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Hector Lopez

Professor Rosenfeld

English 113(B)

10, April 2017

We Are What We Eat!

Did you know its legal to consume dog or cat in the United States, 44 states to be exact?

The states that prohibit it by law are California, Georgia, New York, Hawaii, Virginia, and

Michigan (Foer 696). People who uphold to the idea that dogs are mans best friend wouldnt be

able to support the idea of people consuming dogs. In our society consuming meat is quite

normal and knowing someone who is vegan or vegetarian is not shocking. There have been many

debates that meat production affects the environment and that it causes health issues, but the

same effect is equally possible when consuming vegetables. Though they affect you in different

ways the outcome is the same. Lets not forget that there are different types, or versions of meat.

Aside from the simple facts there is also the factor of taste. People who are vegetarian may have

a love for vegetables due to liking them. People who dont like vegetables are more likely not to

go vegan or vegetarian because they simply wont survive as they wont eat the sufficient amount

necessary. The article, Eat Your Meat (and feel Better About it), talks about how fast food

places are used to selling frozen ground beef. The reason why they sell frozen ground beef at a

cheaper cost is due to being processed. This makes meat more accessible but less unhealthy than

fresh meat. It argues that new burger joints that sell fresh-meat charge more but people are

willing to pay as most people watch what they eat now a days. This not only benefits people but

famers and butchers that sell meat thats fresh to the public. They put this to the test by opening a

place called, Anda at Red Aprin, which was really successful in selling fresh meat. Overall the
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article illustrates the benefits of non-processed meat as processed meat has a higher chance of

obtaining health issues. Although some may argue that meat consumption causes health issues,

and that it is unethical, not eating meat can be just as harmful to human health. In our current

society meat has long been a staple of our diets so much so that it is now a crucial component of

our economy.

Many people believe meat consumption is unethical because it is cruel to raise animals

for food. In the long run meat consumption can cause health problems and is costly to produce.

An image of a yellow skinned color girl with spiked up hair is sitting in a table getting ready to

eat. Right in front of her is her plate filled with 2 large steaks covering up most of her plate and a

small portion of what seems to be mashed potatoes on the side. Followed by a small glass of

milk on the right side. Lisa from the Simpsons is the girl that is sitting in this table and right

before she starts consuming her meal she gets a thought of a happy lamp in a nice grass area. The

significance of this image represents that meat is usually consumed in our everyday society but

no one ever stops to think were that meat came from or who produced that milk. Most of the

plate is also filled with meat and only a small portion is potatoes meaning that people often

consume more meat than necessary, leading to future obesity. Meat is very acidic and has toxins
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that affect your overall health further exemplified in the article, Association between Red and

Processed Meat Consumption and Chronic Diseases: The Confounding Role of Other Dietary

Factors by M Fogelholm, N Kanerva and S Mannisto, that, increased meat consumption may

also predict an increased risk for chronic diseases and mortality (Fogelholm 9). What this

indicates is that the more consumption of meat the more chances there are of health issues in the

future. Usually the issues could be pancreatic cancer or diabetes which are very bad diseases

that can affect you for life, and can also follow you until death. In the article, 10 Things We

Wish Everyone Knew About the Meat and Dairy Industries, by David Robinson Simon, it

mentioned that, the American government spends $38 billion each year to subsidize the meat

and dairy industries, but only 0.04 percent of that (i.e., $17 million) each year to subsidize fruits

and vegetables (Simon). What this means is that people often dig in to the meat production and

offer jobs to meat industries rather than invest in vegetation. It can be argued that society is

vastly focused in meat production that they gave up on vegetation and so the point Simon wants

people to understand is that there should be less jobs for meat industries and more for vegetation.

The human body is the same in many aspects as everyone has the genetic gene to be born

with two arms, two legs, two eyes, but often everyone is different and unique. People in society

may look the same, they may have similarities but for the most part every human is unique.

Humans are so unique that everyone has different taste buds. People may like certain foods over

others. Something human nature has in common is that for the most part every person seems to

enjoy meat. Everyone likes different forms and ways meat is cooked but overall everyone likes

meat. People know where meat comes from and how its processed but the taste of the food is

what matters for the most part. I conducted a survey in class and most of the students answered

that, meat is good, meat has protein, etc. Simple answers and responses about the subject
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meat is typical in our society because for the most part, people dont care. As long as the

cheeseburgers cost a dollar and fulfill the taste buds of an average person people will continue to

eat meat. This is why taste is important, if vegetables tasted like meat, for those who like meat, it

would be a dream come true. The reason for that is because now people will eat their vegetables

and side of meat with no hesitation because often the reason why people choose to consume meat

over vegetables is due to taste.

