Is eating meat really natural? https://www.peta.org/living/food/really-natural-truth-humans-eating-meat/

Main statement Humans shouldn’t eat animals because it’s not natural.

Short fingernails and small canine teeth PETA Arguments Carnivores have sharp claws and large canine teeth capable of tearing flesh. Carnivores’ jaws only move up and down. PETA is arguing we aren’t carnivores, which is correct. They are also arguing we are herbivores which is incorrect. Humans are omnivores. Humans have smaller canine teeth. But their primary function remains the same. Our jaws can indeed go sideways.

Stomach acid PETA Arguments Carnivores swallow their food whole Extremely acidic stomach juices break down flesh and kill dangerous bacteria Plant based food does not require strong acids Humans do indeed have weaker stomach acid. We can circumvent this by cooking our meat.

Intestinal length PETA Arguments Animals have shorter intestinal tracts. This allows meat to pass through quicker. Therefore the meat won’t rot in the intestinal tract. PETA did not provide any evidence about rotting meat. Nor did we find anything to support their claim.

Dairy PETA Arguments Children who stop breastfeeding stop making the enzym lactase. Humans were only capable of digesting lactose after the domestication of cattle 10 000 years ago. Groups who do not rely on cattle continue to be lactose intolerant. We agree on their points but don’t see this as a good reason to stop eating dairy if you’re not lactose intolerant.

Deadly ailments PETA Arguments Heart disease, obesity, cancer and diabetes have spread to people across the socio-economic spectrum. The WHO has indeed stated that consumption of red and processed meat increases risk of colon cancer by 18% This is a relative risk and not an absolute risk. This doesn’t say anything about white meat. Studies have only shown correlations between the other ailments and eating meat.

Sources Vegsources.com (Dr. Milton Mills) PETA website Dr. Deborah Wilson PETA doesn’t provide many sources Sources they did provide are mostly sections from their own website or not peer reviewed. No education in the relevant field.

Conclusion Supporting points lacked evidence Some had correlation but typically no causation. People who choose a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle may be more health conscious (smoke less, more activity, consume more whole foods..) PETA makes up statements and are mostly misleading so they can fit their narrative. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26853923