Are animal products safe today? Honestly, no, and they are also unnecessary. Humans don’t need to consume any items derived from animals. An animal-free diet is the most excellent way to fulfill our nutritional needs, even for infants and children.
Also see: What Are Blue Zones, Is a Plant-Based Diet the Healthiest, and The Best Vegan Protein Sources.
Are animal products safe today?
Have you ever wondered if animal products are safe? Several types of cancer, including colon, breast, cervical, uterine, ovarian, prostate, and lung cancer, is highest in areas with increased rates of meat consumption and lowest in areas with low rates of meat consumption.
It has been demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt that eating goods derived from animals can increase one’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and osteoporosis.
Cholesterol, which can only be found in animal products and the fat contained in animal products, clogs arteries, leading to heart attacks and strokes [1].
According to the findings of a study that involved more than 25,000 participants, the incidence of diabetes is significantly lower among vegetarians than it is among meat-eaters.
In a group of 800 people in South Africa who did not consume any meat or dairy products, researchers could not find a single instance of rheumatoid arthritis.
Consuming foods derived from other animals is not necessary for human health. Eliminating animal products from one’s diet is beneficial for one’s health and the health of animals and the environment.
How does red meat affect health?
Cancer and heart disease have been linked to the consumption of red meat. Meat from beef, lamb, or goat is typically red meat [2].
Red meat is a rich source of some of these nutrients, such as vitamin B-12 and iron. These nutrients are required by the human body to produce new red blood cells.
Red meat has a high protein content to develop muscle, bone, other tissues, and enzymes [3,4]. However, it also contains a lot of fat and causes multiple health issues.
Some studies have related the regular eating of red meat to several health problems, including heart disease, certain malignancies, kidney disorders, digestive issues, and mortality.
Research suggests that the type of red meat a person consumes is the most important factor, making matters even more complicated.
Quantifying the risk of disease
Consumption of beef, and lamb, especially in processed form, is one of the most consistent epidemiological associations between diet and human disease risk.
A significant association is reported with all-cause mortality, colorectal and other carcinomas, atherosclerosis, type II diabetes, as well as possibly other inflammatory processes [5].
For every 70 grams of unprocessed or processed red meat ingested daily, the risk of heart disease and diabetes increased by 15% and 30%, respectively, even considering other lifestyle factors like alcohol intake, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI).
Consuming poultry meat elevated the risk of gastroesophageal reflux syndrome by 17 percent and typed 2 diabetes by 14 percent.
On top of that, meat-eaters were more likely to be fat than vegetarians or vegans. These diseases were less likely to occur by taking into account the BMI of the participants.
The biological basis of meat and disease development
Some of the theories that link meat consumption to an increased risk for cancer stem from lipid oxidation and the creation of carcinogenic chemicals during cooking.
Nitrates found in red meat have been linked to an increase in DNA adducts, which are thought to be the product of N-nitroso-compounds (NOC).
Several studies have demonstrated that eating well-cooked red meat can increase bacterial mutagenicity in human urine.
It has been discovered that the ingestion of red meat is marginally linked with alterations in oxidative stress parameters, such as increased fecal or urine products of lipid oxidation in rodents.
Aside from HAA and PAH, which are created when meat is grilled at high temperatures, they are supposed to cause DNA damage; however, there is little evidence supporting this effect occurring after meat-eating based on the current scientific literature.
Ultimately, a well-balanced diet that includes lean meats like lean beef and poultry might lessen the negative consequences of excessive red meat consumption.
However, the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom (U.K.) suggests that consumers choose leaner cuts of meat and restrict their consumption of fatty processed meats like salami (which is rich in saturated fats and salt) and beef burgers (which is high in sodium).
Even though protein in red meat aids muscle building and synthesizes hemoglobin-producing red blood cells, other foods can provide the same health benefits.
It is also possible to get vital micronutrients and macronutrients without raising the risk of various diseases by eating vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Malignancy transmitted through milk and meat
In normal circumstances, the death of two chimpanzees would go unnoticed, except that they died of pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis carinii, a disease not yet discovered in nonhuman primates. The chimpanzees were fed milk coming from a herd of cows with a high incidence of lymphosarcoma.