Eating animal flesh is ethical because the consumption of meat has been in our human

culture for centuries. For those who eat meat that are asked to give up meat is like telling a

human being she/he cant walk or she/he cant do something she/he is passionate about.

Although certain people question what they eat and how its consumed in a recent survey it

illuminates the idea that people are aware of their large consumption of meat yet they end up

saying meat is necessary. In a recent Survey, most students documented that meat has something

everyone needs which is Protein. Roughly half of the students want meat to be processed and

relatively 75% of students consume over 2-3 pounds of meat. When students were asked

about animal cruelty and its importance, 60% of those students said Yes. If humans were

against animal cruelty, then why do they consume meat? In the society we live in, fast food

restaurants and restaurants in general plus the supermarkets all sell meat in a daily basis and a

large portion of humanity consumes some type of meat. In order for someone to change centuries

of culture there has to be some sort of drastic worldwide event as it is proven that there are more

omnivores out there and carnivores than herbivores. The article, Eat Your Meat (And Feel

Better About it), exemplifies the notion that humanity should be proud to consume meat.

Animals were brought here for a reason and often we are told that, Fat is bad, but its not (Bon

Appetit 88), meaning that there is nothing wrong with a little over weight. Sure there are things
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such as obesity but there are also such things as being able to enjoy food. Plus, the amount of

jobs that could be lost and the huge impact in the economy could really affect our society as

whole animal butcher [shops]are increasing number all over the country (Bon Appetit 88),

therefore all these butchers and investors of meat will have to close down.

The food industry in America is huge and provides meat for a humungous population. In

the article, The Triple Whopper Environmental Impact of Global Meat Production it is

illustrated that, each year the livestock sector globally produces 124 million tons of poultry, 91

million tons of pork, 59 million tons of cattle and buffalo meat, and 11 million tons of meat from

sheep and goats. That 285 million tons of meat altogether or about 36 kg (80 lb.) per person,

if it were all divided evenly. Its not Americans eat 122 kg (270 lb.) of meat a year on average,

while Bangladeshis eat 1.8 kg (4 lbs.) (Walsh). What this tells us is that meat production is so

large and vastly consumed that it has taken a huge labor force in order to produce all the meat

people consume. This concludes that meat production is a large investment in America and other

parts of the world that supply the economy with jobs and money. Therefore, if humanity goes

green then aside from the overpopulation of farm animals the economy will drop and many

people will lose their jobs. In an article, Humane Meat? No Such Thing by Sunaura Taylor, it

discusses the fear people have about the environmental impact due to the consumption of meat.

Overall Taylor came to the conclusion that, for a planet with nearly 7 billion people and

counting sustainable animal farming cant be done many are saying that its not a realistic

solution for a planet as hungry as ours (Taylor 709). What the author wants society to

understand is that even though humans have advanced in technology and have the capability of

making replacement it livestock to supplement other protein sources that still wouldnt be

enough in the world people live in. The population on earth has increased exponentially meaning
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that there are a lot more mouths to feed. In a sense it is necessary to kill farm animals to decrease

the amount of living organisms occupying planet earth while also increasing the amount of food

available to society.

Evidence shows that vegetarians are more likely to get variety of diseases such as lung,

postmenopausal breast and prostate cancer. In an article, Vegetarianism, low meat consumption

and the risk of lung, postmenopausal breast and prostate cancer in a population-based cohort

study, by European Journal of Clinical Nutrition illustrates that a, baseline (1986), subjects

completed a questionnaire on dietary habits and other risk factors for cancer and were classified

into vegetarians (n=691)( 723-729) indicating that an increase in vegetables causes a decrease

in certain vitamins in the human body causing health problems such as lung, postmenopausal

breast and prostate cancer. Sharing this information, it can be argued that vegetables arent as

healthy as we realized. An increase in health issues by about 75%, due to consuming small

portions of meat to none at all, are represented in consumers following the role of vegetarianism.

