The Vegetarian Myth

By, Peter Choi 

Written by Lierre Keith, the Vegetarian Myth is one of the most controversial books regarding vegetarianism written by a ex-vegetarian. A radical environmentalist, Keith takes on vegetarianism with a different perspective that seems to lead her mailbox filled with hate mails. On the other hand it is very refreshing and interesting to here the story of these myths giving the credibility of Keith's past. Keith has been a vegetarian for 20 years before her realization and is given great trust with her background. With all the veggies vs. meat aside, the book goes in depth to reveal more than the issue of vegetarianism but how our food is processed. 

In a nut shell argues 3 basic principles throughout the book: 

1) Vegetarianism will damage your body. It damaged mine. 

2) Our bodies are made to eat meat.

3) Converting to a vegetarian or vegan diet isn’t healing the planet if all you’re doing is eating veggies, fruit, and annual grains grown by large and distant megafarms, as most food is—even the stuff at the “natural” food store.

She also emphasizes how there needs to be balance in our ecosystem. For example, cows were not meant to eat grain but grass while on the other hand our bodies are able to digest grain but not eat grass or other cellulose based materials. There is a balance in natural in where one has to die in order for others to survive. Vegetarians may believe that they are vegetarian but in fact we may all be connected by nature's system and how meat is actually involved in many of plantations and their processes. For example, plants need certain nutrients in order to survive and ironically can only come sustainably from the manure and decomposition of animals at some point. Once again emphasizing the meat presence in our ecosystem. Finally there is another example with the apple and the see. When we eat a apple we consume it and throw away the seed to be decomposed or destroyed. What we do with the apple eaten is, in most cases, digest it naturally decompose the apple and release it. The point here is that there is a purpose behind the apple and why it was eaten. We need to know all the different perspectives before making a decision and this book definitely widens our peripherals for the decisions we need to make to sustain our environment. 

http://www.utne.com/Environment/Are-Vegetarians-Living-a-Lie.aspx

http://www.greenlivingtips.com/blogs/398/The-Vegetarian-Myth.html