivers and get food on starving people's plates. I mean, if you are like the average person, you eat 21 meals per week. If everybody pitched in and ate one vegan, or even vegetarian, meal each week, that would reduce the demands on the meat industry by 5%. 5% less pollution. 5% more grain available to feed the world. I personally do "meatless mondays" where every monday is free of animal products (unless I'm feeling under the weather).

 

Just think about it.

 

I agree partly with this. Firstly, I'll point out some flaws in your argument.

 

I mean, if you are like the average person, you eat 21 meals per week. If everybody pitched in and ate one vegan, or even vegetarian, meal each week, that would reduce the demands on the meat industry by 5%. 5% less pollution. 5% more grain available to feed the world.

 

In your first two sentences, you implied that every meal contains meat. This is not necessarily true. Also, 5% less grain usage does not mean 5% less pollution. By that you're saying that 100% of pollution comes from animals, which is obviously not the case.

 

Also, if it is found that there are efficient ways to obtain meat without using many tons of food, the argument is invalid.

 

Assuming the reasoning is valid, there are many other ways to stop the greenhouse effect. And a DYK; The greenhouse effect is actually healthy to the Earth, as it keeps it at a 'normal' temperature. It is only bad when there is too much of it, which means trapping alot of the heat from the Sun (Which is why Venus is hotter than Mercury.)

 

For those who claim that you have to kill animals to eat meat; Question yourself this. Why do plants have no right to life? Do you use animal related products? Isn't it hypocritical to wear a leather handbag or a leather jacket, and then claim to be a vegetarian because "you don't like animals being killed"?

 

Health perspective; Who says a healthy meat based diet is less healthy than a healthy vegetarian diet? It is about managing consumption.

[Range_This11]

The pseudo-manly posts on this thread are so sickening, almost as sickening as the processed garbage you people seem to think is meat. :rolleyes:

 

I am not a vegetarian, I will eat meat that came from an animal someone killed that I know personally or from a local meat market, but I will never touch "meat", or grey-matter, as I like to call it, from any grocery store or restaurant. All I have to say is that if you're oblivious to what you're putting in your body, don't read up on it because you won't look at food the same again. And if you do want to read up on it, I highly recommend "The Omnivoire's Dilemma" :thumbup:

[Assume Nothing]

Another point; "If we ate grain instead of meat, then there would be no starving people in the world"

 

That is not completely true. Why? Because starving people aren't starving because there isn't enough food, it is because they don't have access to food. Think about it

[Myweponsg00d]

In your first two sentences, you implied that every meal contains meat. This is not necessarily true.

I agree. My "statistics" are just an ideallized scenario. But then lets say that you usually only eat meat for lunch and dinner. That makes 14 meals a week where you eat meat. So if you give up just ONE of those then you are reducing your meat consumption by MORE than 5%. But yeah the whole point of my statistics were just to give an example how every little bit can help.

Also, 5% less grain usage does not mean 5% less pollution. By that you're saying that 100% of pollution comes from animals, which is obviously not the case.

I meant that the pollution strictly from the meat industry would lower by 5%.

Also, if it is found that there are efficient ways to obtain meat without using many tons of food, the argument is invalid.

Yes. I think that if there was a more sustainable way to produce our current ammount of meat, then veganism would just be a personal diet choice basically, instead of something that everyone really should spend some time considering.

 

Assuming the reasoning is valid, there are many other ways to stop the greenhouse effect. And a DYK; The greenhouse effect is actually healthy to the Earth, as it keeps it at a 'normal' temperature. It is only bad when there is too much of it, which means trapping alot of the heat from the Sun (Which is why Venus is hotter than Mercury.)

 

For those who claim that you have to kill animals to eat meat; Question yourself this. Why do plants have no right to life? Do you use animal related products? Isn't it hypocritical to wear a leather handbag or a leather jacket, and then claim to be a vegetarian because "you don't like animals being killed"?

 

Health perspective; Who says a healthy meat based diet is less healthy than a healthy vegetarian diet? It is about managing consumption.

