Eating meat can lead to health problems

The argument

The argument identifies two distinct routes by which eating meat is said to damage health, both physiological rather than merely correlational. The first runs through saturated fat, which is predominantly found in meat. Studies suggest that high levels of it contribute to the clogging of arteries, and narrowed arteries raise blood pressure because the same volume of blood must be moved through a reduced channel. The same dietary pattern is associated with an increase in cholesterol and with potential obesity. Each of these is independently a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and together they make a person considerably more prone to heart disease — the mechanism being cumulative rather than dependent on any single one of them. The second route is more specific and does not run through fat at all. Compounds present in red meat are converted by gut bacteria into a chemical called trimethylamine N-oxide, or TMAO, and high levels of TMAO have been shown to be linked to heart disease. What makes this strand notable is that it operates independently of the calorie and fat content of the diet: it is a product of digestion rather than of overconsumption, so it is not addressed by eating red meat in moderation or by trimming visible fat. Taken together the two strands describe a food carrying risk through more than one pathway at once. A person can control portion size and can choose leaner cuts, but they cannot alter what their gut bacteria do with the compounds the meat contains. This bears on the ethical question through necessity. If eating animal products were required for human health, the harm to animals could be weighed against a genuine human need. The evidence proponents cite points the other way: the practice is not merely unnecessary but actively raises the risk of a leading cause of death — so the harm is incurred for no compensating benefit.

Premises

Counter-arguments

While these risks increase if you eat meat, the health repercussions of not eating meat are far worse, it is difficult for humans to maintain a healthy lifestyle without the steady income of protein and other things gained mostly by meat. Although Beans and Lentils and other pulses also contain protein the amount we need to ingest to maintain a healthy level of protein is much higher and nearly unachievable.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] The health benefits of eating meat outweigh the cons.