Should humans eat meat?

Should Humans Eat Meat?
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Should Humans Eat Meat?
For centuries, there has been a controversial debate between the meat-eating category of humans and the vegetarians. While one side of the discussion, the vegetarians feel that meat-eating is unhealthy and unethical, the other side of the debate views these claims as a counterfactual crusade. This paper argues that humans should eat meat by exploring the adaptation of the human digestive tract and the social significance of meat-eating in human societies.
Anatomical and Physiological Adaptations
The human anatomical and physiological adaptation particularly that of the human gastrointestinal tract favors the eating of meat by humans. The human digestive tract unlike that of herbivores produces alongside the plant matter digesting enzymes, meat digesting enzymes like pepsin (Smil, 2013). This variance rules out the likelihood that humans were designed to be vegetarians. Additionally, scientific studies have confirmed that meaty diets result in improved physical growth and brain development amongst humans (Loughnan, Haslam & Bastian, 2010). Meat is, therefore, a crucial component of the human diet for improved growth and development.
Social Significance of Meat-Eating in Human Societies
Meat eating amongst humans significantly contributed to the various social constructs that define humans. Before the start of domestication, all the meat that humans ate was hunted. To make the hunt effective, there was the need for cooperative hunting which facilitated language development and socialization (Hursthouse, 2013).

Meat eating is thus an essential contributor to human’s social development.
Conclusion
While the arguments presented by the vegetarians that a plant-based diet is ethical, varied and healthy are right, they cannot be used to stop humans from eating meat. Meat eating amongst humans was acquired naturally through adaptation and has contributed significantly to humans’ social development.
References
Hursthouse, R. (2013). Ethics, humans and other animals: An introduction with readings. Routledge.
Loughnan, S., Haslam, N., & Bastian, B. (2010). The role of meat consumption in the denial of moral status and mind to meat animals. Appetite, 55(1), 156-159.
Smil, V. (2013). Should we eat meat?: evolution and consequences of modern carnivory. John Wiley & Sons.