 

There have been studies that actually link meat consumption to cancer...However, I am skeptical of these studies because meat eaters probably tend to eat less vegetables as a whole. I think that a diet that includes meat and tons of vegetables would probably be just as healthy as a vegetarian diet.

 

Also, there is the chance that the vegetarians they studied have less cancer due to the fact that a vegetarian pays more attention to their health. For example, most studies of nutritional supplements (such as multi vitamins, and other things that "promote health") show that the human body does not like to really absorb these supplements. Most of your daily multi-v leaves your body through your urine. But, when you study the people who take supplements, they are usually way healthier. Clearly, studying the individual supplements shows that they aren't very effective, yet the people who take them are much healthier. How?

 

Well, some people have hypothesized that the people who spend money on health supplements are more likely to pay attention to their diet, and also make other healthy choices such as not smoking.

 

I think that is exactly what is going on with the whole "vegetarians are healthier" thing.

 

 

Another point; "If we ate grain instead of meat, then there would be no starving people in the world"

 

That is not completely true. Why? Because starving people aren't starving because there isn't enough food, it is because they don't have access to food. Think about it

 

Developed countries (such as the US) send food aid to countries where people are starving. If people in these developed countries ate less meat, there would be more food available to send overseas in the form of aid. There would be less demand for grain and thus it would cost less to send more food.

[sees_all1]

Fruits and Veggies feel pain. I present this as evidence:

 

Gotta love http://shirt.woot.com/friends.aspx?k=15297.

 

 

Meat doesn't kill you, carbs do.

[magekillr]

I'm a vegetarian for two reasons:

 

1.) Climate change. The meat industry contributes to a good percentage of our global warming gases, so I dropped meat for this reason alone.

 

2.) It takes more land to raise meat. So world hunger could be easier to alleviate if everyone else gave up meat.

 

edit: Heh, looks like Myweponsg00d hit these points already.

 

Also, if anyone needs nutrition help, I know a lot about diet and nutrition. I'm not a professional bodybuilder, but I can also give you diet plans if you wish to be a vegetarian who lifts weights. Meat isn't needed.

[Alg]

Consider this a +1 to Magekillr and Myweaponisg00d, though not a vegetarian personally.

 

I do remember hearing/reading that there is enough food being produced, it just isn't distributed well enough. It isn't so much "make less meat to send grains overseas" as "Stop eating an entire KFC bucket for a snack". The States probably produces enough corn to make the entire world sick of corn, we just burn it and feed the rest to cows. There's probably a better way we could do that, too, though.

 

The thing about land is that not all land is suited for growing different crops.

 

A bit ironic though, complaining about preachy vegetarians while in the same post preaching about the wonders of meat.

[Giordano]

Its not only its not delievered correctly, but some countries don't have the technology to maintain crops so they don't die, harvest them faster, and maintain their health and size. An average field in America makes X amount of food, the same sized field in Africa will make a tenth of that.

[magekillr]

Just a knock at the Atkins diet. 65-70% of my calories come from carbs, 10-15% comes from fat, and 20-25% comes from protein. Carbs are bad for you if you're drinking soda and not eating pasta, or if you're eating 4,000 calories a day without exercise and proper eating habits (4,000 calories per day should never be consumed in three meals, as your body won't burn them and they'll turn to fat).

 

About meat causing cancer, that's prolly true about the increased vegetable intake, but coincidentally the link to cancer and heart disease goes away when cows are fed through fields and grass rather than feed. So if they're on a "natural" diet, the link seems to go away. I don't have a link on me regarding that, sadly (and surprisingly!). So I think it has more to do with what the animals are being fed than an increase in vegetables.

 

Meat is a luxury, really, so it's no wonder that the richer your country, the more meat that is consumed. I don't have a problem with meat eaters, but I do have a problem with America's excess consumption of meat, and the attitude that a lot of meat eaters have towards me. Time and time again during meals people shove it in your face acting like you want it really really bad, and how much you're missing out. Or they say "Well I'll eat two steaks instead of one to make up for you." That attitude pisses me off.

