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The Pros And Cons Of The North American Diet

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It is no question that Americans love meat. Whether it is beef, poultry, or pork they are known for being one of the top countries for meat consumption. Even the celebration of the birth of America is centered around grilling. The North American diet was not always centered around meat, but was the result of Europeans spreading their culture. Native Americans, the first to settle North America, based their diet on what they were able to cultivate. They were very modest people when it came to their meat consumption; They trapped and hunted wild animals. This way of life was left in the dust when the population of the Europeans raised and with each individual came their preference for meat. (Olafsson) This harmful trait was the beginning of the meat industry. With the land they stole from the Natives they cleared it for beef ranches. Ever since then, more and more …show more content…

In the past years Americans have become more conscious about their diets and the environment. More and more individuals are hopping on the trend to be more plant-based and some may wonder if leaving behind the precious protein that Americans have come to admire is worth it. Diving deeper into the environmental effects, economic comparisons, health benefits, and threats of the plant-based diet can help an individual gauge whether the pros of the diet outweigh the cons.
Understanding the effects the meat industry has on the environment is monumental in the consideration of a plant-based diet. Not many individuals can grasp the number of farm animals that live on Earth. There are “20 billion-plus farm animals living and breathing at any moment”. (Nil Zacharias et al) With all “living and breathing” organisms comes the inhalation of oxygen and the exhalation of carbon dioxide. (Nil Zacharias et al) Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has a

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