This document will provide information on the health benefits and disadvantages of a high meat diet. This topic interests me greatly because of the recent movements towards vegan and other diets. Some information has been collected describing the risks of a high-meat diet. These risks include, but are not limited to; cancer, high cholesterol and obesity. An optimal diet can be defined as follows; a diet that maximizes health and longevity and, therefore, prevents nutritional deficiencies, reduces the risks of diet-related chronic diseases and is composed of available, safe and palatable foods (Kudlackova, Babinska & Valachovicova, 2005). With this in mind, one can first investigate what nutrients are missing from diets composed primarily of meat. As for proteins, plants are much richer in non-essential amino acids than meat. Other nutrients that are lacking in diets consisting largely of meat include; carbohydrates, antioxidant vitamins, minerals, fiber and vitamin C (Kudlackova, Babinska & Valachovicova, 2005). High meat consumption can often be associated with weight gain. Whey protein is probably one of the most consumed products by people who exercise. It is stated that “annual weight gain is positively associated with total meat consumption” (Williamson, Foster, Stanner & Buttriss, 2005). Inactivity and a high concentration of meat in the diet induce weight gain. Two related articles state that, due to the positive correlation between meat consumption and weight gain, it is favorable to decrease meat consumption. In the EPIC-Oxford study, four dietary groups were compared for differences in nutrient intake. .... middle of paper...... Because meat is a nutrient-dense food, we have evolved to utilize it to the best of our ability. For me the good outweighs the possible bad that can come from eating large amounts of meat. In fact, I consider myself extraordinarily lucky to live in a place where high-quality meat is so readily available. I never had to worry about iron deficiencies, malnutrition, or many other illnesses. As for cancer, I am not concerned about the possibility of getting cancer from consuming meat. This world is full of carcinogens far more numerous and worse than a good steak on a Friday night. With everything I've learned from reading these articles, I feel like I'm much more knowledgeable about the nutritional benefits and possible downsides of eating meat, but my stance on eating meat is solid: “America wasn't built on bowls of salad.”