[Serpent Eye]

Just some information from an extensive research paper I did several years ago. Unfortunately I only have an unfinished copy of the rough-draft (school was required to keep my final paper) so the statistics abruptly stop before I get to the health facts.

 

1. In 1992, almost 7% (roughly 12.4M) of Americans considered themselves vegetarians. Of these:
   
   • 46% for health reasons
     
   • 15% for animal welfare issues
     
   • 12% due to family influence
     
   • 5% for ethical reasons
     
   • 4% for environmental reasons
     
   • 9% for other reasons
     I humbly admit that I don't know where the other 9% went to... like I said, these are from my rough-draft.

[*]There are more than 1 billion pigs, 1.3 billion cows, 1.8 billion sheep and goats, and 13.5 billion chickens alive.

• Each year, North Americans alone slaughter roughly 10 billion of these.

[*]In the United States alone, 70% of land is used so livestock can graze. Due to this excessive grazing, the land undergoes a process known as "desertification," which literally means the land becomes like a desert. Once it has undergone this process, plant matter no longer thrives.

 

[*]In 1960, nearly 130,000 sq. miles of rainforest existed in Central America. By 1985 (twenty-five years later) this amount was reduced to 80,000 sq. miles.

• This change occured shortly after the United States started importing beef from Central America.
  
• One author notes that nearly two-thirds of Central American rainforests have been destroyed "mostly for space to raise cheep beef for American fast-food restaurants."

[*]In the United States, less than 50% of harvested agriculture is used to feed people.

• Less than 20% of harvested corn is used to feed people.
  
• Less than 5% of harvested oats are used to feed people.

[*]In Guatemala, 75% of children aged five or under are malnourished.

• Every year, Guatemala exports 40M pounds of meat to the United States.

[*]According to the Department of Agriculture, 25,000 pounds of potatoes can grow on a single acre of land.

• If that same acre of land were used to grow cattlefeed, it could be used to produce roughly only 165 pounds of beef.

[*]If all of the grain and soybeans grown in the United States were not fed to livestock, it could feed 1.3B people.

• If 10% less grain were used to feed livestock, 130M people could be fed.

[*]50% of the water used in the United States is used to irrigate cattlefeed.

• On average, 390 gallons of water go into producing a single pound of beef.
  
• Due to desertification, when it rains, harmful chemicals and animal waste run directly back into water sources, rather than being reabsorbed into the ground.

[*]Nearly 3T pounds of solid animal waste is produced every year.

• Cattle waste is the largest source of methane emissions.

[*]Roughly 75 kilograms of carbon dioxide is produced in clearing enough rainforest to produce a single hamburger.

• This equates to the amount of carbon dioxide produced by 25 cars.

[*]Steven Boyan, PhD, says in his article "How Our Food Choices can Help Save the Environment," "Before a cow is slaughtered, she will eat 25 pounds of corn a day; by the time she is slaughtered she will [eat] more than 1,200 pounds. In her lifetime she will have consumed, in effect, 284 gallons of oil. Today's factory-raised cow is not a solar-powered ruminant but another fossil fuel machine."

 

[*]2 calories of fossil fuel are used to get 1 calorie of protein from soybeans.

• 78 calories of fossil fuel are used to get 1 calorie of protein from beef.

[*]The most efficient animal production returns only about 35% of fossil fuel invested.

• The least efficient plant crop can return upwards of 328%.

Fun facts to consider. :thumbup:

[Assume Nothing]

Just some information from an extensive research paper I did several years ago. Unfortunately I only have an unfinished copy of the rough-draft (school was required to keep my final paper) so the statistics abruptly stop before I get to the health facts.

 

1. In 1992, almost 7% (roughly 12.4M) of Americans considered themselves vegetarians. Of these:
   
   • 46% for health reasons
     
   • 15% for animal welfare issues
     
   • 12% due to family influence
     
   • 5% for ethical reasons
     
   • 4% for environmental reasons
     
   • 9% for other reasons
     I humbly admit that I don't know where the other 9% went to... like I said, these are from my rough-draft.

