Plants vs. Meats: The Health, History, and Ethics of What We Eat

by Meredith Sayles Hughes

Overview

No one can live without food, but what you eat is a personal decision. Today many people are examining nutritional advice and choosing to eat more vegetables and fruits and less meat. But is all meat bad for you? What does the science say?



People also make food choices for ethical and religious reasons. Some vegetarians and vegans avoid meat because they believe killing animals is wrong. Other people shun meat from factory farms. Recently, more people are seeking out foods grown locally and organically.



What do you choose to eat and why? This book will help you make decisions to support your values.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467780117
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/01/2016
Series:	Nonfiction - Young Adult
Pages:	96
Sales rank:	823,933
Product dimensions:	7.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	1250L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

Editorial Reviews

"With information about new eating regimes and environmental and health concerns coming out each year, this is a timely, student-friendly primer on the historical, nutritional, and ethical impacts of what and how humans eat. Discussing popular diets, from paleo to locavore, as well as the history of the growth and consumption of food from prehistoric times to the present, this book presents facts from both sides of the vegetarian-omnivore debate, leaving readers to make their own food choices. Sections on the business of farming and the environmental impact of raising animals and crops are eye-opening, highlighting fascinating tidbits ('it takes 441 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef'). References to pop culture figures, such as Beyonce, who is a vegan, and a final chapter on recent food developments, including 3-D-printed food, add further appeal. The material is well organized and well labeled and supported by interesting and colorful images and sidebars. VERDICT: This solid introduction to where food comes from and the consequences of its consumption and production is a worthy addition."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

02/01/2016
Gr 6 Up—With information about new eating regimes and environmental and health concerns coming out each year, this is a timely, student-friendly primer on the historical, nutritional, and ethical impacts of what and how humans eat. Discussing popular diets, from paleo to locavore, as well as the history of the growth and consumption of food from prehistoric times to the present, this book presents facts from both sides of the vegetarian-omnivore debate, leaving readers to make their own food choices. Sections on the business of farming and the environmental impact of raising animals and crops are eye-opening, highlighting fascinating tidbits ("it takes 441 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef"). References to pop culture figures, such as Beyonce, who is a vegan, and a final chapter on recent food developments, including 3-D-printed food, add further appeal. The material is well organized and well labeled and supported by interesting and colorful images and sidebars. VERDICT This solid introduction to where food comes from and the consequences of its consumption and production is a worthy addition.—Marian McLeod, Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich, CT

School Library Journal

2015-12-22
The moral, healthful, and historical reasons we eat what we eat. Former vegetarian and food historian Hughes begins her exposé by defining some "-isms," detailing what people who call themselves vegan or vegetarian or pescatarian (among others) eat. She touches on the historical factors that influence what we all eat and then examines some religious and philosophical restrictions on what some of us consume. A discussion of fad diets and the ingredients their proponents feel are harmful (gluten, fat, etc.) is followed by a look at the sources of food and the way this affects food availability and the environment. Finally she explores the future of food: insect protein, 3-D printing of food, and hydroponics, among others. Hughes is careful not to paint black-and-white pictures of any stance on food or make strident arguments for eating one type of food over another (though she does promote healthful food over junk food), though some of the people she quotes obviously have strong opinions. She instead urges readers to make informed decisions based on their personal ethics and healthful food information. To further help with this, she provides source notes for the quotes she cites, a glossary, a list of further reading, and website and film lists at the close. Good food for thought that won't leave readers feeling stuffed. (Nonfiction. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews

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