Studies showed that milk could transmit disease-causing microorganisms that may cause serious, even fatal, diseases among different species.
Even though there have been reports of milk possibly being used as a vehicle for transmitting a viral type of malignancy from cattle to calves, it was hard for researchers to imagine that these two chimpanzees would be affected by a disease that had never been observed before in nonhuman primates [6].
Also, Dr. Francis Peyton Rous, who won the Nobel Prize for medical research in 1910, demonstrated that a malignant tumor of chickens could be transmitted to healthy chicks from a cell-free extract obtained from the cancer.
Atherosclerosis and milk
According to many medical experts, atherosclerosis is caused by an enzyme found in milk, which affects the intima of the arterial wall. According to them, atherosclerosis occurs in youth when cow’s milk consumption is high.
The researchers examined the association between the amount of milk consumed and the risk of carotid atherosclerosis in middle and older-aged Chinese adults.
According to the study, high milk consumption is associated with carotid atherosclerosis in middle and older-aged Chinese. To prevent atherosclerosis, milk intake should be advised more cautiously in this population [7].
Milk poisoning and salmonella infection
There has been an infection of Salmonella in milk. A total of 77 cases and 46 symptomless excretors of the organism were detected. Salmonella mastitis was transmitted from a symptomless cow whose feeding stuff was contaminated [8].
Moreover, an investigation of an outbreak of gastroenteritis caused by Salmonella in New Brunswick found that nonfat instant milk was the source of the outbreak.
Many Salmonella serotypes have been isolated from dried milk products following surveys of milk-drying plants in various states.
Staphylococcal food poisoning outbreaks have also been linked to powdered milk in Puerto Rico and the U.K. In the U.S., we currently produce more than two billion pounds of dried milk every year.
What is lactose intolerance?
Calves have specific dietary requirements met by the nutrients found in cow’s milk. Unlike human babies, calves will double one’s weight in 47 days (compared to 180 days for humans), develop four stomachs, and weigh between 1,100 and 1,200 pounds within two years.
Cows’ milk is ideally suited to meet these requirements. Compared to human milk, the amount of protein found in cow’s milk is approximately three times more, and the amount of fat is almost fifty percent higher.
On top of cow’s milk not suiting our nutritional needs, the majority of the world’s population is probably intolerant to milk [9]. The symptoms of lactose intolerance can include diarrhea and abdominal cramps.
So, why are more than 50 million Americans unable to consume milk? One glass of milk makes two-thirds of these people ill.
Small intestinal cells contain lactase enzyme, which breaks down lactose into glucose and galactose, allowing them to be absorbed. This enzyme disappears after weaning in mammals.
During the suckling phase of nutrition, this enzyme is abundant in almost all infants. Upon reaching the age of two, the amount of the enzyme begins to decline rapidly.
A person’s ability to split lactose and absorb milk sugar declines when the enzyme leaves the intestinal wall.
Undigested lactose ferments in the intestines form products that draw water into the bowel from the circulation.
This process causes intestinal irritation, resulting in acid and gas formation, distention, pain, cramps, and diarrhea. The condition was identified in 1959.
The role of milk in heart disease and malnutrition
The fat in milk is also believed to increase the risk of heart disease. Studies have shown that when milk alone is allowed to satisfy a child’s hunger, it causes malnutrition in older infants, especially leading to iron deficiency anemia.
Milk & allergy
Milk from cows, buffaloes, sheep, goats, mares, and donkeys contains the most β-lg of any protein found in milk.
Different species of milk contain different caseins with varying numbers of fractions, amino acid compositions, and peptide maps [10].
According to allergy specialists, children who experience repeated colds should be checked out for milk allergies.
It is estimated that two-thirds of children with milk allergies will improve and remain healthy on soy formula. See Is Milk Bad For You?
Increasing risk of disease due to eggs
For the first time in history, cancer has been identified in chickens shortly after “warnings,” raising concerns about using eggs in the future.
