There is no doubt that evolution of human being is characterized by meat eating in various ways. Human’s digestive track is not obligatory. The body produces enzymes that are meant to digest meat, which aids in better physical growth and higher cephalization. Traditional practices were significantly based on the domestication of animals. Apparently, meat consumption has always been higher than its substitutes; this has created fascinating preferences and diverse food ways. Today, most households are heavily meat-oriented. In nutrition, the links of meat consumption range from eating meat as a prestige to satiety afforded. The eating habits have shown that there is an overconsumption of meat in relation to what the body requires and this makes it quite difficult to agree whether the current generation should or should not consume meat.
In this paper, I focus on the various consequences of meat consumption both on the environment and on health and to provide a concrete analysis why we should avoid meat consumption the 21st century basing my arguments on the health as well as the environmental implication of meat consumption. Basically, the physical dimensions of meat eating are more fascinating than the social, environmental, and the health impacts. It is important to note that meat consumption has no boundary on the species and the size of what is to be consumed. The Domesticated and the wild animals that are killed for their meat belong to the same environment as humans. As used in the agricultural writings and nutritional standards, meat is a misnomer. The perfect definition for meat is muscles of animals, and muscles are nothing other than wet protein tissues, the muscles of all vertebrates.
The first part of the paper addresses the environmental consequences of meat production and meat consumption, starting with the loss of biodiversity in the natural ecosystem and how increased meat production increases the global warming and the greenhouse effect. The second part moves forward to the health complications and implications of meat consumption focusing on the consequences of meat production and consumption on the animals, then to the health consequences of human beings, which links meat consumption with cancer, meat consumption with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and lastly the link between foodborne diseases and meat consumption. The last section of paper summarizes each of the point as discussed in the entire paper, giving a comprehensive summary on the need to avoid meat consumption in the current generation.
Environmental Implications of meat consumption.
There are few approximations concerning the curiosity of meat consumption but surprisingly little noted biomass of the domesticated animals. The ever-increasing number of zoo mass of tamed animals have made the meat and dairy mammals the dominant animals on earth (Environment Survey Staff 23). Even though the existence of animals is favorable, the extremely large number is non-appealing thought. As with the many other realities, animal husbandry consequences are felt both in the poor and the rich countries. The overexpansion of livestock by human beings to meet their desires for meat is a threat that causes the degradation of the natural ecosystem and consequently the loss of biodiversity. Although the increase is not the only threat to the loss of biodiversity, the world’s carnivorousness based on the large number of domesticated animals concentrates on the huge amounts of feed crops. Obviously, the impacts of environment stem from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers that is meant to raise the feeds required by the animals.
Moreover, the large feeding units are highly concentrated in specific regions. In the United Sates, two-thirds of the total pork consumed is produced in the mid-western states, a lower number compared to some areas that have up to the tune of 21.5 animals per hectare (Environment Survey Staff 28). It is no doubt that the croplands in these areas are highly saturated with manure. Since in most cases the waste is watery, the radii of the economic distributions of these regions are limited. The disposal of these wastes, therefore, limits the production of such lands.
The nitrogen volatize gas released from these wastes is also a major environment pollutant, both locally and globally. In large scale production, vitalization of ammonia is the major source of the unwanted odor. After the release of these gases into the atmosphere, they are subsequently converted into bacterial nitrates, which contribute to acidification and eutrophication of the terrestrial ecosystem. Eutrophication by the aquatic animals also perpetuates the growth of algal, a bloom that contains pro-estuarine din flagellate, which not only cause the death of fish but also the temporary loss of memory in human beings (Environment Survey Staff 32). The decay of algal blooms also causes oxygen deficiency in the atmosphere.
The production of meat is also another major contributor of greenhouse gases. Methane, a greenhouse gas whose potential global warming last up to 100 years results from fermentation of bovines. Also, the denitrification of nitrates in the animal manures release an oxide of nitrogen that has 300 times global warming potential of carbon-dioxide (Environment Survey Staff 38). All these are as a result of high consumption, which requires high meat production. It can, therefore, be inferred that if meat eating could be minimized or even be avoided in the 21st century, then global warming would be reduced considerably. Thus vegetarianism is environmentally conscious.
Health complications of meat consumption.
Discussions concerning the meat consumption should begin with that of threatening the lives of animals. As a matter of fact, the welfare of animals should never be ignored as the outburst of the activities of the vegetarians. All the tamed animals are social animals and have a group, which are well-developed organizations. Killing of these animals are disrupted and eliminated by the modern method of farming that force the animals to either live in extreme isolation or overcrowding. These man-made conditions inevitably result in stress in animals and increase the chances of density-related diseases. Some of the pathological diseases associated with crowding are the cannibalistic attack, which is popular in pigs and skeletal disorders.
The health risks of meat consumption in human beings is far much worrying than the welfare of animals. Science has shown that meat consumption, including white meat is unhealthy leaving the individuals with long-term health risks. Currently, cancer is among the causes of mortality, and an individual who consumes meat is placed at higher risks of developing cancer. In 2015, the World Health Organization declared processed meat as a carcinogen indicating that it places its consumers at risk of rectum or colon cancer by 18%. However, it is not just the processed meat that elevates the chances of chancer. Evidences have been tabled showing that vegetarians are 40% less likely to develop cancer and cancer related diseases (World Health Organization 25). The hypotheses used to explain the link between cancer risks and meat consumption are that meat lacks fiber that guards against the chances of developing cancer. Meat is highly saturated with animal fats and proteins, which are carcinogenic, and that meat is full of hormones which increases cancer chances.
