Vegetarianism: Why Meat is Murder

Being a vegetarian means more that just not eating meat. It means that fewer animals will be slaughtered this year. It means that you will be a healthier person. It means that you will be joining a community of fellow vegetarians. It means that you are making the right choice.

Some people say that vegetarians become sick due to deprivation of protein, iron, and vitamin b12. They are wrong. Medical professionals say that vegetarians get plenty of protein in their daily diet. Healthy protein sources include whole grains, oatmeal, beans, peanut butter, brown rice, peas, lentils, tofu, soy milk, nuts, seeds, and vegetarian burgers and hot dogs. For most vegetarians, one or more of these foods are a part of their daily diet. If this isn't enough of a reason to believe that these sources of protein are okay, it has been scientifically confirmed that consuming too much animal protein has been linked to osteoporosis. A U.S. Department of Agriculture report from 2003 said that vegetarian women have healthier and stronger bones than women who eat meat daily.

Some people may also say that eating fish as your source of meat is good for your health. This is also wrong. The Environmental Protection Agency says that women who eat fish twice a week have blood mercury concentrations that are seven times higher than those of vegetarian women. Even just eating one can of tuna per week will put your blood thirty percent over the cutoff for safe mercury levels. Mercury has many health hazards. Some of these are brain damage, memory loss, and damage to a developing fetus. Speaking about developing fetuses, a study showed that pregnant women who eat fish are more likely to have babies that have small head circumferences and developmental problems. This means that becoming a vegetarian will not only help you, but your future children.

Chickens are now bred and drugged to grow larger. Today, chicken skin has more than three times as much fat as just thirty-five years ago. Arsenic is used in chicken feed to allow them to grow larger. This is a cancer causing poison. Most people don't know that eating chicken today could cause cancer tomorrow.

These few facts prove that becoming a vegetarian is the right choice. It will save you from cancer and osteoporosis. It will also save your future children from birth defects and cancer. If you will not quit eating meat for the animals sake, will you do it for your health? If you will not quit eating meat for your health, will you do it for your children?

All information came from Peta's vegetarian starter kit.