[*]There are more than 1 billion pigs, 1.3 billion cows, 1.8 billion sheep and goats, and 13.5 billion chickens alive.

• Each year, North Americans alone slaughter roughly 10 billion of these.

[*]In the United States alone, 70% of land is used so livestock can graze. Due to this excessive grazing, the land undergoes a process known as "desertification," which literally means the land becomes like a desert. Once it has undergone this process, plant matter no longer thrives.

 

[*]In 1960, nearly 130,000 sq. miles of rainforest existed in Central America. By 1985 (twenty-five years later) this amount was reduced to 80,000 sq. miles.

• This change occured shortly after the United States started importing beef from Central America.
  
• One author notes that nearly two-thirds of Central American rainforests have been destroyed "mostly for space to raise cheep beef for American fast-food restaurants."

[*]In the United States, less than 50% of harvested agriculture is used to feed people.

• Less than 20% of harvested corn is used to feed people.
  
• Less than 5% of harvested oats are used to feed people.

[*]In Guatemala, 75% of children aged five or under are malnourished.

• Every year, Guatemala exports 40M pounds of meat to the United States.

[*]According to the Department of Agriculture, 25,000 pounds of potatoes can grow on a single acre of land.

• If that same acre of land were used to grow cattlefeed, it could be used to produce roughly only 165 pounds of beef.

[*]If all of the grain and soybeans grown in the United States were not fed to livestock, it could feed 1.3B people.

• If 10% less grain were used to feed livestock, 130M people could be fed.

[*]50% of the water used in the United States is used to irrigate cattlefeed.

• On average, 390 gallons of water go into producing a single pound of beef.
  
• Due to desertification, when it rains, harmful chemicals and animal waste run directly back into water sources, rather than being reabsorbed into the ground.

[*]Nearly 3T pounds of solid animal waste is produced every year.

• Cattle waste is the largest source of methane emissions.

[*]Roughly 75 kilograms of carbon dioxide is produced in clearing enough rainforest to produce a single hamburger.

• This equates to the amount of carbon dioxide produced by 25 cars.

[*]Steven Boyan, PhD, says in his article "How Our Food Choices can Help Save the Environment," "Before a cow is slaughtered, she will eat 25 pounds of corn a day; by the time she is slaughtered she will [eat] more than 1,200 pounds. In her lifetime she will have consumed, in effect, 284 gallons of oil. Today's factory-raised cow is not a solar-powered ruminant but another fossil fuel machine."

 

[*]2 calories of fossil fuel are used to get 1 calorie of protein from soybeans.

• 78 calories of fossil fuel are used to get 1 calorie of protein from beef.

[*]The most efficient animal production returns only about 35% of fossil fuel invested.

• The least efficient plant crop can return upwards of 328%.

Fun facts to consider. :thumbup:

 

 

A few of those "facts" aren't exactly valid reasons. The Hunger Argument - As I've said before, people aren't starving because there isn't enough food in the world. It's because they have no access to it. Even if we have a sudden boom in the amount of corn we have, it wouldn't make much of a difference to the amount of people still starving. On average, 50% of the food in the US is wasted. Wouldn't the surplus just be wasted? 'Would we really use the surplus to feed the millions of hungry people?'

 

Animal Waste - That figure is misleading. Even if nobody eats meat, some of the space used by cattle today will still be occupied by animals. Those animals still have waste, and it will still contribute to Global Warming (admittedly less, but still)

 

Malnourishment - Already talked about that.

[Range_This11]

The point he's trying to make, I believe, is by showing you the maximum capacity of food an acre of land can produce (using the potato example) when not devoted to feeding livestock. In reality I don't think we would produce all of that food, it's only being used to prove a point and that is that we are wasting precious resources on the unnecessary production of livestock. You can twist the figures all you want, but the fact remains that it is an inefficient system that cannot possibly be sustained given our population. Perhaps 500-1,000 years ago, but not today. Not without severe repercussions.

 

Also, let's not bring world hunger into this debate. It is about the consumption or non-consumption of meat. That type of thing only adds spin.