The benefits of going meatless are numerous. The first one of course, is health. Meat is high in protein, fat, cholesterol, calories, and bacteria. Studies show that drastically cutting back on meat coupled with an exercise regimen, substantially lowers the risk of heart disease, cancer, digestive ailments and auto-immune diseases such as arthritis. Meat isn't easy to digest and putrefies in the intestine while it is passing. If you are not taking in an adequate amount of fiber, the putrefying meat is creating toxins which accumulate in organs and intestines. Meat also creates toxic compounds when cooked, especially at high temperatures and for prolonged periods. Some meat proteins are similar to ours, so when present the body attempts to destroy them as foreigners increasing the chances of auto-immune diseases such as lupus. After the animal is killed, it is a carcass where bacteria multiply astronomically. Refrigeration and cooking retard this growth, but nevertheless bacteria is always present, increasing the chances of food borne illnesses.
Another factor is the environmental impact. It takes more energy and water to produce meat than to grow food. Water is needed to grow food for the animals. Land has to be cleared to keep the animals. The waste that animals produce accounts for about 20% of the gases that contribute to global warming.
The health and welfare of workers in the meat industry is hardly ever mentioned, but this is yet another consideration. Workers are exploited (it is usually immigrants that do this job); they are subject to long hours without benefits, accidents, and diseases. They are unable to file any claims for injuries or take time off from work.
Another reason for going meatless is the treatment of the animals to be consumed. Animals are cruelly dealt with. They are skinned or boiled alive in many instances, sometimes their limbs are cut off while still alive. They are supposed to be shot in the forhead with a compressed air gun but this isn't done skillfully in many occasions . Many are left in crowded, cramped quarters with no room to move, usually stepping in their own dung or on other fallen animals. Force-feeding, administering of antibiotics and hormones are already known factors.
There is also the factor of how eating less meat is more affordable than eating grains and vegetables.
Abstaining completely from meat eating is not the idea here but wouldn't being a part time vegetarian be an option?