Lymphomatosis had increased dramatically since 1905 when it was first detected. These cancers are transmitted by a virus that appears in the nasal secretions, droppings, and eggs. The United States lost 100,000,000 chickens to lymphomatosis and leukemia in 1954.
Malignancies transmitted
Virus transmission
It was discovered in 1973 that humans were infected by the virus strain that causes Newcastle’s disease in poultry flocks in southern California. Researchers from the Loma Linda School of Health in California found that:
1) Newcastle’s disease could be transmitted between humans; therefore, each case of the disease did not necessarily originate from a diseased chicken;
2) Humans could only recover the most virulent strain of the virus, regardless of how they were exposed to it, indicating that humans amplify virus strength.
High source of cholesterol
Because eggs are important sources of cholesterol, they are omitted from low cholesterol diets [11]. According to studies, intakes of dietary cholesterol are an important contributing factor to heart disease. A single egg contains 250-300 milligrams of cholesterol.
Americans are advised to consume no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day to reduce dietary cholesterol intake. The average American consumes 600 milligrams of cholesterol per day.
Food poisoning from cheese
In December 1984 and January 1985, incidents of food poisoning were linked to cheese made from sheep milk [12].
It is a fact that dairy products such as cheese, ice cream, and butter do not receive the public health attention they deserve.
Food poisoning is the most frequently reported disease associated with cheese, which accounted for 35 of the 59 outbreaks reporting 1,389 cases or 47.9% of the 2904 cases reported overall.
Only seven states and Canada today regulate the manufacture and sale of cheese. As an alternative to pasteurization, most require a 60-day holding period.
Since many pathogens do not die or their toxic compounds do not inactivate in this time frame, it is too short for cheddar-type hard cheese.
In the United States and Canada, 59 epidemics have been linked to cheese since 1883, resulting in 2,904 cases of disease and 117 deaths. Clearly, this is only one aspect of the disease caused by cheese.
Pepsin and rennet in cheese
Two products used in cheese are a coagulant made from pigs, pepsin, and the enzyme rennet, obtained from the gastric juices of calves. They have been used in the production of cheese for years to clot the milk.
Pepsin obtained from swine stomachs is also being used recently because calf rennet is in shortage. Cheese manufacturing firms are hesitant to specify which coagulant they are using, now that both rennet and pepsin are used, depending on what is most economically feasible.
Cheeses made with pig rennet had higher proteolysis and the highest BA levels. It is known that BAs, primarily histamine, can cause intoxication and adverse effects on health, particularly after ingesting products rich in BAs [13].
As described above, cheese should never be used as food. Adding pepsin from swine has only added to our understanding that cheese is unfit for human consumption.
So, are animal products safe?
It is difficult to establish a connection between a specific meal or food group and health issues. This is because a wide variety of additional factors may all play a part in determining whether or not a person will develop a particular condition or disease.
These factors can include a person’s genetics, environment, health history, stress levels, the quality of their sleep, lifestyle, and the presence of additional dietary factors.
Despite this, a growing body of research suggests that consuming large quantities of animal products, including red meat, mainly processed meat, may increase the risk of developing health problems.
Major health organizations recommend adopting a diet higher in plant foods and avoiding animal products for illness prevention.
Are animal products harmful?
Consuming animal products puts a person at risk of consuming unhealthy saturated fat, cholesterol, lactose, estrogens, and pathogenic microorganisms.
It also deprives them of fiber, complex carbohydrates, antioxidants, and other essential components to maintaining good health.
Do vegans live longer?
Vegans had a 15 percent lower chance of dying prematurely from any cause when compared to the other groups.
This suggests that adhering to a vegan diet may help people live longer than those who stick to eating more vegetarian patterns or omnivores.
Do humans need meat to be healthy?
Consuming meat is not essential to either your health or your ability to survive, even though animals give certain nutrients that plants do not. In actuality, whatever is not naturally available in a plant-based diet can usually be synthesized by your body, once you are eating a well-balanced and nutritionally sound diet.
