I’m a vegan and while I try not to push my values and beliefs onto others, I do think a majority of us are misinformed. We’re told we need to eat meat for protein and to drink milk to have strong and healthy bones. However, what if I told you these things are untrue? What if I said eating meat isn’t good for you or anyone else? Here are some short reasons to not eat meat, if you're curious.
1. It’s bad for the enviorment
Yup, you read that right. The meat industry has a huge impact on the environment. According to numerous research studies, eating meat causes more greenhouse gas emissions than cars, trucks, ships, and planes. Can you believe it? Not to mention it takes thousands of gallons of water to produce one pound of edible beef. How wasteful!
2. It's bad for your health
I hate to break it to you, but meat isn’t good for your health. In fact, a vegetarian diet protects you more against heart disease, cancer, and strokes than a carnivore diet. Besides, if the meat itself isn’t bad enough to eat for you, think about all the bad things that factory farmers feed to the animals and everything the animals ingest; because you are eating the animals, you are basically ingesting what they ingest, and most of what they eat isn't healthy. Think of the hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides that you are going to be ingesting. That cannot be healthy.
3. Animal cruelty
Regardless if you believe eating meat is wrong or right, I think we can all agree that there is a humane way to treat animals. I don't want to be a Debbie-downer, but the meat you’re eating is probably not coming from a former happy cow on a farm living their best life. No, he was probably confided in a small cage, unable to move, and subjected to other horrible conditions. Surely, we can all agree that that isn’t ethical.
Now, I know I just threw facts at you, with no proof in this article. However, all it will take is one internet search to prove my facts true. If you’re still not convinced that eating meat is bad, get ready to binge-watch these documentaries on Netflix: "Cowspiracy," "Fork Over Knives," "Plant Pure Nation," "Hungry for Change," and Live and Let Live." That's just to name a few. If you’re still not ready to give up meat, take these three things into consideration and consider cutting back on the amount of meat you’re eating, for your health, the animals, and the environment.
