QUESTIONS:
1.Is it healthy or unhealthy, Why?
2.Is more efficient or less efficient?
3.What do you have to say about the ethical stand point?
4. Anything you would like to add.
1) It depends. There are certain proteins and minerals that people can get from things that are not plants, specifically various meats, that are vital for health and growth. If someone is vegetarian and does not think of where they will get those, it can be very unhealthy. However, with a properly thought out and stuck to plan, such as vitamin supplements or remembering to eat foods they can have that do provide that nourishment, it isn't unhealthy. Not being vegetarian can be more or less healthy depending on what foods are eaten.
2) The question was a little unclear. More or less efficient as opposed to what exactly? If you mean just not being a vegetarian, then it really depends on the other possible choice of eating habits. The vegetarian could be weighed against a strict carnivore, or it could be weighed against someone who eats nothing but cookies and cakes or, more realistically for the modern day, someone who lives off fast foods like McDonald's. Assuming the healthiest possibility, it still depends on the individual's needs and desires. Vegetarianism may be more efficient for a Buddhist or someone who might be sickened by the thought of animals being turned into food(much like how many of us might be sickened by the thought of cannibalism), but a diet that includes allot of meat might be more efficient for someone who doesn't mind that thought and has allot of physical work to do(such as farmers, soldiers, construction workers, etc) because meats generally have more calories(thus provides more energy and for a longer period of time) than vegetables do.
3) I don't think ethics are as much a part of it as some people might think. Since the dawn of humanity, as science has shown, humans have eaten meat, but we have also eaten vegetables. To me, a proper human's diet balances both. In fact, a proper diet includes every food group in the food pyramid. However, some people desire meats more than veggies or veggies more than meats. Other people are sickened by the thought of only eating, or eating at all, one of either food type. Science has shown that humans crave what their body needs, with the exception of addictions such as alcohol, caffeine, and even on occasion sugar. To me, so long as the body is getting what the body needs there is nothing wrong with the style of eating habits a person chooses. If the body isn't, then I don't have to point out that it isn't right because the person's body will be saying that as well.
4) Possibly my shortest answer for this post. Nothing.
A comment about that last statement, Wudang, so does using glue. It seems many vegetarians don't think about that though. If their goal is to save animals, they should refrain from using any product that uses an animal's body for it's creation. Glue, although some brands may differ in their ingredients, is often made from hooves, bones, and hides.
Well it all depends, everything that is done with a balance is good. Vegetarians can be very healthy if they take proper care of getting eveerything they arent getting from meats, also like meat eating people, who do not have a balanced diet of greens and meats. Ethical stand point depends on the person, you can argue, that there is a food chain and it is normal for animals to eat each other, another person might say that we have a choice to eat meat or not to because we can while other animals cant, and some people just dont care.
1) Since humans are omnivores, creature that eat vegetables and meat, no. If you supplement nutriants that you're not getting from vetables with vitamin suppliments then, I guess so.
2) efficiant in cost, no. vitamin suppliments do cost a bit of money. Efficient being healthy, without supplimets, no. Efficient in saving animals,...no.
3) Umm... get back to me on that.
4) You got my two cents, I need the rest to buy me something to eat. Maybe I'll buy a cheeseburger, hahaha.
Well, the biggest flaw I see in all you're logic is the belief that vegetarians have to take supplements. Its true in some case but not all such as the type of vegetarian such as lacto ovo vegetarianism you get all the vital proteins (all the needed amino acid) and minerals. Wudang, you are a smart fellow but I recommend doing just a tad bit more research
1. Meat is in fact not healthier, if you did the proper research you would know this.
2.There are many vegan bodybuilders and regular vegetarian bodybuilder because a vegetarian diet can be low fat with high protein.
3.Vitamin B12* you had got it wrong can actually be found in a bacteria common in the roots of organic non pesticide plants.
By Efficiency I mean like is it better for humankind as a whole such a environment and etc. Money for a vegetarian diet is in fact more cost efficient unless you want to buy fancy fake meat and vitamins that most don't really need.
You base your conclusions on the people that give vegetarianism a bad view. I am not going to biased, yes if not done right it can lead to malnourishment and shorten your life. Yet, if it does right it can extend your life (On average vegetarians live 4-10 years longer)
One word... Eggs. Eggs contain all the proper nutrients and is one of the most healthiest ways of getting protein with little saturated fat.(That doesnt count all the nuts, beans, and seeds)b
Flamevipers, I think you're limiting your view to storebought meats, which are filled with various chemicals for preservation and possibly some other purposes that I haven't looked into. If someone has a farm, with organic veggies and animals that aren't contaminated by chemicals, that would be much healthier.
Unfortunately, organic fruits and veggies are expensive in many/most places in America compared to meats so speaking from a poor man's view I would have to say that vegetarianism would not be efficient at all. As my dad says, people in the lower and often the middle class "go broke saving money" because we have to buy what we can afford when we can afford, and the best way to get our money's worth is to buy what we need the moment it is on sale. Often, this means buying a variety of frozen meats which can be kept in the freezer until it's time to be cooked and eaten.
With the organic stuff I proving a point about B12, but exactly whats more expensive eggs or meat?(Where I live its like a fourth the price) I am not saying that everything has to be organic or anything.
