Dear 'meatless' omnivores....

Correct, we are omnivores but humans unlike other animals are not condemned to live by their instincts, we can choose our diet, and given that eating meat involves killing, is it not more compassionate to eat a meat free diet? all the bet urban

I agree that human are omnivores but I think the best combination for me is 20% meat and 80% vegetables and fruits. And it's important to limit beef too (any kind of red meat), those kind of meat are unhealthy (I even think that it's good not to eat them at all), However I think fish is one of kind of the healthy meat. Look at eskimo whose diet is 100% meat (all fish), they are healthy, right? According to statistics they have very low rates of heart problems (which is usually common to meat eater). So in my opinion the kind of meat like red meat should be limited or even better not to be eaten since it has been proven to cause the health problem when eaten in excess. However fish meat in my opinion is healthy and of course still don't forget about vegetables and fruits, you still need them for fiber and essential nutrients. I'm not vegan and I do eat meat but usually fish and chicken and also I limit to eat any kind of red meat like beef (I still eat it but maybe just once in a month or 2 months).

I gave up trying to convert people to veggie-ism ages ago. It works for me, it doesn't work for others, or my dogs or cats. I make my own dogs' treats so I know what's in them, but I get upset seeing the body parts going in the food processor... :(

Very true. There was a research project run by the government, on being vegetarian. They put people on low-meat, and no-meat diets, and the results ended up being that those on the vegy only diets not only didn't lose weight, but some had health issues. Ironically, this was done in the 70s, and the research wasn't even released until the mid 2000s. When the person who did the study was interviewed, he was asked why they didn't print the research in the 70s after it was done, and his answer was "because we didn't like the results". Just as a side note, this is why when you hear or read about how the government founds such and such in a research study... take it with a grain of salt. They tend to only publish what they already agree with.

I think it's wrong to tell someone their beliefs about meat are wrong, whether you're vegetarian or a meat-eater. People should be able to choose whatever they want to eat and not have people judge them about it. It is healthy to have some meat in your diet because it's protein. However, there are other sources of protein if you don't eat meat as well. If you eat too much of red meat, it's also not healthy for you. I think there should be a balance of meat and if people choose not to eat it, then that's fine and I'm not going to bother them about their opinions.

I know exactly what you're saying. I can't stand people telling others what is right and what is wrong. Some vegetarians and vegans feel it necessary to preach why you shouldn't eat meat. Well if we were meant to be vegetarian it would have started way back when but we were hunters and gatherers were we not? I have a friend who is vegan and is very passionate about not eating meat for various reasons, she shares lots of info but never does she try to push it onto anyone else saying they have to do it as well. It's the same with religion though, so many people trying to push it in your face saying you have to believe this and that. Well no, no we don't we can make out own decisions in life based on personal preference and information that we gather. In fact just recently my 2nd cousin who has been vegetarian for over 10 years has now gone back to eating meat and he actually feels so much better and healthier. He was having a lot of problems and eating some meat resolved that problem for him. That is his personal preference and something his body has told him he needs, for others the body tells them that it doesn't like meat like my great aunt, when she eats it she feels it just sitting in her stomache and it makes her queasy. So I think I made my point, personal preference, don't tell others what to do because they don't like it and don't become all upset simply because someone has a different opinion on it than you

Why do people who it meat 3 times a day think it is their duty in life to get other people to eat meat? Humans are whatever they are out of necessity. Since none of us is starving in the wilderness and hunting/foraging for our food, we have the luxury to eat whatever we want. For the record, not eating meat is NOT unhealthy. Unless you exercise, drink lots of water, and eat a BALANCED diet, it will not be you who comes out on top as the one who is most healthy. It might interest you to know that before the last century people ate less meat in general.

While I do think that there are far too many people that eat way too much meat and not enough fruits and vegetables, I can't begin to imagine what it would be like to not eat any meat at all. The reason that I feel this way is because of the fact that protein is something that you need in your diet and though there are meatless alternatives to protein, you still need to get some of your protein from meat. I do believe that a person that eats meat but also still eats plenty of fruits and vegetables is healthier than a person that never eats any meat.

I agree. Everything that we should take into our body should be taken in moderation. We need meat for energy. IN fact I have read one Christian book that says God doesn't actually tell people to go vegan because meat is a must for our body to gain enough energy. The weaker the body is, the weaker the spirit is too.

Well, everyone has their own beliefs, and we should just accept it as part of our lives. Regarding the consumption of meat in terms of health, meat actually is a primary source of iron (from the hemoglobin contained) and vitamin B12, and by not consuming meat, one actually is prone from suffering the deficiency of both nutrients. Vitamin B12 is a signature constituent of meat, while iron, although popular in vegetables such as spinach, is limited to be absorbed due to the fiber contained in those vegetables. However, it does not mean that vegetarians are bad compared to meat eaters, they simply just need to find other sources of these nutrients. Vegetarians have their own merits by limiting meat consumption, they help to control fat and cholesterol intake (incidentally cholesterol is only found in animal based food products). Nevertheless, I myself am more favored towards limiting the consumption of meat, rather than completely eliminating it from our diet. Meats are, seriously, delicious after all :p In conclusion, I think that none is wrong in this case, so chill man. If you find some vegetarian guys forcing you to join them, just mention these facts and refuse them politely :)