Should We Eat Meat?

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Meat is high in cholesterol, saturated fat, and concentrated animal protein. According to internationally-renowned nutritionist T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., animal proteins are the prime carcinogen in meat and dairy products. Says Dr. Campbell, “No chemical carcinogen is nearly so important in causing human cancer as animal protein.” Numerous studies have show that meat consumption can cause cancer, particularly colorectal, breast, stomach, esophageal, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. According to a 2006 Harvard study, people who frequently eat grilled skinless chicken have a 52 percent higher chance of developing bladder cancer than people who don't.

Meat has also been linked to obesity, diabetes, and other serious health problems. Research shows that meat-eaters are 50 percent more likely to develop heart disease than vegetarians are. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that 26 percent of meat-eaters studied suffered from high blood pressure - the No. 1 risk factor for strokes - compared to only 2 percent of vegetarians.

Unlike meat, vegan foods are cholesterol free, low in fat and calories, and high in fiber, complex carbohydrates, and cancer-fighting antioxidants. The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada have issued this joint statement: “Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than non-vegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease, lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.”

Studies show that vegans are about one-tenth as likely to be obese as meat-eaters. As the American Dietetic Association points out, “vegetarians, especially vegans, often have weights that are closer to desirable weights than do nonvegetarians.” Even people who participated in the New England Journal of Medicine study on low-carb diets were counseled to choose plant sources of fat and protein--in other words, to eat a vegetarian version of the Atkins diet. To read more, see http://www.newsweek.com/id/146641

There’s no need to despair if you like the taste of meat: Many mock meats taste almost indistinguishable from animal flesh—and they’re healthier too. See www.VegCooking.com to learn more.