Plant-based diets can supply all of the nutrients your body requires if they are correctly planned and supplemented.
What happens when you stop eating meat and dairy?
You will have a lower risk of developing heart disease if you switch to a plant-based diet and give up meat and dairy products.
There are a lot of studies that back up the claim that eating a diet that’s heavy on plants is suitable for your cardiovascular system.
What is the healthiest meat substitute?
The vegetarian meals that are most natural, have the highest protein content, and have undergone the least amount of processing will be the healthiest alternative to meat.
Beans, tempeh, lentils, jackfruit, mushrooms, almonds, and seeds all make fantastic alternatives to meat that are far healthier.
Is it healthy not to eat meat?
A diet mainly composed of plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, legumes, and nuts, is high in dietary fiber and various vitamins and minerals.
People who don’t eat meat, often known as vegetarians, tend to consume fewer calories and less fat, weigh less, and have a decreased risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to people who do eat meat.
Getting iron without red meat
One of the concerns that people have about veganism is that red meat is a good source of iron. However, you can receive the exact quantities, and in some cases even more, by adopting a plant-based diet.
Does eating meat shorten your life?
According to a study that involved more than 120,000 individuals, including both men and women, eating one more serving of unprocessed red meat per day raised the chance of dying from any cause by 13 percent. The overall danger was elevated by twenty percent due to the consumption of processed meats.
More vegan information:
- Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet
- Sneaky Non-Vegan Foods
- Vegan Brain Booster Foods
- Healthy Snacks for Traveling
- Vegan Heart-Healthy Foods
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References:
- Barnard, N. D., & Leroy, F. (2020). Children and adults should avoid consuming animal products to reduce the risk for chronic disease: Debate Consensus. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 112(4), 937-940.
- Ames, B. N., Gold, L. S., & Willett, W. C. (1995). The causes and prevention of cancer. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 92(12), 5258-5265.
- Murphy, S. P., & Allen, L. H. (2003). Nutritional importance of animal source foods. The Journal of nutrition, 133(11), 3932S-3935S.
- Williams, P. (2007). Nutritional composition of red meat. Nutrition & Dietetics, 64, S113-S119.
- Alisson-Silva, F., Kawanishi, K., & Varki, A. (2016). Human risk of diseases associated with red meat intake: Analysis of current theories and proposed role for metabolic incorporation of a non-human sialic acid. Molecular aspects of medicine, 51, 16-30.
- McClure, H. M., Keeling, M. E., Custer, R. P., Marshak, R. R., Abt, D. A., & Ferrer, J. F. (1974). Erythroleukemia in two infant chimpanzees fed milk from cows naturally infected with the bovine C-type virus. Cancer Research, 34(10), 2745-2757.
- He, M., Guo, Z., Lu, Z., Wei, S., & Wang, Z. (2020). High milk consumption is associated with carotid atherosclerosis in middle and old-aged Chinese. International Journal of Cardiology Hypertension, 5, 100031.
- Knox, W. A., Galbraith, N. S., Lewis, M. J., Hickie, G. C., & Johnston, H. H. (1963). A milk-borne outbreak of food poisoning due to Salmonella heidelberg. Epidemiology & Infection, 61(2), 175-185.
- Garza, C., & Scrimshaw, N. S. (1976). Relationship of lactose intolerance to milk intolerance in young children. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 29(2), 192-196.
- El-Agamy, E. I. (2007). The challenge of cow milk protein allergy. Small Ruminant Research, 68(1-2), 64-72.
- Naber, E. C. (1976). The cholesterol problem, the egg and lipid metabolism in the laying hen. Poultry Science, 55(1), 14-30.
- Bone, F. J., Bogie, D., & Morgan-Jones, S. C. (1989). Staphylococcal food poisoning from sheep milk cheese. Epidemiology & Infection, 103(3), 449-458.
- Ladero, V.; Martinez, N.; Martín, M.C.; Fernández, M.; Alvarez, M.A. qPCR for quantitative detection of tyramine-producing bacteria in dairy products. Food Res. Int.2010, 43, 289–295.