Additionally, meat consumption increases the chances of developing Diabetes and Heart Diseases (Kratz et al. 8). Meat is one of the foods that contain saturated fats and cholesterol, which are the leading causes of strokes, heart attack, and the different types of cancer (Battaglia Richi, et al. 77). A study conducted by Vranken and colleagues linked the cardiovascular diseases to dietary cholesterol killing substantial number of people daily. Meat contains large amounts of cholesterol which block the blood pathways destabilizing the normal flow of blood. When this happens, an individual is likely to develop stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. The study also revealed individuals consuming large amounts of animal protein stand a chance of 22% chances of developing diabetes (Vranken et al. 6). Saturated fats are also associated with dementia, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and breast cancer.
Meat carries high risks of foodborne illness and may finally cause death. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicates that 70%of the food poisoning is as a result of animal flesh. Foodborne diseases such as Campylobacter, E. Coli, and Salmonella are reported to cause an estimated number of 76 million complications and more than 5000 deaths every year in the United States (World Health Organization 38). Therefore, eating meat puts on at greater risks of food poisoning since the animal related products are usually tainted and exposed to fecal contamination. Concisely, based on the health risks mentioned above, the carnivorous populations do not live as longer as the vegetarians do. Studies show that the vegan-based people live 12% longer than those whose diets contain large amounts of meat.
Although many people may find it difficult giving up meat and other fat-based diet and switch over to vegan or near-vegan diet, the WHO’s report recommends that plant-based diet is healthier and has numerous nutritional benefits. Eating vegan diet have several health benefits including those related to weight control and prevention of cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, diabetes and cancer (World Health Organization 45). Further, avoiding meat reduces the risks of excess cholesterol in the body. However, it still should be noted that a plant-based diet is healthiest when it include the entire major food group such as vegetables, fruits, grains and lean proteins. A switch to meatless diet should be consulted for proper guidelines on how to meet all the nutritional needs.
Ostensibly, thus far, we in the modern world have to recognize the level of meat consumption as an issue worthy of debate. Leave alone the different programs that might bring program. The primary function that this paper plays is gain acceptance of the radical complications of meat eating in order to adjust accordingly. For the sake of animals, the planet, and for personal health, meat must become an urgent issue of consideration. As initial steps, I recommend that we minimize meat in our diets and if possible eliminate it before advancing to extreme measures such as limiting the production of meat itself.
Conclusion
Meat consumption is part of human evolution, which has been on the move since time immemorial. Its consumption and production has been essential in energizing the world’s population and has been the cornerstone of proteins. Similarly, the acquisition of meat is still perceived as a success in some parts of the world, and meat consumption remains a one of the aspects that promote personal bonds. Even though meat consumption has been renounced and abhorred in some nations, the world’s carnivorousness evokes emotions in the well-being, affluence symbol universally, contentment, and about the satiety as well scorning the moral disapproval.
The production and consumption of meat is detrimental to the very existence of human beings as well as other creatures on earth. Compact studies have indicated that excessive consumption of meat, which pushes humans into large number of animal rearing can be detrimental and will even lead to loss of biodiversity of the natural ecosystem if considerable measures are not taken. Also, the global warming and the greenhouse effect have been partly attributed to the consumption of meat. The domestication of animals for meat purposes result to process that lead to production of gases that cause global warming as discussed in the paper.
Finally, the paper has explored health consequences of meat consumption, basing its focus on the animals and extending the search for these implications on the human health. Ostensibly, the paper points out the heath complications such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases, which are highly linked with meat consumption as stated above. The environmental consequences and the health implications associated with intake of meat are thereby proved fatal and convincingly among the leading causes of mortality. Owing to the evidences presented in the paper, it is justifiable that meat consumption in the 21st
century should be avoided.
Works Cited.
Battaglia Richi, Evelyne, et al. “Health Risks Associated with Meat Consumption: A Review of Epidemiological Studies.” International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. Internationale Zeitschrift Fur Vitamin- Und Ernahrungsforschung. Journal International de Vitaminologie et de Nutrition, vol. 85, no. 1–2, 2015, pp. 70–78, doi:10.1024/0300-9831/a000224.
Kratz, Mario, et al. “The Relationship between High-Fat meat Consumption and Obesity, Cardiovascular, and Metabolic Disease.” European Journal of Nutrition, vol. 52, no. 1, 2013, pp. 1–24, doi:10.1007/s00394-012-0418-1.
Environment Survey Staff. “Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture.” Web Soil Survey, 2016, pp. 1–2, http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/.
Vranken, Liesbet, et al. “Curbing Global Meat Consumption: Emerging Evidence of a Second Nutrition Transition.” Environmental Science and Policy, vol. 39, 2014, pp. 1–12, doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2014.02.009.
World Health Organization. “World Health Report 2015.” World Health, 2015, doi:ISBN 978 92 4 1564403.
