Question

Imagine a human society of hunters and gatherers. Some individuals are vegans, only consuming plant material, while others are omnivores, mostly eating hunted animals. Explain the benefits and also the challenges that each of these diets would have.

Answer 1

There are pros and cons of being vegan or being on omnivore. the benefits and challenges are explained below pointwise

Benefits of being a vegan

There are various health benefits associated with vegan diets which include:

• Weight loss- As a vegan diet is much lower in calories as compared to non-vegetarian
• Lower risk of death from heart disease
• Lower levels of LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol)
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower rates of type 2 diabetes
• Lower body mass index, a common measure of healthy weight
• Lower rates of cancer in general
• Grocery budget- Since meat is expensive, a vegan diet can be cost-effective
• Animal welfare- As we don't have to kill animals to eat vegan food
• A vegan diet is more environmentally sustainable

Challenges of a vegan diet

A vegan diet lacks some vital nutrients such as proteins, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids which are predominantly present in meat and dairy products. This is a major challenge of being a vegan.

Benifits of an omnivore

Omnivores are an important part of a food chain as removing omnivore results in vegetarian overgrowth and animals that were a part of their diet.

• Meats supply protein, B vitamins, vitamin E, and minerals including magnesium, iron, and zinc.
• It provides a source of a balanced diet.
• Vital nutrients are present in the omnivore diet

Challenges

• Higher risk of Diabetes and heart disease
• High risk of cancer
• Increases risk of abdominal fat, higher BMI, obesity.
• Cost increases