{"id":24,"date":"2010-07-14T17:13:29","date_gmt":"2010-07-14T15:13:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/meme.co.za\/?p=24"},"modified":"2011-04-16T12:24:55","modified_gmt":"2011-04-16T10:24:55","slug":"no-meat-cant-be-green-a-response-to-andreas-spath","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/meme.co.za\/?p=24","title":{"rendered":"No, meat can’t be green – a response to Andreas Spath"},"content":{"rendered":"

Andreas Spath has written an article on News24<\/a> arguing that veganism is not a nutritionally sound diet, and that meat can be ‘green’.<\/p>\n

And here’s my rebuttal, in point form. I have tagged Andreas in this note [i.e., on Facebook] in the hopes that he will engage the points I raise in more detail.<\/p>\n

1: Andreas claims that we come from a long line of hunters. Even though this is in fact highly speculative (as is most research into pre-history), to appeal to the hypothetical diet of our distant ancestors, which was based on necessity and regional specifics (and not on optimal nutrition), seems problematic, especially given that comparative anatomy puts us in the same group as our closest biological cousins who are primarily herbivores.<\/p>\n

Even if we do find conclusive evidence that ancient hominids ate meat as a primary source of nutrition, it would have little bearing<\/a> on what we eat nowadays.<\/p>\n

2: Andreas claims that vegans are at risk of nutritional deficiency. This is patently false. Ignoring the fact that studies repeatedly indicate greater incidence of multiple nutritional deficiencies in meat eaters than vegans \/ vegetarians, it is a simple fact, endorsed by major health institutions around the world, that a balanced vegan diet contains everything a person needs to thrive.<\/p>\n