To further clarify, the act of consuming meat is actually beneficial to human bodies as it prevents

the possibility of obtaining an illness or certain diseases. Even though you can gain diseases from

meat such as diabetes or pancreatic cancer there are higher chances of getting lung,

postmenopausal breast and prostate cancer due to following vegetarianism. People need the

nutrients and proteins in meat in order to stay healthy. In an article, 3 Benefits of eating meat,

by Staff Reporter, it illustrates and confirms the fact that meat is necessary for well-being of

someones health. In the article, it illustrated that meat, is said to improve the overall health and

well-being of ones body, there are other benefits such as the repair and building of body tissues

as well as the production of antibodies that will protect the body from infections, thus

strengthening the immune system. Aside from that, meat is rich in rich in iron, zinc and
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selenium, which are necessary elements a human body needs so that a person can run

efficiently. Our body is like a machine that needs to be maintained and taken care of. Just like a

car that needs regular amount of oil, people need their regular amount of meat in order to stay

healthy. Furthermore, meat also contains, Vitamin A, B and D which are necessary in order to

increase strength in bones and to promote good vision, plus it helps the central nervous system.

In conclusion, eating meat is strictly beneficial to the human body and to society.

People often feel that eating meat is unacceptable but people who oppose meat dont know all

the great benefits of meat consumption. Eating animal flesh doesnt make humanity immoral, it

makes them live up to the expectations set since the dawn of time. Humans are far more than

capable of consuming meat therefore people should consume meat, plus it also increases jobs

and builds the economy. Aside from that, eating meat allows humans to gain nutrients necessary

and faster than the average supplements which decreases the chances of getting lung,

postmenopausal breast and prostate cancer. Therefore society should really stop denying the

crucial benefits of meat consumption and should begin to live up to human expectations, which

is to give the body what it needs and the body needs meat.
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Work Cited

Dooren, Jennifer Corbett. "Health & Wellness: Major Study Examines Meat-Diabetes

Link." Www.wsj.com. Wall Street Journal, 18 June 2013. Web. 03 Mar. 2017.

<http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.csun.edu/docview/1368553252?

accountid=7285&rfr_id=info%3Axri%2Fsid%3Aprimo>.

Foer, Jonathan Safran. "Let Them Eat Dog." Practical Argument: A Text and Anthology.

By Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R.Mandel. Third ed. Boston: Bedford/St.

Martin's, 2016. 696-99. Print.

Simon, David Robinson. "10 Things We Wish Everyone Knew About the Meat and Dairy

Industries." PETA.org. PETA, n.d. Web.01 Mar. 2017.

<http://www.peta.org/living/food/10-things-wish-everyone-knew-meat-dairy-

industries/>.

Tinker, Ben. "Fast Food Restaurants Improve Grades on Antibiotics in Their Meat."

CNN, 20 Sept. 2016. Web. 03 Mar. 2017.

<http://go.galegroup.com.libproxy.csun.edu/ps/i.do?&id=GALE

%7CA464065717&v=2.1&u=csunorthridge&it=r&p=EAIM&sw=w&authCount=

1>.Walsh, Bryan. "The Triple Whopper Environmental Impact of Global Meat

Production." Time.com. Time, 16 Dec. 2013. Web.

28 Feb. 2017. <http://science.time.com/2013/12/16/the-triple-whopper-environmental

impact-of-global-meat-production/>.

Fogelholm, M, et al. "Association between Red and Processed Meat Consumption and

Chronic Diseases: The Confounding Role of Other Dietary Factors." European

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Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 69, no. 9, Sept. 2015, pp. 1060-1065.

EBSCOhost, doi:10.1038/ejcn.2015.63.

Kirszner, Laurie G., et al. Practical argument. Boston, MA, Bedford/St. Martin's, 2017.

Humane Meat? No Such ThingA M J Gilsing, M P Weijenberg, R A Goldbohm, P

C Dagnelie, P A van den Brandt and L J Schouten. Vegetarianism, Low Meat

Consumption and the Risk of Lung, Postmenopausal Breast and Prostate Cancer

in a Population-Based Cohort Study. EJCN, European Journal of Clinical

Nutrition, 2 Mar. 2016,

www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v70/n6/full/ejcn201625a.html.

Gale Group. Eat Your Meat (And Feel Better About It)". Bon Appetit, Gale Group, 10

Feb. 2017, go.galegroup.com.libproxy.csun.edu/ps/retrieve.do?

tabID...9382&searchid=R6&userGroupName=csunnorthridge&inPS=true.

Reporter, Staff. 3 Benefits of Eating Meat. Medical Daily, Healthy Living, 19 Nov.

2010, www.medicaldaily.com/3-benefits-eating-meat-234798. Accessed 7 Apr.

2017